You, Me and An Album

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Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Joe Adragna of The Junior League makes a return visit to YMAAA to talk about Sloan’s 2001 album Pretty Together. (Joe was also the guest on Ep 49, on which he discussed The Monkees’ Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.) Joe explains how he first got into Sloan and why the Canadian band is one of his favorites. He also talks about Sloan’s approach to songwriting and collaboration, and he breaks down what he enjoys about several of the album’s tracks. Joe explains why he released his recent Junior League EP Nattering Nabobs and new album Our Broadcast Day separately and discusses the vibe he was aiming for in these latest recordings.

Want to listen to or buy Joe’s music? Head on over to the Junior League Bandcamp page, https://thejuniorleague.bandcamp.com/, the Kool Kat Music website, koolkatmusik.com, or any of the usual streaming places.

Also, be sure to follow Joe on social media!

Instagram and Threads: @thejuniorleague

Facebook: @thejrleague

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

1:15 Joe joins the show

2:04 Joe talks about the Sloan song that was his entry point into the band's music

4:28 Joe has helped a lot of people become fans of Sloan

5:48 Joe talks about the division of songwriting among Sloan’s four members

10:53 It’s not easy to pick a favorite song or album from your favorite band

12:36 The members of Sloan will sometimes contribute to songs in unexpected ways

15:54 Joe talks about the experience of seeing Sloan live

Discussion of individual tracks:

19:24 The Other Man

24:16 I Love a Long Goodbye

25:11 Life of a Working Girl

28:42 Are You Giving Me Back My Love?

32:12 Your Dreams Have Come True

35:36 It’s In Your Eyes

36:54 If It Feels Good Do It

39:07 Who You Talkin’ To?

40:35 Joe talks about the process of writing melodic, accessible songs

48:59 “In the Movies” is an example of how Sloan successfully integrates different musical elements

54:40 Joe’s concluding thoughts about Pretty Together

56:16 Why is Joe releasing Nattering Nabobs and Our Broadcast Day separately?

58:57 Which came first: the Our Broadcast Day cover art or the title track?

1:00:45 Our Broadcast Day reminds Al of a specific year

1:03:36 Joe talks about the collaborators who worked with him on Our Broadcast Day

1:06:01 Joe mentions some upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “This Concludes Our Broadcast Day” by the Junior League.

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British pop/rock vocalist and songwriter Tasmin Archer joins Al to discuss Daniel Lanois’ 2003 album Shine. Tasmin talks about how she became a fan of Lanois’ music, and she breaks down the elements of Shine that make it one of her favorite albums, highlighting some of her favorite tracks along the way. She also revisits the making of her 1992 signature hit “Sleeping Satellite” and reveals which band indirectly influenced its sound. The conversation concludes with Tasmin talking about her upcoming album A Cauldron of Random Notes, which will be released in late 2024 or early 2025.

To keep up with news on Tasmin’s album release, sign up for her newsletter and much more, check out tasminarcher.com. You can also follow Tasmin on X at @tasminarcher and on Facebook at tasmin.archer.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

1:15 Tasmin joins the show

1:45 Tasmin talks about the Lanois track that hooked her on his music

2:52 Tasmin recalls the moment she knew “Sleeping Satellite” was going to be special

5:13 Tasmin explains how she initially got exposed to Lanois’ music

7:52 Tasmin and Al talk about how they responded to the album’s sequencing

11:55 Tasmin explains how Shine gets better with repeated listens

14:03 Tasmin talks about the timeless quality of Lanois’ music

18:58 Tasmin identifies what she likes about Lanois’ vocals

24:59 “Shine” is one of Tasmin’s favorite tracks on the album

26:54 Tasmin and Al discuss “I Love You” and “Falling at Your Feet” (with a brief Genesis detour)

31:53 Tasmin and Al talk about Lanois’ take on reggae

34:56 Tasmin shares her reaction to some of Lanois’ lyrics

38:49 Tasmin expects that Lanois will continue to make great music

41:57 Tasmin explains how Lanois may have influenced some tracks on her new album

44:17 Tasmin talks about some of the other influences on “Madame Joy”

48:41 One of Tasmin’s new songs reminds her of U2

50:36 Tasmin discusses the process of making A Cauldron of Random Notes

58:57 Tasmin explains where the title for A Cauldron of Random Notes came from

1:00:57 Tasmin talks about her initial reaction to “Sleeping Satellite” as it was being written

1:03:55 Tasmin discusses the possibility of upcoming live performances 

Outro music is from “Sleeping Satellite” by Tasmin Archer.

