Humbird's ‘Right On’ Album Review
Review by: Dani Erin, Writer @danierinmusic
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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Every blue moon (well in this case pink moon) you come across something truly spectacular. When something stops you in your tracks and you marvel. When the clock stops and time as you know it stands still. Humbird’s ‘Right On’ album will do just that and so much more.
Full disclosure, I have been seeing Humbird pop up here and there within our local musician community, but until this moment I haven't listened to their music but just kinda figured they were good. Going into this review I was a blank slate. I sat down by a very still lake, put my earbuds in and pressed play. My initial thought was “holy crap why did it take me this long to listen to Humbird” and then I thought “have I been living under a rock?” Humbird’s ‘Right On’ album will restore your faith in humanity and make you feel truly proud that they come from our humble land of 10,000 lakes. But if you’re like me, you wont stop there. I hate to admit it but I became an instant fangirl. Yes I went through all their social media and liked it all. I listened to all they have to offer (which is a lot), I bought a t-shirt, and I looked up when they played next, which is May.4th at The Cedar Cultural Center. I swear it started out innocent, but with Humbird being their band name I just needed to know more. Next thing I know I am talking to my barista about Humbird and telling my mailman that he has to check this band out. If I could yell from the rooftops to listen to this band I would, ok ok ok, I swear I'm not crazy but if the cops ask you can say there were signs.
Humbird will haunt you. It's an orchestration that you will think about long after you’ve listened. The album in total is only 30 minutes (9 songs) and it’s perfect. ‘Right On’ is the first track and it's one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. Like when you put a Q-tip in your ear and it hits just right. It feels like your favorite sweater. It hooks you so you just need to hear more. What I liked the most was the lyrics paint a beautiful picture. Where the vocals are the brush, the band is the canvas.
Let's talk about Siri Undlin’s voice. Wowza! I love that it is not blended, it stands out. Her cadence is so clear, which is hard to do. You not only hear her poetic words, but you feel them. I was so surprised by this, I hung onto every word and could hear them long after the music stopped. When I asked her what inspires her lyrics she said “Usually they are inspired by situations in life or weird dreams.” Fun fact about Siri is she eats an insane amount of pickles (her words) and that they are her favorite food. Same girl, same.
I get this very retro 70’s mixed with Sheryl Crow vibe, although Humbird's voice is unique on its own. ‘Ghost on the Porch’ , the 6th track, was a huge standout to me. It's edgy and the backing band twisted my damn brain. Once you listen you will know what I mean. They play with notes that sound like they don't work, but once you continue listening you go, “oh yes this was a good choice.” I admire when bands take risks and don't play it safe. They make decisions that add musical interest to each song. When I asked them if they had any challenges with creating this album the band leader said, “This album was really fun to make - the challenging part is often finding ways to release it that feel meaningful, especially when there is so so much music coming out every single day from artists all over the world - you want to do it in a special way but not lose track of the fact that it's all so fleeting, no matter what you do”
Next up is ‘Quickest Way’ which is an anthem for us dreamers. My knees get weak for this song. On those real tough days I will play it as a reminder that this journey is a tough one, but there is a silver-lining.
I really could go on and on, but I knew this might be one of the easiest reviews I might ever do. I have accepted that I am an instant fangirl now. All I need now is them to sign my t-shirt and I will be content until their next album drops. If you were like me and failed to listen to Humbird until now just do yourself a favor and go sit outside, put the earbuds in and watch time stop. You can thank me later.
“You can listen to Humbird’s album ‘Right On’ on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Apple music and make sure to follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook”
