Texas Platters

Signaling Austin's holiday season as much as pecan pie, KGSR's annual 2-CD compilation of broadcast recordings arrives with an additional charity in the mix, a portion of the proceeds benefiting construction of the new Seton Medical Center alongside the station's unsparing support of the SIMS Foundation. Introductory honors go to Australian quintet Boy & Bear, starting the first disc dreamily on "Southern Sun," followed with a stellar acoustic roll of "Riptide" by fellow countryman Vance Joy. Lucius returns us stateside boasting the yelping quirk of "Turn It Around," and Brett Dennen tweaks a Tom Petty vibe across new cut "Wild Child" to Charlie Mars' crowd sing-along "The Money." Broadcasts dips locally eight tracks in with the Outkast "Hey Ya" strum of Max Frost breakout "White Lies." Jake Bugg loosens "Lightning Bolt" and Frank Turner's gritty "Recovery" bristles following the emotional pull of Noah Gundersen and Robert Ellis, but Elle King trumps on a stripped-down and breathy "Ex's and Oh's." Back-end tracks lag until Lissie unloads a Stevie Nicks growl on "Further Away (Romance Police)" and Aaron Behrens howls to a close with "Keep On Rising." Shakey Graves carries the local flag in commencing disc two with a raw "Dearly Departed." Tori Amos' stunning "Oysters" slides awkwardly into G. Love's "Nothing Quite Like Home" and Bob Schneider's acoustic "Dirty Feeling." The center mellows behind Jeremy Messersmith, Birds of Tokyo, Jamestown Revival, and the Mowgli's, but ZZ Ward kicks funk into the closing run of Spanish Gold's "Out on the Street," locals Saints of Valory on "Long Time Coming," and St. Paul & the Broken Bones grooving "Call Me." With unique performances more readily accessible throughout online media – 2014 marks the first year Broadcasts is available digitally – KGSR's yearly offering loses some traditional relevance, but remains a sound of our town.