Portland Indie Rock Trio Strange Pilgrim Released New Track “Through the Branches”

“Through the Branches” is the new single from Portland, OR based indie-rock band Strange Pilgrim. Following up their critically acclaimed self-titled album (2022) and recently released Embers EP (2025), the single is taken from their new upcoming album entitled Too Bright Planet, which will be released on September 26 via Royal Oakie Records.

Led by multi-instrumentalist & songwriter Josh Barnhart, Strange Pilgrim crafts a unique sound that balances introspective lyricism and restless musicality to create something both intimate and expansive. Produced Barnhart, the basic tracks were recorded live at Bocce Recording in Vancouver, WA, engineered & mixed by Cory Gray (Lee Baggett, Califone), and mastered by David Glasebrook (Patti Smith, Michael Nau, Sugar Candy Mountain) at The Garden Shed in Oakland, CA.

“Through the Branches” is a jangle pop reflection on the surreal stillness of the early Covid era, when isolation became the norm and the passing of time felt both slow and strange. The song captures a restless mind turning over thoughts in solitude, grappling with the quiet, the disconnection, and the pull of changing seasons. Amid the anxiety and yearning, there’s also a sense of beauty: a glimmer in a quiet moment, a flicker of light through the trees, the subtle shift of winter into spring. It’s both a document of a disorienting time and a kind of meditation, finding calm in the swirl of thought and stillness. The bright guitars and steady rhythm carry a kind of forward motion, even as the lyrics linger in the space between longing and acceptance.

Josh handles rhythm guitar and vocals, with a delivery and tone that nod to the Byrds’ melodic clarity. Elliott adds movement and depth with his bass playing, while also layering in 12-string guitar to further accentuate the song’s shimmering, West Coast textures. Pat’s drums and percussion are rolling and steady, anchoring the track with a gentle propulsion. Cory weaves in trumpet, keys, and melodica, adding melodic lines that swirl through the mix with the quiet, intentional charm of early Belle and Sebastian or Aldous Harding. The result is a track that feels like a hazy road trip through a shifting landscape—equal parts classic ’60s Laurel Canyon and dreamlike, modern reflection.