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Vermont-based singer, composer, guitarist, dancer and poet Hannah Frances joins Al to introduce him to Fiona Apple’s 2012 album The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (aka The Idler Wheel…). Hannah talks about her earliest experiences with listening to The Idler Wheel… and why the album made such an impression on her. She and Al delve into several of the album’s tracks, and they highlight what they enjoy about Apple’s lyrics, vocal delivery and instrumentation in general. Hannah also discusses her most recent album Nested in Tangles as well as her recent and upcoming shows and projects, including her Landscapes of Song workshop.

Correction: Al made an incorrect reference to Hannah's album Nested in Tangles as Nestled in Tangles.

To find Hannah’s music, videos, merch and more, visit her website https://hannahfrancesmusic.com/. As mentioned on this episode, you will also be able to purchase the on-demand version of Hannah’s Landscapes of Song songwriting workshop via her website soon.

You can follow Hannah on Instagram and Substack at @hannahfracesmusic.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first eight episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.

2:02 Hannah’s introduction

2:38 Does Vermont need a new state seal?

3:17 Hannah talks about how she got introduced to The Idler Wheel…

5:53 Hannah explains why she chose to discuss The Idler Wheel…

8:27 Hannah discusses the personal loss that changed her music listening

13:27 Hannah revisits one of the first times she had listened to the album

17:01 Hannah explains why she thinks Apple’s anger is part of what makes The Idler Wheel… an important album

20:33 Hannah and Al find Apple’s lyrical directness appealing

23:10 Hannah explains why she needs to hear the album in full

Discussion of specific tracks:

23:59 Daredevil/Valentine

27:09 Werewolf

30:20 Periphery

31:58 Regret

34:05 Hannah contrasts Apple’s approach on The Idler Wheel… to Fetch the Bolt Cutters and Extraordinary Machine

37:06 Al and Hannah comment on the variety in the use of percussion across the tracks on The Idler Wheel…

42:07 Hannah sums up what she loves about The Idler Wheel…

42:57 Hannah talks about the sonic and lyrical landscapes of Nested in Tangles

46:08 Hannah explains how she consciously wanted to defy genre labels

51:10 Hannah talks about how Joni Mitchell is an inspiration for her

54:38 Hannah discusses how her love of progressive rock impacts her own music

56:47 Hannah shares her upcoming plans for live and recorded music

1:00:43 Hannah talks about her recent songwriting workshop

Outro music is from “Falling From and Further” by Hannah Frances.

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On this episode, Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir introduces Al to the 2013 album Amok by the supergroup/Radiohead spinoff Atoms for Peace. Ásgeir talks about how he got acquainted with the album and why he and his bandmates had it on repeat during their 2013 tour. While Ásgeir highlights particular tracks that are his favorites, he explains how he experiences the album as a cohesive whole. Ásgeir also talks about his new album Julia, his upcoming Icelandic-language album and his tour plans.

Keep up with Ásgeir on Instagram at @asgeirmusic! You can also find Ásgeir’s tour dates, music and more on his website, https://www.asgeirmusic.com/.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first eight episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.

1:25 Ásgeir’s introduction

2;01 Al knew very little about Atoms for Peace before researching the album

3:16 Ásgeir explains why he chose to discuss Amok

4:03 Ásgeir cites some other artists he considered talking about on this episode

5:21 Ásgeir explains how he discovered Amok

8:16 Ásgeir talks about how the album is both immediate and nuanced

12:04 Ásgeir and Al both experience the album as more of a “vibe” than a collection of distinctive songs

16:37 Listening to Amok helped Ásgeir to take his own music into a more electronic direction

17:46 Ásgeir and his bandmates had a special motivation for having Amok on repeat

22:05 Al and Ásgeir enjoy what the rhythm section brings to the band’s sound

24:02 Ásgeir and Al both view “Ingenue” as a highlight

26:00 Ásgeir doesn’t listen to Amok nearly as often lately

29:08 Ásgeir acknowledges the Radiohead/Atoms for Peace influence on “Sugar Clouds”

31;34 Ásgeir talks about writing all of the lyrics for the songs on Julia

32:30 Ásgeir discusses the challenges of writing songs in two languages

34:28 Does Ásgeir have any upcoming collaborations?

