Robert Loud is a touring member of The Killers, but with Love You Too he is looking to reach out and release his own music.
Love You Too was written in hotel rooms with Killers vocalist Brandon Flowers whilst on tour in Australia. Robert’s general way of working is to record whilst travelling, then work with his drum machines in his home studio.
The resulting track combines the emotive lyricism of The Killers and key influence Kate Bush, with the kinds of experimental and electronic influences Robert Loud cites, including LCD Soundsystem. There is a stoic, unfussy feeling to Love You Too, which Robert produced himself, with Mikaeline “Blue” Bluespruce (Blood Orange, Solange, Empress Of) mixing the track. It feels like the song takes the straightest line towards the exact emotional sentiment it wants to land - bouncy electronic bass, deep 808 style drums and glossy keys. The main vocal is heart wrenching, but it is when the female led chorus enters, half instructional statement, half bandaid, that the song really lands it’s statement: “Nobody can love you if you can’t love you”.
Sometimes loving people is hard. Sometimes being loved is hard. I know there have been times when I need seemingly endless reassurance and reinforcement of love... Insecurity and a bottomless well of neediness leave me feeling empty, ignored and worthless. I try to remember the actions, the velocity, the direction, but sometimes I forget, and I know it can be a drain on those around me, like the value of their love is somehow in question.
So yep... Loving people is hard. Particularly yourself. But it’s so important, and this record is a wonderful reminder of that.