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For this episode, Will Rigby—drummer for the seminal indie rock band the dB’s—introduces Al to Cheri Knight’s 1998 album, The Northeast Kingdom. Will talks about his experience of playing on the album, breaks down aspects of the recording process and discusses why he loves the album and is proud to have played on it. He also talks about the 2024 reissued versions of the dB’s first two albums, Stands for Decibels and Repercussion, and the band’s upcoming tour.

Keep track of all things dB’s at https://thedbs.com/!

You can also follow the band on Instagram at @wearethedbs.

As Will mentions on the show, you can find his solo music on Bandcamp at willrigby.bandcamp.com.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:17 Will joins the show

2:36 Will talks about the trajectory of Cheri Knight’s musical career and his place in it

5:12 Will explains why he wanted to talk about The Northeast Kingdom

8:49 Will talks about the band Knight toured with

12:14 Knight’s experience with farming is a key theme of the album

15:32 Will and Al discuss one of Knight’s sequencing choices

19:48 Will talks about Steve Earle’s contributions to the album

26:16 Will and Al talk about the heavier sound of “Sweetheart”

27:14 Will delves into the guitar sounds on the album

Going into detail on specific tracks:

29:28 The Northeast Kingdom

38:12 The Hatfield Side

41:47 Dead Man’s Curve

43:19 Will thinks the band rehearsed just the right amount before recording the album

44:18 Will is also a fan of the cover art

45:47 Will talks about the reissues of the dB’s first two albums

49:33 Will discusses the upcoming dB’s tour

53:22 Will the dB’s ever record new music again?

Outro music is from “Ask for Jill” by the dB’s.

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Matt Johnson, the singer, songwriter and musician behind the post-punk band The The, visits YMAAA to talk about the first The The album in 24 years, Ensoulment. Matt talks about why he decided to write and record a The The album after spending the better part of two decades away from the project. He talks about what distinguished the process of making Ensoulment, which will be available on Sept. 6, and delves into the songwriting process for the album’s first two singles, “Cognitive Dissident” and “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot.” Matt also talks about the album that he has probably listened to more often than any other, and what makes it a special album for him.

Looking for The The tour information? Want to sign up for their official newsletter? You can find this and much more at thethe.com

You can also keep up with The The on social media…

IG: @officialthe_the

X: @thethe

Facebook: officialthethe

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:17 Matt joins the show

1:29 Matt talks about what it was like to record a The The album for the first time in more than 20 years

4:35 Matt explains why he decided to make a full album

7:22 Matt discusses how a surgery he underwent inspired one of his new songs

13:24 Matt talks about what he did to give Ensoulment a cohesive feel

17:25 The themes of Ensoulment pertain to both the timely and the timeless

21:48 Matt explains the process for writing “Cognitive Dissident”

24:42 Matt talks about the album he has probably listened to more than any other

Outro music is from “Cognitive Dissident” by The The.

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Singer-songwriter Amy Rigby (solo, The Shams, The Last Roundup) has had a longstanding admiration for the power-pop band Fountains of Wayne, and she joins Al to chat about the band’s self-titled debut album from 1996. Amy talks about how she got into Fountains of Wayne and what it is about their first album that makes it especially notable. She highlights some of her favorite songs from the album and discusses how well Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger integrated humor into their songwriting. Amy also delves into the making of her new album Hang In There With Me.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the Diary of Amy Rigby blog and podcast!

