What Is Love? cover

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.

43 /100
Lowland
Higher than 2% of albums we've rated

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
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
6/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
5/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
6/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

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