Singer-songwriter Matt Jordan identifies with heartland rock as much as he does country music, a fusion made evident on this third full-length project. Jordan, who splits his time between St. Louis and Nashville, cites artists like Dierks Bentley and Eric Church, while the Boss himself, of course, connects the dots between Music Row and the heartland—Jordan even recorded a cover of “Dancing in the Dark” as a one-off in 2025. On Time Was on Our Side, Jordan uses that interplay to atmospheric effect. Opener “Your Friends in Chicago” uses Springsteen-esque exuberance to liven up an argument about country life versus city slicking, leaning into a Midwestern vibe even while playfully ribbing its biggest metro. “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” leans a little more country, as does “She Was,” a sweet midtempo ballad that proves its country bona fides with its elastic riffs and well-placed nod to a “Boone’s Farm buzz.”