David Steinhart – “This Last Go Around”
Americana Highways brings you this premiere of David Steinhart’s song “This Last Go Around” from his forthcoming album Released, which is set to be available on January 10th. Released was produced by five-time Grammy winner Alfonso Rodenas.
“This Last Go Around” is songwriter David Steinhart on vocals and guitar; Jeff Steinhart on bass; Paul Nelson on guitar; Edoardo Tancredi on drums; William Gramling on piano and keys; and Alfonso Rodenas on guitar, keys, and percussion.
We had a brief chat with David about the song and the album. The premiere appears just beneath the interview.
Americana Highways: What was the inspiration behind “This Last Go-Round”? Did you start with lyrics, melody, or a specific idea?
David Steinhart: The lyrics sound like a breakup song for a relationship that has lost its luster. It is a breakup song but it’s not about a relationship with a person but with a guitar that I loved for years and at some point, no longer did it for me. It was a fun exercise to write because if you listen to the words casually you would assume it’s about a person and not an object. The music came first in an original version of the song but I wasn’t thrilled with it, I really liked the lyrics though and re-wrote the music completely. That’s something I’ve been doing more of lately. Historically, I come up with a chord structure and a melody before writing lyrics, so it’s a nice challenge when it happens the other way around. This version of the song is in 6/8 which makes it feel a little different from the rest of the album.
AH: Is there a particular message or theme you’re trying to convey through this song?
DS: Yes, the thought that sometimes quitting is the best option. I haven’t quit many things in my life and maybe I should have! The last verse shifts the topic from the offloading of a guitar to just getting older. “Now the landscape has changed/Trust me not with my help/I know I’m barely recognisable/Hell, even to myself.”
AH: Did you have a specific vision or story in mind when you started working on Released? How did it evolve as you went along?
DS: Having played a version of Americana for a decade in The Furious Seasons, I was focussed on making this album have a more pop bent. I thought about the melody lines sounding like what a horn might play for the melody. You can hear it on songs like “Did You Say the Words” and “Get Used to It.” Lyrically, I just go where my brain takes me at the time. I love the fact that a couple verses, a chorus and maybe a bridge can convey so much information and emotion.
AH: How would you describe the sound of Released, and how does it compare to your past work?
DS: I was listening to a ton of 80’s stuff while writing this album and tried to take that approach. My playlist included The Blue Nile, Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom and Prefab Sprout to name a few. I wanted the album to sound wet and punchy at the same time. I worked with Alfonso Rodenas to produce the tracks and he was able to get the sound I was hearing in my head down on tape.
This all sounds great! Thanks for chatting with us David! This song is saturated with nostalgic regrets, and the feeling that something is ending and you’ll ever be able to recapture the magic: “Crushed under the weight of great expectation, that dark cloud that hangs in the air / tell me the truth, tell me I’m wrong, tell me is it time to move on.” All too relatable.
Find more details and informant on his website here: https://www.davidsteinhartmusic.com/