35:34 Ásgeir talks about the success he has had in Australia

36:46 Ásgeir discusses his upcoming tour

Outro music is from “Ferris Wheel” by Ásgeir.

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On this episode, Nashville-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Olivia Barton introduces Al to Mount Eerie’s 2017 album A Crow Looked at Me. Olivia talks about why she chose this album to discuss, even though she hasn’t listened to it very often, and she explains why she considers this a life-changing album. She also highlights some of the most impactful lyrics and musical elements from the album. Olivia  discusses her latest album For Myself and For You, as well as the .m4a version of the album she released in January.

Correction: Al referred to Olivia’s song “The Hardest Thing” as “The Hardest Part.”

To keep up with Olivia’s tour plans and much, much more, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram at @oliviabartonhaha. She has the same handle on TikTok and YouTube.

You can also find tour information and merch on Olivia’s website, https://oliviabartonhaha.com/. Also, you can explore and buy Olivia’s music on Bandcamp at https://oliviabarton.bandcamp.com/.

Olivia mentioned her collaboration with Lizzie McAlpine, “Learn Something,” which is now available on Bandcamp. All proceeds go to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund in Minnesota. Check it out here: https://lizzymcalpine.bandcamp.com/track/learn-something.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first eight episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:19 Olivia’s introduction

2:42 A Crow Looked at Me was an obvious choice for Olivia, even though she had listened to it only three times

5:30 Olivia recalls the part of the album that first made a big impression on her

10:22 Olivia and Al talk about some of the mundane details Phil Elverum sings about and the emotional impact they felt

14:24 Al and Olivia interpret some of the lyrics from “Emptiness Pt. 2”

17:40 Olivia explains how Elverum’s vocal style adds to the album’s emotional impact

18:50 Al and Olivia discuss Elverum’s unconventional use of noises in the recording

21:13 Olivia talks about the directness of Elverum’s lyrics

26:43 Olivia notes the album’s lack of hooks

28:16 Al and Olivia talk about the slight change in tone in the album’s last two tracks

36:51 Olivia discusses Elverum’s symbolic use of the crow

40:47 Listening to A Crow Looked at Me made Olivia think about stream counts

42:59 Olivia talks about her own emotionally difficult songs

45:27 Olivia mentions the other album she could have chosen for this episode

47:26 Olivia discusses the .m4a version of For Myself and For You

50:30 Olivia shares her upcoming tour plans

Outro music is from “Kissing in Public” by Olivia Barton.

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Musician, songwriter, producer, engineer and ethnomusicologist Alan Williams (solo, Birdsong at Morning, Knots and Crosses) joins Al to talk about Carla Bley and Paul Haines’ 1971 album Escalator over the Hill. Alan discusses why he decided to explore EOTH during his high school years, what his favorite parts of the album are, why it has stuck with him over the years and how much he actually likes the album. Alan explores the challenges the album presents to the genrefication of music and talks about several of the artists involved, including Linda Ronstadt, Jack Bruce and Charlie Haden. He also shares details about the making of his soon-to-be-released solo album Floating on the Dreamline (out on March 6) and his experiences with directing the Album Ensembles at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where he is a Professor of Music.

You can watch videos of the Album Ensembles’ live performances from Alan’s website:

https://www.alanwilliamsevidence.com/musings/an-incredible-simulation-the-umass-lowell-album-ensemble-projects

You can follow Alan on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at @alanwilliamsevidence.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first seven episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:16 Alan’s introduction

2:27 Alan explains why he got interested in Escalator over the Hill

3:55 Alan describes his initial experience with listening to the album

7:17 Alan and Al talk about the album’s lack of a story

11:01 Alan talks about the blending of the jazz and rock worlds on EOTH

16:29 Alan explains why EOTH made a big impact on him

19:47 Is it best to listen to all six sides of the album all the way through?

