Rhapsody: The Mix

The Zombies, Odessey & Oracle

2011-12-05T12:00:00Z

One of the greatest albums of the 1960s (or any decade), Odyssey & Oracle was the Zombies' last hurrah. The band crafted a warm, vividly psychedelic yet achingly melancholy work that can stand proudly next to Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper's and Village Green. The album was initially ignored in Britain, but after the deflated group disbanded, the fantastic "Time of the Season" took off in the U.S. Top tracks include "A Rose for Emily," "Care of Cell 44," "Beechwood Park" ... actually, all of them. No music collection is complete without it. [Nick Dedina]

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Various Artists, A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector

2011-12-04T12:00:00Z

Weird enough to actually like Christmas music? Well, Darlene Love's "White Christmas" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" are the two best Christmas songs ever. The Crystals' "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" is third, and The Ronettes are always wonderful. Anyone who disagrees is getting coal in their stocking. [Mike McGuirk]

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Steve Hauschildt, Tragedy & Geometry

2011-12-03T12:00:00Z

Steve Hauschildt is the quiet member of the trio Emeralds; his solo output is slim compared to the volumes amassed by bandmates John Elliott and Mark McGuire. His first widely available (non-CD-R) album is accordingly economical, making the most of its materials. It's not minimal, but it's rapturously focused. No gesture is wasted, and his pinging synthesizer fugues roll like perpetual motion machines. Klaus Schulze, Durutti Column and Detroit techno's John Beltran inform the dewy arpeggios, but the music is a universe of its own making. [Philip Sherburne]

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Producers Corner: Dntel

2011-12-02T22:50:42Z

Welcome to Producers Corner, our new video series in which we grill our favorite producers about their mysterious craft while following them around their natural habitat: the studio, of course. So far we've talked to folks like Pacific Northwest icon Phil Ek, fearless M.I.A. cohort Zakee and SF rock guru John Vanderslice. Today we make a home visit to Jimmy Tamborello, the electro-pop innovator who records as Dntel, has worked with the likes of Rilo Kiley and Bright Eyes, and is also one-half of celebrated indie-pop duo The Postal Service. He tells us why he prefers working from home (who doesn’t?), how to deal with writer’s block (buy something!), and why it’s better to work alone (you feel free to do dumb stuff). It’s all brought to you by ASUS and Intel. Enjoy.

Friday Mixtape: Country Chicks Who Could Beat Me Up

2011-12-02T17:31:36Z

The appeal of country music, for a sissified city slicker such as myself, largely lies in glimpsing a universe in which everyone is tougher, stronger, surlier, drunker and more adept with power tools than I am, which is not a terribly high bar, no, but it's nonetheless simultaneously dismaying and thrilling how many women can clear it. Here then we have Miranda, Taylor, Neko, Ashton, Carrie, Those Darlins and many others boozing, seething and raging, to my delight/terror. Yes, even the one named "Sunny."

Listen now: Friday Mixtape: Country Chicks Who Could Beat Me Up

Mary J. Blige, My Life

2011-12-02T12:00:00Z

"How can I love somebody else/If I can't love myself?" sings Mary J. Blige on "Be Happy," the penultimate track on My Life. The legend is that she recorded this seminal album while struggling with substance abuse and a tumultuous romance with Jodeci's K-Ci Hailey. She sang of pain as well as pleasure, and the incredible six-minute slow jam "I Never Wanna Live Without You" inspired plenty of baby-making. Executive produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs, this is a portrait of a young woman trying to find faith in God and the promise of eternal love, and it is one of the best albums of the '90s. [Mosi Reeves]

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Radio: Urban Hits

2011-12-01T13:10:08Z

These days, urban music can encompass dance pop, quiet-storm soul, and hardcore hip-hop, from Rihanna to Charlie Wilson, from Jill Scott to Lil Wayne in "How to Love" mode. This would all be confusing, except for one thing: You know an R&B track when you hear it. That's why our Urban Hits station mixes tracks from genre queens Beyoncé and Mary J Blige with adult-contemporary goddess Adele and rap heroine Nicki Minaj. All of them contribute to our current understanding of R&B as less of a fixed genre (or a fixed race) than an aesthetic. It's a style of music with deep roots in soul and an appreciation of pop music's boundless creativity. Most importantly, it retains the ability to speak to a wide international audience. So don't be surprised if you hear Rick Ross' "Aston Martin Music" after Trey Songz "Bottoms Up." This is the sound of R&B in 2011.

