Pinebarren is an indie rock band based in Vancouver, BC, formed by members from across the world. Their sound blends the melodic sweep of The Killers with the warmth of Tom Petty and the atmospheric textures of Radiohead, creating a nostalgic yet contemporary style that listeners and reviewers have described as glistening, polished, and emotionally direct. Since forming in 2019, the band has built a reputation for tight songwriting and dynamic live shows.
Their self-produced debut album, Past Time, arrived in March 2023, capturing themes of reflection, connection, and growing up in a changing world. They followed with their breakout 2023 single What You Gave, praised for its blend of new-wave synths, driving bass, and anthemic choruses. Reviewers highlighted the track’s “lush, alluring” production and its ability to balance uplifting energy with honest, introspective lyrics — a combination that has become a hallmark of the band’s live performances.
Name:
Pinebarren
Genre:
Modern/Retro Indie Rock
Founded:
2019
# of Albums:
2 (1 Album, 1 EP)
Latest Album:
Arbutus (EP)
Latest Single:
Something on a Sunday
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Talking Heads–I think for us as a band, we all had a massive Talking Heads phase. David Byrne is such a unique musician in the sounds and atmospheres he creates not only on their records but also live performances. Honourable mentions for some of our other major influences growing up in Bruce Springsteen, John Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, and The Strokes.
Favourite musician now:
This is another tough question as we all have very unique music tastes that come together as a band. We all love the latest Dijon record, we all enjoy Blood Orange too. A current musician that influences a lot of what we do as well would be The National, but we all pull from many spots too, like PJ Harvey, Beach House, and our other influences growing up.
Guilty pleasure song:
Honestly? You shouldn’t be guilty of any music you love, just enjoy it! But in terms of songs that might be unexpected for us all to love, there’s a few that come to mind. For Adam (bass, backing vocals), he has a reputation for being a big Sean Paul guy. He once went on a beer-driven rant after a show about how “Get Busy” is an incredibly well-written club song because it builds tension without ever dropping (hard to argue against it). Otherwise, Mike (vocals, guitar)–and everyone else in the band, for that matter–has a soft spot for some cheesy pop, Mike would pick “Larger Than Life” by Backstreet Boys.
Live show ritual:
We try to always make sure to grab some food together before a show. Sometimes, as a band, you don’t pause and actually talk about other stuff that’s going on in life. Spending some time having some food together is always such a bonding experience before going into a show.
Favourite local musician:
We’re blessed to have so much talent in Vancouver. It’s really a thriving music scene that deserves a ton of credit for the creativity and incredible music that is out there. It’s hard to pick just one, so two for us are Post-Modern Connection and Haleluya Hailu. We’re not just saying that because we’re playing a show with them in March. We were lucky enough to be able to really consider who we wanted to play our EP release show with, and those are two talents we hugely admire. For Post-Modern Connection, we’ve been trying to play with them for three years. Their dreamy indie pop and the swooning vocals are just incredible. They are also seriously talented at their crafts. For Haleluya Hailu, she’s such a rising star and has such a special lyrical talent for shaping stories in song.
EP or LP?
Both definitely have a place in music. Obviously, when you think of the best music you’ve heard, you think of albums, but EPs are a special way to share a moment in time you’re having as a band. For us, our latest EP, Arbutus, shares a story of the past 3 years we’ve had as a band. We’ve experienced loss, love, stress and major changes. It would be inauthentic to try to fill out that moment in time with songs that aren’t part of the story, and so the EP is a perfect way to share our story over the past 3 years.
Early bird or night owl?
It’s fair to say we’re all night owls. Despite all having day jobs our practices and jam sessions are known to go late into the night. That said, as we get older, we struggle with the later stage times!
Road or studio?
It’s really hard to pick! The road is where you bond as a band, see how fans react to your music and really continue shaping songs. The studio is such a craft, though, that really allows you to spend time making art. I think in the past we would definitely say studio for that reason, that we get to really build all the layers in a song. More recently, as we become more selective with our shows, they become more special though, and you can’t beat playing to a sold-out Hollywood Theatre!
Any shows or albums coming up?
Yes! Our new EP, Arbutus, came out on March 6. The EP brings together our evolving sound and the themes that shaped it. It’s a record about resilience, renewal, and holding steady through change. Like the west-coast tree it’s named for, Arbutus, embodies the idea of growing stronger in challenging terrain.
Where can we follow you?
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
There’s so much good food in Vancouver that it’s really hard to pick. Especially based on the fact that so many big chats and decisions have been made for the band there, we’d have to pick Superbaba. It’s close to our practice space and does amazing Middle-Eastern food. Highly recommend the crispy eggplant!
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
For the same reasons, we’d have to pick Main Street in Vancouver. It’s where we all met, where we started jamming and where we always meet for a drink and chat as a band. We have a lot of great memories on Main Street, too, including our sold-out show at the Fox Cabaret for our debut album release
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
There’s a theme breaking out here, but it has to be Mount Pleasant Park for similar reasons to above. We all spent and still spend a lot of time in Mount Pleasant. It’s a bustling park full of friends having conversations, sharing food and families getting together. Just a lot of positive vibes, always.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Once again, a shout-out to Vancouver for being blessed with so many amazing venues. It was truly a highlight to play the Hollywood Theatre last year, and we picked the Biltmore for our upcoming EP release for the key reason that it’s such a cool venue. In terms of other dream venues to play, the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver is on our bucket list. It has such an incredible sound there, and to stand on that historic stage would be really special.
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Again, loads of great music shops in Vancouver. We love Zulu Records in Kitsilano. It’s full of amazing records, and they do an amazing job supporting the Khatsalano festival every year. Also, a special shoutout to Neptoon Records on Main Street. It has been a longstanding spot of ours to grab music.
