A pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, the self-titled debut album is strongly influenced by Ludwig-Leone's background in classical music, which includes a job assisting composer/arranger Nico Muhly.
After finishing his musical studies at Yale, Ludwig-Leone wrote the album in six weeks while holed up in a studio on the mountainous border between Alberta and British Columbia. He focused on lifeʼs top-shelf issues – youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love – and tied these vast themes to different characters through vocal contributions from longtime friend Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.
The first track released from the album, Sonsick, tackles many of these larger themes head-on. ”It’s like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,” Ludwig-Leone says. ”I realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.”
San Fermin is not an album of singles but rather a sweeping, full-bodied listen with multiple distinct peaks and ambitious thematic connections. Ludwig-Leone composed all of the album’s arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that “writing for a large group of unknown musicians infused the writing process with a kind of operatic scope.
Since then, the band has coalesced into a core of eight members in addition to Ludwig-Leone: Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy, lead vocals; Eliza Bagg and Rebekah Durham, vocals/violin; John Brandon, trumpet; Stephen Chen, saxophone; Tyler McDiarmid, guitar; and Mike Hanf, drums.
Crueler Kind
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your melodramas are embarrassing
My cripple Henry
Imagine menace under everything
I wouldn't worry
I'm not about to fall in love again
It's not a moment
It's just a crueler kind of punishment
When you've given up the sun
And your heart is awful empty
We'll the best is yet to come
Love, the enemy
I wouldn't worry
I'm not about to fall in love again
It's not a moment
It's just a crueler kind of punishment
When you've given up the sun
And your heart is awful empty
We'll the best is yet to come
Love, the enemy
The song "Crueler Kind" by San Fermin speaks of the crueler kind of punishment that comes with giving up on love. The opening lines “I wouldn't worry, your melodramas are embarrassing” is a subtle but cutting statement directed at someone who may be feeling sorry for themselves. The lyrics proceed to describe someone named Henry who is crippled, but his physical ailment does not stop him from imagining menace in everything. This creates a sense of paranoia and fear that is pervasive throughout the song.
The chorus of the song speaks on how giving up on love is not just a moment but a crueler kind of punishment. It's a feeling that encompasses an awful emptiness in one's heart, something that can be overwhelming and unbearable. However, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the phrase "the best is yet to come, love, the enemy". It suggests that even though love can be the source of pain, it can also bring about the best moments in life if one is willing to take the chance again.
Overall, the lyrics of "Crueler Kind" speak to the complex nature of love and the emotional toll that it can take. The song highlights the fear, pain, and emptiness that can come with giving up love but also acknowledges the hopeful possibility of finding something more.
Line by Line Meaning
I wouldn't worry
Don't fret or be anxious
Your melodramas are embarrassing
Your exaggerated emotions and behavior are humiliating
My cripple Henry
My helpless friend named Henry
Imagine menace under everything
Imagine a looming threat or danger in every situation
I'm not about to fall in love again
I am not interested in beginning a new romantic relationship
It's not a moment
This feeling is not fleeting
It's just a crueler kind of punishment
This is a harsher form of retribution
When you've given up the sun
When you have lost your happiness
And your heart is awful empty
And you feel deeply unfulfilled or sad
We'll the best is yet to come
But there is still hope for better things in the future
Love, the enemy
Love can be painful and a source of conflict
Contributed by Bailey B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.