Follow you till the end
And once it happens all again
Just make me numb inside
As I soak up all the pain you feel but I
I could wish I had enough to say goodbye
As the months go by
And the blue jays fly to the apple trees tonight
Just make me numb inside
And soak all the pain
Slow as the coldness melts from me
Like a falling leaf
This scene it breaks my focus
When things feel out of reach
Call again
Remind myself that home is not worth missing
Am I lost this time
I’ll watch the sky until the stars align
I want to forget it happened
When will you think
I’ll forget your existence
Slow as the coldness melts from me
Like a falling leaf
This scene it breaks my focus
When things feel out of reach
The trees crash hard
On me
Now that winter is gone
I want you close to get me through it
Sometimes it feels so far
When you call again
Yesterday felt the longest yet
Here comes the sound of loss
Summer sprung into
Different shades of you
Picture perfect world
Without you here my world is blue
Don’t want to watch us split in two
I’ll let you watch me fall asleep
So I can dream of my perfect place
Even in the worst case
I’ll reflect on each step across the way
And watch the sun set
On the train bridge where I used to
spend my days
And I blame myself
Throw it all away
Turn to me
But you hide away
When it’s time to let you decide
Turn to me
Even with my shame
I’d choose your side
And I blame myself
Throw it all away
On the surface
It’s not broken yet
Even when your words break
I’ll reflect on everything that you promised me
And watch the sun set
On the train bridge where I used to
spend my days
Why was it hard for me to say
That all I wanted was escape
Turn to me
Turn to me
Turn to me
But you hide away
When it’s time to let you decide
Turn to me
Even with my shame
I’d choose your side
And I blame myself
Throw it all away
On the surface
It’s not broken yet
This place that we know
We’ve watched and we’ve grown
All I’ve asked is to know that you’ll
Stay with me
These white coated walls make me mad
But I’ll watch you glow on from the back
And once we say our goodbyes
It won’t be the same
But I’ll be right there till I can’t pretend
That I’m still here suffering
This place that we know
We’ve watched and we’ve grown
All I’ve asked is to know that you’ll
Stay with me
Stay with me
I told myself
I cave when this dream just clouds all my way
The sun fades if I pull far away
I’m sinking
Can’t you find a reason
From the 2nd floor of the house fifty six
In the change of season
Still skipping on through the leave filled streets
No, can’t make you stay forever now
When you say the wrong things to people you love
I can’t hold this all together now
A smile on my face while I scream to the sun
Help me find my heart
Without this
I’m just a broken man
I cave when this dream just clouds all my way
The sun fades if I pull far away
I’m sinking
In the silence I fade
But it’s been
So long, I’ve learned to say
Years so full of laughter, wont be the same
So long, I’ve learned to say
Your so full of laughter, I’ll be the same
Won’t be the same
But you’re too far away
I feel the warmth in this place
But you’re too far away
Please hurry home to me
Please hurry home
Please hurry home
As the days go by I’m sinking
I’ll sink into a dream kiss goodbye reality
I’ll sink into a dream and kiss it goodbye
Kiss this goodbye
about
One Step Closer signal a sea change with Songs for the Willow. With last year’s This Place You Know, the band had already mastered a unique stripe of mournful melodic hardcore informed by eclectic emo influences. But on Songs for the Willow, they’ve tapped into a dynamic, emotionally powerful, and sonically intricate post-hardcore space inhabited by the charged aura and artistic nuance of landmark early 2010s records like Title Fight’s Floral Green and Touché Amoré’s Is Survived By. But ultimately, Songs for the Willow moves this sound forward into new territory.
While frontman Ryan Savitski explored clean singing on This Place You Know, he expands his vocal repertoire further here, pushing himself to an even wider range of styles and methods, from soaring highs to breathy lows and rousing harmonies. He makes for a spirited lead and consistent presence while guitar work from himself, Ross Thompson and newcomer Colman O’Brien weave sundry, compelling layers, never content to linger on one riff for too long.