22:24 Alan picks out some of his favorite parts of the album

27:27 Linda Ronstadt’s involvement with this album puts the rest of her career in perspective

30:53 Alan is impressed that Bley got the project completed in spite of the obstacles

32:50 Bley continued to collaborate with rock musicians after EOTH

34:38 Does Alan actually like EOTH?

39:45 Alan explains why he finds EOTH inspirational

42:45 Alan recounts a personal encounter he had related to EOTH

44:20 Alan talks about artists who influenced the sound of Floating on the Dreamline

47:49 Alan discusses how “Feel No Pain” came together

51:16 Al hears FOTD as sonically cohesive

53:06 Alan talks about his students’ eclectic musical tastes

53:56 Alan discusses the Album Ensembles at University of Massachusetts-Lowell

1:06:37 Alan talks about his imminent retirement and upcoming events

Outro music is from “Before My Eyes” by Alan Williams.

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Woodstock, NY-based composer and musician Will Epstein joins Al to introduce him to Lou Reed’s 1982 album The Blue Mask. Will talks about when he first got acquainted with the Velvet Underground and how he eventually started listening to Reed’s solo material and The Blue Mask specifically. He breaks down several of the album’s tracks, illustrating what impresses him about Reed as a songwriter and performer. Will also discusses his recently-released album Yeah, mostly and talks about his upcoming plans.

You can follow Will on Instagram at @willcrushwater and find his music on Bandcamp at https://willepstein.bandcamp.com/.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first seven episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:15 Will's introduction

1:55 Will talks about how he first got interested in the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed

5:24 Will explains why The Blue Mask impressed him when he first explored it

13:04 Al and Will discuss the album’s track sequencing

16:35 Will explains how “My House” inspires him

20:44 Will discusses the contradictions of “Women” and “Underneath the Bottle”

24:36 Will sees Reed as being connected to Larry David

26:50 Al is impressed by the fluidity of the moods on The Blue Mask

28:03 Will hears contradictions in “Waves of Fear,” too

32:15 Will talks about how listening to The Blue Mask had an impact on the making of Yeah, mostly

40:25 Will explains why he name-checked Reed in “Socks in LA”

42:23 Will revisits some of the times he saw Reed perform

44:07 Did Will channel Reed on “Dishwasher”?

49:03 Will explains why he chose Yeah, mostly as the album title

53:12 Will talks about his plans for the coming months

Outro music is from “Brideshead Revisited Revisited” by Will Epstein.

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This is an excerpt from the first-ever Patreon-only episode of You, Me and An Album, aka Bonus Tracks. On the original version of this episode, Mary Beth and Al Melchior discuss four songs, two that Mary Beth experiences as sad and two that Al experiences as sad. Al's choices were “Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)" by James and “Murmurations” by Amy Millan. Mary Beth’s were “Remember My Name” by Sons of Legion and “Hallelujah” by k.d. lang (specifically, her performance of the song at the 2005 Juno Awards). This excerpted version features the discussions of "Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)" and "Hallelujah." Mary Beth and Al wound up having very different reactions to each of the songs, and they try to figure out why each song made one of them sad but not the other.

To hear k.d. lang's Juno Awards performance of "Hallelujah," you can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE&list=RDP_NpxTWbovE&start_radio=1.

Mary Beth has a wonderful poetry channel on YouTube! Check it out and subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/@OnThePath88.

You can also follow Mary Beth on Instagram at @mbmelchior.

To hear the full version of this episode, plus all of the other Bonus Tracks episodes, join the YMAAA Patreon at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.

