The Furious Seasons
My Love Is Strong
(Stonegarden Records)

This folk/pop release from LA’s The Furious Seasons begins with a rich Beach Boy’s-like harmony vocal that moves into a poppy jangle on “Southern Night” (it sounds like a cross between The Alarm and Dylan). We get a good strong riff and keyboard chunk on “Fooled by the Bottle,” a great sing-along song about…drinking. Guitarist/vocalist David Steinhart manages some great little slide moments while keyboardist Eric Martin lays a good foundation into the mix.

We get plinky string sounds and a laconic snare beat from Bob Gannon on the sad “Summer Rain” and what is one of Steinhart’s better vocals (and castanets in the mix of the chorus…nice going boys!); this turns out to be quite the epic ballad.

“Full Disclosure” has got a great lyric about desiring somebody, it’s got horns and a poppy beat, the title track is a Martin piano-led poppy Dylan mid-70’s like romp; as title tracks often can be, it’s not the strongest song here, but Steinhart really sings his heart out on the torchy “Wind Blown,” with again those wonderful harmonies behind him. He gets in some truly expressive lead playing here as well. This is the best song for me on My Love is Strong.

Drummer Bob Gannon produced here and brought in musicians like Stuart Pearson and Tyra Juliette for the killer harmonies and Lee Thornburg’s horn which rounds out the album, My Love is Strong making it one great  release.