A clue to what makes New Yorker DeGraw tick musically can be found on the CD insert to this, the lad's debut album. The Beatles, Sam Cooke, Cat Stevens, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Neil Young and Marvin Gaye all get a name check, and there are more.

DeGraw's singer/songwriter rock is more laid back than many of his peers, but it possesses enough in the way of bite to allow it to stand out from the crowd. There are nice touches throughout, like the key changes to be found in most of the tunes on display here, which means the listener isn't allowed to sit still; take the effective meandering of (Nice To Meet You) Anyway or the funky Meaning if you want examples.

He can do big-sound stuff, as evidenced on Over-Rated, or mellow, as on the Gaye-esque More Than Anyone. The songs are well arranged, the production not too over-powering - often a complaint for this sort of stuff - and his raspy voice just adds to the allure.

For anyone wanting a singer/songwriter with balls you could do worse than check this out.