'Bluffin'' About Nothing: Creeks "The Pain You Took On"

Ethan Hill
Sep 15, 2025
7 min read

“The Pain You Took On” is an emotional masterpiece that will leave your heart on the floor. The songwriting is immensely personal, and every song feels like a punch to the chest. Accompanied by acoustic guitars, subtle drums, and spacious synths; Jon Simmons takes you on a journey through his life and emotions, with an incredibly powerful and vulnerable record.

“And I’m sleeping in the apartment, that for a second felt like a home.”

The opening track “Stone Cold,” sets the mood for the album going forward. Love lost, self-reflection, and a longing for something you once knew. This is all perfectly reflected in Jon’s lyrics and vocals throughout the album, and it immediately feels honest and relatable from the beginning.

Moving into the next track “Bluffin’,” we’re met with those soft vocals and acoustic guitar yet again. Then about halfway through, a sample begins to play, before the most subtle and perfect drums come in to drive these feelings even deeper. I’ve always thought this was a special moment on the album, that really draws you in and adds so much depth to the track.

The next two tracks “Airplane” and “Buckets,” are both gut wrenching, and some of my favorite tracks. Jon shatters the heart with lyrics like “It’s not the same since you have gone. Natures lost its beauty; I’ve lost my tongue.” Or “I want to believe what you’re saying. I do, but I know that you lie.” This is some of my favorite writing on the whole album, it’s genuine and deeply relatable. Anyone who has experienced heartbreak knows these feelings and can really connect with them.

For a moment, we experience hope with "Overwhelming Feeling." The song starts off with arguably the catchiest riff on the album. It's a simple riff, but it never leaves my brain. I think this song really captures the "Less is more" vibes. Nothing is overdone, nothing too flashy. Just real songwriting, and emotions. This song to me, feels like the first sliver of good luck and the first time we think there is hope, but if you're familiar with heartbreak...you know it doesn't last long.

The next song "Emotional Violence" brings you straight back down and reminds you why you're here. The lyrics take you on a journey of self-reflection and realization, watching your love slip away. Knowing you've done all that you can. "Like it or not, it's the last time that we're seeing each other..." Jon really circles back on those feelings of relief and shuts them down fast.

Now, we've made it to "Glue." I could say so many things about this song. It sounds like something off of a Bon Iver record. Jon's vocal register is much higher than the rest of the record, and we get a beautiful piano on this track. The vocals are projected perfectly, and it's such a standout for the album. To me, this song starts off the conclusion for the listener. "Wish I could go back to the start." and "I'd fall apart if you entered the room," say to me that things are done and over with. The love is over, and all hope is gone. I think these lyrics combined with the uniqueness of the song really prepare the listener for the final send off. (The piano also really adds an element of sadness here, and I think it was a perfect choice.)

"I was shocked but not surprised."

These are the final words of "The Pain You Took On." It's a powerful send off for an album diving so deeply into, doubt, reflection, and sadness. It leaves you feeling empty. Do you know that feeling? When the one person you love, does you so bad it doesn't even surprise you anymore. That is the whole album in a nutshell. It's such a hard thing letting go of love. It will eat at you slowly until one day you can't take it, and your world falls apart. That is "The Pain You Took On" for me. A journey through letting go, and the pain that comes with it.

When I first discovered CREEKS, it was a rough time for me. I just had a son, COVID had everyone locked inside, and I was going through it with his mom a lot. I can't recall the very first time I heard "The Pain You Took On" but I can remember many sleepless nights on my mom’s back porch, staring at a baby monitor while "Airplane" played over the sound of my defeated crying. This album was my escape from reality, and it allowed me to feel something other than just tired. I knew what it felt like to lose love and crave that familiar feeling. I know the feeling of putting yourself through pain because it's familiar and safe. I understood every song. It felt like the words were mine, and they were speaking to me. It was my medicine, and it kept me pushing through each lonely night.

