General Comments

This is the place for any comments you have that don't relate to a specific post. This is a place where you can leave any requests, suggestions and opinions that you have about this blog. It will always remain at the top of the blog so that it is visible to everyone. We can use this as a forum for an open discussion on music in general, as well as just simply saying hi. Let's get the ball rolling.

Reassessment of Priorities

For those of you who didn't realize it, I received an e-mail from Mediafire yesterday letting me know that they have suspended the use of a Caetano Veloso track that I just posted a couple days ago as they received complaints about me making this track available to download.  These guys are really not playing around if a single track from a 60's Brazilian psych record on a small label is targeted as copyright infringement. I really am at a loss now since I don't know what I am able to share without having the RIAA, Mediafire and Blogger on my case 24-7. It would be great if everyone would just take a moment to realize that all bloggers are not evil criminals who prey on musicians' lifeblood for our own benefit. There are certainly some blogs out there that only post the album artwork and a link with nothing to say about the artist, but there are still many who have the best interests of the artist in mind. This is certainly not a money-making venture for me, and the primary reason that I am doing it is to share music and promote artists that I believe in. 

I haven't done this in awhile, but I really need my readers to step up and help me assess what is really important here as I need to figure out a new way to do things around here. Recently, I realized that a majority of my files which were uploaded on defunct file-sharing services like Sharebee, Mass Mirror, Quicksharing and Boxstr have all been deleted for quite some time, in addition to the ones uploaded with Megaupload. There are some files that I won't be reuploading since they were taken down multiple times by various file- sharing services, but some of them were links for live concerts and out-of-print records that probably just expired after a certain amount of time elapsed. What I need to know from my regular visitors is whether there is a file-sharing service out there that you recommend as I doubt that posting files to Mediafire is a viable option right now. I really don't know if there are any services available that haven't been targeted by the RIAA, but I would like to hear from some of you if you have any ideas?

Would posting new links for old posts be more important to you, or would you like to see me focus on new posts?  Since reposting these expired links will definitely take some time, I need to prioritize these tasks accordingly. I am also looking for your input on an idea that I have been mulling over regarding offering the download links through e-mail. The way this would work is if you want to download the album, mp3 or mix, you would need to send me an e-mail and I will reply to your e-mail with the link to download the files. This wouldn't necessarily prevent Mediafire from taking down files, but at least the files wouldn't be posted on my blog anymore for Blogger to administer. Another option is to make the blog private until the dust settles, and everyone who wants to be invited to the blog can post a comment letting me know this so I can add you to the list. Everyone who has been added to the list before I make the blog private will be able to access it without any problem.

One thing that I want to make clear is that I keep doing this because I want to, but I really need to know that continuing to administer this blog is valuable to my readers. I have barely received any comments on the last 10 posts, and I know that there were almost 3000 visitors during the last month. It would just be helpful to me if I knew that I was taking risks to keep this thing going because people value what I do here. Please let me know if you have any helpful ideas, thoughts or positive vibrations to send my way, because I really need them right now.

Choice Cuts Vol.3

It is once again time for me to reach back in the refrigerator for some "choice cuts". Each time, I will be featuring sizzling and succulent morsels that are grabbing my ear right now that range from funk to country, from afro-beat to garage rock, etc. Sometimes there will be a theme to these songs that ties them all together in a nice bow, but other times the songs featured will just be a musical hodgepodge of eclectic delights. Without further ado, lets see what "choice cuts" the vinyl butcher has prepared for us today.

Eddie Fisher- Beautiful Things
From:  Eddie Fisher and The Next Hundred Years [Cadet Records, 1971]

When I first heard this record there were other tracks that grabbed my attention, but this one slowly but surely imprinted itself on my memory. With an extended intro featuring a captivating blend of bass, strings and harp, you would never guess that this track would turn into the funk monster that it does around the midway point. After nearly four minutes of orchestral beauty, the tempo starts to slowly increase with Fisher's majestic guitar playing taking the forefront for a couple minutes. Then, the track busts wide open with the walking bass setting the stage for a blistering wah-wah soaked solo that goes on for over four minutes. Finally, the song quietly fades out with the same orchestral instrumentation from the beginning. This is one of those tracks that is truly a thing of beauty with a little something for every type of listener.

Caetano Veloso- The Empty Boat

From: S/T [Phillips, 1969]

I discovered Caetano Veloso just a few years ago when perusing a blog that had a lot of Brazilian psych music on it, and at first wasn't completely floored by what I heard. It goes without saying that the best music takes time to really sink in, and this record and song are no exception. While I was taking a walk during a break from work recently, this song came on my I-phone. At first, my impulse was to hit the skip button, but some inexplicable force took over and encouraged me to keep listening. I am so glad I gave it a chance, because what was about to unfold was nothing short of stunning.

The lightly strummed guitar at the beginning starts the song off in an unassuming fashion, leading you to believe that this is bossanova-by-numbers. Then, the rug is pulled out from underneath the listener, as shards of incendiary fuzz guitar erupt out of nowhere and practically drown out Veloso's vocals until the song closes. While the tone and intensity of the guitar sound is enough to pull you in for the rest of this trip on Veloso's empty boat, it's his yearning vocals attempting to fight it out with the guitar that make this well worth the price of admission.

