In the early 1970's I spent a few years living cheek by jowl with two bands that have since become legend. As a long time Ladbroke Grove resident, I lived in close proximity to the groups of people who slowly became - in no particular order - Hawkwind and the Pink Fairies. Both bands provided me with all the musical staples I needed - although in very different ways; Hawkwind shattered your eardrums while expanding your mind and the Pink Fairies shattered mind and eardrums. It's true, of course, that the base for both these bands was rock - pure and simple. Since that time I have always had a soft spot for the rougher end of the rock scale - and that explains my particular penchant for Soul Dust. IMHO, the Canadian version of what those two bands were about; rock, pure simple and totally unadorned.
Like caressing your ears with a nail file... Aaahhhh, that's better....

The reason I am blabbering on about this is because - to me - the music just sounds a million times better when it is soaked in the ethos of rock. Freewheeling, free spirited and f*** you if you don't like it. As I've said a million times before, to really get to know Soul Dust it would be best if you liked your music raw. Or, in Soul Dust's case, 'just show it the oven OK?'. A prime asset (one of several) of Soul Dust is the songwriting and lyrical abilities of Andre Bourget whose work echoes all the very best of the genre - including, in this case, political commentary. See? Talk about touching all the bases... Although the song is essentially aimed at corporations and the profit motive, the underlying message about greed in all it's forms is one I can get particularly close to.

There is no doubt in my mind that Soul Dust would be an absolutely kickass live band, everything about their tracks shouts that and Infectious Greed would be one hell of a live track. Aaah, to be in the moshpit to this one... Because they are so much a real band, it seems only fair to single them out for a change. Hilton Hartwell along with Ron Twemlow (bass and drums respectively) provide the track's backbone with considerable power and confidence, Myk Shaflik (he who I have written reams about his classic rock voice) is in top form and Andre... Andre is fekking WAAAAAIILLLLLINGGGG. Rock in the time honoured fashion, delivered by some extremely serious musicians. Canada should consider itself lucky it's sons have such good taste.

MUST HAVE (even for non rock fans - it's a cracking song)

Steve Gilmore

   

'Ever feel like you're just getting numb to it all?' Soul Dust ask in the comments on this track. Good question, as it happens. I wouldn't say numb so much as jaded, ya know what I mean? While it's true that I am the proud possessor of a pair of highly sensitive stainless steel ears, I come by them honestly. Having sacrificed my youth and beauty (Ed: wot?) before the massed altars of Marshall stacks, you would have to developed some heavy duty reinforcment of your pink sticky out bits. Especially as, like Soul Dust, you like things a tad on the loud side. Pardon? I said a tad on the LOUD SIDE... All that volume tends to make you a bit Mutt and Jeff as well as giving you that constant stunned expression...

So...where was I? Ahhh, obviously it makes you a bit forgetful as well.

I have long held a love for crusty, in-yer-face sweaty rock, the dirtier the better and Soul Dust has delivered consistently a steady diet of pure red meat in the past and even given me a Track Of The Year 2005 with the powerful Hard To Say Goodbye, although that is not what I'd class as a heavy rock tune. Anaesthesia certainly is though, and it achieves the opposite of it's title. The kind of music that makes you want to jump from the tops of high buildings just for the thrill out of it, extreme sport music to the max. The kind of music you put on your iPod shortly before leaping of the top off Mt. Ikillhumans on your snowboard, hell bent on being bent to hell.

I have to admit here that I am well biased towards this Canadian band, and it's partner in crime Catapult because they both come across with the real thing. Therefore it's a given that to get anything out of this track you should have some kind of rock sensibility, and the harder the better. Classic heavy rock is what Soul Dust pump out; hot, sweaty and out looking to have a party and it's gonna be at your house and in your ears. Another hallmark of this band is their devotion to delivering quality product so it's a given that it is performed with pride and produced to within industry standards (ie LOUD). This is the bands first outing with me this year - they gave me a rest, what nice lads - and judging by this, nothing has changed and thank fekk for that...

Quality hard rock. Recommended.

Steve Gilmore

This is a full-on rocker in the best traditions of classic guitar rock. The difficult thing about this genre is that there are so many notable precedents, that it is easy to sound like just another guitar band. So you have to be exceptional performers to carry it off.

Here we see the very best proponents of the genre - great guitar playing, superb drumming, and a vocal that compares favourably with any of the best notables, including Messrs Daltrey, Gillan, Roth, Plant and the like.

