The Furious Seasons – My Love Is Strong
- Written by Julia Lamb
The Furious Seasons are the LA folk-pop band with a goldmine of experience under their belt. Head honcho David Steinhart has over 20 albums to his name, and for his latest venture, Steinhart has enlisted a cast of Los Angeles veteran musicians (Lee Thornburg from Tower of Power and Supertramp and Tyra Juliette from Jeff Lynne and Demi Lovato to name a few) to bring to life his most varied set of songs to date.
My Love Is Strong is The Furious Seasons’ fourth album, and it’s the one that’s making people sit up and listen. The 13 track opus is fun and cleverly constructed, as Steinhart sings witty, vivid stories with a Bob Dylan drawl over folk-pop tunes that have a life of their own.
Opening track ‘Southern Night’ bursts through the door with a chorus of harmonies that cuts through like a beaming ray of light. It’s an upbeat number, largely owed to the sprightly rhythm section and sugar coated melodies. ‘Perfectly’ has a distinct Wilco-haziness about it as Steinhart croons over breezily wistful guitars: “But I know one thing completely / You are the one thing that I did perfectly.” ‘Summer Rain’ also draws resemblance to Wilco, but to the band’s “fuller” side, rather than their trademark lazy blissfulness heard in ‘Perfectly’. There’s an intimacy in the echoic soundscape. Perhaps it’s the honesty that seeps from Steinhart’s voice, or the beautifully interwoven melodies that lace the song with delicacy. Either way, ‘Summer Rain’ is a stand out track.
Edging into Americana with slide guitar and a bluesy swing, ‘Fooled By The Bottle’ is a playful tune about the temptation of alcohol and the regretful hangover the next morning. At the album’s half way mark, ‘Full Disclosure’ ushers in a spirited horns section over a boppy ska rhythm. The song’s main hook alone is catchy enough to keep you glued from beginning to end - it just so happens that the rest of the track is equally infectious. Track ten ‘Here’ is unlike anything else on the album, built on a foundation of heavenly synths that soar sky-high and adorned with lightly plinking piano. The instrumentation takes the spotlight in this song; it’s simply too divine to take a backseat.
My Love Is Strong is a testament to David Steinhart’s flair for catchy songwriting. The 13 track collection thrives from its unique mix of flavours, yet in each track’s individuality there still remains Steinhart’s sense of character. It’s no wonder he’s managed to stay in the industry for over 30 years.