Many of us have fond memories of childhood – perhaps a holiday we went on with our parents, or a favourite playing spot. For most of us, these memories are slightly hazy when it comes to specifics, but certain tiny details are as clear as ever: how the sun felt on that day, what mood we were in, how the dry grass hurt our feet. And, usually, these memories feel easy. Times were more straightforward, less stressful, more plain. Strange Pilgrim’s nostalgic new music video single, “Salt and Seagulls”, explores these childhood memories. It is with great pleasure that we premiere it today.

Originally Joshua Barnhart’s solo project under his own name, Strange Pilgrim have expanded their line-up over the past four years, and now features members from Port O’Brien, Goodnight Texas, and Rogue Wave. “Salt and Seagulls” is their third single, and features Kelly McFarling on vocals.

“Salt and Seagulls” describes scenes of Barnhart’s hometown, detailed with childlike simplicity. It encapsulates the sense of déjà vu that sometimes occurs from an oddly specific sensation, like the smell of salt, the feeling of the sea lapping at your knees, or marvelling at how vast the ocean is. The simple lyrics are beautifully complemented by the modest, sweet guitar playing and dreamy keyboard lines. All the tones radiate warmth and comfort, and perhaps a slight longing: nostalgia. The music video, shot by Barnhart’s parents on a trip from Los Angeles to Arizona in 1974, shows landscapes, the parents themselves, and children playing in water. The pairing of the video and the song creates a sense of gentle, innocent curiosity at the world.

About “Salt and Seagulls”, Barnhart says:

I wrote the song after visiting Los Osos, the sleepy fog-covered town where I was born on the central coast of California. I spent my first few years there before my parents split up and we moved to a different nearby town. That place conjures a nostalgia that’s hard to pin down. The trees, the ocean, the mud-filled bay, they all take me back to a time I can’t recall very clearly. As life moves on and the cost of living in the area keeps skyrocketing, a longing for the past overpowers the present moment. The physical space is still so familiar, but in many ways it has become unrecognizable. Much of the lyrical content can also be left up to interpretation, which is usually how I attempt to write.

“Salt and Seagulls” will be available digitally on March 6 through Strange Pilgrim’s Bandcamp. Make sure you also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with future releases and live shows.

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