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.
The Myth
San Fermin Lyrics
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To close my eyes and leave my body behind
When my time is come
To lift this worried weight from my spine
I want to bathe in amber, by the quite bay
I want to feel the water, on my naked legs
The salt drying on my skin
When the seabirds come
And they will know the names of everyone I know
Lemons on a lemon tree slowly drying up
It will be alright
I would sing for their lives
I would sing for their lives
If I knew the words
When the seabirds come
Ships in an orange sky
And birds of brilliant white, fly low to talk to me
Remind me of the child, who I used to be
Running on tiptoes
I would sing for my life
I would sing for my life
If I knew the words
The lyrics of San Fermin's song "The Myth" evoke a sense of longing for escape and liberation. The opening lines, "When the seabirds come, to close my eyes and leave my body behind," suggest a desire to transcend the limitations of the physical world and enter a state of peace and freedom. The singer wishes to shed the burdens and worries that weigh them down, symbolized by the "worried weight" on their spine.
The imagery of bathing in amber by a quiet bay and feeling the water on naked legs represents a yearning for simplicity, tranquility, and connection with nature. The salt drying on the skin signifies the cleansing and healing process, as well as the passage of time. The seabirds knowing the names of everyone the singer knows suggests a deep connection with both the natural world and their personal relationships.
The mention of lemons on a lemon tree slowly drying up could be a metaphor for the transient nature of life and the acceptance of its inevitable changes. Despite these uncertainties, the lyrics offer reassurance that it will be alright.
As the song progresses, the seabirds and the vibrant imagery they bring are juxtaposed with ships in an orange sky and birds of brilliant white flying low to communicate with the singer. This contrast highlights the singer's longing for a return to a more innocent and carefree state, symbolized by the image of the child running on tiptoes. The repeated desire to sing for their life signifies the importance of self-expression and finding meaning amidst uncertainty, even if they don't have all the answers.
Overall, "The Myth" explores themes of escape, longing, and finding solace in nature while acknowledging the transient and uncertain nature of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When the seabirds come
At a moment of transition or departure
To close my eyes and leave my body behind
To detach from the physical world and enter a heightened state of consciousness
When my time is come
When the appointed moment arrives
To lift this worried weight from my spine
To alleviate the burden of anxieties and concerns
I want to bathe in amber, by the quite bay
I desire to immerse myself in tranquility and serenity
I want to feel the water, on my naked legs
I yearn to experience the soothing touch of water on my bare skin
The salt drying on my skin
The sense of preservation and reminiscence left behind
And they will know the names of everyone I know
They will possess knowledge about all the individuals in my life
Lemons on a lemon tree slowly drying up
Symbolizing the passing of time and the transient nature of existence
It will be alright
Assurance that everything will be fine
I would sing for their lives
I would use my voice to express my love and concern for their existence
If I knew the words
Expressing the limitation of language in fully capturing emotions and intentions
Ships in an orange sky
Imagery of a vibrant and captivating scene
And birds of brilliant white, fly low to talk to me
Symbolizing a connection or communication from a higher realm
Remind me of the child, who I used to be
Evoke memories of an innocent and carefree past
Running on tiptoes
Recollecting the joyful and playful nature of childhood
I would sing for my life
I would use my voice to celebrate and cherish my existence
If I knew the words
Highlighting the power of expression and the desire for greater understanding
Writer(s): Ellis Ludwig Leone
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.