Departure is the third studio album by American singer Jesse McCartney. It was released on May 20, 2008 through Hollywood Records. The album was re-released on April 7, 2009, under the name Departure: Recharged. The album featured a heavier R&B sound, and spawned McCartney’s biggest hit, "Leavin'", and another two US Hot 100 top 40 hits, "How Do You Sleep?", and "Body Language". The latter two were released as singles from the recharged edition.
| Departure | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 20, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2007–2008 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:59 | |||
| Label | Hollywood | |||
| Producer |
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| Jesse McCartney chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Departure | ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Departure: Recharged | ||||
| Singles from Departure: Recharged | ||||
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Album information
editIt has been described by McCartney as a complete change in musical style compared to his previous releases . About the new album, he said, "I'm shooting for Prince chord changes, Michael [Jackson] melodies, and the bigness of Madonna - fun '80s stuff. That's the best that I can put it".[2]
Departure was re-released under the name Departure: Recharged on April 7, 2009. It includes five brand-new tracks and the remix of "How Do You Sleep?" featuring Ludacris. McCartney said that the five new tracks, including three brand-new compositions, would be available for individual sale online for those who already own Departure. McCartney said the following about the re-release: "I kind of want to rejuvenate the album a little bit and make it fresh again for everyone and make sure if they haven't checked it out yet that they will this time".[3]
The songs, "Leavin", "It's Over", and "How Do You Sleep" were frequently played on Radio Disney. "Leavin" was featured on the Radio Disney Jams 11 CD, while "How Do You Sleep" was featured in the Disney live action film, G-Force.
'Departure' debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 in May with sales of 30,200 copies in its first week.[4] The album has sold 272,000 copies to date.[5]
Singles
edit- "Leavin'" – The song was the first single from the album and debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a final rank at 10, number two on the Pop 100, and number one on the Pop 100 Airplay and the Mainstream Top 40 charts. The music video of the song was directed by Sanji. "Leavin'" also managed to reach number one on the American Top 40.
- "It's Over" – The second single was released in August. The video was released only in November. The song did not reach the success of "Leavin'", peaking at number sixty-two on the Hot 100 and number thirty-one on the Pop 100. "It's Over" managed to gain wider popularity outside the United States mostly in Asian countries like Malaysia and Singapore by peaking at number one at local radio station charts like Fly FM.
- "How Do You Sleep?" – Is the third single released from Departure. A single version, featuring rapper Ludacris, was made and sent to radio and has peaked at number twenty-six on the Hot 100 and at number seven on the Media Base's Top 40 Songs.
- "Body Language" - is the second single from Departure: Recharged. The album version is a solo version, while the single version is a duet with R&B singer T-Pain. The single peaked at 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
| Common Sense Media | [7] |
| Digital Spy | [8] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+[9] |
| The Guardian | [10] |
| Q | [11] |
| Virgin Media | [12] |
The album received mixed reviews from music critics. Johnny Dee from Virgin Media reviewed the album saying "Without doubt the pop album of the summer." He praised McCartney's musical growth and transition stating, "McCartney has undergone an incredible re-invention from soppy tween pin-up into an R&B love stallion", comparing the new McCartney style with Justin Timberlake with the same permutation of sexual bragging and toned pop arrangements that has served him so well. He also stated about the album, "the urban slang doesn't sound very convincing but the melodies and excellent production are so sharp he gets away with it", giving it 4.5 stars out of 5.[12]
AllMusic described the album as "a successful attempt from McCartney but still not fully complete to prove that he's no longer a kid, breaking out of his Disney Past also a departure from the stuffy adult contemporary vibe of 2006's Right Where You Want Me, which found the then-teenager acting far older than his years"; and gave it 3.5 stars out of 5.[6] Alex Macpherson from The Guardian reviewed (Departure) as a two step process: "First, put pen to paper and come up with Bleeding Love, the monster single that launched Leona Lewis on the world. Second, reinvent yourself as an Usher-in-waiting on your third album with the help of the best post-Timbaland R&B producers (Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, the Clutch)"; and gave it four stars out of five.[10]
Nick Levine from Digital Spy described the album as "pointing to a brighter future' for the "fresh-faced" McCartney, and gave credit to him as he stated: "McCartney's contribution shouldn't be underestimated. He's a sexier, more convincing vocalist than people would think." Also, giving credit to the production team, which includes JR Rotem, Sean Garrett and Tricky and The Dream, and as if comparing between McCartney and Justin Timberlake he stated, "JT needn't get scared yet, but he should be aware that a new pretender to his throne has arrived". Levine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, complimenting the change in McCartney's musical style and Departure for having "plenty of winning moments".[8]
Promotion
editA tour to promote the album began on August 5, 2008, and ended on August 30, 2008.[13] Another tour to promote the album began on February 13, 2009.[14]
McCartney was performing as the opening act for New Kids on the Block in the summer of 2009.
