Customer Reviews

Chariot (w/ Bonus 'Stripped' CD) [NO UPC]

5 star:		(389)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Gavin DeGraw's "Chariot" is easily my favorite debut album from recent memory. I've been impressed by both John Mayer and Jason Mraz in the not-too-distant past, but DeGraw really blew me away. I can't remember the last time I became so addicted to a CD. I listen to it close to once a day.

Highlights include the perfect and infectious radio single "Follow Through" (you've heard it and you liked it, even if you don't realize it) and "I Don't Want To Be" (the theme song of The WB's new show, One Tree Hill). "Just Friends" is a heartbreaking and amazing song that really delves into human weakness; Gavin's love cheats on him and yet he's still willing to forgive her, under a single, sad condition. The true standout (and my personal favorite) is "Belief," an awesome showcase of Gavin's talent -- soulful vocals, powerful lyrics, and a beautiful and dramatic arrangement that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Every song on the album is relatable to real life. This is one of those "soundtrack of your life" discs.

DeGraw will be something huge, and rightfully so. I predict a lot of Grammy buzz, and perhaps a win for Best New Artist next year. He's much more talented and original than the great Norah Jones. Buy this disc now and tell your friends - become a Gavin groupie before you're just another fan on the bandwagon.

I first heard Gavin on Pepsi Smash over the summer. I immediately decided that I had to own this album. I have it in my computer right now, and listening to it makes one wish to write volumes about it. Gavin reminds me of such singer/songwriters like Elton John, and the master of them all, Billy Joel. What makes Gavin so great is that he is one of few of today's singer/songwriters that plays the piano. This automatically gives Gavin an advantage in the music industry, but enough about Gavin, now to his album.
My favorite song on the album would definitely be "Chariot". This reminds me of such groups as the Dave Matthews Band, with his smooth, almost jazzy style. Another song of his that I really like is "More Than Anyone". This sweet love song could make anyone melt into a pile of goo. "Chemical Party" also stands out. This is one of his songs that has more of a rock feel to it...but where it's at is the ballads--"More Than Anyone", "Meaning", and "Belief". Gavin truly demonstrates his skill as a pianist in these tracks. With that, I will say that Gavin Degraw is a musician that one can definitely trust with his ears.

I had really enjoyed the single "I Don't Wanna Be" and it prompted me to go out and get the album. Boy was I shocked, it might be the second best album I've heard from this year. I can't stop listening to it, very loving and emotional. With hints of rock, pop, R&B, it just pulls at your heart with the melodies. The lyrics in fact don't stand out, rather become easily blended within the piano playing and rest of the music, making each rising chorus all the more powerful.
Personally I enjoyed "Follow Through"'s playfulness, "Chariot"'s uplifting ability, "I Don't Wanna Be"'s defiance and "More Than Anyone" the most with its emotional cries. You'll definitely want to pick it up, as it is instantly addicting and something that will keep popping up to the top of your collection.

Like many downtown NYC music lovers, I have been waiting for the release of this album. Prior to the release, I've seen Gavin DeGraw perform live four times and have always been completely blown away. If you're looking for awesome, soul-stirring lyrics, great melodies, power-filled guitar sounds, and, most importantly, fantastic piano playing, you have found the perfect CD. Gavin is a gifted songwriter and has incredible insights on life, which he magically translates into music. This CD has also got such variety, it's difficult to limit his music to a single genre. Run, don't walk, to buy this album. With all the crap out there these days, I'd say this would be the best 10 bucks you'll spend in a LONG time. Try to catch one of his shows; he sings this one song called "Glass" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" which will leave you with goosebumps.

What can I say about Gavin DeGraw's new CD, "Chariot" right now? It is amazing. In this record you can tell that Gavin is not just another manufactured musician, but that he pours his soul into everything he does. His vocal talent is amazing. He has a veyr soulful edge with lots of rhythm and funk. I would say a mixture of John Mayer, and Billy Joel...but Gavin is to be compared with no one. He has his own unique style and voice that I think true consumers of music will devour. His lyrics are so realistic and easy to relate to your own life. He writes all of his own songs, and every word comes straight from his heart! And not only does he write his own lyrics, he also writes his own music! And not to mention the fact that he plays keyboards like Stevie Wonder and can also play guitar. Gavin is a truly talented individual who I believe is going to go over the top. He is amazing. If you like acoustic, blues, and pop, he is all three combined in one with soul-felt lyrics and an incredible voice. I mean it, this CD is the best one I've heard all summer...sincerely I haven't heard of talent this good in a very long time.

The CD's songs are very unique in their own way. I have decided to briefly review each one.

1. "Follow Through" -the first single off of "Chariot" what can I say about this song? It introduces us to Gavin's amazing voice and talent with a story of love.

"So, if you wanna be with me, you have to follow through."

2. "Chariot" - The title track and also just a very great song. Powerful images and creative lyrics.So upbeat and funky if you can resist listening to this one over and over I don't know how.

"Your favorite fruit is chocolate covered cherries, seedless watermelon...oh nothing from the ground is good enough."

3. "Just Friends" - A cute, and yet powerful song. Another story about knowing the truth about what's going on between the person you love and who they say they are "just friends" with.

"You were acting so in love, with your hand upon his heart."

4. "[Nice to Meet You] Anyway"- what can I say about this song, except for that I hope it isn't true. In it, Gavin states, he has just found his special someone, and it means a lot to him, but it was nice to meet you anyway... Very cute!

"See I just found someone special, and that's really something special if you knew me...nice to meet you anyway!"

5. "Chemical Party" -God help our youth. I'll just not say much about this except for that it has an awesome beat and great tune. The song speaks for itself... you just have to hear it to understand.
"Chemical party-lover-down..."