Blog: https://amyrigby.substack.com/ 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diary-of-amy-rigby/id15610945052

Amy also mentioned the Looking for the Magic podcast she did with Elizabeth Nelson. You can find that here: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/looking-for-the-magic-elizabeth-nelson-amy-7RaT_Iy-DiS/

Amy and Al are both planning to check out the Fountains of ‘Splain podcast…if you want to join them, here it is! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fountains-of-splain/id1547151768

You can keep up with Amy on Instagram at @amymrigby.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:28 Amy joins the show

1:58 Did Amy and Fountains of Wayne run in the same circles in New York in the ‘90s?

7:16 Amy talks about the sports themes in Fountains of Wayne’s songs

9:07 Amy and Al discuss “Sick Day” and its thematic similarity to a song that Amy wrote

15:51 Amy hears “Radiation Vibe” as a great example of a “happy sad song”

17:52 Amy likes Fountains of Wayne’s selfless approach

20:54 Amy wants there to be a Fountains of Wayne documentary

22:35 Amy talks about her two podcasts and her blog

27:34 Amy explains why Fountains of Wayne was an affirming album for her

32:27 There aren’t many rock songwriters who successfully integrate humor into their songs

41:00 Amy highlights a few of her favorite songs from Fountains of Wayne

44:06 Amy thinks Fountains of Wayne set themselves apart from other ‘90s bands

47:24 Amy notes how Fountains of Wayne’s songwriting progressed after the debut album

49:58 Al explains exactly how little he knew about Fountains of Wayne

52:31 Amy talks about the process of making Hang In There With Me

1:05:11 Amy thinks good sequencing is still worth the trouble

1:07:43 Al noticed a similarity between Amy’s songs and those of a previous guest

1:09:04 Amy talks about her upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Dylan in Dubuque” by Amy Rigby.

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CONTENT WARNING: There is discussion of suicide as it relates to the lyrics of the song “Dress Rehearsal Rag.” (Discussion begins at 46:44 and ends at 51:58.)

Sean Nelson, formerly the frontman for the Seattle-based band Harvey Danger, joins Al to talk about Leonard Cohen’s 1971 album Songs of Love and Hate. Sean talks about how he first heard the album and why he was instantly enamored of it, and why Cohen is one of his favorite vocalists. He also talks about the personal nature of the lyrics for many of the songs on the album. In addition to discussing this album, Sean and Al discuss their experiences with listening to Jennifer Warnes’ covers of Cohen’s songs.

Be sure to check out Sean’s new podcast, The Wonder of It All (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31843073/), wherever you get your podcasts. You can keep up with Sean on Instagram at @actualseannelson.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:25 Sean joins the show

2:11 Sean explains why he wanted to discuss this particular Cohen album

5:03 Sean talks about Cohen as a seeker of truth

6:43 Sean identifies the moment when Cohen really grabbed his attention

12:52 The album made Al confront something about his musical preferences

15:25 Sean explains why he is drawn to dark albums like Songs of Love and Hate

16:53 Sean contrast’s Cohen’s approach to Trent Reznor’s

21:21Sean describes the setting in which he prefers to listen to Songs of Love and Hate

24:07 Sean and Al make note of Cohen’s dialogues with himself on the album

27:22 Sean talks about the successes Cohen had early in his music career, and how it inspired “Avalanche”

34:52 Were “Famous Blue Raincoat” and “Joan of Arc” about actual people in Cohen’s life?

39:43 Sean and Al discuss their reactions to Jennifer Warnes’ covers of Cohen’s songs

46:44 (TW) Sean delves into “Dress Rehearsal Rag”

51:58 Sean talks about his new podcast and the vinyl release of Harvey Danger’s King James Version 

Outro music is from “(This Is) The Thrilling Conversation You’ve Been Waiting For” by Harvey Danger.

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In celebration of the album’s 45th anniversary, musician and songwriter Bruce Sudano (Brooklyn Dreams, Alive N Kickin’, solo) visits YMAAA to talk about Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. He talks about the role he played in the making of the album, his relationship with Summer, to whom he was married for 32 years, and how Bad Girls represents the “peak era” of Summer’s musical career. Bruce also discusses Summer’s versatility as a vocalist and songwriter and how those gifts helped to make Bad Girls one of the most important albums of its era. Bruce concludes by talking about his latest solo album, Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies, and working with esteemed producer Ken Lewis.

