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