Don’t sleep on TikTok when it comes to music recommendations. TikTok is a valid place to discover new music. Alongside Bandcamp, I cannot tell you how many bands I have discovered because of TikTok. Among those artists is sweetmess, a four-piece pop-rock band from Montreal, Québec.
One thing about them that caught my eye right away is their flawless branding. They are branded to be the type of music you would hear in iconic 90s rom-com movies right down to the color scheme.
sweetmess Band Background:
There are not a lot of nitty-gritty details about the formation of sweetmess, but it is implied they all met each other in the Montreal underground music scene in the mid-2010s. The band’s first posts on Instagram introduce the band and how this was a project they had been working on for a long time. Much like the rest of the world, the pandemic delayed their endeavors.
We have Wood on bass, who is one of the eldest members of the Montreal punk/underground scene. He was a founding member of the now-defunct record label ODT RECORDS. He is now active with the Do It Together Collective, a collective that organizes inclusive and DIY musical events for adults.
Alex is on drums. He and Fabie, the vocalist of the group, were in a band together called Small Rooms. Fabie is the designer for the merch and marketing for the band. She is also a rapper under FAB SKIT. Finally, we have Chris, the guitarist and composer who has also been in multiple bands in the Montreal music scene.
sweetmess Music Style and Influences:
sweetmess sight their influences from other bands that share that 90s rom-com feel, such as The Goo Goo Dolls, Sixpence None The Richer, Sugar, and The Cardigans. They also indicated there was more influences than what was listed. In addition, they call out in Chris’s introduction he is influenced by Gin Blossoms. PUNKANORMAL ACTIVITY described them as a mix between Sunny Day Real Estate and The Breeders.
On my first listen, before researching their influences, I thought they sounded like a happier, sweeter version of Garbage. As it stands now, their current songs may not be nearly as aggressive hard rock as the chorus of “I Think I’m Paranoid” but they are in the same vein as “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)”
The Goo Goo Dolls and Sixpence None the Richer influence especially brings out the 90s rom-com vibe they are going for. Their discography embodies the vibe of “Slide” by Goo Goo Dolls and “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.
If you live and breathe either of those bands, sweetmess will be your new favorite band.
sweetmess Albums and Tracks:
On March 22nd, 2022, sweetmess released their first EP keeping us apart. According to Bandcamp, it contained songs that were written about three years before release. On May 5th, 2023, they released their 2nd EP everything’s fine. Both EPs were mixed by Ryan Battistuzzi and mastered by Ryan Morey.
Both EPs are for sale on Bandcamp and available to stream.
These EPs are excellent and demonstrate that sweetmess knows who they are and what kind of music they release. I do think everything’s fine is more refined than keeping us apart, but it is not to say keeping us apart isn’t worth the listen. My favorite track from keeping us apart is “wish.”
Choosing a song from everything’s fine was tough, because I loved both “the pull” and “perfect design” for different reasons. I love that the “the pull” is a little bit more up-tempo and the first verse kicks in around the 30-second mark. On the other hand, “perfect design” is slower to start with the first verse not kicking in until the minute mark, but there’s something about that chorus I liked better than the chorus in “the pull.”
Regardless, both songs are excellent and both are stuck in my head frequently. Both choruses nail the 90s rom-com vibe.
What Do Other People Have To Say About sweetmess?
Instagram shows nothing but love to sweetmess. Some of the comments are as follows:
- “Just listen to [everything is fine] and I LOVE it!!!!! Please tour UK I really really love your music x”
- “Absolutely love it.”
- “This sounds amazing!“
There was another comment that also called out they sound like Garbage.
On TikTok, MULTIPLE accounts suggested sweetmess as a new band you should be listening to, which incidentally is how I found out about sweetmess. Now, when I finally took a screenshot after seeing sweetmess for like, the third time on my for-you page, the username was Punkie.666.
I think this is a huge testament to how phenomenal sweetmess really is. At the time of writing this, sweetmess has 357 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Conclusion
From the branding to the production value, sweetmess is an up-and-coming band that will be a force to be reckoned with. I am eager to see where sweetmess goes and I am eagerly awaiting their next release, whenever that may be.
To support sweetmess, below are their social media links:
