Free by Gavin DeGraw

I'm a tad ashamed to admit that I'm a total indie kid when it comes to Gavin DeGraw - I loved him when his debut album came out and his only claim to fame was having the theme song to One Tree Hill - back then he had all the style, passion and charm that the 2004–2005 music industry lacked. And when his second album came out and he was fully recognized in the mainstream, I jumped ship, claiming he'd lost all his artistic vibe and had tried to mix too many genres in one album.

So it pleases me that he's come back in full force with his third record, Free. Well, not quite full force - there are only nine tracks, but he's taken all the peripheral noise out of his music and fine-tuned it to these heartfelt, eloquent tunes.

Only a couple of the songs, like the opener, “Indian Summer,” and “Lover Be Strong” have rock elements in them, in which DeGraw's voice molds seamlessly with the guitars and carries the music to great heights.

The rest of the songs are slower, ballad-tinged tunes, mostly with soft piano accompaniment. Although this, luckily, doesn't make the album boring and drag on, it just makes it a pleasant collection of soulful music.

The title track, “Free,” is DeGraw's signature sound, with lilting lyrics about breaking out from a mundane routine in life and living “with the wind in your hair.” Other tracks that'll get your spirit soaring are “Stay and “Dancing Shoes,” while “Waterfall” and the slow, still song, “Why Do Men Stray” that end the album, give it a well-rounded feel.

So if, like me, you lost faith in DeGraw with his last album, you can rest assured that this one is way better. And if you haven't heard any of his music yet, Free is a pretty good place to start, so get it now.

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Danielle Panabaker's Top Pop Picks
- Favorite Band: The Avett Brothers
  
  "I'm really into the Avett Brothers as of late."
- Favorite Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  
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- Favorite New Movie: Silver Linings Playbook
  
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Paul Van Dyk: Current Favorites
- School of the Seven Bells
  
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- Linkin Park
  
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- Jupiter Jones
  
  The German punk rock band formed in 2002, but has already released several LPs, including an eponymously-named album in 2011.
- Depeche Mode
  
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Cody Simpson
- Favorite Movie
  I'm still really into the Ocean's series. I got into them recently. I was always too young to watch them.
- Favorite Book
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- Favorite Album
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Styx's Lawrence Gowan
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- Making Mirrors by Goyte
  
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- The Artist
  
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- Keane
  
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90210's Michael Steger: My Favorite Stuff
- Favorite TV Show: Rome
  
  HBO's series starring Cirian Hinds
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  "Either that or The Gypsy Kings."
- Favorite Book: The Fountainhead
  
  "Probably my favorite book of all time."
- Favorite New Movie: Attack The Block
  
  “It reminded me of The Goonies.”