Album Review: Jordan Davis - Learn The Hard Way

Jordan Davis returns with his third studio album, Learn the Hard Way, set for release on August 15 via MCA Nashville and for fans of his 2018 debut Home State, this one’s going to feel like a full-circle moment. 

While his last album, Bluebird Days, leaned more introspective and acoustic-leaning, Learn the Hard Way brings back the uptempo, joyful energy that first put Davis on the map, while layering in some grit and soul that shows just how far he’s come.

Fans have already been treated to nearly half the album, with eight of the seventeen tracks released ahead of time offering a generous preview of what’s shaping up to be one of Davis’ most exciting and dynamic records yet.

The record strikes a careful balance of high-energy and fun at its core, but with plenty of depth when it counts. Tracks like Son of a Gun, Good Gone Bad and Louisiana Stick bring a sharper, more rebellious edge that fans haven’t quite heard from Davis before. 

Louisiana Stick in particular is a standout. The moment Marcus King joins in on the chorus, the track lifts into another gear. It’s got a blues-soaked rhythm, southern soul, and undeniable presence, the kind of song that grabs you from the first beat and doesn’t let go.

Carly Pearce also features on the album, lending her voice to the duet Mess With Missing You. The pair are longtime friends from Davis’ early Nashville days, and deliver a haunting take on two exes walking the line between moving on and falling back in. It’s a beautifully crafted slow burn about how even the smallest trigger, like “one sip” of whiskey, can reopen old wounds and flood you with memories you’ve tried to forget. It’s thoughtful, vulnerable, and easily one of the most emotionally resonant moments on the record.

But Davis doesn’t lose sight of the heartland-country themes that have always defined his sound. Songs like Keeping the World Away, Jesus Wouldn’t Do, and Muddy Waters bring that grounded, family-first tone that longtime listeners know and love, providing a sense of warmth and reflection amid the bigger, bolder tracks.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Jordan Davis album without some radio-ready crowd-pleasers, and there are plenty. Ain’t Enough Road, Memory Don’t Mess Around, Bar None and Turn This Truck Around are just some of those tracks, with punchy beats, sharp hooks, and those shout-it-from-the-rooftop choruses, tracks like these are destined to be a live-show staple, tailor-made for summer road trips and festival singalongs.

Learn the Hard Way feels like a confident evolution, a record that sits comfortably between the charm of Home State and the maturity of Bluebird Days. It’s cohesive without being predictable, fun without being shallow, and emotional without veering into melodrama. Whether you’re here for the catchy bangers, the soulful southern edge, or the quiet emotional depth, Davis delivers - and then some.