Six Foot Blonde swooped back onto the scene with their sophomore album, Hummingbird, released September 25, 2026. The album is a distinct departure from their debut, Ask Me How I Am, but it only builds on the strengths that were already there. Hummingbird takes a clear step towards indie rock but maintains inspiration from their eclectic melodies, funky bass, and horn features fans have come to expect from them.

Though Hummingbird distinctly sets itself in indie rock territory, we’re incredibly impressed with the journey this band has clearly embarked on since releasing Ask Me How I Am. The same youthful, innocent dive into introspection and self-discovery from their debut has matured into Hummingbird’s. The sound they have put forth on the album marks a new era for the band, one separate from their beginnings with their 2023 EP Tino’s Place and fan-favorite track “Callin’ to Karma.”

“When we started writing Hummingbird in 2024, we knew it would be happening during a huge period of change in all of our lives. It’s time we share that with all of you,” they wrote in an Instagram post announcing the album. The five-piece band features frontwoman Julia Rusyniak on vocals, Zachary Patrick on guitar, John Alex Rusyniak on keys, Elliott Obermaier on guitar, and Dom Heyob on bass and vocals.

“These Kinds of Things” begins the album with themes that are reminiscent of what we know from Six Foot Blonde; a tune about admitting ignorance yet enjoying that ignorance. The sort of bliss that bleeds off this track is hard to accomplish without the right approach, but the track certainly introduces this new era of Six Foot Blonde.

The second track, “Berlin,” holds special meaning to the band. “This song is an ode to the sticky, dull feelings and more specifically, to the realization they eventually bring: that joy lives in the normal,” Julia writes. “It’s the people around you who make the ordinary worth it. The conversations that don’t run deep, the grey sky, the food that doesn’t quite land on the first bite can make life sweeter if you look at it right.”

Julia’s quintessential vocals have a sense of nostalgia that can’t be pinned down and instead diffuses through each song. That nostalgic quality makes the quotidian that “Berlin” describes that much more beautiful, because it reminds the listener that the most nostalgic moments aren’t the most picturesque. The band further commented that this track in particular has defined their redefinition. “After we finished writing this song, we looked at each-other and realized that we had finally figured out what kind of music we wanna make forever,” they wrote.

“Up a Notch” grants a sound experience that matches the intentionally cautious and sweet nature of Julia’s vocals with the indie rock instrumentation of their new era. The instrumentation is level, which makes listening to this track incredibly easy. The band released “Up a Notch” as a surprise a few days before the album, writing that it came together as a result of “some late night[s] in early 2025” and the band “never let it go.”

“Carmilla” is the track that has got fans excited about this album prior to its release. It was the first single the band released as a teaser. This spooky, heavier-rock track pulls no punches in terms of instrumentation; we’re certain this track will have fans jumping around and singing along while hearing it live. The track blends the belty vocals of tracks like “Hard Feelings!” with the dance-inducing “Landgirl.” “Carmilla” brings the energy fans know from Six Foot Blonde and is a true representation of the direction Six Foot Blonde is stepping into.

The album’s midpoint changes the energy, taking the strength from the first half and creating something new. “Painted Ladies” touches on the delicate nature of their debut but brings a maturity that could only come with time and experimentation as musicians. This is the throughline from debut to sophomore. The lyricism is as strong as it has ever been, but now it contains a new confidence. It shows a true range from where they have been to where they are now.

The title track, “Hummingbird,” perhaps fully shows this next step. The mix of singsong vocals calls back to the band’s sound at their inception, creating a sense of storytelling and dialogue between speaker and listener. The horn features on this song are one particular callback, yet the track maintains its distinct indie rock quality. “Honey,” the next track, also calls back to the groovy Six Foot Blonde of 2022 and 2023. The playful lyrics are quintessential to the band’s identity.

“Everyone I See” is so gentle that it reminds us of the introspection and childlike wonder of their debut album. This track goes to show that they can create tension without necessarily getting overly heavy with their instruments. It relies on masterful musicians, of which Six Foot Blonde is in endless supply. The texture of the guitar with the brass, and the percussion woven together with Julia’s vocals shows how intentionally crafted this track is. 

“Twin Bed,” similar to “Everyone I See,” marks a departure from innocence and serves as a reminder of what it’s like to grow up and move on. “Everyone I See” does not disguise that reality, yet still finds a way to romanticize it in this almost-acoustic, soundscape-like track. The “I don’t know where I am” vocal motif throughout “Twin Bed” acknowledges the unsteady ground that is maturing while playfully accepting it with sparkly guitar riffs and keys to match.

“Drinker’s Dozen” is a powerfully raw track to round out the album. The electric guitar riffs and percussion at the beginning show they are ending strong and departing that innocence. After having built the tension with the previous two tracks, it feels like a very different way to end a work of art. The lyricism also feels like moving on and growing up. The repetition of the lyrics “the world keeps spinning” conjures release of control. It’s accepting cold realities that come with adulthood. Hangovers, coffee stains, feeling low enough to “marry the bottom,” and yet the world keeps spinning. “Drinker’s Dozen” shows Six Foot Blonde has arrived in their newest era, and they are here to stay.