Jesse McCartney: 'Departure'

Jesse McCartney's CV reads like a 'How To Get Ahead' manual for stage school kids: a soap role before puberty, a stint in a boyband soon afterwards, two albums of Disney Channel pop in his teens and some voice work on the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie last year. He hasn't done badly at all, but until now he's never really excelled.

However, recent developments point to a brighter future for the fresh-faced 21-year-old. He co-wrote one of the biggest hits of the last 12 months, Leona Lewis's 'Bleeding Love', and now he's hopping on the Timberlake express towards pop credibility with Departure, an album of hard-edged urban pop songs.

This is a savvy move, but initially his reinvention feels awkward, with a handful of cringeworthy lines ("Let me put a lil' in ya!" "I'm trippin'!" "They call me Jesse baby!") standing out more than the music. However, after a couple of spins Departure reveals itself to be a sharp, modern album with plenty of winning moments.

Some of the credit lies with his expensive production team - which includes JR Rotem, Sean Garrett and Tricky and The Dream - but McCartney's contribution shouldn't be underestimated. He's a sexier, more convincing vocalist than you'd think: able to flit in and out of falsetto, as comfortable flirting shamelessly as he is showing his vulnerable side, and ballsy enough to make statements like "there ain't a party if I ain't in the party". Even his orgasmic grunts on 'Into Ya' stay just the right side of ridiculous.

McCartney also has the nouse to marry Departure's pristine R&B beats to strong pop melodies - as the likes of 'How Do You Sleep', 'It's Over' and lead single 'Leavin' demonstrate. Other notable moments include 'Told You So', which glides like a vintage Michael Jackson ballad, and 'Relapse', whose thrilling tempo change is one of the best pop hooks we're likely to hear all year.

A couple of tracks veer too close to hip-hop for comfort - McCartney's still the type who guests on Hannah Montana, lest we forget - but this feels like nitpicking when taken in the context of an album this well-realised. JT needn't get scared yet, but he should be aware that a new pretender to his throne has arrived.


> Click here for our recent interview with Jesse McCartney