Keep up with Bruce’s music, tour dates and more at brucesudano.com! Also be sure to give him a follow on Facebook and at @brucesudano on Instagram.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:29 Bruce joins the show

1:49 How did Bruce wind up on the cover of Bad Girls?

3:51 Bruce had not known Summer long when they started working on Bad Girls

4:45 Bruce talks about the general creative approach Summer took on the album

12:04 Bruce addresses the diversity of songs on Bad Girls

18:32 Bruce talks about the writing and recording of “Bad Girls”

22:50 Bruce explains how “Lucky” came together

24:32 Bruce discusses the futuristic quality of Side 4

26:17 The Bad Girls period was an extremely busy one for Bruce and Donna

30:57 “Hot Stuff” is a “very L.A.” recording

35:28 Bruce explains why Summer started writing songs on the piano

38:03 Bruce reveals which rock star Summer wrote “Dim All the Lights” for

40:09 Bruce talks about how Summer took on different personas for different songs

43:51 Bruce discusses how music—and their lives—changed after Bad Girls

48:01 Summer was the complete entertainer

49:48 Bruce talks about making Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies

57:36 Bruce alerts us to his upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies” by Bruce Sudano.

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Dallas-based singer/songwriter Stephanie Sammons joins Al to introduce him to Triumph’s 1986 album, The Sport of Kings. Stephanie talks about what she loves about this album and what made it an ideal album to blast on her car stereo. She and Al also talk about the interesting circumstances under which Triumph made The Sport of Kings. Stephanie discusses her evolution as a musician and songwriter and how mentors like Mary Gauthier and Emily Saliers have helped her. Al asks Stephanie about her process for writing some of the highly personal songs on her new album Time and Evolution.

You can keep up with Stephanie on her website stephaniesammons.com. Also, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram. She’s at @stephaniesammons.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:14 Stephanie joins the show

2:01 Much of Stephanie’s early enjoyment of The Sport of Kings took place in her car

6;26 Does Stephanie lump Triumph together with Rush?

8:42 Stephanie doesn’t remember Triumph getting much radio airplay

10:13 Stephanie pinpoints the specific things she likes about The Sport of Kings

12:39 Al recognized a couple of the album’s tracks right away

14:34 There is one thing Stephanie doesn’t like about The Sport of Kings

15:40 Did Triumph rip off Boston on “Don’t Love Anybody Else But Me”?

18:01 Seeing Triumph live was a memorable experience for Stephanie

19:22 Al hears connections between Triumph and some other bands

21:09 Triumph themselves were not fans of The Sport of Kings

24:13 Do the musicians Stephanie knows think that bands like Triumph and Boston are cool?

28:41 Which artists did Stephanie listen to when she was in college?

31:02 Stephanie got to see Rik Emmett live long after The Sport of Kings came out

32:49 Stephanie talks about her progression from playing music as a hobby to “going pro”

38:31 Stephanie discusses having Emily Saliers as a mentor

41:50 Stephanie talks about writing songs about her relationship with her parents

48:54 Stephanie shares her upcoming plans

Outro music is from “Holding on to Jesus” by Stephanie Sammons.

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Nashville-based singer/songwriter Tim Easton joins Al to discuss an album that has nearly been the subject of several previous episodes (but never quite made the cut), Joni Mitchell’s album Blue from 1971. Tim talks about the unusual circumstance under which he first heard Blue as a teenager, why it is an important album for him and for many songwriters and how it has influenced his own work. He also talks about the time he met Mitchell in Los Angeles, as well as the time he briefly shared a living space and busked with Beck in Paris. Tim talks about making his new album Find Your Way and about his current and upcoming plans.

