Texan singer-songwriter Jake Worthington rose to fame when he competed on the sixth season of ‘The Voice’ in the US in 2014. Worthington finished second in the competition, mentored by Blake Shelton, and since his time on the show, he’s released a number of songs and toured relentlessly. Now the rising star is signed to Big Loud and the buzz surrounding him is really gaining momentum. Following the release of teaser tracks ‘State You Left Me In’ and ‘Next New Thing’, Worthington is releasing his long-awaited self-titled debut album.
RELATED: Read our interview with Jake Worthington about the journey to his debut album
‘Jake Worthington’ is a 13-track collection that really showcases what Worthington is capable of as both a vocalist and a songwriter. Brought up on the traditional Country greats such as Ray Price and Merle Haggard by his grandfather, Worthington has drawn inspiration from the roots of the genre for his take on the classic sound. That’s not to say that Worthington is copying what’s come before, he’s most definitely finding his own lane and following his passion in a genre that has swung far into pop, R&B and even hip-hop. If you’ve heard ‘State You Left Me In’ and ‘Next New Thing’, you’ll have a very good idea of what to expect from this record, which is produced by Joey Moi.
Opening with ‘State You Left Me In’, the record throws the listener straight into a solid slice of classic Country. Surrounded by a tight and talented band, Worthington’s voice takes you straight to a Texas honky tonk. Deep, rich and brimming with passion, his voice carries plenty of emotion and it’s easy to hear the inspiration of those legends I mentioned earlier. Proving that he’s no one-trick-pony, Worthington ups the tempo for the swoonsome ‘Single at the Same Time’. Worthington’s band steals the show on this one with instrumental sections that really flesh out the song and provide a lazy groove.
Perhaps one of the album’s biggest surprises is ‘Pop Goes the Whiskey’ featuring fellow rising star ERNEST. On paper, you probably wouldn’t put the two artists together (it’s worth noting Seth Ennis has a co-write credit on this track too) but it works. ERNEST is making a name for himself by straddling modern and classic Country, and that approach works well here. Worthington loses none of his individuality but having ERNEST on the track adds a little something special. For me, it’s the finest moment on the record.
Elsewhere across the album Worthington reflects over a relationship that doesn’t live up to a former one on ‘She Ain’t You’, he heads straight to the honky tonk dancefloor on the edgy ‘Honky Tonk Crowd’, and gifts us the soundtrack to the summer that we didn’t know we needed on the rapid ‘Night Time Is My Time’, which to my ears is a little Josh Turner in places. The album’s penultimate track ‘Heaven Can’t Be Found’ finds Worthington comparing a lover to heaven as he shares his life experiences, while on closing track ‘Closing Time’, Worthington ends with one of the album’s strongest ballads.
‘Jake Worthington’ is a debut that could well go down in Country music history. It’s steeped in classic sounds but works in the modern, and vast, landscape of the genre. The album is the definition of ‘all killer, no filler’ and I think we’re going to be hearing from Worthington for years to come. If you’re growing tired of the mainstream Country charts being bogged down by Country-lite music, then turn your attention to Worthington and you won’t be disappointed.
Track list: 1. State You Left Me In 2. Single at the Same Time 3. Without You 4. Pop Goes the Whiskey (feat ERNEST) 5. Ain’t Got You To Hold 6. She Ain’t You 7. Next New Thing 8. Honky Tonk Crowd 9. I Ain’t Goin’ Anywhere 10. Night Time is My Time 11. Only Way to Find out 12. Heaven Can’t Be Found 13. Closing Time Record label: Big Loud Release date: 7th April 2023
