As the cold weather approaches, I feel very masochistic reviewing a summer CD, especially because the title directly refers to the beach. However, the collection of artists who have contributed to the Beach Station Blues II, make it easy to forget Winnipeg’s imminent and damning winter. Bands like Animal Teeth, Poorboy, and Naysa, to name a few, spent a weekend in Winnipeg Beach, MB, over the past summer to record the album. Beach Station Blues II was eventually mixed by David Thiel and mastered by Howard Rissin. Adam Soloway, Gilad Carroll, and Josh Winestock.
Highlights from Beach Station Blues II include Animal Teeth’s “Slipping,” a song reminiscent of a lazy summer night at the cabin, wrapped up in a board game with friends. Another is Young Folk’s “Your Words,” a simple melody with thoughtful lyrics, which I recommend laying back and closing your eyes—it makes for a moment of cathartic bliss. Further highlights on the album include Naysa’s “Have a Very Nice Day,” and Paincave’s “The Imp.” Beach Station Blues II may be the perfect fit for summertime nostalgia and I thoroughly enjoyed the album. It makes me less weary of the cold as I prepare for winter and leave any remnant of summer behind. (Real Love, reallovewinnipeg.bandcamp.com/) Rebecca Henderson