6. "Belief"- This song carries a vast amount of symbolism and has a very strong message. It points out what belief is about...
"Belief, builds from scratch, doesn't have to relax, it doesn't need space."

7. "Crush" - Everyone has had a crush...this song sums up all of my feelings. How adorable is this song? It just clearly describes an innocent crush. So cute!

"My Dear, I went for the steal, maybe it was rushed...oh my crush, I gotta crush..."

8. "I Don't Want To Be" - Very awesome song. Straight up telling the world that he isn't going to change himself and that he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone but himself. Very powerful song. I love it.

"I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately... All I have to do is think about me and have peace of mind..."

9. "Meaning" -What a sweet, sweet song! And oh so true. It proclaims that we should just show everyone love... ahhh great song.
"There's a meaning to the world...we're giving love..."

10. "More Than Anyone" -This song is gorgeous. It is exactly what every girl would want a man to say to her. The lyrics are so beautiful and sweet. It melts me like butter on a nice hot biscuit. *Boy you can tell I'm from the south!*

"And when I kiss your soul your body'll be free..."

11. "Over-Rated" - Another awesome jamming song. Slow start, but instantly picks up and rocks out. Very good point...that everything else is over-rated compared to love. Amazing.

"What I'm anticipating...everything else will be over-rated"

So concludes my "Chariot" review. Gavin DeGraw is no doubt going to be the next big thing. His talent has truly blown me out of the water. I encourage you to purchase this CD. You won't regret it!

I bought this cd a long time ago and about 5 cds later it's still my favorite. He's even coming to my town and I already bought tickets to see him. There's only a couple of songs I don't like but the ones I do like make me overlook the "bad" ones. It is definitely money well spent. And I usually always regret buying a cd. He wrote all the songs and music too! Here's my ratings-

1. Follow Through (10/10)- Not only are the lyrics good but the music is wonderful as well. My second favorite.

2. Chariot (10/10)- Beautiful lyrics- it's a great song. Close third.

3. Just Friends (9/10)- I like this one. It's got a good sound to it.

4. Nice to Meet You Anyway (9/10)- Good song. Very sweet.

5. Chemical Party (8/10)- Took some warming up to but I now realize it's a good song. Don't blow it off immediately.

6. Belief (5/10)- I don't like this song very much at all. Not that it's bad, just not my taste. A little to cheesy.

7. Crush (7/10)- Not one of my favorites but I still like it.

8. I Don't Wanna Be (9/10)- Great lyrics. It's a good rock song. Love it.

9. Meaning (8/10)- Cheesy lyrics are rampant but the actual music makes me forgive it.

10. More Than Anyone (7/10)- Good song just not my my favorite lyrics.

11. Overrated (11/10)- My favorite song on the album by far. It's so beautiful (lyrics and music). His voice is great in this song. The perfect love song.

After listening to Gavin DeGraw's CD "Chariot", I was unsure about how I felt. The reason for the rating I gave is how much of the background music in his songs blends in with other artists out there, It doesn't stand out too well.

And Who should expect it to? this is DeGraw's freshman release, he's still trying to come into himself. Songs like "Nice to Meet you" blend in to what is already going on in the music world. The quality of his singing is also not of the highest calibur, which kept the rating from 4 stars.

Songs like "Chariot" and "Just friends" show his musical talenty and emotion with which he can capture with lyrics. And while two of the strongest song on the album, they revert back to what is safe (musically) just when the song has the ability to strike new ground. I say, blame the producer, not the artist. "More Than anyone", my favorite on the album, show hints of willingness to break out of the John Mayer/Maroon mold while holding onto something special (a bit remniscent of McCartney?). While a solid CD, if DeGraw takes bolder steps in the future, I would expect his sophmore album to bring great things.

I've been fairly disgruntled with music lately, so when I purchased this CD, I was prepared to be underwhelmed.

Imagine my surprise, I haven't taken it out of my CD player since!

I prefer the stripped versions of the songs, but enjoy both versions. Standout tracks for me are "Follow Through" "Chariot" "Nice to meet you" and "More than anyone"

I really don't care for "I don't wanna be". Maybe because I've heard it so much on that cheesy teen drama, One Tree Hill, and I've become a little immune to whatever charms that song originally had. No matter, the rest of the disc more than makes up for it.

If you're not into lyrics, not into a pop-bluesy sound, not into piano, you won't be into this disc. But if you do enjoy those things, I think you'll find this a worthy purchase.

On his J Records debut, Gavin DeGraw does not disappoint. He's a talented singer and songwriter. His style and charisma fits well in the contemporary music scene. It's a shame that DeGraw was largely overlooked until the inclusion of "I Don't Wanna Be" on the One Tree Hill television series soundtrack.

Originally released in 2003, Chariot showcases DeGraw's ability to transform lyrics into musically imagery and inspire emotion among fans and radio listeners alike. From start to finish, the 11 tracks contained on Chariot are exceptional. Stand out selections include "Follow Through," "I Don't Want to Be," "Chariot," and "Just Friends."

Check out Gavin DeGraw on tour. He's even more brilliant live.

If you are a fan of Gavin DeGraw, you may also like Jason Mraz and John Mayer.

I bought this CD about a month ago on a whim. I had heard and liked one of his songs (I Don't Want To Be), and since he has been touring with one of my favorite artists, Michael Tolcher, I decided to buy Chariot. Although I have only owned it for a short time, it has quickly become one of my favorites. It has a unique and soulful sound, and is one the few CD's I own that I can listen to from beginning to end without skipping a single song. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone!