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Track-by-Track: Pitter Patter Considers Their EP ‘Kraken at the Seams’

Pittsburgh-based emo alternative band Pitter Patter joins us for the exclusive track-by-track rundown of their new EP ‘Kraken at the Seams.’

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Pitter Patter
Pitter Patter

When it comes to writing and recording, Pitter Patter gladly casts a wide net. No sound, style, or topic is off-limits. They are simply a band that is hellbent on pursuing well-written, accomplished-sounding music. They’ve confidently accomplished that with the release of their brand new EP Kraken at the Seams today. They have teased the EP’s release so far with the previously released singles “Bandages” and “Oh? Possum.” The band worked very hard on this record last year, determined to diversify and build off of their debut album, Naturally Selected. Their sound is a combination of indie rock and modern emo pop, filled with plenty of hooks and grooves.

Based in Pittsburgh, Pitter Patter has made some phenomenal progress over the last few years. It was only in 2022 that they released their breakthrough single “treehouse.” They pride themselves on their dynamic brand of storytelling through music. It’s emotional in so many different ways and it plays out through all six tracks on Kraken at the Seams.

Today, Pitter Patter guitarist and singer Seth Berkin joins us for the exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of Kraken at the Seams. The band highlights the meaning behind the songs, the background, and their significance.

1. “Push Me”

“Many of my favourite bands and artists begin their albums with an acoustic, singer/songwriter intro, and this is our take on that concept. The song is about failing to meet expectations, and how relying on people you trust does not always go as you want. Throughout my life, I have had big shoes to fill, and this song is a reflection on how I may be disappointing people that I care about, but the street goes both ways, and they have disappointed me too. Living up to your potential is a daunting task and something that stresses me out all the time, but all we can do in this life is our best. Wanting the best for someone and trying to help them achieve great things can be tricky, and you can accidentally achieve the opposite if you push them too hard.

“When all of the instruments come crashing in at the end, it is intended to provide the listener with a sort of shocking/loud finale that is grand to conclude a fairly sombre and melancholy song otherwise. Although ‘Push Me’ may not be the most popular track on this EP, it is one that is near and dear to me, with perhaps some of the most thoughtful lyrics out of all the tracks.”

2. “Laundry”

“‘Laundry’ is about fighting with depression, amongst other struggles that stem from societal issues. There are many lyrics in this track that reference the culture in the United States, as well as capitalism, but they are often masked with metaphors or hidden behind pop chords. This song, unlike many Pitter Patter songs, discusses a lot of things that are outside of me, with references to the ‘fat cats sitting atop their thrones’ or ‘the odds being stacked against us.’ I wanted this song to lyrically recognize common things that a lot of my peers are facing, and how it is not our fault things are the way they are. I used laundry as the title since it is cyclical, it repeats, and there is always more of it.

“Musically, this track is a bit more Midwest emo than some of the others on the EP, but I intended for the final chorus to be a pop chorus, as the lyrics repeat, ‘I am giving up because I’ve got nothing else to give’ since I wanted this part to get stuck in people’s heads. There are heavy influences that can be heard on this track as well, as Oso Oso (one of my favourite bands) was a huge inspiration for this song.”

Pitter Patter ‘Kraken at the Seams’ [EP] album artwork

Pitter Patter ‘Kraken at the Seams’ [EP] album artwork

3. “MEOW”

“‘Meow’ is actually an acronym, and it stands for ‘Muggsy: Ender of Worlds.’ I have a cat named Muggsy, and I love him dearly. However, he is not the most well-behaved cat in the world and has a track record of biting and scratching me from time to time. The concept of this song is that if my cat Muggsy was a kaiju like Godzilla, and I wrote the song from this perspective. ‘MEOW’ is a fun song, more or less a straightforward rock n’ roll tune that is likely the most fun on the EP lyrically and conceptually. This song is, in fact, my cat’s least favourite on the EP since it is the loudest. We are excited to debut an animated music video created by our friend Casey Campbell for this song, showcasing some of the ideas of my cat destroying buildings and wreaking havoc on a city.”

4. “Oh? Possum!”

“‘Oh? Possum!’ is a song that, like many other Pitter Patter songs, uses animals as metaphors for what I am coping with in life. The song is inspired by possums since they are animals that are very often viewed in a negative light. Possums are exterminated, run over by cars, and overall have a tough time coexisting with humans. When I wrote the song, I was also struggling to coexist with humans as I was dealing with extreme anxiety. While researching possums, I learned that they are one of the top predators of ticks, an insect that gave me Lyme Disease years ago. In some ways, this song is an homage to those who feel they have gotten the short end of the stick, and to recognize the importance of creatures or people that are overlooked, disrespected, or discarded!”

5. “Bandages”

“‘Bandages’ is a song about falling into the same patterns or bad habits and not being able to rip yourself away from their grip. This song represents the harsh realities of being unable to stop yourself from doing something you know is wrong, and how doing the same things repetitively but expecting new results is the definition of insanity. We want the main message of the song to be that ‘ripping the bandage off’ is usually the most efficient solution to removing these negative tendencies, but it is much easier said than done. Musically, ‘Bandages’ is a more straightforward rock tune compared to the rest of the EP, with lead guitar solos and in-your-face drums at the forefront.”

6. “The Dive”

“This song is about me not knowing how to dive. There has always been a barrier between my brain and body when attempting to dive into a pool, and to this day, I still cannot successfully do it without bailing before the water. I use this as a metaphor throughout the song, which is actually about my fear of dying. The song is about aging, unexpected tragedies, and whether I will be content with my life prior to death. Every time I refer to ‘the dive,’ I am actually referring to the end of my life, and use this creative sandbox to express my emotions with water-related lyricism.

“Perhaps my favourite part about this song is the incorporation of mixing and music to make it feel more floaty and underwater than an average song. When possible, I always want to make a song sound more like what the song is about, as I believe it makes the listener focus on the words more.

“Musically, this track is by far the most ballad-like on the EP, and although the chorus is intended to be huge, it is a lot less of a rock or emo track than the others. We are eager to share a music video for this song as well, created by our friend Meg McGinnis. The music video features shots of wind-up toys to be the vessel we tell the story through, as well as clips of the band hanging out at the pool or performing the song live. ‘The Dive’ is also the only song not in 4/4 time signature on the EP.”

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