The Storm Builds With Puppet Theory’s New Single, Katia

Indie Band

Manchester based indie rock band Puppet Formed in Manchester in 2016, Puppet Theory was founded by guitarist Johnny Hearldon and joined by Chris Pickering (vocalist), Niall Musa (bass) and Paul Gallacher (drums). Taking influences from the early 2000’s indie boom, pop-punk and American rock, Puppet Theory have set about writng an energetic brand of indie rock music with memorable choruses. This has allowed them to blend elements of modern synth with the traditonal the indie-rock sound, drawing comparisons to The Killers, Circa Waves and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Katia’s themes will ring bells of relatability with its listeners. It is a song with two themes and two meanings:

The first is a tree in a storm; leaves falling, branches breaking, it’s a long night to be a tree in a storm, but they almost always stay standing through the hardest events imaginable, clinging on by the deepest of its roots. The other theme runs alongside it and digs a little deeper. It’s a song about mental illness.

Sometimes events in life can knock us, break us and shake us, but if you dig in your roots and hold on tight then you’ll be alright. It’s a song about inner strength, life’s hard times and overcoming them.

Musically, Katia slots in well into Puppet Theory’s repertoire. Following typical crystal clear vocals alongside staccato guitar and swelling synth pads, the second verse’s drum beats march new listeners towards the chorus with subtle hints of house-style synth. Mimicking the lead guitar, Chris’ vocal melody repeats throughout, ending the chorus in a desperate cry of ‘Katia’. After a short instrumental post-chorus, the third verse thunders in with driving guitars and heavier drums as the metaphorical storm builds in strength.

Chris’ meaningful repeated line of ‘it’s going to be a long night’ ends the verse before returning to the chorus. A crescendo of synth and guitar greets the listener as the middle 8 grows and swells into a dramatic end to the storm that is Katia before dropping out completely, leaving just Chris and an acoustic guitar crying out ‘Katia’. The storm has passed.