Track listing
editStandard edition
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s)[15] | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Leavin'" | James Bunton, Corron Ty Cole, Terius Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart[16] | Tricky Stewart, The-Dream | 3:38 |
| 2. | "It's Over" | Ezekiel Lewis, Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson, Brian Kennedy,[17] | The Clutch, Brian Kennedy | 4:09 |
| 3. | "Rock You" (featuring Sean Garrett) | Sean Garrett, Robert Gerongco, Samuel Gerongco[18] | Garrett, Kuya | 3:10 |
| 4. | "How Do You Sleep?" | Garrett, Raymond Oglesby | Garrett, Clubba Langg | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Into Ya" | Garrett, Walter Scott | Garrett | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Make Up" | Kwamé Holland, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas[19] | Kwamé | 3:54 |
| 7. | "My Baby" | Jesse McCartney, Evan Bogart, J. R. Rotem[20] | J.R. Rotem | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Told You So" | McCartney, Eric Hudson, Claude Kelly, Frankie Storm[21] | Hudson | 4:03 |
| 9. | "Relapse" | Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas, A. Towns | Madd Scientist | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Runnin'" | Brian Kennedy, Ezekiel Lewis, Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson, Patrick Smith[22] | The Clutch, Brian Kennedy | 3:45 |
| 11. | "Freaky" | J. Thomas, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas | Madd Scientist | 3:39 |
| 12. | "Not Your Enemy" | McCartney, Hudson, Kelly[23] | Hudson | 4:14 |
| Total length: | 44:59 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Bleeding Love" | McCartney, Ryan Tedder | The Clutch | 3:51 |
| Total length: | 48:50 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "De Toi à Moi" | McCartney, Adam Watts, Andy Dodd, Dory Lobel | Watts, Dodd | 3:26 |
| Total length: | 52:16 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Oxygen" | Eric Hudson, Claude Kelly, Jesse McCartney[24] | Eric Hudson | 4:02 |
| 14. | "Bleeding Love" | McCartney, Tedder | The Clutch | 3:51 |
| 15. | "Leavin'" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit Remix) (Also Australian iTunes bonus track) | James Bunton, Corron Ty Cole, Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart | 4:09 | |
| 16. | "Leavin'" (JFK Remix) | Bunton, Cole, Nash, Stewart | 4:13 | |
| Total length: | 1:01:14 | |||
Departure: Recharged
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "How Do You Sleep?" (Remix) (featuring Ludacris) | Garrett, Raymond Oglesby, Christopher Bridges | Garrett, Clubba Langg | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Into Ya" | Garrett, Walter Scott | Garrett | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Make Up" | Kwamé Holland, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas[19] | Kwamé | 3:54 |
| 7. | "My Baby" | Jesse McCartney, Evan Bogart, J. R. Rotem[20] | J.R. Rotem | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Told You So" | McCartney, Eric Hudson, Claude Kelly, Frankie Storm[21] | Hudson | 4:03 |
| 9. | "Relapse" | Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas, A. Towns | Madd Scientist | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Runnin'" | Brian Kennedy, Ezekiel Lewis, Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson, Patrick Smith[22] | The Clutch, Brian Kennedy | 3:45 |
| 11. | "Freaky" | J. Thomas, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas | Madd Scientist | 3:39 |
| 12. | "Not Your Enemy" | McCartney, Hudson, Kelly[23] | Hudson | 4:14 |
| 13. | "Oxygen" | McCartney, Hudson, Kelly | Hudson | 4:02 |
| 14. | "Crash & Burn" | McCartney, Kennedy, Andre Merritt[25] | Kennedy | 3:18 |
| 15. | "Body Language" | McCartney, Bunton, Cole[26] | The Movement | 3:39 |
| 16. | "In My Veins" | McCartney, Bunton, Cole[27] | The Movement | 4:16 |