The sounds are great, the writing is fluent, the playing is superb, the vocal is compelling, the arrangement is cleverly thought out, and the engineering is ball-bustingly good.

If this doesn't get your hormones churning, switch off your life support.

11/10 here.

Hold up, hold up. Soul Dust again? Didn't I just do these boys? (apart from the Track Of The Year mention in the Stevies that is). There now follows the sound of the reviewer harumphing loudly while searching through all the crumpled and discoloured electrons that comprises of Reviews Past. Aha!, he squeaks finally, emerging from said pile of RP.. I thought so. Nothing like taking advantage of a reviewer in his dotage is there because no sooner had I grudgingly (nay, grumpily even) admitted that my 'one month on, one month off' rule had somehow bitten the dust (no pun intended obviously), here they are almost first in the queue for yet another lashing of thin gruel...

s'a good job that I kinda like their style otherwise it would be new butt times for these Canadian rockers...

Actually they've been making out like bandits with me just lately because not only did I review Home Sweet Home last month (quite tasty and a decidely tougher sound for them) but I somehow got browbeaten into reviewing vocalist Myk Shaflik's 'other' band Catapult too (well worthy of a listen btw). So listen guys, and pay heed. The ferkin check BETTER be in the post this time of I'll send my twins over there to bite your collective ankles. I jest, of course. Actually, I DO like Soul Dust although I also recognise that their brand of rock (heavy, for the head banging of...) doesn't appeal to everybody but I think that their song-writing skills may well appeal to more than their genre suggests. Anyfekkinhoo, Drifters is - on first listen - nothing like as full of the force as most previous SD tracks, although the vocals bellows that poses as Myk Shaflik is every bit in-the-house as he is on almost everything he touches. A true rock vocalist this boy...

The more I listened to Drifters the more I started to appreciate it's (almost) understated tone. Don't, however, make the mistake that Soul Dust have somehow mellowed out since they have enjoyed probably their most successful Soundclick year yet. After a while you begin to realise that Drifters still has the big swinging rock dick that all of their tracks possess, it's just a more tasteful arrangement that somehow obscures this sordid organ. Materially and lyrically I found this one of the BEST SD tracks I have heard so far, much more my kind of rock animal than the sturm und drang of most heavy metal bands. It has a pop sensibility (a la Bon Jovi and all American rock bands onwards) that draws the listener gradually into the sonic maelstrom that these guys inevitably create and - on that basis - I found it a most rewarding listen.

Great rock songs, professionally performed. Isn't that what it's all about?

Steve Gilmore

Soul Dust - Hard To Say Goobye
Another track where death is the motif. For me, and for a lot of people, 2005 has been a sombre year, full of tragedy and pain, loss and suffering. Music of this calibre serves not - as some would have it - to depress us further but to raise our sights a bit even in the midst of darkness. A soul stirring ballad that won over even someone as hard hearted as me towards a much detested genre (ballad, hankies for the use of..). Believe me, that is quite an achievement.

Over the last year (exactly, I counted every day) I have reviewed a few Soul Dust tracks and pretty much liked every one. They are, after all, a gen-u-wine rock band and I am a right sucker for that treatment, but they also happen to be a very GOOD rock band into the bargain. The first track I ever reviewed - Resurrect Me (November 2004 - see I told you) - came as a bit of a welcome surprise as it had been a while since I had heard some decent indie rock music. Of course, since then, Soundclick has become somewhat swamped by rock and it's practitioners but it's nice to see SD more than holding their own against all comers. Take a look at their stats to see what I mean, Soul Dust are indeed one of Soundclick's more popular rock success stories...

Home Sweet Home is not, despite it's twee title, a sweet track. It's more metallic than any previous SD track I've heard and it's lyrical tone is distinctly on the dark side of the force but - given the content of said lyrics - is perfectly understandable. Here's a regular guy (just like you or I but with more hair) who is sick and disgusted at this world we are attempting to raise our children in. A bitter, vitriolic tirade against all the little niggles and nadgers that assault our senses every day, Home Sweet Home leaves no rock unturned in the search for a little bit of truth in our lives. Consequently, it isn't any easy listening 'hey let's swig down some brewskis and jam awhile' track but a sharp, pointed attack on the state of todays society and it's values.

Nothing wrong with that. Iconaclasm was my major.

