Carly Pearce turned the pain of losing a friend and going through a divorce into her breakout 2021 album 29: Written in Stone. Today, she released her follow-up, Hummingbird. The album proves that she doesn’t have to be dealing with fresh emotional wounds to create a collection of top-notch country songs. This chronicle of her personal growth and slowly-mending heart is just as powerful and enjoyable as her breakout album.
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Pearce co-wrote 13 of the album’s 14 tracks. As a result, these songs are personal and give fans a look into her life. Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne co-produced the album, as they did with 29. This time around, though, Pearce also helped with the production, putting more of herself into the mix.
[RELATED: Carly Pearce Talks New Album ‘hummingbird,’ Says It’s “Worth The Wait”]
During a press event, Pearce spoke about the album. “I think it’s a side of me that’s yet to be seen, which makes me excited because it still feels like me,” she said. “When I say I’ve put everything into this for the last few years, I feel like that’s why it’s taken a while,” she added. “I feel like it’s been worth the wait.”
Carly Pearce Rewards Listeners for Their Patience
“Worth the wait” is a bit of an understatement. From the album opener “Country Music Made Me Do It,” Carly Pearce lets fans know she hasn’t strayed from her traditional country roots. This message comes through in both the lyrics and the steel guitar and fiddle in the arrangement. It’s a near-perfect start to a stellar album.
There is a lot of fire in this album, both literal and figurative. For instance, “Truck on Fire” is about setting a cheating partner’s truck alight. Then, there’s the “Still Blue” in which she informs her ex that plenty of things in her world are still blue—the sky and her Levi jeans, specifically—but she isn’t.
However, Hummingbird isn’t without its heartbroken songs. “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” a duet with Chris Stapleton, and “Oklahoma” are examples of how Pearce can turn heartbreak into beautiful pieces of art. In the former, the pair of powerful singers mourn the indifference of a slowly dying relationship. The latter sees the Kentucky native singing about being lost but still moving forward.
Overall, Hummingbird is a stellar follow-up to 29: Written in Stone and proof that Pearce has found her stride and won’t be slowing down any time soon.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA
