| In This Skin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 19, 2003 (See release history) | |||
| Recorded | 2002–2003 | |||
| Genre | Pop, acoustic pop, R&B, pop rock | |||
| Length | 52:28 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Greg Fitzgerald, Greg Barnhill, Damon Elliott, Rob Fusari, Franne Golde, Richie Jones, Holly Lamar, Billy Mann, Andy Marvel, Keith Thomas, Rick Wake, Andrew Williams | |||
| Jessica Simpson chronology | ||||
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| Collector's Edition | ||||
| Singles from In This Skin | ||||
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"In This Skin" is the third studio album (fourth overall) by American pop singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 19, 2003 in the United States by Columbia Records. A version of the album with bonus tracks and a DVD was released on March 2, 2004 to build on the success of the album.
"In This Skin" was certified 3× Platinum in the United States, and has sold over 7 million copies worldwide, becoming Simpson's biggest selling album to date. According to Billboard magazine the album was ranked the number 153 on the list of top-selling album of the 2000s.[1]
Reception
editCritical
editInitial critical response to In This Skin was generally negative. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine gave the album 2.5 stars rating, saying "The catchy tune, penned by Diane Warren, is a glossy, ever-so-slightly over-produced affair. And the same can be said for the entire album, which is weighed down by soggy, overwrought pop ballads that find Simpson repeatedly declaring her devotion to Lachey. "My Way Home" contains one, bizarre 15-second display of Simpson's lung capacity and a Middle Eastern ether so faint and wispy it virtually evaporates beneath the track's slick production. In This Skin contains a few surprises, though, including "Forbidden Fruit," a track unabashedly inspired by Madonna's "Music," and "Loving You," a seductively contrived reminder that, with teen pop long dead, Simpson should be aiming to recapture the club audience that helped launch her career with I Wanna Love You Forever."[2]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic gave the album 2.5 stars rating with a negative review, saying "Now, for her third album, In This Skin, she tones down the trashy club beats and image, staying within the contemporary dance-pop realm while inching toward the middle-of-the-road diva that she's always yearned to be. The problem with In This Skin is that its heart is in the mature middle of the road but its sound is still pitched too young, making this a record that satisfies neither audience."[3] Rolling Stone gave the album 2 stars, quoting "Judging by Skin, her third album, it's a lesson she's still working through. Her powerful voice is done a disservice by insipid songwriting and arrangements -- as on the loathsome club track "Forbidden Fruit" and the uncomfortably stately ballad "You Don't Have to Let Go" -- that consistently get in the way of her pipes."[4]
Commercial
editIn This Skin became Simpson's biggest selling album, pushing her to A-list status. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 album charts and made the Australian album charts in 2004. While the Diane Warren song the "Sweetest Sin" failed to reach the US Top 40, the second single "With You," produced by Andy Marvel, enjoyed more success going top 20 in the US and Australian singles charts as well as going top 20 in the world adult charts. The third single, a cover of "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, went top 20 on the US Top 20 Mainstream Charts, appearing as a bonus track on the album version appearing in 2004. A cover version of "Angels" by Robbie Williams also appears as a bonus track on the 2004 release and was the fourth single.
It was during the release of this album that Simpson had become a household name, due in part to her reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. At first, In This Skin wasn't doing very well on the charts, as it debuted at #10 and quickly sank to the bottom of the Billboard 200 album charts. However, sales began to steadily increase during the Holiday season in 2003. By that point, Simpson had been receiving huge attention from the media for her antics on Newlyweds, and because of that radio stations warmly welcomed her second single, With You, which eventually brought the album back into the top twenty on the Billboard Charts. Then, Columbia Records decided to re-release In This Skin with several new tracks in order to utilize the success of the singer. With "With You" on the top of the radio charts in February 2004, Simpson released her third single, "Take My Breath Away", as the first single off of the new re-release. The re-release worked as In This Skin jumped to number two on the Billboard charts, selling over 157,000[5] copies that week. The album stayed in the top ten for eight non-consecutive weeks and stayed in the Top 100 for sixty-one weeks. In the Billboard 200 stayed for 75 weeks.[6] In December 2004, In This Skin was certified 3x Multi Platinum by the RIAA for sales more that 3 million copies only in U.S. The album ranked the #14 in Billboard Year End Charts Albums 2004.[7]
In Australia, April 4, the album debuted at #40. In its seventh week peaked #13 and became her highest peak in Australia for any Simpson's album to date. In This Skin stayed in the Top 50 for 27 weeks. Later the album was certified Platinum by the ARIA. In Ireland, In This Skin debuted at #58. In its second week fell to #75 and in its fourth week the album peak at #27. The album remained in the top 75 for 8 weeks.[8] In UK, the album debuted at #36, the same peak that reached her first album Sweet Kisses. Remained in the top 75 for 5 weeks. In Canada, the album not entered at chart, but was certified Gold by the CRIA. In Switzerland, no single was released to promote the album. Which the album debuted at #78 and remained in the chart only for three weeks. A low number after her previous albums Sweet Kisses and Irresistible, reached the #5 and #15 respectively. In Latin America, the album peak at #4 in Venezuela, its highest peak there since Irresistible that reached #10. According to Simpson's biography, the album has sold 4 million copies in U.S. at the date[9] and 7 million copies worldwide, becoming her highest-selling album to date.
