If there’s an anthem for cuffing season, it’s Steve Rondo’s new indie folk pop song, “Walden”. Its natural acoustic guitar and lush electric solo work together to create a whirlwind of sound and influence, perfectly complementing the confusion of new romantic endeavors.
“Walden” sits somewhere on the spectrum between acoustic icon Ben Howard and modern rock heroes Kings of Leon. It gets off to a soft start, then we’re introduced to a brief yet wailing guitar section after the first chorus, only to have it come back in a cathartic, entrancing solo halfway through the song. It completely changes the pace and feel of the tune, giving it a more angsty edge that you don’t initially see coming. Upon first listen, I thought it was going to be a rather mellow tune through its entire run, making the pickup in the solo a surprising and inspired sonic choice. It really gets to the nitty gritty of his chaotic relationship with love itself.
You can feel Rondo’s frustration build as the song goes on, getting in his own head about what he’s doing with his new love, asking himself too many questions. As the sonic tension grows, it truly captures the feeling of getting lost in translation when you’re not sure what you want, and ending up hurting yourself and the other person in the process of figuring it out. Isn’t that a tale as old as time? Maybe, but Rondo is giving this tale a new life.
Steve Rondo is a 27-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer from Boston, Massachusetts. His music serves as a catalyst to tell his own coming-of-age story as a kid growing up in the city, touching on subjects like relationships and the nature that can be found just a short drive from Boston. He’s spent years playing gigs across New England, like in 2019 when he played over 125 shows in that year alone. He doesn’t discriminate against venues either; you can find him playing the most exclusive clubs in Boston one night, and in a small rural town the next. With his robust and distinct voice and storytelling techniques, Rondo is set to stick around and wow audiences for a long while-- we have no doubt he has plenty of more stories to share, and we’re dying to hear them.
Written by Jess Ward