However, enough about me (for a change). Fact is, I personally found Home Sweet Home more than a little difficult to get close to. Not because of the music and/or production which was absolutely up to the very high standards Soul Dust have always been capable of, but because of the darkness of the track and it's bitter interior life. Now I know Dre (SD's primary songwriter) and I know he's a reasonably happy go lucky guy and it was a bit of a shock to realise that he's just as twisted up about this fucked up world as the rest of us. It was even more of a shock to hear the band apply themselves to their dark material (hey!, I've heard that before somewhere) with such gusto. From the opening body slam to the brutally curtailed fade Home Sweet Home is pure heavy rock in all the senses of the term and shows yet another - much tougher -side of a much loved Soundclick artist and one I will come back to once I have taught my ears that's OK to have them blown off the side of my head every once in a while.

Handle with care, this one will give you carbuncles on the brain...

-Steve Gilmore

WILD MAN MINI REVIEW
Can Soul Dust do anything wrong? Haven't seen it yet -- not to my knowledge. Wont happen either.

"Drifters" was supposed to be an acoustic piece, but Dre cant hold back the rock from coming through! Has an almost Southern Rock type feel and delivery. Still say the vocals rank up there with Paul Stanley.

Sweet solo. ( no surprise there )
Just another earphones-on-fire-burning-my-ears-off tune again.

Well done as always guys.

"Drifters"...
A masterpiece!!
Simply put, this song couldn't get any better if you tried!:)
An instant classic! It has the familiarity of an old friend, yet it is cutting edge and progressive at the same time!
The main thing that sets Soul Dust above myself and many others on the click is the superior quality of the vocal performances.
Your harmonies are flawless and well arranged. Soulful, powerful and SPOT_ON pitch!
Your style has evolved into something quite formidable, a hybrid capable of sweeping through a wide range of musical textures while maintaining perfect structure and flow...smooth Southern/Alternative/folk acoustic guitar lead you into a song that points out a common trait among us all.
I loved the overdriven lead guitar tone, it fit the song like a glove.
Again, outstanding production and musicianship.
I wish I had written it!
HOT VOTE FO SHO:)!!
***** *****
d.d.ranged

Drifters....

Man,where do I start...?
Ok,let's start at heart...

Bass and drums,superb.
Getting that solid feel ona mellower number can be very tricky and you guys nailed it.
My compliments.

Rhythm guitars,
once again,part of the heart of a song,beautifuly placed.

Vocals...
Well,is Myk ever anything less than dynamite?
IMHO he is one of the very best vocalists out there.

Lead work,Dre :)
You know how good that felt :)
Superb.

This is the other side of Soul Dust,in as much as it SEEMS to be a mellower track,when actualy it is still full on.

What is always consistant,is the sheer class.
The song writing,the perfomance,the musicianship,the production.
Each and every step,perfect.
Excellent Gentlemen.

It rocks,...you know it :)

Nigel.

“Drifters” has a really nice groove and an excellent melody. It has an edge to it that is satisfying. The tune is recursive enough that it is catchy, but interesting enough not to be tedious. The breakaway line ‘on a sea of tears’ leading into the instrumental section works well, and the instrumental section just totally rocks. I love the electric and the precipitous end where you feel like you’ve shot over the edge of a cliff. I only wish there was a long descending vocal note there. You know, like a guy yelling ‘tears’ as it dopplers down into an abyss or canyon. That would be the kiss of a complete work.

I’ll have to stream it a second time to take in the lyrics as the tune had me by the beard. That’s a good sign, by the way. If I – "Mr. Lyrics-R-Me" – ignores the lyrics, the tune is very, very good.

So...before I listen again I’m going to read them…

The line that pops out to me is ‘we just seemed to wash up on the shore’ – I like that. It's almost a mistake sometimes to read lyrics without the music. They seldom stand up as poetry. I say that not about this song in particular, but in general. It’s true of my own stuff too. However, what I do like here is the parallelism. You choose different attributes, tragic, magic, comedy and so on then pin them in one line. Cool. Good lyrical effort. Now...

*CLICK*

The singer’s ability to get the emotion is very good. He has a good voice with just a touch of gravel, so as to make it ‘not too sweet.’ I love the way he sort of screams into a line. He reminds me a bit of Jimmy Morrison, with less gravel and more tone. Good stuff.

Yeah, this is a very good song, Andre. Nothing about it is weak: from the bare bones (melody and lyric) through production and performance it’s very strong. It's the complete package, justly should 'Soul Dust' feel pleased.

