Sweeter Live [CD/DVD]

Personnel: Billy Norris (vocals, guitar); Jimmy Wallace (vocals, keyboards); Ian O'Neill (vocals, drums).
Audio Mixer: Jon Kaplan.
Recording information: Lancaster, CA (08/21/2012).
Director: Mark Lucas .
Editor: Andy Marcinkowski.
Recorded at a Lancaster, California stop on Gavin DeGraw's 2012 supporting tour for his fourth album Sweeter, the aptly titled Sweeter: Live finds the singer/songwriter pushing the new album and old hits in about equal measure. Unlike most modern live albums, this isn't overly polished: the production is clean but the guitars push, and DeGraw's voice is a little raw, elements that make this a lot more than a note-perfect recitation of studio recordings. Sweeter: Live actually feels like a concert, and DeGraw's determination is palpable, plus his co-headliner Colbie Caillat shows up for a closing duet on "Not Over You," so this winds up being a nice little souvenir for the hardcore. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine