Prior to creating Young Love, Dan Keyes fronted the Austin, TX post-grunge band Recover. After releasing three albums with the quartet, Keyes felt the need for change. A friend offered him a place to stay for free in New York City, and within weeks Keyes was traveling from Los Angeles to New York with just one bag and his guitar. Keyes spent 2005 working at a restaurant in the city as well as working on music that he started while he was touring with Recover.