"You guys rock,simple as that,and Home Sweet Home prooves it yet again.
There is just a temporary fault with reality,that explains Soul Dust not being one the biggest bands on the planet.
That is my truth."
"So when is reality going to get fixed so that Soul Dust become billionaires then?...."

"Soul Dust are an amazing band.
Don't believe me?
Go listen:
Since first hearing them just over a year ago I have come to be a huge fan of Dre and the guys.
Their new song :"Home Sweet Home" is another solid rock song,full of fire and passion.
I am astounded that these guys have not already hit the big time.
They will."
Go check out their latest song:"HOME SWEET HOME"
Highly reccomended."

--Nigel Potter

"Heavy"

The sounds on this are amazingly crisp, given the volume of each instrument. I feel the drum sound you have going here: wonderful thump. The guitar scratches lines in the ear like a diamond on glass: very well recorded. So precise. The bass is really full sounding. Wonderfully engineered recording.

None of that is a comment on the song itself, but when a song is wonderfully recorded, any defects and virtues are plain to see. What is plain is this: you guys plain rock!

My wife wanders into the room fairly frequently when I’m reviewing. She seldom drops a positive comment; you guys got a ‘Wow, that’s good!’ You have no idea how high that praise is, Andre. It’s WAY up there, man.

Okay, the guitar hook on this would land a great white and use it for bait. Good, good, good! The refrain is catchy and…well…this is just plain well done.

Now, the only thing I have to say of a negative sort is that the vocals NEED to be higher in the mix. The tone of the vocal is great; but the singer is just a bit buried. This is the one element that comes off like a live mix…if you follow. You NEVER hear lyrics in a concert. I think a lot of bands are reluctant to mix vocals higher because it changes the ambient impact of the song too much from the concert (live) feel of the song. My thought is this: fasten the lyrical sound in the recording, and the singer can stand there belching during the concert and it will make no difference, because your listeners will already know the song.

Great job; beautiful track.

I really liked your stuff… On one of the songs I hear a combination of “Ozzy” and “Faith No More” influence in the vocals. My fave one has to be “Dreaming”…. I could listen to that kind of music all night…very melodic and really solid guitar work on it – almost “ethereal with an edge”. Sometimes I find that some instrumentals just become annoying after a while. This one was interesting from start to finish. Doug says it sounds like what Stevie Ray Vaughn would sound like if he were jamming with Steely Dan.

Hi Dre and fellows in ROCK!

"Home Sweet Home"

Man this kicks ass.
Fire!!
You guys sound like you are on fire.
Such passion and commitment to the song.

Right here we go...

Drums...
:)
Solid as a rock.
That snare is a head whack!

Bass...
:)
Driving the guts of the song along.

Guitar:
Dre,you demon you. :)
Rhythms crunch along like hell.

Vocals :)
Fantastic main vocal from Myk,and the harmonies are spot bloody on.
The whole song is a solid wall of "gotta stomp along."

This is SOUL DUST at it's VERY best.
I am so happy and proud of you all.
You come back and just bring the house down.

Guys,LOVE IT !

Nigel.

“Home Sweet Home”

Ah, a rocker! This is more my style. Nice drive to this little number. Who is that guitar player! Good stuff, guy.

Your song is making me glad I live in Kamloops. Yeah, we have some crime, but nothing like the bigger cities and Vancouver seems dysfunctional in the extreme, given that it isn’t really a huge city itself. That pig farm burial ground: what a fiasco.

Anyhow, you have a good sarcastic rocker here, couched in the form of a political message song. The band is nice and tight. The refrain works as the musical high point without pre-empting things. The piece is well produced and moves really well. Got me bopping…not a pretty sight. Just another great band from Van waiting for a contract…so where are those record execs anyhow? Good stuff. Keep rocking.

Before we start the proceedings, here's a short message from our sponsors. 'It's no good Dre, no matter how much you praise me, I'll still throw crap at you'! :-) I'm joking of course, as Dre (one quarter of Soul Dust) will know. As a matter of fact since this Canadian classic rock band appeared on the Gilmore radar, they have consistently impressed me with their work even if they haven't, as yet, delivered something I can REALLY get behind. "Resurrect Me" (November 2004), "Salvation" (April 2005) "Hard To Say Goodbye" (June 2005) and "Dreaming" (August 2005) are all good, solid tracks - especially if a classic rock style fits in with your dress sense (or not, depending on the audience, I guess). Out of all of those tracks though, it was "Hard To Say Goodbye" that made the lasting impression ...but that had more to do with the lyrical content and the incredible sense of loss the track conveys.

