As one chapter closes, another opens. With her new album Hummingbird, country star Carly Pearce strikes the chord again with an album that combines modern and traditional country. 

The singer-songwriter announced the album earlier this year after the success of the award-winning collaboration "we don't fight anymore," featuring Chris Stapleton. She shared that she never planned on naming the album hummingbird until someone within her team shared the meaning behind the bird itself. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Her previous album, 29, was sonically her most country-sounding record and vulnerable writing to date. As that album received attention across the press and even a Grammy Award, the songstress continues the streak with her new album, which continues Pearce's authenticity and grit she brings to the country music realm. 

Drawing from a blend of bluegrass and 90's country, Carly has developed her unique style with guidance from her co-producers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. With Nashville currently experiencing a resurgence of traditional country music, Carly has found her niche, and tracks like ‘truck on fire’ and ‘still blue’ are incredibly fluent with a catchy melody and a mix of traditional and modern country sound.

Closing the album, she chooses the title track, 'hummingbird.' This is the most exciting track, and it even teases more impact and depth to her songwriting and style. Carly Pearce is one of the mainstream artists who impacted the country genre. With her traditionalist influence and modern approach, the album makes for the perfect follow-up to her previous one and establishes her stance within the genre.

Now, let's rank Carly Pearce's tracks from the fourteenth to the first, breaking down the songs on her new project.

14. pretty please

This theme of tolerance runs throughout "pretty please," a touching track in which Pearce implores a lover to rekindle their love instead of displaying the indifference she has been experiencing. ‘Tell me it ain’t the alcohol / That’s got you feeling things you ain’t felt before / Buy me one more / Tell me I’m fine…. Tell me I’m pretty please.’ This theme of toleration is carried through on ‘pretty please’" It's an unexpectedly raw and emotionally open song that truly deserves attention.

13. trust issues

The record is filled with a great deal of optimism about love and life, as mentioned by Pearce on the second-to-last track, 'trust issues.' This track is truly delightful, with Pearce singing about a new love interest who helps her to forget about the source of her trust issues. It's incredibly endearing.

12. things I don't chase

The song "things I don't chase," written by Robyn Dell’Unto, Kat Higgins, and Ava Supplesa, is the only track on which Pearce didn't have a hand in writing. It's a poignant, stripped-down song about watching someone leave. Pearce's powerful rendition demonstrates her skill and confidence as an artist, as she imbues the song with raw emotion and longing.

11. woman to woman

The song "woman to woman" adds a touch of humor and wit to the album. It tells a cautionary story for the next woman involved with a certain man, warning her with the cleverly crafted lyrics "Where there’s smoke, there’s fire / And damn he’s cookin’ / Making his way from woman to woman."

10. fault line

Pearce expresses her strong support for traditional country music with "fault line." In collaboration with acclaimed songwriters Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, and Jordan Reynolds, Pearce infuses the song with a classic country vibe and poignant lyrics reminiscent of the legendary era of country music.

9. hummingbird

The album's title track, "hummingbird," embraces its bluegrass roots as it eloquently narrates the journey of falling in love. It exudes maturity and poetic depth, showcasing classic country influences. "Ooh, and the hummingbird flies on by / 'Cause it hates goodbye and so do I," croons Pearce with haunting vocals, painting a mesmerizing sonic landscape within a bluegrass background.

8. oklahoma

‘Oklahoma’ is another beautiful ballad, cleverly playing on the concept of being 'okay'. Some people might feel that there are too many ballads in the middle section of the album, which consists of fourteen tracks, but there is still something intriguing about her approach, as seen in 'things I don’t chase,' where she overturns typical country music clichés.

7. we don't fight anymore

The standout track "we don't fight anymore," featuring Chris Stapleton, is a powerful and moving song that captures the story of a couple in a passionless relationship. The lyrics express the emotional toll of simply tolerating each other's presence without any real connection. The artists' emotional delivery brings the song to life, making it both musically and lyrically heart-wrenching. Some of the poignant lyrics include, "We don't yell 'cause what the hell difference would it make? / We don't cuss and we don't care enough to even hate."

6. my place

The song 'my place' captures the universal experience and sorrow of witnessing an ex-partner moving on. Pearce portrays the narrative with great tenderness and sensitivity. It is both vulnerable and exquisite, evoking feelings of heartbreak and solace simultaneously. "‘Does he know me as a memory? / Is she enough to forget me?"

5. country music made me do it

The love story continues on hummingbird and Pearce has become even more committed, starting with the first song of the album 'country music made me do it,' a track with a 90s country feel that explores that exact concept.

4. heels over head

‘heels over head’ reads as Side B of ‘Next Girl,’ ‘I bet you’re head over heels this time / You love the way that she blows your mind / Now I see why you’d leave me / ‘Cause she makes easy look so easy.’ The song is a sassy tune with a lighthearted and playful vibe, playfully mocking the guy who opts for the "easier" route after her heartbreak in the previous chapter. It's a lively and clever song.

3. still blue

Pearce's magic lies in her capacity to infuse her recorded tracks with her whole heart. This ability is evident on the song "still blue," a bluegrass-inspired track about moving forward after experiencing heartbreak. ‘The sky was still blue after you left / Sun still rose, sun still set / I went out on the town with no regrets / In my Levi Jeans still blue.’

2. truck on fire

The song "truck on fire" is a lively bluegrass tune with an infectious, foot-stomping rhythm and a fantastic fiddle solo that complements the catchy and clever chorus. ’Liar, liar, truck on fire / Flames rolling off of your good year tires / Burn, burn you’re going to learn / Never should have put your lips on her.’ 

1. rock paper scissors

A standout track on the album, 'rock paper scissors,' is another high-energy, bluegrass-infused song that feels like the flip side to her previous song 'Diamondback,' which was on 29. It vividly portrays the rapid unraveling of her brief marriage through a clear, honest lens that's unique and relatable for many listeners to come. ‘He brought a rock, we signed the paper / Now I’m taking a pair of scissors to the pictures and the brand new set of bedsheets from the night we said I do.’ 

You can listen to the whole album hummingbird below.

Photo Credit: Allister Ann