Best of 2007 Friends & Family Picks

Happy Holidays folks! I hope your having a good time this season, whether you’re iced into a cold dark house in Oklahoma, walking around the streets of Austin with friends both old and new, vacationing in LA, or just sleeping in at your parents’ house.
That being said, I’m sure you’re aware of the concluding year, and reflecting back on all the wonderful music that has come and gone. Well, even if you aren’t, we are!
Here are some favorite albums from Radio UTD’s friends and family, presented in a very casual fashion. If you want to put one up, shoot me an email at ssm051000@utdallas.edu!
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Iron & Wine/coming soon

Congratulations to the following people, who won pairs of tickets to yesterday’s Iron & Wine show at the Palladium Ballroom in a joint contest with WeShotJR.com.

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DJ of the Semester!

Okkervil River- Stage Names/Discography!

Okkervil River
The Stage Names

Rating: 5.9/10.0
RiYL: Fleetwood Mac, Lou Reed
Recommended Tracks: 5, 6
Listen to Instead: “Don’t Fall in Love With Everyone You See,” “Down the River of Golden Dreams,” “Sleep and Wake up Songs,” “Black Sheep Boy”

Here’s the deal: at the risk of sounding like a major D-bag, I’m going to tell you how I really feel about this album. Being from Austin, I grew up with Okkervil River. I’ve probably seen them play twenty or thirty times now. They used to be an outstanding, yet consistently overlooked local band that always worked their fingers to the bone in order to win the crowds’ hearts. Will Sheff, the singer, worked at a video rental store right off the Drag and admittedly lived on a diet of Chinese takeout and microwaveable burritos through the band’s younger years. Their music (as well as their performances) used to be immediately engaging and overwhelmingly heart-wrenching as a product of their real-life struggle and commitment to their art. Halfway through a set Will would be dripping, red at the face, so affected by his own words he would be unable to resist shredding his vocal chords while emitting them. He would take off his overshirt, inevitably revealing a handmade off-white Sam Cooke or Otis Redding t-shirt adhered to his torso with sweat. They used to be my favorite band ever. I felt blessed to be alive in the same town. (more…)

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