Almost, but not quite then. IMHO it's just a matter of time...

Especially seeing as between the end of 2004 and now they have emerged as one of THE top rock bands on Soundclick and if you doubt the truth of that statement take a look at their page views/song plays and the list of Stations playing their material. THAT, my furry chums, takes some doing. Always one for looking on the brighter side of life, ;-) Heavy is (and I quote) 'about heartache, insanity and drawing the line'. So that's OK then ;-) Again, on this track, SD does what it does best - rock out in finger bleeding fashion and truth to tell it's a damn fine rock tune with an incredibly catchy chorus that contains this gem: 'Can't take this shit from you, cos its too heavy'. I know exactly what they mean. So, it's a really good song, exceptionally well performed and in a genre I personally love.

So why o why am I not turning cartwheels over here?

Personally, at this stage I think Soul Dust have everything in the world working for them, except one. Call it gloss, call it professional veneer, call it 'finished product' but that vital ingredient is the one thing missing from all their tracks, not just this one. What I am talking about here is a certain "wholeness of sound" that puts the final touch to things. Had that been present in any of the tracks offered I would have been handing out Recommendeds and Must Haves all over the shop. More post production time on vocals (in particular) and instrumentation would really help not only to go that final mile, but to finally get this band were it so obviously belongs: up there with the big boys. Having said all that, I still find myself really liking (and grooving to) "Heavy" so, it is one I'm gonna be keeping and one I feel happy to point you at...

Recommended Classic Rock.

Steve Gilmore

A great guitar rock track, great vocals, tight drumming, reliable guitarwork, great sounds, good production and a good composition.

Reminds me of Kiss or even Van Halen on their better engineered tracks.

The producer here has blood worth bottling. The mix and sounds are crisp and well chosen.

The guitar break is great - love the selection of bends and cliches.

If you loved 1970's rock as much as I did, you'll love Soul Dust.

A fine piece of precision rock and roll.

A keeper.

Writing this after being smacked back by your whole shabang of wicked cool tunes, and Damn! Good Lord You Guys Kick ass thoroughly! Superb musicianship & way Killer sound. Great Emotion, and your materials are all Very Richly Wonderful. From Sweet, Fun Rage to wipe away the Tears beauty. A Perfect blend in each others Quality care & it's simply Damn Gorgeous Stuff That would make any Emotional Transducer or Lobster Fisherman Carlton Sheet himself for Joy in an instant! ha ha,

This is exactly the Quality & Wow Of Music that Many Real Folks miss bigtime. Absolutely Awesome Incredible. Feels similar to the "feeling" of picking up a brand new Tull album back in 71 :^)
Yet, Totally original, Fresh & Plain Absolutely Fhucking Awesome! My Congrats!

Soul Dust are a Southern rock band I have come across a couple of times in the past. Surprisingly enough, they are NOT from the South of anywhere, unless you count south of the North Pole of course. Yep, folks, another Canadian rock band who - like many of their countrymen and women - really know how to pile up the rock pressure. Although I liked the band's Ressurect Me, it wasn't until I heard and reviewed Salvation (mmmm what is it with these religious titles)that I realised just how steeped in the genre these guys were. Salvation is a slice of classic rock that wouldn't have been out of place when rock really was king.

That solid nuggest was followed by a more acoustic, slower variety - Hard To Say Goodbye - which solidified this band's reputation for constructing good, efficient songs that tell stories with some of the best rock arrangements you can hear around these parts. Dreaming carries on that slower, much subtle feel encountered on Hard To Say Goodbye with some nods in the direction of The Johnny Winter Band - certainly in song structure and lead constructions. There is no doubt in my mind that the US's claim to be the true home of rock music is increasingly looking unlikely given the sheer number of Canadian bands who carry on the rock tradition without sounding either studied or looking like a right bunch of posers.

It has to be said that all the members of Soul Dust have paid their rock dues - and in full. This would become evident within the first few bars of Dreaming; it's relaxed rock feel deftly underpinning some ferociously fluid lead runs. To my ears, I didn't find Dreaming as immediate nor as gut wrenching as Hard To Say Goodbye but that has more to do with the power of Goodbye as a track than anything bad to be laid at the feet of this excellent rock outfit. Truth is that I may have outgrown my rock roots by more than a few country miles by now, I still like the bite and feel of classic rock and IMHO Soul Dust have delivered that every single time I have reviewed them and that, my deafened friends, is something to be cherished.