Al mentioned an interview that Tim did with Otis Gibbs. You can access that video on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtmuIfC-nZM

Tim talked about the video he made for “Everything You’re Afraid Of.” Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxeMR2MNCnk

Be sure to follow Tim on Instagram and YouTube at @TimEastonSongwriter, and visit his Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/TimEaston. You can find Tim’s music on his website, https://www.timeaston.com/, and his Bandcamp page, https://timeaston1.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Tim joins the show

1:52 Tim can’t believe Blue hadn’t already been covered on YMAAA

3:03 Tim explains the unusual circumstance under which he first listened to Blue

3:53 Tim talks about the personal quality of Blue

7:48 Does one need to be into poetry to “get” Joni Mitchell?

10:52 Tim was impressed by how Mitchell’s voice blends with the instruments

15:23 Tim talks about the subtle sensuality of her lyrics

16:51 Tim shares his story about how Mitchell influenced the making of his album Break Your Mother’s Heart

20:38 Tim talks about the emotional quality that Blue has for him

26:03 Tim hopes to pass on his appreciation of Mitchell to his daughter

26:56 Tim notes the roster of esteemed musicians who accompanied Mitchell on Blue

29:02 Tim explains how Mitchell has influenced his music

33:21 Tim cites what he thinks are the most notable tracks from Blue

39:43 Tim made Find Your Way as a cohesive whole

46:30 Tim walks through the process of recording Find You Way in Canada

49:49 Tim talks about busking with Beck in Paris

56:13 Tim reveals what he might have picked if he didn’t pick Blue

58:59 Tim explains the meaning behind his song “Everything You’re Afraid Of”

1:01:32 Tim talks about his current and upcoming projects

Outro music is from “Everything You’re Afraid Of” by Tim Easton.

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Legendary drummer John JR Robinson visits YMAAA to talk about a favorite album of his—and it happens to be one he also played on. JR talks about why he is so fond of Steve Winwood’s 1986 smash Back in the High Life, and why he thinks the album represented the end of an era. He breaks down several of his performances, including those on the No. 1 hit “Higher Love” and the adult contemporary chart-toppers “The Finer Things” and “Back in the High Life Again.”

There wasn’t time to discuss JR’s experience with performing on USA for Africa’s “We Are The World,” but he recently shared some thoughts about the recent documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, on his Instagram account. Check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3BUqAjR85b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

As JR mentioned on the show, he has a lot of projects in the works, and you can keep up with all of them at his website, https://www.johnjrrobinson.com/.

Also, be sure to follow JR on Instagram at @johnjrrobinson1.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:20 JR joins the show

2:05 Al summarizes a small part of JR’s discography

2:55 JR explains how he got involved with the recording of Back in the High Life

6:26 JR talks about putting the drum part together for “Higher Love”

7:13 JR showed up to the studio not knowing he was going to be asked to play on the album

9:00 JR explains how he got the sound of the opening pattern for “Higher Love”

15:39 Back in the High Life was unusual for a pop album

16:54 JR and Al compare Back in the High Life with Roll With It

19:59 JR talks about what’s different about today’s pop music

21:58 JR comment on the cinematic quality of “The Finer Things”

24:37 JR explains why he didn’t play on every track on the album

26:07 JR talks about Tom Lord-Alge’s work on Back in the High Life

27:17 JR discusses his playing on “Split Decision”

30:36 Should “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day” have been a radio hit?

32:24 JR talks about his approach to playing on “Back in the High Life Again”

35:45 Al asks JR about an earlier version of “Back in the High Life Again”

38:08 JR calls Back in the High Life an end of an era

46:00 JR recalls his impressions of “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day”

49:28 A great combination of musicians made “Higher Love”

50:43 JR comments on the tracks he didn’t play on

52:49 On what media did Al listen to the album?

55:02 JR explains why he thinks “Back in the High Life Again” was made the title track

58:55 JR’s final thoughts about the album

1:02:01 JR talks about his current plans, including his upcoming autobiography, King of the Groove: The John ‘JR’ Robinson Story

Outro is from “Back in the High Life Again” by Steve Winwood.

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