Link removed by Mediafire as I received a notice from them that this file is infringing on the copyright of the artist. Blogger set my post to draft and requested that I remove the link so I have complied. 

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Choice Cuts, and would love to hear what you guys think about these tracks. One thing that I have on the back burner right now is a new series featuring live concerts that I have recorded and downloaded from various sources over the years. You can look for this series to come to fruition in the near future.

Until next time...

The Fall of the Media Empire

After the prolific month of January on Eclectic Grooves, I have been mostly absent from the blogging universe in February. During this time, numerous file-sharing services such as Filesonic, 4-Shared and W-Upload have taken protective measures to ensure that they are not targeted by the RIAA and taken to court for violating copyright laws. Further, blogs including No Longer Forgotten Music, Mutant Sounds, Global Groove and Madrotter have lost their entire library of music due to these changes, and others like Freedom Blues and and Holy Warbles have had their site removed by Blogger because they were suspected of copyright infringement.

Due to these developments,  I have taken the time to reassess what my intention is for Eclectic Grooves moving forward.  I will no longer be featuring downloads for full albums that are still in print and will be circumspect about featuring full albums at all until the dust settles from this file-sharing shakedown.  What this means is that I will be focusing more on the I Hear a New World podcasts, Choice Cuts and a new series that will focus on live concerts. I am also open to any suggestions that you might have about alternative file-sharing services I could use that haven't been targeted by the RIAA yet. I hope that you all understand that I am making these changes because I love music, and don't want to do anything that will jeopardize my ability to continue sharing music with all of you.

With this being said, all links from Dec 2006 have been re-upped for your listening pleasure. Please click on the following links to access the original posts.

Sonic Bootleg- Sonic Youth
Sonic Bootleg Continued- Sonic Youth
Ask and Ye Shall Receive- Chico Magnetic Band

Christmas Comes Early- Evan Parker
Best Records of 2006- Comets on Fire, Bardo Pond, Built to Spill, Jolie Holland, Old Time Relijun

There will be more fresh music to come in the following week, so please keep checking back.

Choice Cuts Vol.2

It is once again time for me to reach back in the refrigerator for some "choice cuts". Each time, I will be featuring sizzling and succulent morsels that are grabbing my ear right now that range from funk to country, from afro-beat to garage rock, etc. Sometimes there will be a theme to these songs that ties them all together in a nice bow, but other times the songs featured will just be a musical hodgepodge of eclectic delights. Without further ado, lets see what "choice cuts" the vinyl butcher has prepared for us today.

Today's edition of Choice Cuts features a track each from the latest releases on Tompkins Square: This May Be My Last Time Singing- Raw African American Gospel on 45 RPM 1957-1982 and To What Strange Place- The Music of the Ottoman -American Diaspora. 

R. Jenkins and the Dayton Harmonaires: Put Your Hand in the Hand
From: This May Be My Last Time Singing- Raw African American Gospel on 45 RPM 1957-1982

Master curator and music lover Mike McGonigal painstakingly combed the archives of rare gospel music, and compiled this arresting collection of gritty gospel tunes that will have you singing from the top of your lungs and tapping your feet to the grooves. Before I laid ears on this collection,  I was wriggling with anticipation as to what I was about to experience. Nothing could quite prepare me for the tenth track on the first disc of this set. 

From the opening heavily-phased surf guitar on R. Jenkins and the Dayton Harmonaires' "Put Your Hand in the Hand", I knew that I was in for an aural delight. If I was to put a tag on the style, I would call it Psychedelic Gospel-Surf, as it conjures up images of a congregation belting it out on a sunny beach while surfers elegantly ride massive waves to the sound of the music.  I'm guessing that this is a whacked-out interpretation of a gospel standard, but I can't for the life of me remember who composed the original song. One thing that I know for sure is that most of you will be hard-pressed to think of another example of music that melds these particular styles so perfectly. Off kilter basslines, psychedelicized surf guitar and throat-shredding vocals are all distinct elements of this track that will leave you scratching your head and grinning in unison.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown Performers: Pehlivan Havasi
From: To What Strange Place- The Music of the Ottoman -American Diaspora
 
Ian Nagoski curated this mind-blowing collection by musical masters from Anatolia, The Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant who recorded most of this collection of 78's in New York City between WWI and the Depression, with the remainder of the records being imported from other countries in the Middle East.

The track that I am featuring here is one that struck a chord with me as soon as I heard it. Since I became familiar with the snake-charming pungi flute music several years back, I have been obsessed with finding any records that represent this style. This is why I was happily surprised to hear the trance-inducing snake-charming sound present on "Pehlivan Havasi".  While this is not the pungi flute that is being played, the sound of the double reed zurna on this track could definitely be used to raise the spirits of a slithery snake. It is truly the kind of music that can keep you under it's spell long after the last notes fade.
 
I would love to hear what you think of this edition of Choice Cuts, so please drop me a line in the comments.