Following the catharsis of 2005’s often harrowing Tough All Over and the career reassessment of March’s Greatest Hits, Gary Allan’s seventh album finds the singer and songwriter moving forward with focus, energy and a sense of renewal.

The current hit, “Watching Airplanes,” offers the kind of weathered wistfulness that Gary has always done well, but there are moments of genuine fun here among the thoughtful songs about life lessons learned and love lost.

Living Hard is the sound of a man stepping from the darkness into the sun, even if he still has to squint a little to see clearly.