The acoustic trio known as The Furious Seasons skillfully weaves narratives into their musical compositions.
These stories intricately explore the struggles faced by individuals in dire circumstances, depict a vivid portrayal of 21st-century Los Angeles, and narrate instances of quiet heroism—all while subtly acknowledging the inexorable passage of time. Renowned songwriter, singer, and guitarist David Steinhart masterfully crafts songs that strike a delicate balance between hope and melancholy, exhibiting a songwriting style that seamlessly spans from stark to ethereal, ideally suited for acoustic renditions. The addition of a small string orchestra, providing graceful accompaniment, imparts unexpected tonal richness, establishing a hypnotic musical realm where listeners can immerse themselves. Each repeated listen unveils new layers of depth within these compositions.
David Steinhart, a seasoned Los Angeles songwriter, distills decades of songwriting expertise across nearly 30 album releases. His extensive musical journey includes touring the U.S. and Europe in the ’90s and ‘00s alongside his brother Jeff, as integral members of bands such as Smart Brown Handbag and Pop Art.
Guitarist Paul Nelson, with a background as a working musician in Santa Barbara exploring various facets of Americana, enriches David’s songs with inventive melodies that seamlessly blend blues, folk, and country influences. His harmonious vocals complement David’s emotive melodies. Jeff Steinhart’s upright bass provides a supple foundation, infusing the songs with gravitas that elevates the vocals and guitars. In the recording studio, he subtly incorporates touches of organ and piano at precisely the right moments. At the core of the material, David’s modal guitar approach anchors the songs, creating open-ended, almost impressionistic sonic landscapes for the trio to construct their arrangements upon.
The trio has garnered critical acclaim for their work, with reviewers commending their previous album, “Home All Day, Home All Night,” for its intricate arrangements and rich, textured sound.
On September 29, 2023, the band unveiled their fifth album, “Every Morning at Five,” featuring the core trio alongside exceptional contributions from supporting musicians. Percussionist Luis Conte (known for collaborations with James Taylor and Phil Collins) and pianist William Gramling (with credits including Rickie Lee Jones and Shelby Lynn) lend their talents, while 5-time Grammy winner Alfonso Rodenas contributes vocals and keys.
In contrast to the band’s earlier albums, which often delved into themes of loss, change, and strife, David predominantly wrote this album from a place of love and gratitude. Tracks such as “Every Morning at Five,” “A Companionable Silence,” “I’ll Take You On,” and “Up the Coast” mark a departure for the band, introducing unabashed love songs. With the same meticulous attention to lyrics, these compositions uplift and affirm life in a fresh and distinct manner.
Guided by the overall production expertise of 5-time Grammy winner Alfonso Rodenas, the album radiates a breezy, jazzy, folky California vibe, creating a musical experience that beckons repeated enjoyment.
We caught up with the band for an exclusive interview below:
Can you tell us about the origins of The Furious Seasons and how the band came together?
Before we were a trio, The Furious Seasons had a few different incarnations. The first self-titled album, which we call the yellow album, was just my brother Jeff and I are playing all the instruments and focusing on acoustic arrangements. That was the original concept. Having played music in Los Angeles for about 30 years at that point, we knew a lot of great players and somehow ended up being a six-piece band with even more musicians coming into record on the albums. The whole thing became very orchestrated, much more like the bands I had been in as a younger person (Pop Art, Smart Brown Handbag) and very different from the original concept. I wanted to go back to playing more acoustic and ethereal music. One of the musicians who came in to record some guitar on a song was Paul Nelson. Within a month of meeting, Jeff and Paul and I hit it off.
I was offered an opening slot for John Hiatt, but his team wanted a solo performer, not a band and definitely not a band with drums. We asked if we could perform as a three-piece acoustic act, and they agreed. That was it. We became a three-piece sting band and never looked back.
Your songs often reflect stories of individuals in various life situations. What inspires your songwriting and storytelling process?
I love the fact that songs are a specific format. 2 or 3 verses and chorus and maybe a bridge. I feel like there’s no subject too small or too big to document in that perfect truncated format. I write about things that are happening in my life, things that are happening around me, and about my feelings regarding the passing of time. 30 albums into it, I’ve got a pretty good record of what I’ve been doing and thinking my entire adult life.
How would you describe the distinctive musical style and approach that The Furious Seasons bring to your acoustic trio?
I could describe it a little differently every day and never get it quite right, but today I would say that we are influenced by the 70s folk pop that came out of Laurel Canyon at that time, just without drums.
David, you’ve been a prolific songwriter with a rich discography. What drives your creative process when composing new songs?
I fell head over heels in love with the music as a kid. Specifically, with the sound of a voice over a guitar. I still feel exactly the same way. It’s also just a bit of a habit to me now, I write a little bit every day. The sense of accomplishment I feel when I finish a song is like nothing else to me.
Jeff, as the bassist for the band, how do you contribute to creating the band’s signature sound, and what role does the bass play in your arrangements?
I generally find that my purpose in this band is to provide a rhythmic foundation, and just another frequency aside from the guitars. The base also tends to fill up some space when it’s needed. The low end of the upright adds some depth to the sound, and I think makes it seem a little bigger than the instruments alone would suggest. Sometimes our approach to the songs leans in a more jazz type configuration, as well as sometimes working as a string ensemble. I think the bass adds to those styles of playing in a way that the guitars alone might not be able to. It also allows us to continue on in the framework of bands like Peter Paul and Mary and the older folk bands that used upright bass.
Paul, you bring your guitar expertise to the band. Can you share your experiences as a working musician and how you shape the band’s blues, folk, and country influences?
I spent seven years in a full-time working band that covered almost every conceivable American roots-music style. Choosing songs for our set lists from several decades of recordings, it’s a lot of ground to cover: country/western, folk-rock, Chicago blues, honky-tonk, bluegrass, western swing, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll – and various permutations of those genres. Playing these songs nightly was a great way to get inside all those genres and learn the elements of what makes them tick.
We also wrote original songs, and from having absorbed all those styles, as a writer one begins to combine those elements to find something new.
One of the great things about playing guitar in The Furious Seasons is that I can summon my instincts to call on that rich background and hopefully invent something that fits the mood and direction of David’s songs.
“Every Morning at Five” seems to explore themes of love and gratitude. Could you walk us through the creative process behind this album and how it differs from your previous work? .
I tend to approach things from a little skeptically historically, but after the pandemic I realized how many great people I have in my life. Having been hunkered down with this group of folks for a couple of years made me feel pretty fortunate and appreciative. Coupled that with getting older and my perspective has changed a bit. I mean, there are still a few songs about drinking too much and dealing with crushing anxiety, but the love songs came easily and ring true.
After 2019’s “La Fonda” which is an album about the life a death of a best friend and 2021’s “Home All Day, Home All Night” which didn’t start out as a pandemic album but turned out that way, I was ready to have lighter days which translated into lighter songs.
What do you hope your audience takes away from your music, and how do you see The Furious Seasons’ music evolving in the future?
I hope that listeners can hear something of themselves and their lives in the songs. We will continue to experiment with different instrumental configurations. I see us embracing all of our influences more moving forward, which I hope will make the music both more diverse and also more universal.