I eventually got past things, I moved on and found new love. My son is in kindergarten now, and he’s, my little clone. So, now when I think back to those nights on my mom's back porch, I smile. I had such a beautiful gift to carry me through and give me the strength to succeed. I was moved by this album in so many ways. It wasn't about dwelling on the past or soaking in sadness for me. It was inspiring and connected with me. It made me believe I could get past these feelings too, and I did. I still love this album today, but it's a little different. I can listen back and be proud of who I became. I can smile and know I tried. That's where I found the beauty in "The Pain You Took On."

A Look Inside The Record With Jon Simmons:

EH: The earlier CREEKS stuff is much different from “The Pain You Took On.” What

drove you to strip things down and keep it more raw?

JS: I tend to get bored easily so I like to keep things fresh in my creative endeavors. I like to have a challenge of some kind. “Summer Demo” was a total curveball for myself and it was a fun way to explore songwriting in a different way. I also had a ton of help from friends while making that EP. When “The Pain You Took On” came around it was during the pandemic so I was kind of forced to try something totally by myself. I had never done a straight forward acoustic record before and I thought it would be a cool contrast to my first EP. As opposed to drowning my voice in modulation, why not make the next project straight forward singing with interesting melodies? I wanted the songs to be straight to the point I think in an effort to see if I could still do that.

EH: Is there anything you consider crucial to the album? Something you couldn’t do without if you had to redo it?

JS: I think isolation was pretty crucial during this time. It was during the pandemic so I wasn’t really going anywhere and it was kind of something I had to do in order to stay sane. That on top of dealing with a heartbreak, I absolutely needed some kind of outlet. I needed some sense of accomplishment in my life. I should also say Chris Thorne (Horse Head) my friend and my downstairs neighbor was down to record me in his bedroom whenever we could and that was a tremendous help. I believe I paid him in cases of White Claw.

EH: This album really captures a certain feeling. Did you go into the recording with a plan or did the songs just all come naturally?

JS: The songs just came out naturally. I didn’t really have a plan I just knew I was collecting these simple little acoustic songs and they were all just perfect snapshots of me during that time. Eventually I had about 8 of them and thought I should record these properly.

EH: Your songwriting is very personal and expressive throughout the album. What is your approach to writing lyrics in a solo setting?

JS: I like to do mumble tracks when I am working out an idea. I will start singing non sense and made up words and record it in order to find my melody. Then I will have my melody laid out and sometimes, from my mumble track I will find a word or a phrase that I latch on to and then I build from there. I believe the mumble track is my subconscious in some sense and its singing things I didn’t know I wanted to say, so I think it is important to listen for that. It is really therapeutic actually, I think that is why I always come back to writing songs. I am always learning so much about myself.

EH: I’ve always loved the samples in “Bluffin’.” They add such a unique texture to the

listening experience. How did those end up on the record?

JS: That sample was just an accident. I had accidentally recorded a voice memo when I was going to a show with my friend Danielle Parsons and its just us talking and I stumbled upon it one day and thought it was funny. I used it in the song because I love samples. I get very worried people will get bored during musical breaks so I like to add some other textures to spice it up.

EH: Do you have a favorite moment from the album?

JS: I had a lot of fun recording these songs with Chris. It was a great bonding experience and I remember it all fondly. I think Glue is my favorite song because it is pretty different from my other songs.

EH: What does CREEKS mean to you?

JS: Creeks is my musical project that allows me to do whatever I want.

EH: I recently saw Balance and Composure with Turnover and Horse Jumper of Love for the Peripheral Vision anniversary tour. How did it feel to be a part of that?

JS: That tour was one of the best times of my life and every single person on it was amazing. A really special tour for us and we feel really lucky we got to be a part of it.

EH: Do you have any plans for CREEKS in the future?

JS: I am currently working on a new record now and I hope to record it within the next few months.

EH: If you only had one album you could listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be?

JS: My answer is the same as it has been since I was 17. “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel. I am waiting for another album to replace that but so far, we aren’t there yet.

Thank you Jon!

Make sure to stream that new album when it drops!!

New post next Monday at 12pm CST

See ya then! - Ethan