I suppose if your parents named you Jefferson Davis, you've got to own that. No "Jeff" or use of a middle name. This particular Jefferson Davis and Chris Toppin front the band Love Love, and their music is kind of like Davis' name: If you're gonna do it, you might as well do it all the way.

Love Love Love Love (self-released)

That is, male and female vocals entwined over 70s-esque country rock. Kinda like a lower-fi mashup of Gram Parsons and Fleetwood Mac. Love Love's songs aren't that strong to warrant a serious comparisons to those monoliths--yet. But the stylistic elements are there, and most importantly, Toppin and Davis don't hold back on their writing. They go for it and don't fret about their missteps.

Which is to say that the songs here are occasionally imperfect. The production sound is amazing, and the ideas are extraordinarily fertile. The problems crop up in transition--Davis and Toppin have a habit of trying to shoehorn a bit too much into some of their songs. Nevertheless, so much of this soars that the occasional clunky shifts don't register too heavily. And when the reverb-laden guitar and horns kick in, the effect is intoxicating.

This album comes out in October, but hearing it in late summer was perfect for me. There's a late light feel to many of these songs, perfect for sitting out on the porch and feeling the heat ebb. These songs make any seat feel ten times more comfortable.

Limitless potential. Maybe Love Love never quite scales these heights again, but I'm betting that with gigging and more time together, the results next time out will be stunning. This effort is merely one of the best of the year. I'm almost afraid to imagine what might come next.

Jon Worley