It's been 14 years now since Jason Dunn left Hawk Nelson. It's been sort of a wild ride since that time. Dunn struggled with alcoholism and had a crisis of faith (feeling abandoned by God) before finding restoration. Since leaving Hawk Nelson, Dunn has done solo material and had the short-lived projects Lights Go Down and Aid & Effect. He even became the Worship Director at a church in his hometown of Peterborough. However, Jason is back with his first solo album since 2014's The Grand Adventures of Hank Neilsen. His newest album plays off the "I'm the Hawk Nelson guy" vibe and is titled Formerly Known As... As expected, the album is highly influenced by Dunn's pop/punk background -- sounding like it could be a classic-era Hawk Nelson reunion. As a big fan of pop/punk music, I'm not mad about this at all. This ten-track, thirty-five-minute venture is the perfect formula for a good pop/punk record.

"Billy Enforcee" kicks the album off with the story of Jason's career and personal journey. From touring with Hawk Nelson at seventeen, to being in the best place of his life currently, the lyrics lay it all out. It's a fun song to open, and the high energy rolls right into "Starting Over" and "Divided States of America." "Dear Hawk" is a sweet song to Dunn's brothers in Hawk Nelson. Jason sings, "36 days turned to 14 long years. The trials and errors that got us to here, and I want you to know I'm alright. Started again making up for lost time. I don't need our name, I got friends on my side. And I, want you to know I'm alright." The lyrics touch on some other personal issues, but mostly just seem like Jason is trying to put the past to rest. "January 10" starts off with an acoustic guitar, but picks up a bit with a loving song about his daughters Mila and Maddie. It's a great song and the first of two about his children.

"Never Let Go" goes full pop/punk again, and is one of the best on the album. The vibe is 100% classic Hawk Nelson. "Hope" slows things down a bit with a song that reminds me of "My Next Breath." It's not quite the same type of worship song, but it's a message of the hope of Christ bringing us back to Him. "Prodigal" goes full pop/punk once again, but "Ryan's Song" brings things down with a piano ballad. While his girls were covered in "January 10," his son Ryan is the focus of this song. You can hear the love that Dunn has for each of his children, and these songs are very touching. "Reclaiming My Estate" brings things to an end and is a fitting closer for the album. It wraps up the lyrical themes nicely and has a big catchy and singable chorus.

Thankfully, Formerly Know As... is a better album than the cover art might suggest. The music is reminiscent of the glory days of Hawk Nelson. There's lots of pop/punk goodness, with a few slower acoustic and piano based numbers thrown in as well. The pacing of the track list could be a touch better, but it's a minor complaint in the grand scheme. Fans of Dunn's previous output, through various sources, should like what he has to offer here. While this album features what Jason does best, it's also pretty much exactly what was expected. No curveballs here, but those desiring a 2000's-era pop/punk album will welcome that. Formerly Known As... won't win over folks that passed on Hawk Nelson, but those of us who still sing all the lyrics to Letters to the President will be thrilled!

- Review date: 5/1/26, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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Record Label: None
Album length: 10 tracks: 35 minutes, 16 seconds
Street Date: May 22, 2026
Buy It: Amazon Music

1. Billy Enforcee (2:54)
2. Starting Over (3:58)
3. Divided States Of America (3:33)
4. Dear Hawk (3:11)
5. January 10 (3:33)
6. Never Gonna Let Go (3:19)
7. Hope (3:35)
8. Prodigal (3:18)
9. Ryan's Song (4:33)
10. Reclaiming My Estate (3:28)

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