Originating from the U.K. town of Northampton, art-rock group the Departure assembled toward the close of 2003 around vocalist David Jones, guitarist Sam Harvey, guitarist and vocalist Lee Irons, bassist Ben Winton, and drummer Andy Hobson. Their first performance took place back home in Northampton early the next year, after which the five-piece made a short journey to London to cut a demo and pursue a deal. Resemblance to trendy American electro-pop acts such as the Killers and the Bravery likely aided their signing to major imprint Parlophone Records. Opening dates for the Killers and Graham Coxon sharpened the Departure’s onstage presence, and by autumn their debut single “All Mapped Out” had climbed into the U.K. Top 30. Further road work, including favorably received festival appearances, accompanied ongoing work on their first full-length. The singles “Lump in My Throat” and “Be My Enemy” arrived ahead of Dirty Words, which surfaced in summer 2005. The record’s polished, ’80s-inflected blend of guitar rock and electro pop earned solid notices overall, yet offered few distinctive cuts capable of separating the band from the many others exploring the same territory.
