Hummingbird

by Pearce,Carly

Overview

Carly Pearce opens Hummingbird by claiming that "Country Music Made Me Do It," providing a de facto keynote for a record where the singer/songwriter discovers sustenance through a full embrace of traditional country music. Make no mistake, Pearce isn't abandoning the country mainstream for the dusty byways of Americana, nor is her emphasis on clean, uncluttered arrangements and sprightly storytelling unexpected. Elements of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton could be heard throughout Pearce's previous three albums; the difference with Hummingbird is she's pushing this sound to the forefront, opting to sound "timeless" instead of "contemporary." The shift in direction could be due to Pearce needing a change of pace after the heavy lifting of 29: Written in Stone, the 2021 album that found the singer/songwriter exorcising the demons left lingering after a painful divorce. While Hummingbird may not contain the gleaming sheen of 29: Written in Stone, it's pointedly lighter emotionally, particularly in its first half when she offers a bit of a renegade strut on "Truck on Fire" and scoots through "Still Blue." The record gets softer and introspective in its back half, culminating with the tender title track, yet even in this stretch she finds space for the spry "Woman to Woman" and classic barroom anthem "Fault Line." With its playful puns, "Fault Line" illustrates one of Pearce's great strengths: she hones in on turns of phrase and narratives that should be country tropes but aren't. Pearce's ability to feel familiar and fresh gives Hummingbird its deep resonance, a trick that does indeed make the album feel timeless. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2024
Label:	Big Machine Records
UPC:	0843930108152
Rank:	423051

Tracks

Disc 1

1. country music made me do it
2. truck on fire
3. still blue
4. heels over head
5. we don't fight anymore
6. rock paper scissors
7. oklahoma

Disc 2

8. my place
9. things I don't chase
10. woman to woman
11. fault line
12. pretty please
13. trust issues
14. hummingbird

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chris Stapleton   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Carly Pearce   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ryan Gore   Percussion
Josh Matheny   Dobro,Guitar (Steel),Lap Steel Guitar
Ilya Toshinskiy   Banjo,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
Sol Littlefield   Guitar (Electric)
Alex Wright   Piano,Mellotron,Wurlitzer,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes
Craig Young   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Jenee Fleenor   Fiddle
Aaron Sterling   Drums,Percussion
Fred Eltringham   Drums,Percussion
Josh Osborne   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Ryan Gore   Programming,Vocal Editing,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Producer,Mixing,Editing,Recording
Pete Good   Composer,Programming
Robyn Dell'unto   Composer
Mike Stankiewicz   Editing,Vocal Editing
Chris Small   Editing
Kam Luchterhand   Assistant Engineer
Tofer Brown   Composer
Jordan Reynolds   Composer
Justin Ebach   Composer
Sean R. Badum   Assistant Engineer
Nicolle Galyon   Composer
Alyson McAnally   Production Coordination
Alex Ghenea   Mixing
Will Duperier   Vocal Engineer
Ava Suppelsa   Composer
Phillip Smith   Vocal Engineer
Lauren Hungate   Composer
Ava Supplesa   Composer
Carly Pearce   Producer,Composer
Ted Jensen   Mastering Engineer
Natalie Hemby   Composer
Shane McAnally   Composer,Producer
Dave Clauss   Editing,Vocal Editing,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Producer
Josh Osborne   Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer
Charles Kelley   Composer
Kat Higgins   Composer