Steve Gilmore

Soul Dust are a four peice rock band; Myk Shaflik (whose grandpa sounds like a wise man btw), Andre Bourget, Hilton Hartwell and Ron Twemlow. I first came across this Canadian outfit (ooh, a Canadian rock band, is this rare? A: NOT!) last November and quite liked the authority and energy of their sweaty, grungey but classic rock sound. I reviewed Ressurect Me but I didn't really get into the track as much as I liked WHAT the band were doing musically.

Song's gotta stick for it to be truly effective, right?

Salvation (April 2005) was a much better bet in lots of ways. They know what they are good at, and they stick to it and in this day and age, that can often be a blessing. Originating as a cover band, the guys soon got tired of that (as you do) and started to make music that pleased themselves primarily. Salvation showed that committment in spades and is a great rock track, performed with drive and energy. With a hint of Bon Jovi about it, Salvation really nailed what the band were about.

Hard To Say Goodbye is yet another strong contender from this band, despite it's grim and sombre subject matter. It's a song about the untimely death of a 17 year old, and lyrically it couldn't be more poignant - especially if you are a parent. However, it's in the musical context and delivery that the passion and anger come through, expertly voiced by Myk Shaflik in that true rock god stylee. Acoustic rock (Southern blues variety) doesn't get much better than this and definitely marks Soul Dust as a rock artist it pays to keep an eye on. Heart-breaking acoustic blues, with a pop edge and if I wasn't so busy being soooooo sad, I'd play it again, and again, and again, and again.

Three hankie song, five star track.

Steve Gilmore

When I first came across Soul Dust in November 2004 I said they were 'a hard hitting, heavy rock band playing fairly classic rock that has a great many things going for it' and judging by Salvation I see nothing whatsoever to see that evaluation. More to the point, I did a little digging and discovered that these guys are very popular indeed, at least judging by their website and the sheer amount of radio stations carrying their music. Not the least of them there radio stations is Mike K's SNR extravaganza over at Songplanet where they are a radio regular. It's no surprise of course. Despite their definite leaning towards the Southern style of rock, Soul Dust still convey enough of the fire and spirit of classic rock music to disguise the accent. :-)
I reviewed Resurrect Me back in November and I was well impressed by the bands power - having a very workmanlike production on the track helped immensely in respect. Ultimately though I didn't feel convinced enough by the song itself to really go ga ga over it, despite it being in one of my favourite genres. Salvation goes some considerable way to correcting that and it ends up being both a well performed track and a song that has enough drama to work. It would help, of course, if you liked your rock with an American feel (almost Bon Jovi-ish this track) but even so, this still has somewhat of a pop feel to appeal to a wider audience.

Having spent a good few years in America working with bands who specialised in this highly generic brand of rock, attuned me somewhat to how easy it is to be either crap and famous, or blindingly good and on Soundclick ...and guess where Soul Dust figure in this picture... Me, I think about my music in two ways - it better please me first and then the wider world can do what they like with it. In some ways I believe Soul Dust have the same attitude in mind and are obviously building a substantial and growing audience on the back of it. Salvation, believe me, is going to bring in a lot more fans and is a track Soul Dust should feel very, very proud of.

Rock as it should be.

-Steve Gilmore

Resurect Me:

Taking Guns to the next level ala Velvet Revolver.
Your sound is world class, the arrangement is solid, the production is good, and the overall performance makes a person want to see this shit live.
You've got the goods so go carve out your niche with a meat cleaver.

DC

Heavy~ A well written tune! Kind that makes you want to sing along with. 2nd Guitar does a nice job with the short fills to accent the melody. Drumming is good and not over bearing. Fits the flow well. I had to listen to this one twice!

Salvation~ Nice pickin on the intro. I like this one right when it picks up . Grabs you. Nice solo work by the guitarist. The combination of acoustic electric is done very well. Most of all the vocalist sets this one on fire.

Resurect Me~ This one has a Guns & Roses feel to it. I like the effect used on guitars. "This is such a crime wasting all my time girl." Nice!

You guys got your shit together obviously. Well written songs with very catchy melodies enflamed by powerful vocals that will leave ya wanting more. I'm adding you guys to my favorites.

