Eclectic Grooves

Since some of you have been patiently awaiting the answer to last week's Plain Brown Wrappers, I decided to reveal that for you today. Like I said before, those of you who guessed that this was not an American band were definitely on the right track. Nathan (N0) knew the answer right away, but was kind enough not to spoil the fun for the rest of the readers out there. Drumroll please... The answer is: Dun- Eros- Way Out-of Print This record was originally released in 1981, but it received a brief reissue in 2000 with four bonus tracks, and then again in 2006 as a French import. Three of the bonus tracks are early live takes from the original album. Unfortunately, this was to be the first and last album to surface from this complex prog band from France. When I checked Amazon, it only came up with one new copy at $122.61, and one used copy at $49.95. If you have the coin, this one is obviously well worth the money. Otherwise, just enjoy this copy I have uploaded for your listening ...

I know that you all have been eagerly awaiting the next episode of Plain Brown Wrappers, and I think that you will be more than satisfied with the sounds I have prepared for your ears today. This record literally landed in my sonic universe a little over two months ago, but it was as if it had always been there, simply waiting for me to acknowledge its existence. Upon first hearing this record, I will say that is nearly impossible to discern what era it was recorded, thus making it a perfect candidate for the Plain Brown Wrappers series. Considering the breadth of music that I consume in a given day, it would be understandable if an astoundingly complex record like this didn't grab my attention on the first listen. It would also be understandable that after repeated listens, I would discover that this record is an ultra mind-blower. It is the type of record that makes you grateful you have two ears to experience the goodness within. The music itself is difficult to describe when a...

While perusing through a back-issue of Wire magazine from January 2006, I came across a fascinating article showcasing the artist-run record label Rat Drifting. Since then, I have been hard pressed to find any additional information about Rat Drifting or the artists featured on the label, short of the label's website and a few reviews scattered throughout the web. Therefore, I felt that it would be fitting to provide some more exposure to this enterprising label on Eclectic Grooves. Rat Drifting is essentially the brainchild of Eric Chenaux, the singer and guitarist who plays in several of the bands on Rat Drifting while overseeing the operations of the label along with co-founder Martin Arnold. The seeds of Rat Drifting were planted when Arnold was visiting York University to collaborate with Casey Sokol on the production of Cornelius Cardew's The Great Learning. During this time, Arnold met up with two of Sokol's students, Ryan Driver and Doug Tielli, and eventually c...