Photo by Brody White
"Sugar Hives" by Calvin Love is a tender and multifaceted folk-pop song about addiction — the track draws a unique narrative in telling its story as an ongoing struggle instead of an event in the past. The Edmonton singer/songwriter is blunt in his lyrical description, with the lines "Tastes so sweet/ Can't say no/ Why have one when you know you can have it all?" running throughout. The song's indulgence doesn't lead to anything but loneliness and confusion, but a personal connection helps lead Love to a promise of a better day, and the song into propulsive, saxophone-backed rock.
"As a non-drinker, I am overcoming the isolation, struggle and disconnect that's a part of being a musician," Love told The FADER over email. "Demons still follow me today after quitting alcohol seven years ago. What once started as my weekend ambition, quickly became a daily problem. I have the utmost respect for those who can keep their drinking in check, but that's something I couldn't do. So, I wrote a song about it, and leave it to my music to be my only escape."
Calvin Love's new EP is called Ecdysis, "a scientific term Calvin has purposed as the process of shedding an old skin to facilitate growth," according to a press release. It's out April 7, 2017.