Album Review – Jake Worthington’s “When I Write The Song”

Traditional Country (#510) and Neotraditional Country (#510.8) on the Country DDS.

COUNTRY music ladies and gentlemen, and in such a concentrated form, significant density, and voluminous quantity, it could almost counterbalance the entirety of mainstream country’s Bro-era output, and sack the shocks on Post Malone’s F1-Trillion. Any and all conversations upon the death of country music are rendered moot from as much as a passing whiff of what Jake Worthington’s got cooking on When I Write The Song.

Jake Worthington is definitely one of the spearheads of the new modern neotraditionalist movement in country. But unlike some others, he doesn’t just rely on the nostalgia for ’90s country to carry the weight, leaving songwriting as some secondary concern to the sights and sounds of the presentation. Jake might not get the ladies swooning like some others, but he’s the full package when it comes to the music. Where his self-titled album from 2023 definitely got our attention and spoke to his emerging prospects, this new one meets or surpasses any and all expectations.

A retrospective on ’90s country certainly sets the foundation here. But Worthington, his producers, and his co-writers are willing to explore the full range of traditional country sounds and sentiments, even going as far to include a Western swing song in “My Home’s in Oklahoma.” Unafraid of being labeled too old school or fuddy-duddy, Worthington unabashedly presents the virtues of true country music in a confident manner, be damned what anyone else might say or think. Good for him though, people are saying and thinking very good things.

When I Write The Song is an excellent title for this record since it illustrates how traditional country doesn’t have to come at the expense of great songwriting. You might look up and down the track list and see the term ‘whiskey’ a couple of times and ample drinking songs. And for sure this album includes a lot of alcohol and heartbreak in revolving song themes. But how these time-tested country tropes are broached and written is not taken for granted. It’s an emphasis of this album.

In the solo-written title track, Jake Worthington says what’s true of all the greatest traditional country songwriters. They’re not here to expound on their their shiny happy moments. They’re here to tell you about the worst of times in their lives, which so often mirror the experiences of those in the audience. There are some positive moments for sure like one of the lead singles “It Ain’t the Whiskey” or the enjoyable “Two First Names.” “I Still Believe in Miracles” speaks to a positive experience with love.

But it’s the slow, aching, sad bastard moments of “Drownin’ in Whiskey,” “I Only Drink When It Rains,” and “Get Gone Too” that give this record it’s moments of deepest impact. And yes, nothing here is entirely novel. Simply the title of “Too Much To Think” might make you roll your eyes. But subtle and clever wrinkles in the verses speak to a level of attention not always given to the finer points of traditional country songs.

And let’s not forget that Jake Worthington started in this crazy business as a finalist on one of those silly TV singing competitions. Those shows might not be good for much, but you can’t get through them without being a great singer. Along with impeccable selections for traditional country instrumentation throughout this album, producers Joey Moi, Jon Randall, and Chuck Ainly make sure the contours of Jake’s voice are emphasized throughout. Jake Worthington was born to sing traditional country music, and this album makes sure to not overlook it’s most awesome responsibility to emphasize this.

Put When I Write The Song right up there with all the other great traditional country albums of 2025 from folks like Sunny Sweeney, Kelsey Waldon, Zach Top of course, and others. You listen to an album like this—and from a major label like Big Loud—and it’s hard not to recognize how traditional country is in a heavy resurgence. Jake Worthington is like the Mark Chesnutt of this era, defining the traditional edge of country, and making it cool.

8.3/10

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Stream/purchase When I Write The Song