One Of Us

Rocker-turned-dancer can't decide whether to groove or brood. The first album from Young Love, 2007's Too Young To Fight It, was markedly uneven. At times, it was massively compelling ("Discotech"); at others, disappointingly lackluster ("Underneath The Night Sky"). Its follow-up has more cohesion, maybe because band mastermind Dan Keyes (also frontman of recently reactivated rockers Recover) wrote them in one batch with streamlined intent. However, there is still a noticeable gap between the killer and the filler. The tracks retain the dancey, post-punk sensibility Keyes initiated on Too Young, this time sounding less trapped in the scene Recover hail from. "One To Ten" is a dead ringer for Bloc Party–hip, catchy and bursting with fanfare–while "The Picture" is sparkly dance-floor fodder with a propulsive chorus and a bouncing electro beat. These, along with the other upbeat numbers that make up the first half of the album, are immediately likeable, but Keyes falters when the tempo slows on the second half. "Down On Me" is dull, and "Can You Hear Me" is forgettable. Keyes brings the energy back up on hooky closer "Love For Sale," but it's almost too late. When you make your name as a dance-club act, it's hard be taken seriously when you get serious.

ROCKS LIKE:

Bloc Party's Silent Alarm

The Bravery's The Sun And The Moon

The Killers' Day And Age



IN-STORE SESSION WITH DAN KEYES



How does this record differ from Too Young To Fight It?

I think this record is more focused. It's less of a "Me me me" album. I feel like the last Young Love record was–How can I put this?–a little more emo. No. Forget I said that. Erase it! It was just younger and more [concerned with] personal experiences. This one feels more grown up. But I hate saying that, because I know in the long run, when I put a record when I'm 50, I'm going to look back at this one and go, "God, how naive was I?" 



What were you writing about this time, if not yourself?

It's more about the human condition and what we all go through. The last record was [mostly] about fun, and this is more mature because I'm talking about things like how life is hard but it's beautiful and it's beautiful because it's hard for every single one of us. Whether you're a father running your own business with a family or a teenager going out into the world on your own, it's hard for all of us.



What was the process like?

Usually I'll hole up and write everything and then go record it, but this one was written and demoed all over the country. I demoed in Williamsburg, in Austin, in L.A., and wrote and demoed half the record on the back of the bus during the MySpace tour [with Say Anything and Hellogoodbye in 2007]. Usually when I'm on tour I wake up, play a show, party. This time it was all about writing and recording. It was crazy how productive I was. I wrote most of this record on that one tour.



How did all that movement affect the way the record turned out?

A lot of different influences end up coming into play because I'm not just holed up in one place. I'll be in middle America and I'll end up writing a song that sounds like Rascal Flatts. When I was on that tour, I was listening to a lot of country stuff–Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Dolly Parton. There's one song on the album called "Turn It Up" that's kind of a country song if you strip it all down. On the last record, I kind of jumped around stylistically, and I think on this record there's a more unified sound because we've been touring and playing together for a few years now. The last record was an experiment and I wrote most of it while touring with Recover. On this one, I found my sound.



What's the significance of the title?

I wanted everyone to feel like they were included and a part of it. That's how I describe someone I really like to another person I really like who don't know each other. Like, "He or she is one of us." I'm hoping that the title will let people know that they're cool. They're in and not out. Everybody's in with me. 

Island/Def Jam