Reno Cruz - Falling In Love Is Not That Hard (2024)

Who is Reno Cruz? In his past lives, the California native has put in stints as an actor, jewelry salesman, banjo player, and cheesemonger. A resident of Chicago, he’s worked to earn his stripes as a backing musician for various local luminaries including Lala Lala, Wyatt Waddell, Sen Morimoto, Shawnee Dez, and others.

At the dawn of 2022, Reno Cruz emerges from quarantine isolation to cast his own stone into the abyss–a debut record that marries his penchant for intricate guitar work and hushed vocal melodies with an intentional blend of layered folk instrumentation and psychedelic digital processing.

The result is a kaleidoscopic jewel-box of an album, each subsequent listen revealing previously hidden depths. With lyrics directly lifted from journal entries and past conversations, Reno directly addresses the listener with a carefully preserved account of loneliness that nevertheless highlights the companionship possible in solitude.

While this record speaks to anxiety and isolation, its homespun instrumentation–courtesy of a talented ensemble of collaborators is a testament to the power of community and reciprocal care. Reno’s nimble acoustic guitar waltzes alongside a DIY orchestra of woodwinds and strings, while his voice, lustrous and bruised, co-mingles in harmony with his closest friends. The resulting ten songs, expertly mixed and mastered by Brok Mende at Friends of Friends Recording, constitute a radiant debut that bridges the space between loneliness and togetherness.