Absolute conviction and classic refinement: two things you maybe wouldn't expect to find in bulk in small town Ingersoll, Ontario. But if you look beneath the surface, a bold new act that embodies these things is making waves; Sweet Chops. Principal songwriter RJ Marshall's return from Calgary enabled him to establish a solid collective of musicians to perform a loaded arsenal of old staples and new works in progress. From the onset, it was clear to all involved that this was the ideal incarnation of the band, and that the best was yet to come. In a short three months, the group have crafted and perfected six new or reworked numbers, and brainstorming at the practice I was present for indicated that the number will rapidly grow. These songs are straight-faced attempts at staring one's demons in the eye, and as a result, the dynamics and textures change accordingly. Shimmering clean guitars over subtle percussion accents and near-whisper vocals gradually steamroll into tasteful leads and an onslaught of distortion and impassioned vocals. The rhythm section never falters; fluidly running basslines carry the weight of powerhouse drums that throw a curveball flourish to the listener's delight. While they have a few provisional demos up on their myspace account, they have made connecting with a live audience their recent focus. This will prove to be quite a blessing for the Southern Ontario alternative and hard rock scenes, as this is a band that successfully preserves the desire for release and energy their predecessors taught them (ex. Alice in Chains, Modest Mouse), while placing the music and textures firmly in the here and now. So bar and venue hoppers in pursuit of something raw, visceral and real need look no further than enlistment in the Sweet Chops army.
R.J. Marshall-Guitar/Vocals
Tim Grant-Guitar
Jamie Sparks-Bass
Martin Sedkowski-Drums
Band Members
RJ Marshall-Vocal/Guitar
Tim Grant-Guitar
Jamie Sparks-Bass
Martin Sedkowski-Drums
http://www.facebook.com/groups/393757610686462/
JOIN THE SWEET CHOPS ARMY
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