Information/Write-up
A rare gem from the golden age of Canadian soul-pop and funk, Hold On!... Sweet Somethings Are Comin’ captures the confident debut of one of Montreal’s only all-female bands to write, sing, and play their own instruments during the late 1960s. Issued by the Melbourne imprint (a division of Rodeo Records), the album serves as a full-length showcase for the freshly rebranded Sweet Somethings—a group that evolved out of the Francophone quartet Les Planètes.
Led by bassist and vocalist Hélène Duguay, the band brought together a tight, expressive lineup of capable musicians: Margie Duplessis (lead guitar), Rosy Lang (organ), and Linda Duncan (drums)—all in their early twenties. Duguay, born in St. Isidore, New Brunswick, had already made her mark with Les Beatlettes, one of Canada’s very first all-female rock groups. After a tragic car accident ended that band’s promising run, she went on to form Les Planètes, eventually guiding its transition into the Sweet Somethings. In an era when most “girl groups” were fronted by vocalists backed by session players, Sweet Somethings stood apart by playing every note themselves.
Under the guidance of prolific producer Ben Kaye (best known for his work with Les Classels and Les Misérables), the group poured their energy into a lively set of soul, funk, and R&B staples. Tracks like “Do You Wanna Dance,” “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” and “My Guy (From My Girl)” are rendered with exuberant rhythms, punchy grooves, and sweetly harmonized vocals—powered by Lang’s vibrant electric organ, Duplessis’s sharp guitar fills, and Duncan’s in-the-pocket drumming. While the performances maintain a youthful, sometimes unpolished energy, they are undeniably confident and musically tight.
The album’s standout is “He’s My Soul Baby,” the lone original on the LP. It’s a dynamic English adaptation of “Mon ami noir,” a French-language single previously released by the same band under their former name, Les Planètes. Co-written by Kaye and Duplessis, the track showcases the group’s songwriting chops and offers a glimpse of the creative direction they might have explored further, had a follow-up album materialized.
Though they didn’t break through commercially, the Sweet Somethings carved out a rare space in Canadian music history: a self-contained, all-female soul group in an overwhelmingly male-dominated era. Their lone LP remains a sought-after collector’s item and a testament to their originality, resilience, and raw musical spirit. Fans of Honey Ltd., The Feminine Complex, or the funkier side of 1960s girl groups will find much to appreciate here.
-Robert Williston
Hélène Duguay: bass
Margie Duplessis: lead guitar
Rosie Lang: organ
Linda Duncan: drums
Production: Ben Kaye and Doug Trineer
Engineer: Paul-Emile Mongeau
Cover & Design: Mike Levy
Supervision: George Taylor
Take four talented and versatile females; add an electric organ, electric guitar, electric bass, and drums; get each musician to sing lead with some vocal background—and you have a combination called Sweet Somethings. The group was made up of Helen Duguay (23, bass), Margie Duplessis (22, guitar), Rosy Lang (21, organ), and Linda Duncan (21, drums).
The idea of putting together these four attractive young ladies came from their personal manager and producer, Ben Kaye. The concept was born from his “thinking machine,” and the development of Sweet Somethings into a complete entertaining attraction took just one year to complete.
There is something sweet about this album, so sit back and relax as you enjoy the Sweet Somethings…
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