A great album doesn’t have to be one that pushes the boundaries, defies expectations or moulds something revolutionary — the record can simply be consistently captivating and built upon a collection of really good songs. Despite having their name float by my periphery, I never really took the time to listen to Local Natives until now. Hummingbird is the LA outfit’s sophomore album and my first real taste of what the group is capable of. The record may not achieve or even attempt anything new, but that doesn’t stop it from being a pretty inspiring body of work.
You’ve already heard every element on Hummingbird before, whether be it the time signatures or timbre. Fans of indie music will be wildly acquainted with the overall sound produced here. Just because these particular puzzle pieces are familiar, though, doesn’t mean they can’t still do wonderful things. Local Natives have used their stock instrumentation to create just under a dozen songs that both engage and emote with clarity. Crisp, clean, and wonderfully simple melodies populate the entirety of this record. From swiftly paced piano patterns to glimmering guitar riffs, the separate sections of each song fit together precisely and quite often powerfully in suitable, albeit somewhat subtle, fashion.
The record as a whole is incredibly consistent and moves with cool pacing, ultimately making it easily enjoyable for the listener. Where it elevates above just being good, however, are the moments when the band tweak your heartstrings in the most wonderfully understated way. These moments are dotted throughout the album, but, for me, the perfect example can be found on the track “Columbia”. “Am I giving enough?” vocalist Taylor Rice asks with pained sincerity, as a calm, stepping combination of fingerpicked guitars and downbeat piano waltzes gently behind the beautifully simple yet evocative questioning. These quiet moments of sincerity are what give Hummingbird its heart. Moving on from here, if Local Natives can tap into this particular mechanism and expand upon it further, a pretty great second album could be the seed from which they blossom into a pretty great band.
