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.
Do Less
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before we start again
Why must we go over
Your melancholy sins
I love you maybe baby
But your boring me to death
Tell me lies or tell me none
Honestly do less
Can we take a moment
Before we start again
Why most we go over
Your melancholy sins
I love you maybe baby
But your boring me to death
Tell me lies or tell me none
Honestly do less
Do less
Do less
Do less
Do less
In San Fermin's song "Do Less," the lyrics depict a conversation or plea from the singer to their partner. The singer asks for a moment of pause before they start again, suggesting that they want to address and understand their partner's melancholy sins. The phrase "melancholy sins" could refer to the partner's tendency to dwell on past mistakes or negative experiences, which can be emotionally draining and repetitive for the singer.
The singer expresses their love for their partner, but at the same time, it becomes evident that the partner's behavior is becoming monotonous and boring. In an attempt to inject some excitement or liveliness into the relationship, the singer urges their partner to tell them lies or be more daring. The singer implies that they would prefer their partner to be more spontaneous, to take risks and be less restrained in their actions. The repeated phrase "do less" could be interpreted as an encouragement for the partner to overthink less and act on their desires more intuitively.
Overall, "Do Less" captures a sentiment of wanting more passion and unpredictability in a relationship that has seemingly become stagnant. It expresses a desire for the partner to break free from their melancholic tendencies and bring more excitement into their interactions.
Line by Line Meaning
Can we take a moment
Can we pause and reflect
Before we start again
Before we repeat the same mistakes
Why must we go over
Why do we keep dwelling on
Your melancholy sins
Your sorrowful wrongdoings
I love you maybe baby
Perhaps I love you, my dear
But your boring me to death
But you are causing extreme boredom
Tell me lies or tell me none
Either deceive me or say nothing
Honestly do less
Truly, reduce your actions or words
Do less
Be less active or involved
Do less
Engage in fewer activities
Do less
Take on less responsibilities
Do less
Exert less effort
Writer(s): Ellis Ludwig Leone
Contributed by Jackson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.