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On his sophomore album--the follow-up to 2003's slow-building platinum smash "Chariot"--Gavin DeGraw deftly weaves together rock, pop and soul influences without letting the seams show.
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While there is a darker sensibility thanks to a larger quotient of guitars than pianos this time out, there are also fewer immediate standouts.
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Entertainment WeeklyFor every tune like 'In Love With a Girl,' which summons the addictive melodies and rich, discordant chords of "Chariot," there's a self-indulgent snoozer such as 'Medicate the Kids.' [9 May 2008, p.63]
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He makes a concerted effort to fill out and roughen up his sound, enlisting the modern-rock producer Howard Benson and an accompanying coterie of seasoned studio musicians. The results don’t suggest reinvention so much as a slight twist.
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Gavin DeGraw won't change things, either, as it pretty much offers more of the same as "Chariot," polishing up the sound, turning it into something bigger and slicker, but not changing his vaguely rootsy, vaguely soulful pop a whit.
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It's perfect mood music for teen girls and the sensitive guys who want to hold their purses.
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Certain artists are blessed with the ability to say something poignant and meaningful with their music. On the evidence of this eopnymous record, Gavin DeGraw is not one of them.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 17 out of 24
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Mixed: 2 out of 24
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Negative: 5 out of 24
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AdrianCJul 19, 2009
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ashleifApr 1, 2009
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JohnDSep 6, 2008