You don’t have to be a Manitoban to appreciate The Secret Beach’s new album. But it definitely helps.
We Were Born Here, What’s Your Excuse? — the sophomore full-length from singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Micah Erenberg and his loose musical collective — takes its title from a Simpsons sight gag about Winnipeg. And fittingly, many of the LP’s songs are about Erenberg’s relationship with the city and his home province. But they aren’t the only inspirations to be heard on this indie pop-rock charmer. You can also hear traces of everyone from Beck to Bob Dylan and The Band — the latter thanks in no small part to Erenberg’s work with Planet Waves producer Rob Fraboni. A couple of weeks before the album arrived, Erenberg Zoomed in from his new home in Saskatchewan to talk about love-hate relationships, recording philosophies, being the RZA of Matlock and more. Enjoy.
