Gavin DeGraw
I didn’t have to grow into liking Gavin DeGraw. I liked him from the moment I heard “I Don’t Wanna Be”, the song that gained him more acclaim, as One Tree Hill’s theme song. His father was a prison guard and his mother was a detox specialist. I think growing up in New York, in an environment where his parents witnessed the vulnerability of people and harshness that life can bring on them, brings a real “no-gimmick” aspect to his songs.
Gavin DeGraw – I Don’t Wanna Be
“In Love With a Girl” was another heavily radio played song, but I also enjoy “Chariot” because it seems to have some hints of gospel in it. I hear him sing songs that sound more like rock and songs that sound more like soul, but all with a common “sunny pop” vibe.
Gavin DeGraw – In Love With a Girl
When I listen to his new single “Sweeter”, off the album of the same name, it takes me back to some of Aerosmith’s songs. “Not Over You”, co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder (of One Republic), has got a little bit of the reality of getting over someone and you definitely can hear elements typical of Ryan Tedder’s other songs. Radiation has a funky vibe to it that steers away from pure romanticism. I think his first albums were more on a Jason Mraz level and his most recent album is more on a Maroon 5 level (no wonder he toured with both of them at some point).
Not only is Gavin’s voice uniquely captivating but he is a good songwriter too; not just about making hits but about “making good music”.
Please let me know what you think of Gavin DeGraw.
