Gavin DeGraw - "Radiation" MP3 (PopMatters Premiere)

Soulful singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw has already gone platinum with his previous work and he keeps aim on a rapidly growing career trajectory with his latest album Sweeter, releasing 20 September on RCA Records. Sweeter ups the R&B quotient considerably, as well as brings a more “sexually charged” vibe to DeGraw’s music. That’s obvious on this new album cut, “Radiation”, which is drenched in blue-eyed soul grooves with an infectious chorus and loaded with energy and passion. That’s the direct result of co-writing and collaborating with other artists. DeGraw says, “co-writing with other people changed everything for me. Not only did it open my mind to new ideas, but it changed the way I wrote on my own. Playing all these different styles with other musicians led me to think about things differently when I was working by myself. I was able to tap into things I do live, dabbling with some of that late ’60s, early ’70s R&B stuff; I was able to record all the styles of music that I like and put them on one album. It was great to take my leash off and experiment. Although it doesn’t stray too far from what I’ve done, I think it’s the first album I’ve made that has caught my true sound.”