1:47 What to expect from Bonus Tracks

4:38 Mary Beth joins the show

5:57 The theme of this episode was Mary Beth’s idea

7:05 Mary Beth and Al deal with sadness in music very differently

Discussion of specific sad songs

8:37 James, “Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)"

29:36 k.d. lang, “Hallelujah”

45:10 Other versions of “Hallelujah”

48:39 Mary Beth helps Al to understand why he doesn’t get “Hallelujah”

58:15 Mary Beth’s final thoughts about comparing reactions to the songs

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Woodstock, NY-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Storey Littleton joins Al to talk about Madi Diaz’s 2021 album History of a Feeling. Storey explains why she chose to discuss this album, even though she doesn’t always listen to it regularly, and she highlights certain tracks that are among her favorites. She also talks about how the album is a departure from the breakup albums that she used to listen to. Storey and Al chat about Storey’s soon-to-be-released debut album At a Diner (Feb. 6 on Don Giovanni Records), and Storey goes into detail about how the writing and recording process for her recent single “January” developed.

You can pre-order At a Diner from Storey’s website, and while you’re there, you can also check out her videos, tour dates and more. Just go to https://storeylittleton.com/.

Also, you can follow Storey and her bands on the following platforms…

Storey:

@storeylittletn on Instagram

@storeylittleton on YouTube

Monogamy:

@m0nogamy on Instagram

Ida:

@talesofbraveida on Instagram

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first six episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:33 Storey’s introduction

2:17 Storey chose History of a Feeling, even though she doesn’t always listen to it frequently

6:25 Storey’s mother was instrumental in her discovery of this album

9:01 Storey explains why she has such a strong affinity for the album

10:40 Storey talks about her most recent experience with listening to History of a Feeling

16:57 Al explains why he listened to the album backwards

20:27 Storey expounds on the indirectness of some of Diaz’s lyrics

21:54 Storey found listening to History of a Feeling to be a shocking experience

27:49 Al talks about a lyric that stood out for him

30:07 Storey and Al take note of the harmonies on “Do It Now’

30:49 Storey explains why “Man in Me” is one of her favorite songs on the album

35:39 History of a Feeling was a gateway to other music for Storey

37:51 Storey talks about a couple of other tracks that are among her favorites

40:33 Storey mentions the various drummers who performed on At a Diner

42:33 Storey discusses her parents’ contributions to At a Diner

43:27 Storey talks about the development of “January”

51:11 Why does Storey like playing at Tubby’s?

53:13 What’s next for Storey?

Outro music is from “At a Diner” by Storey Littleton.

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This is an excerpt from a Bonus Tracks episode published on the You, Me and An Album Patreon on Sept. 25, 2025. You can hear the entire episode, plus all of the other Bonus Tracks episodes, by joining the YMAAA Patreon at patreon.com/youmealbum.

Dulcimer player Sam Edelston joins Al to talk about listening to albums that are off the beaten path. Whether we're listening to genres we're unfamiliar with or music that we come across unexpectedly, finding the key that allows us to enjoy that music can be a challenge. Sam and Al talk about their experiences with listening to albums on a list that Sam created, which features artists ranging from Tom Lehrer to Bobby Bare to Kazuhito Yamashita. Sam also discusses how he has discovered and reimagined music through the fretted dulcimer—and he and Al chat about his terrific dulcimer rock album Making Waves.

You can keep up with Sam and his music at the following places:

https://www.samthemusicman.com/

@contemporarydulcimer on Instagram and YouTube

@Sam.Edelston.Music on Facebook

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.

0:17 Introduction: Sharing excerpts from Bonus Tracks

2:55 Sam joins the show

3:08 Al explains how he is approaching this episode

4:36 Sam talks about why he took up fretted dulcimer

7:44 “Mellow Yellow” got Sam started on his exploration of rock songs on dulcimer

9:20 Sam talks about the advantages of playing a three-stringed instrument

11:49 Sam explains how he varies some of the arrangements on his cover songs

16:09 Sam aims to take the integration of dulcimer into rock music to another level

19:33 Al didn’t connect with some of the music on Sam’s list

24:02 Sam found each of the albums on his list in unexpected ways

28:03 Hearing a cappella versions of songs sometimes gets Sam to explore the originals

35:49 Sometimes record store recommendations fill in the gaps that radio listening leaves

37:05 Al highlights some of the music from Sam’s list that he liked the most

39:09 Arranging songs for dulcimer enhances Sam’s enjoyment of songs that are new to him

Outro music is from “Wild Horses” by Edelston & Dulcimer.

