The Dead Love's 'Sugarcoat': Riffs, Grunge, Good Times & Love

31 October 2017 | 2:17 pm | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

The Dead Love's 'Sugarcoat' is one of the band's best songs to date.

The Dead Love's 'Sugarcoat' is one of the band's best songs to date.



In the recent film clip for The Dead Love's righteous, garage-rock banger, 'Sugarcoat', it's all about: gigging, doing those long drives, golfing, filming each other on the toilet, deep comradery, good times, hanging with the boys, sinking tinnies, and delivering more gritty, electrifying grunge rock than their pals in Dear Seattle or Violent Soho could wave a shoey or two at.

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However, while the grungey song's supercharged choruses, solid beats and guitar hooks indeed deliver the rocking goods over its near-four-minute runtime, it's the lyrics that really got me invested in this newish song.

Up until the final refrain, the choruses remain the same lyrically throughout, saying "What are you gonna do when they come after you?/What you gonna do when they find out the truth?/and what are you gonna say when they find out your this way?/write a song and sugarcoat it/It's dumb." Yes, quite self-deprecating and then some, it seems.

And then, when that final, larger chorus hits, the band give the thematic game away so to speak, saying: "What are you gonna do when they come after you/Who gives a shit what they say when/they find out you're gay/They'll write a song and sugarcoat it./They're dumb!!!!" That part - "they find out you're gay" - comes out of nowhere but is an eye-opening moment of the infectious track. Moreover, the song's verses reinforce this tale of emotional and personal turmoil, with lines like "Messed up when I'm down/I'll wear these smile cause underneaths a frown/Locked up in a cage/such a struggle living this shit day to day". It's safe to say that there's not that much sugarcoating going on there!

Now, whether 'Sugarcoat' is actually about the perspective of a gay character living amongst the current climate of non-binding postal votes, hot takes, and political debates or if it's about a far more personal confession from one of the band's three members (guitarist/singer Stevie Knight, bassist Clint Ossington, and drummer Miles Cochrane), I'm not completely sure just yet. And as far as I can tell so far, the band themselves haven't spoken about the lyrics and intent of this song. Definitely something to keep in mind for an interview with these guys...

Either way, 'Sugarcoat' is easily one of The Dead Love's finest creations yet and a deeper lyrical dive than what many would expect from a band such as them. It's also the first infectious taste of their upcoming third LP from these Sydney "grunge revivalist" trio. After the warm response to last year's 'So Whatever' LP (featuring the cracking singles, 'Summer' and 'Wastelands'), you'll all be hearing and seeing more from The Dead Love very soon.



Catch The Dead Love at the following shows: 

NOVEMBER 10th - YAH YAH’S MELBOURNE

NOVEMBER 17th - MO’S DESERT CLUBHOUSE GOLD COAST 

NOVEMBER 18th - GREASER BRISBANE 

NOVEMBER 19th - FRANKIE’S PIZZA BY THE SLICE SYDNEY - w/ Clowns

NOVEMBER  24th - RAD BAR WOLLONGONG - HEADLINE 

DECEMBER 8th - NARRABEEN RSL - supporting YOU AM I

Get your tickets here.