Promotion
editSimpson went on a world tour throughout summer of 2004 in support of the album, which was named Reality Tour Live. She performed 41 shows in the United States starting in June and ending the tour on the first of August on the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles, California. The shows were held in major amphitheaters and indoor Arenas. She also gave a memorable performance of With You/Angels at 2004 MTV VMAs.
Track listing
editOriginal Edition
edit| # | Title | Writers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sweetest Sin" | Diane Warren | 3:14 |
| 2. | "With You" | Billy Mann, Andy Marvel, J. Simpson | 3:12 |
| 3. | "My Way Home" | Romeo Antonio, Damon Elliott, Simpson | 3:13 |
| 4. | "I Have Loved You" | Greg Barnhill, Holly Lamar, Denise Rich | 4:45 |
| 5. | "Forbidden Fruit" | Fitzgerald, Nichols, Simpson | 3:30 |
| 6. | "Everyday See You" | Franne Golde, Kasia Livingston, Simpson, Andrew Williams | 4:18 |
| 7. | "Underneath" | Matthew Gerrard, Trina Harmon, Simpson | 4:02 |
| 8. | "You Don't Have to Let Go" | Jason Deere, Harmon, Simpson | 3:43 |
| 9. | "Loving You" | Damon Elliott, Simpson, Craig Young | 3:31 |
| 10. | "In This Skin" | Rob Fusari, Harmon, Simpson | 4:18 |
| 11. | "Be" | Golde, Livingston, Simpson, A. Williams | 4:11 |
Collector's Edition/Original UK Edition (with or without DVD)
edit| # | Title | Writers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Angels" | Guy Chambers, Robbie Williams | 4:05 |
| 2. | "With You" | Billy Mann, Andy Marvel, J. Simpson | 3:12 |
| 3. | "Take My Breath Away" | Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock | 3:15 |
| 4. | "My Way Home" | Romeo Antonio, Damon Elliott, Simpson | 3:13 |
| 5. | "Sweetest Sin" | Diane Warren | 3:14 |
| 6. | "I Have Loved You" | Greg Barnhill, Holly Lamar, Denise Rich | 4:45 |
| 7. | "Forbidden Fruit" | Fitzgerald, Nichols, Simpson | 3:30 |
| 8. | "Everyday See You" | Franne Golde, Kasia Livingston, Simpson, Andrew Williams | 4:18 |
| 9. | "Underneath" | Matthew Gerrard, Trina Harmon, Simpson | 4:02 |
| 10. | "You Don't Have to Let Go" | Jason Deere, Harmon, Simpson | 3:43 |
| 11. | "Loving You" | Damon Elliott, Simpson, Craig Young | 3:31 |
| 12. | "In This Skin" | Rob Fusari, Harmon, Simpson | 4:18 |
| 13. | "Be" | Golde, Livingston, Simpson, A. Williams | 4:11 |
| 14. | "With You" (Acoustic Version) | Mann, Andy Marvel, Simpson | 3:15 |
Japan Bonus Track
| # | Title | Writers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Fly" | Simpson | 3:29 |
| 16. | "Fearless" | Michelle Lewis, Simpson | 3:53 |
| 17. | "My Love" | Simpson | 4:09 |
DVD: This edition also comes with a DVD featuring footage from Jessica's wedding and TV show with husband Nick Lachey. The DVD sold at Target includes exclusive material not available anywhere else, namely an interview and studio footage of Jessica recording "Take My Breath Away" and "Angels", directed by Sasha Levinson.
Charts and Certifications
edit
Year-end chartsedit
Certificationsedit
Credits and personneledit
Release historyedit
Referencesedit
External linksedit
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