Gavin DeGraw

I can't say that I loved "Chariot" when I first heard it but I liked it. With a little encouragement from a dear friend I eased into the album and fell in love with his style and talent.

When we heard that release #2 was coming out neither of us could wait to get it and I truely love this album more than the first. Gavin said he wanted this album to have more of a rock feeling to it than the first but the styles of the songs vary enough that it keeps the experience fresh. I can listen to the album and find myself singing along and it over before I know it because I am enjoying it that much. I'd have to say that my favorites are "In Love With a Girl", "She Holds a Key", "Medicate the Kids", and "We belong Together." He definitely put a lot of soul into this album and it's just great to see that come out in young talent.

I was browsing around looking for a different cd when I saw a few months ago that Degraw would be coming out with another cd. I'd already heard a couple of the songs on the album last year, such as Cop Stop, We Belong Together and She Holds A Key from various places such as One Tree Hill soundtrack and some live stuff. I was impressed.

Chariot blew me away and still does. Love it. In fact the first versions of the three above named songs were amazing as well. If the rest of the album was anything like those three songs, then I would be blown away yet again. Unfortunately, Degraw blew this one big time.

The album is gimmicky and forced, almost as though Degraw got a little full of himself. I'm not going to say I dislike the album because it wasn't like Chariot, 'cause I love artists that can continually reinvent themselves and still retain their old style. Degraw didn't do that here. He turned even more poppy. You'll be listening along and all of a sudden he starts throwing gimmicky lines in and trying to be cute with his voice, then back up singers start repeating his lines in the background.

Remember the three songs I mentioned earlier? They were all changed from what I had already heard, for the worse. Cop Stop was a great song I heard him do live. Just the audience, him and a drummer. This poppy version of it has women background singers mimicking him in a high pitched voice "cop stop..." Same with We Belong Together (One Tree Hill soundtrack) and She Holds a Key (live version). This album is overly poppy and Degraw lost the essence that made him so great in Chariot.

I never would have thought that I would eagerly wait for the second album and be so let down. The only redeeming value is the second song which is catchy and has a great beat. The rest of it? Not worth it as he only teases the listener with a voice that sounds familiar and at the same time the songs are nowhere near the quality we all know he is capable of producing. Not a recommend.

2 stars.

I find it a little disconcerting that the majority of the complaints about this album center on the fact that it is not a carbon copy of Chariot. I love Chariot just as much as anyone else so much so that I one point I had one copy in the house and one in the car so I wouldn't be without it. This album isn't Chariot but I don't think that it is handicapped by that. It's different and wonderful in its own ways. The melodies, in true Gavin style, are bright, unique and, for me at least, really memorable. I find myself frequently humming or singing pieces of all the songs. I will admit, however, that it took a few listens for me to get used to the slightly different sound. The music on this album is for the most part really light and fun but it does have some very poignant moments as well. I saw Gavin live about two weeks ago and the new material was amazing and I really don't think that it was overshadowed by the songs that he performed from Chariot. Some have said that this album lacks soul. I guess that is a personal opinion but personally, I think that every note this guy sings comes straight from the soul because he is incapable of creating music from anywhere else.

If I could declare one artist my favorite, Gavin would be the one. He is by far the most talented artist I've ever come across. The man can sing, play the crap out of the piano and guitar, and I have to say, he is seriously a musical genius when it comes to writing music and lyrics. Every single song on here is pure gold. From the rock and roll feel of the "In Love With A Girl" telling the story of someone who loves you know matter what to the powerfully, soulful "Cheated On Me"...each songs story can be felt through the music, the perfection that is Gavin's voice and the amazingly poetic lyrics that touch you and move your soul. If you thought "Chariot" was top notch, Gavin certainly knocks it out of the park times ten with "Gavin DeGraw"

If you were pondering whether or not to purchase this cd, go with yes, you won't be regret it :)

This album is as good as, if not better, than the first outing for Gavin DeGraw!