The other night I was hanging out and chatting with Mike K and the gang over at Songplanet while he did his thing on SP Radio and one of the subjects (out of millions!) was Canadian musicians (in general and Canadian rock musicians in particular). What is it about Canada that it spawns so many accomplished rock musicians? A good chunk of Mike's two shows (Fridays and Saturdays on Songplanet) is taken up with rock artists after rock artist almost all of them Canadian. I jest of course, but only slightly. It's a fact that there are LOADS of Canadian rock bands ergo the competition is fierce.

So, take a deep breath and.......

Don't be thinking the the Soul in their name has anything to do with the 'ooh yeah!' brigade, not unless they want a swift kicking anyway. Nope this Soul Dust is a hard hitting, heavy rock band playing fairly classic rock that has a great many things going for it, provided you like the genre in the first place. One of the things that first stuck out for me was the production; very clear, punchy where necessary and as full spectrum as a stereo junkie such as yours truly wants from a rock track.

Resurrect Me, despite it's classic rock covering, is actually a pretty decent song; detailing how tricky and difficult situations can be a energy drain; life becomes grey etc yadda yadda. I must admit to being well impressed with their solidly professional approach to the creation and production of their music, there is no doubt that this track feels the benefits. Although I would want a touch more before I found something from SD that would interest me, I still think this would please many a listener. More so if you liked your rock hard, sweaty and defiantly old school... I'll be looking into this band further that's for sure.

One track is definitely not going to be the whole story here...

Steve Gilmore

Salvation:

Yes! Nice energetic acoustic line on this piece. The musicianship is outstanding here – as with the last track I reviewed: "Resurrect Me". I like the percussion ideas on this track. The lead guitar is beautifully executed, wow!

Lyrically this is interesting. I read the lyrics through before listening to the song. I like doing that because it gives me a sense of how strong a song is poetically. This one is pretty good, I think. I commend you – if you care – for writing about things that matter.

I really like the playing (actually, I'm amazed by it) and I it’s a wonderful - even sparkling - recording.

The production is top-notch. If I were rating performance and production alone this would be a 5/5 for sure. (5/5 = astounding)Overall 4/5 = Outstanding! :-)

This reminds me strongly of Aerosmith back in the day when that band hit harder than a load of granite dropped off a high rise.

This has a good melody, lots of energy, strong musicianship, cool vocal work and very clean production. Short story: you guys are quite good.

The beginning is almost spooky sounding – and definitely has a sub-aquatic feel. When it gets driving…well, I can only agree with your assessment: this would make a great driving tune, I know it would because Aerosmith was the best band to take for a drive. (I’m Back in the Saddle Again- particularly).

The vocal work has good expression. The playing is very good - particularly the energy level. Cool.

ROCK.
That is spelt R O C K.
When I bumped into these guys,I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
This is how a real rock band is supposed to sound!
Every song,driven home with absolute conviction.
But this is rock beyond all the cliche's.
First song I heard of theirs was:Hard To Say Goodbye, a southern style acoustic ballad,that was heartbreaking to listen to,then I listened to: Resurrect Me.
I just sat there with my mouth open....awesome song!
The class of this band oozes from each and every song.
I sat there that night and went through the lot.
I cannot reccomend Soul Dust enough.
They HAVE to be heard!

"Great sliding intro... oh wait... more than just great! This is a sound I love... delicately used, not too much, but enough to entrap the listener and leave them straining to hear more... I'm instantly glued to the slides. Ok... wrenching myself away to listen to the rest, the singer's voice is freaking awesome! The panning on the guitars, and now the drums've kicked in... I didn't think there'd be any, so when they came in, I was like "haha oh yeah!" Once again, you utilize a certain softness or delicate useage of them, just as you did with the slide, so everything combined, this track is very laid back in every way, except for a swaggering head bob and a swing of the foot, enhanced with a smile on my face. Truly a great track."

This is how a seasoned rock band should sound like. The guitars are bitchin' especially on Dreaming.
I love the mellow guitar playing on it.
And your riffs on your hard rockin' numbers are brutal in all the right places.
And the vocals are great too. And the rhythm section knows when and when not to play. And the production is good too!

Dre and company, very moving lyrics / story. Love the emotion on this tune and also the slide guitar. Decent mix and sound quality. Solid muscianship with a nice groove to the tune. Backup vocals are a bit low in the mix. Overall a solid piece of work. Michael.