Who Do You Love? (album)

King Adora began writing their second album while still touring their debut album in 2001. A 17-track demo of new material was recorded in October 2001 at the request of their record label, Superior Quality Recordings.[1] In October, singer Matt Browne commented that "the new album is a progression from the last one. The tunes are there and it rocks a lot harder. It's kind of the album we would have done first, but we don't mind that it's the second one".[2] The band played new songs Tokyo Honey, Born To Lose, Asleep, The Chase, Love So Volatile and Come live on the final gigs of the Vibrate You tour, which wrapped in December 2001.[1] In a statement later that month, the band revealed they were recording a new single (rumoured to be Tokyo Honey) and would be embarking on a tour in February 2002.[1] The tour failed to materialise, but the band announced in mid-March that they would soon begin recording the album.[1] No updates were provided about the sessions, but a further new song, Death By Rock 'N' Roll, was debuted at a gig in Horsham in June.[3] Despite being dropped by Superior Quality Recordings in mid-2002, the band embarked on a UK tour in November,[4] premiering new songs Kamikaze and Maniac Love. More new songs were premiered on a UK tour to promote the Born To Lose/Kamikaze single in May 2003,[5] including Drag, Depression, Boy For Rent and 9" Of Pure Malice.

The band recorded the album Hijack Studios in Redditch with Dodgy singer Nigel Clark throughout 2003.[6] In addition to the material played at their live shows, brand new songs Sweet Abandon and Fear And Loathing were recorded during the sessions. Born To Lose and Kamikaze were re-recorded for the album because the band "weren't exactly happy" with the original single versions.[7] Mellotron made its first appearance on a King Adora album, played by Mark Wallace. Sasha Vallely provided vocals for Love So Volatile, while guitarist Martyn Nelson played piano on Sweet Abandon. Following the completion of the album, the band put the record out to the highest bidder and subsequently signed a deal with Discovery Recordings for its release.[6]

The band's style on the album is rooted in their traditional glam rock, punk rock and hard rock sound. Matt Browne stated that Drag was a "kind of a modern day version of what The Kinks did with Lola" and had "a very glammy, T. Rex-style element to it".[8] Browne described 9" Of Pure Malice as "upbeat rock".[7] The singer also stated that the band had intentionally "stripped back" their sound and that the album was "not just where we were with Vibrate You, but where we are now".[8]

The album title Who Do You Love? is taken from the lyrics of the opening track, Drag. Themes present on the album include sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, depression and bulimia. Born To Lose had its title changed from Bulimia because Browne felt the song "was about more than just bulimia, but all types of self control, self obsession and addiction. It also gathered inspiration from Plath's The Bell Jar and that continual female struggle in patriarchal hell".[9]