What Is Love?
Never Shout Never · 2010
20 min · 8 tracks · alternative rock
Melodic pop-infused alternative rock brimming with youthful exuberance and introspective lyrics about love and relationships.
Top tracks — play these first
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Love Is Our Weapon — This opening track sets the tone for the album with its catchy hooks and anthemic chorus, encapsulating themes of youthful love and rebellion.
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Can't Stand It — With its upbeat tempo and relatable lyrics about heartache, this song captures the angst of young love while showcasing Drew's signature acoustic style.
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What Is Love? — The title track explores complex emotions surrounding love through a blend of whimsical melodies and thoughtful lyricism, making it a standout representation of the album's theme.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album combines energetic melodies with introspective lyrics, typical of its genre but lacks standout innovation.
What we noticed
- Each song features prominent acoustic guitar melodies, often accompanied by layered vocal harmonies that emphasize the emotional content.
- Several tracks incorporate shifts in dynamics, such as sudden drops to quieter sections before building back up to more intense choruses.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- short energetic bursts of emotion
- breezy melodies for sunny days
- youthful spirit and vulnerability
- quick listens for busy moments
Maybe skip if you
- prefer long, introspective albums
- seek deep narrative exploration
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on January 26, 2010, 'What Is Love?' was Never Shout Never's debut full-length album, following a series of successful EPs. At this point in his career, Christopher Drew, the face of the project, was transitioning from a burgeoning MySpace artist to a mainstream presence in the alternative rock scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Owl City· The Maine· Jack's Mannequin
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Love Is Our Weapon 2:29
- 2 Jane Doe 1:56
- 3 Can't Stand It 2:51
- 4 Sacrilegious 1:51
- 5 I Love You 5 2:14
- 6 California 2:37
- 7 What Is Love? 2:33
- 8 The Past 4:08
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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