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On this episode, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maia Sharp gets Al acquainted with Lord Huron’s 2018 album Vide Noir. (Maia was previously a guest on Ep 124, when she and Al talked about Historian by Lucy Dacus.) Maia explains why Vide Noir is on heavy rotation at her home and how this album—and Lord Huron’s music more generally—has informed her own songwriting. She also discusses the making of her latest album Tomboy, delving into some of the lyrical themes, arrangements and songwriting processes.

Learn more about Maia and her music at https://www.maiasharp.com/! To hear exclusive songs, previews and much more, check out Maia’s Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/maiasharp.

You can also follow Maia on Instagram at @maiasharpmusic and on Facebook at @maiasharpofficial.

At the end of this episode, Al mentioned the song that Maia co-wrote as part of the Songwriting With Soldiers program. To learn more about the making of “Strumming Hand,” see the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhW4szERds. To learn more about Songwriting With Soldiers, visit their website at https://songwritingwithsoldiers.org/.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first six episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:19 Maia’s introduction

2:19 Al had heard of Lord Huron before…barely

6:03 Maia explains why she picked Vide Noir for this episode

11:02 Maia talks about songwriting lessons she has learned from Lord Huron

16:04 Al and Maia compare the experiences of listening to Lord Huron and Bon Iver

21:20 Al and Maia talk about the lack of action in Ben Schneider’s story

24:51 Maia loves the slackness of the drums on Vide Noir

30:16 Why doesn’t Maia usually like music that sounds theatrical?

32:18 Maia and Al note the album’s blend of retro and futuristic sounds

34:21 Maia appreciates how listening to Vide Noir is a full experience

39:04 There’s not much suspense as to how the protagonist’s story is going to end

40:13 Maia took a different approach to listening to Vide Noir in preparing for this episode

43:13 Maia talks about the use of percussion on Tomboy

48:08 Maia recounts the process of writing “Better Story” with Matthew Perryman Jones

52:30 Maia talks about her upcoming plans

Outro is from “Strumming Hand” by Maia Sharp.

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For the final YMAAA episode of 2025, music photographer, podcaster, entrepreneur and record collector Scott Dudelson introduces Al to Dillard & Clark’s 1968 debut album The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark. Scott talks about how he first encountered the album, why it had special significance for him during an important time in his life and why it continues to be a favorite album of his. He also discusses how bluegrass legend Doug Dillard and rock icon Gene Clark became a duo and how Bernie Leadon came to be an important contributor to their work. Scott also talks about his Legends podcast, his work as a music photographer and rebuilding his substantial record collection after losing his home in the Palisades Fire.

You can check out Scott’s interviews on his @alldayvinyl YouTube channel or at the home for his Legends podcast, https://musiclegendspodcast.com/.

Scott mentioned his Instagram account, and you can follow him there at @alldayvinyl. He also has an IG account for his photography at @photos_by_the_dude.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first five episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.

To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum

1:15 Scott’s introduction

2:08 Scott explains why he picked this Dillard & Clark album for this episode

3:40 Learning about Dillard & Clark helped both Scott and Al to better see the connections between country and rock

5:24 Scott revisits his experience of buying The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

9:08 Scott recalls what impressed him about the album initially

10:33 Scott talks about Bernie Leadon’s role on the album

13:10 Scott discusses some of the details regarding the album that he learned from interviewing Leadon

17:21 Scott explains why this album resonates for him personally

22:35 Scott spotlights the songs that stand out for him

25:58 “Train Leaves Here This Morning” sent Al on a musical exploration

27:44 "The Radio Song” reminded Scott and Al of other songs

30:41 The Dillard & Clark album inspired Scott to explore other music

33:35 Scott talks about starting All Day Vinyl and interviewing Leadon

35:30 Scott discusses the process of rebuilding his record collection with help from donations

39:44 Scott doesn’t just listen to music on vinyl

41:33 Scott mentions some interviews he has done for his Legends podcast

43:02 Scott explains how he got started as a music photographer

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