Gavin Degraw

Chariot arrived in 2003 with a group of songs that had the clarity of material developed through performance. I Don’t Want to Be, the title track and Follow Through offer different entry points. One has a more forceful rhythmic insistence, another opens into a broad melodic sweep and the quieter setting lets the feeling stay closer to the surface. The differences make the album worth hearing beyond the most familiar single.

The piano gives many songs their starting point, but it is not simply background for the singing. It supplies rhythmic movement and small responses that help shape a phrase. The band can then increase the weight without losing the recognisable musical centre.

The self-titled Gavin DeGraw followed in 2008, with In Love with a Girl giving the guitars a more prominent role. Free in 2009 took a different approach, leaving more room around the performances and allowing less polished edges to remain audible. Later records broadened the production again, but the contrast between these early albums remains useful. A strong song can survive an increase or a reduction in scale, revealing another part of its character each time. DeGraw’s voice provides the continuity: direct, slightly grainy and capable of moving from a close line into a much fuller declaration. The early catalogue is a good place to hear how a piano-based singer-songwriter sound could stay physical and energetic within mainstream pop-rock.