Gavin DeGraw: Sweeter

I'm really enjoying Sweeter this week.  I think that there are some really sexy songs on it.  Now, I have seen pictures and videos of Gavin DeGraw and he, as a person, is not particularly sexy.  But I think his voice and his songs are incredibly sexy.  Kind of like Billy Joel...  I'm also really into great word choice lately, and I think that Gavin definitely excels at word choice.  I particularly enjoy the songs Sweeter, Stealing, Radiation, and Soldier.  And now that I'm looking at those, I see that they are all one word titles and mostly start with the letter "s".  Interesting....

In addition to enjoying Gavin DeGraw's most recent album for the songs themselves, I also enjoy them because every once in a while, in the background, there is talking, or woo-ing, or na-na-ing or clapping.  And I am convinced that all of this is done by Ryan Tedder.  Why?  First, because Ryan did co-write the first two songs on the album, so it would make total sense that he might have been in the studio at some point.  Second, because I'm not sure if Gavin has any other friends, especially taking into account that mugging in New York.  (Mike, didn't know about the mugging, but basically, Gavin got assaulted by multiple people late at night in the Village last August and it was bizarre.  And I always wondered if he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if they really hated his music.) Third, because I am convinced that these two are bromantic, or, if they aren't, they should be.  But mostly, it's because if there were going to be a sitcom of my life, it would be about me living in an apartment with Gavin DeGraw and Ryan Tedder, like Three's Company.  I would be Jack, and Ryan Tedder would be Janet, and Gavin DeGraw would be Chrissy.  We would write some songs for Adele and totally ignore OneRepublic when they came to visit.  And maybe Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz could come over and jam or something.  Then Meiko could bring Brendan Hines over and he would be my love interest.  It would be totally awesome.

And that's why I love Gavin DeGraw, because it ends up with me hanging out with Brendan Hines! 

John Mayer: Born and Raised

I have never really listened to John Mayer before.  Not because of any opinions about what he may be like as a person.  I do have opinions about that, but I try not to let those opinions get in the way of making objective decisions about the music. Really, I had just never heard a John Mayer song that made me want to run out and buy an album.  Now, I love music.  I listen to a lot of music. I buy a lot of music. 

Earlier this year fun. released their album "Some Nights."  It's amazing.  When I hear a great song, it feels almost like the music is filling a piece of me that I didn't know was missing.  Every song on fun.'s album (except one) was spectacular.  I listened to it every day, sometimes multiple times.  Then I started listening to some others, like Bruno Mars's Doowops and Hooligans, I listened to the Script, some All-American Rejects, a little Gotye.  Then I heard "Shadow Days" on the radio.  It was good.  I've never owned a John Mayer album, but just from this one song, I ran home and pre-ordered the cd.  Then I listened to the whole album... and it was amazing.  Maybe more amazing than "Some Nights", certainly very different.  Definitely filled up that piece of me that only a great song can fill.  Now I listen to this album every day.  Every day a new song strikes me.  Today it was "Something Like Olivia".  I just can't get enough of this thing. 

From what I understand, this is somewhat of a new sound for John Mayer.  I'm still not all that interested in his other music.  But this is beautiful stuff.  Now, I know that in a week or two, I'll be listening to something else.  Maybe I'll go back to the Gotye, or I'll spend some more time with the Script. But for now, it's the only thing I want to listen to.