| Total length: | 59:50 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "How Do You Sleep?" | Garrett, Raymond Oglesby | Garrett, Clubba Langg | 3:44 |
| 13. | "Oxygen" | McCartney, Hudson, Kelly | Hudson | 4:02 |
| 14. | "How Do You Sleep?" (Remix) (featuring Ludacris) | Garrett, Raymond Oglesby, Christopher Bridges | Garrett, Clubba Langg | 3:28 |
| 15. | "Crash & Burn" | McCartney, Kennedy, Andre Merritt[25] | Kennedy | 3:18 |
| 16. | "Body Language" | McCartney, Bunton, Cole[26] | The Movement | 3:39 |
| 17. | "In My Veins" | McCartney, Bunton, Cole[27] | The Movement | 4:16 |
| Total length: | 01:03:42 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] | 92 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[30] | 174 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[31] | 15 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] | 111 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[33] | 97 |
| US Billboard 200[34] | 14 |
Release history
edit| Region | Version | Date |
|---|---|---|
| North America | Departure | May 20, 2008 |
| Taiwan | ||
| Hong Kong | ||
| Netherlands | May 22, 2008 | |
| Europe | May 23, 2008 | |
| Spain | May 26, 2008 | |
| Australia | May 31, 2008 | |
| Japan | May 23, 2008 | |
| Japan | June 4, 2008 | |
| United Kingdom | June 16, 2008 | |
| Brazil | June 27, 2008 | |
| Argentina | ||
| France | June 30, 2008 | |
| United States | Departure: Recharged | April 7, 2009[35] |
| Taiwan | April 30, 2009 |
References
edit- ^ "New Music: Jesse McCartney f/ T-Pain – 'Body Language (Remix)'". Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Third Album Info".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Jesse McCartney Leaning R&B On New Songs". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "American Idol David Cook, Runner-Up David Archuleta Dominate 'Billboard' Downloads Chart". MTV. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023.
- ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 30, 2010). "Jesse McCartney Letting Shoppers "Have It All" After Holidays". Billboard.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Jesse McCartney Departure Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ Rupp, Jacqueline. "Departure (by Jessie McCartney, Pop)". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "Jesse McCartney: 'Departure'". Digital Spy. June 18, 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ Slezak, Michael (May 16, 2008). "Departure". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Macpherson, Alex (June 6, 2008). "Jesse McCartney, Departure". The Guardian. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ Q, July 2008, p. 107
- ^ a b Dee, Johnny. "Jesse McCartney: Departure Reviews". Virgin Media. Archived from the original on June 15, 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ "JESSE McCARTNEY FAN CLUB - PAST TOUR DATES". Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
- ^ "Tour - Jesse McCartney". Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ Producers of all the songs on Departure
- ^ Writers of "Leavin'"
- ^ Writers of "It's Over"
- ^ Writers of "Rock You"
- ^ a b Writers of "Make Up"
- ^ a b "Writers of "Baby"". Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
- ^ a b Writers of "Told You So"
- ^ a b Writers of "Runnin'"
- ^ a b "Writers of "Not Your Enemy"". Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
- ^ Writers of "Oxygen"
- ^ a b Writers of "Crash & Burn"
- ^ a b Writers of "Body Language"
- ^ a b Writers of "In My Veins"
- ^ "Departure: Recharged (Bonus Track Version) by Jesse McCartney on Apple Music".
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 181.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Jesse McCartney – Departure". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Jesse McCartney – Departure". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ "ジェシー・マッカートニーのリリース一覧". Oricon. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ "Jesse McCartney Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ Departure: Recharged.