“All three songs revolve around the problems that touring so much this last year have caused,” Savitski says of the thematic melancholy running through the EP. “Losing relationships, losing band members, losing a sense of what this band even means to everyone.” Savitski is still grateful for the growth his band experienced—they made memorable appearances on some of hardcore’s biggest stages (Sound and Fury, This Is Hardcore, and Outbreak festivals), supported scene staples on tour (Comeback Kid, Drug Church, Terror), and had This Place You Know land on respected publications’ Best of 2022 lists (Stereogum, BrooklynVegan). But Savitski also recognizes the sacrifices they made along the way, and that struggle imbues itself in the EP’s desperate tone. “I feel like this last year was the first time we’ve truly felt like a real band, but there were so many issues underlying that it made it hard to enjoy a lot of things.”
The band stepped outside their comfort zone to create Songs for the Willow, teaming with Jon Markson and Eric Chesek to record the EP and explore new sonic terrain. “[Markson] is such an awesome guy and [they] really pushed to get the best out of us the entire time,” Savitski says. “I think their creative minds helped us make something special. We tried a lot of new things for these songs and really pushed a vocal style I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.”
Those three songs comprise a mighty trio of powerhouse mid-tempo fare that fire off stirring tempo and tonal changes, giving mere three-minute songs a dramatic, cinematic splendor. “Dark Blue” seems to yearn a loss through the picturesque changing of seasons. “Earlier this year driving through the Pacific Northwest,” Savitski recalls, “I was struggling with how much we were about to be touring this year. As much as I was excited, I was just as much scared of how the dynamic of my life at home would change. I almost felt like people would forget about me for some reason, or relationships would change while being away. I found comfort looking out the window of the van and seeing things I never thought I’d ever see, while simultaneously turning my head to see some of my best friends who I get to experience this life with. It made me feel conflicted—potentially lose the people you love at home, to do the thing you love just as much. This song represents those conflicting moments in time.”
“Turn to Me” wields a surprisingly melodic refrain while trying to maintain optimism amid despair. “Sometimes things happen and it changes relationships, and no matter how much you don’t want that to happen, it still does,” says Savitski. “I’ve experienced this a few times in my life and every time it makes me wonder why things can’t be the same as they were, until I finally realized it’s just part of growing. This song is about watching yourself and your friends grow up, but [also] further apart. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world and it really sucks to live with it everyday.” Following that, “T.T.S.P.” appropriately attempts to find closure with more natural imagery surrounding the search for solace.
All along, there’s an insistent, relentless forcefulness to each performance. After already cementing themselves as the best young band reviving genuine melodic hardcore, One Step Closer have now proven themselves as virtuosos of the impassioned post-hardcore mini-epic.
credits
released January 10, 2023
Written by One Step Closer
Additional writing by Jon Markson & Eric Chesek
Recorded by One Step Closer, Jon Markson, & Eric Chesek
Produced by Jon Markson
Engineered by Jon Markson
Mixed by Jon Markson
Additional production and engineering by Eric Chesek
Mastered by Adam Cichocki
Artwork by Marcel Straver
Layout by Mike Zimmerman
Thank you to all our friends and families that have supported us through the years. We are grateful to be here. We love you all endlessly.
One Step Closer is…
Ryan Savitski
Ross Thompson
Tommy Norton
Colman O’Brien
Northeast straight-edge hardcore taken to the cathartic, infectious extreme; a fiery EP fueled by spite, spirit, and sick riffs. Bandcamp New & Notable May 24, 2023
supported by 62 fans who also own “Songs for the Willow”
A friend with a reliably fine musical taste posted this album on FB and I wasn't disappointed. Love the guitar sound and the passionate vocals (melodic enough to not pass as screamo or whatever). Punk rock spirit yet with a lot of dynamics (definitely a yes to the Dischord reference) and compact songs that won't leave your head for a long time. Many many
great tunes on here but for the moment USMA and Lay Low have to be my favorites! Great band, very happy to have found them! perpendikel