When The Sidekicks broke up in 2020 Steven Ciolek found himself without a band for the first time since 2006. He’d no longer have the support from his band, which is how he’d learned to write songs. But it pushed him to do things differently and explore a new songwriting project on his own. “The idea behind Infinite Spring as an album was to try to capture that feeling of openness or possibility or growth.” He did not work entirely alone for this album, Steven brought in some familiar faces to help. Matty Sanders from The Sidekicks’ played drums and Zac Little from Saintseneca helped with writing, recording, and production. 

Infinite Spring has a different musical style compared to The Sidekicks energetic, punk-influenced, guitar-driven melodies as it features a more acoustic approach. The lyrical focus for this album is falling in love. “I was just very in love while writing all of the songs,” he says. “I was falling in love, being in love, getting married… Committed love just became this big theme of the songs, along with the sort of fearless honesty that comes with that.”

Angels On the Ground: The lyrics describe a house of mirrors and a struggle to overcome inner demons. He finds his way out with “angels on the ground”, love helped him break free.

Blue Bower: These lyrics are about a person trying to impress someone else by presenting them with superficial things or molding themselves into whatever the other person wants them to be. They realize that this facade is not sustainable and may not ultimately win the other person’s approval.

Big Songbirds Don’t Cry: Steven plucks a catchy guitar hook throughout the song. The lyrics touch on themes of emotional suppression, jealousy and maybe even toxic masculinity. “Big songbirds don’t cry, they just get the blues” imply that even individuals recognized for their emotional expression may still encounter difficulties when dealing with their feelings.

Good Ghost: If it is inevitable to lose his lover to death then they would haunt him as a good ghost. 

Dream Dating: These lyrics describe a dream or a fantasy of a date where everything is romantic and perfect. The power of love can create a perfect world for the people in it, even in their dreams. The lyrics use imagery to paint a picture of a beautiful and ideal.

Long Drive: The song is about how a long-term relationship is like a long drive. These memories of their relationship come up when he’s alone on a long drive. 

Locket: These lyrics describe the feeling of being in love but they still have to work through things alone. They paint a picture of someone who is grappling with their own identity and trying to navigate their relationships with others.

Overrated: This song seems to describe the struggle of feeling small and insignificant. The lyrics are an amalgamation of anecdotes that touch on themes of self-doubt, insecurity, and competition. 

Infinite Spring: The lyrics in this title track explore the idea of change and growth, both in the way the artist approaches their creative process and in their personal life. He acknowledges his previous methods of songwriting and tries a new approach. He uses metaphors of trees and nature to symbolize the interconnectedness of all things and the need to remember that he’s not alone. He’s been confronting his fears and doubts again, but just letting the waves of thoughts and emotions flow this time. “Doing it different now” serves as an affirmation of change and growth in the artist’s life. Zac Little’s influence shines through in this track.

Wave Back: This song has imagery of a river that leads back to the ocean, hinting at the idea of movement and progress, but also the sense of being tied to something greater. The song gives a feeling of calm amongst the slow passage of time.

With all of the changes that Steven Ciolek has found in his life, he captures the feeling of openness and growth in this debut album. It captures the sense of renewal and rejuvenation that comes with the transition from winter to spring. He was inspired by his own experiences of being in love and exploring a long-term committed relationship. There are themes of inner demons, emotional suppression, the struggle for identity, and self-doubt. Steven creates poetic lyrics, and each song reads like an inner monologue.

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