BRAD TREW / CYCLONE RECORDS

This month's proGuest is Brad Trew of Cyclone Records. Starting in 2005, with a series of regional specific compilations, Cyclone Records has flourished into a full service, multi-faceted enterprise with some world class, world recognized talent.

Believing that “the internet breaks down borders on the selection, the promotion and the distribution processes", Brad adds "I can now work with bands from places other than my own backyard. Twenty years ago, the possibility or logistics of sourcing out bands from other cities, countries or continents was impossible.”

Through a unique business model that allows artists retain ownership of their music and have full creative control, Brad explains, “The internet allows bands to promote themselves and have creative control as to how they are presented. This can be good or bad depending on a bands marketing skills because as more and more bands jump on the band wagon, some will stand out more than others. The savvy bands with a good business sense can make their careers by using the internet as a resource.” Today, the roster hosts a dozen acts ranging in genre from country to rock to prog to metal with such acts as Caveat (prog metal), Steve Negus (of Saga), Where’s the Nine (prog instrumental) and Holly Woods (of Toronto). In addition to the record label operations, Cyclone Records also serves as a broker for distribution and replication services to indie artists. Brad Trew also manages a variety of acts such as the 70s powerhouse, Moxy.

Brad says: "I have had the pleasure of reviewing three very diverse and interesting projects. To qualify my approach, I always look at the whole package when it comes to bands. It’s not always just about the music. A band’s image, web presence, marketing all come into play. I also don't like to make comparisons to particular artists nor to attach genre labels to music. Music is about personal preference and a fan’s taste can be far-reaching and fluid depending on a whole slew of reasons. Trying to pigeon hole an artist into a particular style serves no purpose. That, in my opinion, can hurt an artist because it can attach a negative, subjective impression. The other side of that coin, of course, is that a comparison to your favourite band may set the bar to high and the band will never earn its own standing. Other times, as necessitated here, I’ve made very general references to put my comments into a perspective."

You can learn more from www.cyclonerecords.ca.

France’s Auspex bills themselves as symphonic metal and it’s a label that sits squarely on the shoulders of this track. The band has a clear direction and talent to back up their course to whatever destination they are seeking. The track has a steady momentum and is well structured. I love when bands insert interesting elements and influences into their music and the great piano solo in the bridge was a very unexpected but ear grabbing choice. I did find, however, a few awkward transitions from one phase of the song to another, but they are quickly forgotten as you get lost in the next segment. A Google search for Auspex didn't yield much considering most Auspex results are unrelated to the band...something they need to consider and work on to establish a more definitive web presence. I did find a MySpace page so that was one saving grace. All in all, this is a great track by a very promising band that just makes me want to hear more.

AUSPEXMUSIC.COM

I had a really tough time with this track as Donna has so much more to offer. My initial impression is that this is a demo so I can give a little leeway for that. Overall the sound reminds me of southern blues rock of the 80s which ties in with Donna's claim as a self proclaimed blues guitarist who likens herself to Hendrix. The guitar playing is the prominent component of the song and is a good showcase for her playing, however, I found the vocals a little distracting, a little pitchy and not cohesive with the rest of the track. The vocals sit too far back in the mix with lots of reverb and its difficult to discern a chorus. I went a little further and visited Donna's website and have since heard other tracks that showcase her talent much better than this one. While the website could use a little more pizzazz, it has some interesting elements that will keep you browsing for awhile. Overall, Donna is worth checking out so don't use this track as a measure of her ability.

DONNAAUSTIN.COM

I listen to so much music in my career that it’s nice to have one track that makes me sit up and take notice. Clarity by Sons of Nothing caught me by surprise and did just that. This track is clearly my favourite out of the three tracks I reviewed. I love the melancholy lyrics that are delivered perfectly to match their theme. The sax lead in the intro is a great lead in and is perfectly situated and executed. There are some vocal pitch issues but overall they lend to the feel of the song and the message being delivered. During the chorus, I can't help but be reminded of 80’s-style new wave, although it is distinct enough in its own right to never give up the name of who that may be. I also love the name of the band and they have a very cohesive, interesting website. In closing, this band is worth a closer look.

SONSOFNOTHING.COM

You can find our previous proGuests in our ARCHIVES page.