Listen Now: Urban Hits

Rhapsody Speakeasy: Active Child

2011-12-01T12:07:50Z

Live from New York City's CMJ Music Festival, here's our exclusive chat with Pat Grossi of the symphonic dream-pop crew Active Child, wherein he discusses how he got into the harp, the ways his time at Catholic high school inspired him and why he wants to be James Brown (!). Enjoy.

Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II

2011-12-01T12:00:00Z

Creating a sequel to a classic album is always a tricky proposition. There's going to be anticipation, but there are also expectations. While Raekwon fails to match the intensity of his 1995 solo debut, this is a valiant effort. Rae's flow has weathered a bit over the years—he has the gristle of a middle-aged man—but his knack for wordplay and imagery remains. Lyrically, this is his best work in a decade. And though nothing here matches "Criminology" or "Incarcerated Scarfaces" from the original, "House of the Flying Daggers" is a great late-period Wu classic. [Sam Chennault]

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Classic Rock Crate Digger: The Rolling Stones' U.K. Discography (1964-'67)

2011-11-30T17:49:06Z

These days, rock fans around the world expect a certain level of discographic homogeneity from their stars. U2 might release different EPs, singles and even greatest-hits packages in various countries around the globe, but in when it comes to indentifying their primary releases (The Joshua Tree, War, All That You Can't Leave Behind, et al.) just about everybody in the world is in agreement.

This wasn't always the case. Before the 1970s, it was quite common for the discographies of rock stars to differ from nation to nation, market to market. Hardcore record collectors specializing in Beatles and Rolling Stones memorabilia know this all too well. Many of the groups' most iconic albums underwent radical alterations when making the trip from the United Kingdom to the States. This was due to crass commercialism, quite honestly. London Records, The Stones' American label, wanted to saturate the American market with as much product as possible. Thus, they made a habit of removing songs from albums (released in England on the Decca label originally) and coupling them with single-only tracks in order to produce even more albums to hawk. (Interesting aside: back in the day the British record-buying public thought it bad form to include singles on albums, as well as to pull singles from albums. They were seen as independent media.)

Between 1964 and '69, The Stones released eight albums, two greatest-hits collections and a pair of EPs in the U.K. Here in the United States, the numbers were 10 albums, two greatest-hits collections, a live record and a full-length, 1967's Flowers, that fell somewhere between album and compilation. As a result, old-school American fans have fond memories of titles the Brits didn't even know existed: England's Newest Hit Makers, The Rolling Stones, Now!, December's Children (And Everybody's) and, of course, the aforementioned Flowers.

I'm of the belief the original British versions are the better records. First off, London Records forced us Yanks to purchase a lot of music twice. The American Out of Our Heads consists of 12 tracks, four of which were also released via the 45 format: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man," "Play with Fire" and "The Last Time." That means we paid full album price for just eight new songs. Then there's the issue of artistic quality. This becomes quite evident when comparing the U.S. versions of Aftermath and Between the Buttons to their U.K. counterparts. The latter are so much more cohesive and fully realized that they're practically different records. Between the Buttons in particular is an interesting case; because London Records gutted the thing, American rock critics failed to embrace it quite like the British pop press did; different versions spawned different legacies.

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Be sure to also check out my Rolling Stones' U.K. Discography (1964-'67) playlist.

The Rolling Stones EP
Coming on the heels of their searing Beatles cover, "I Wanna Be Your Man," this debut EP never saw stateside release, but songs from it became available with More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) in 1974. Featuring a rawness that's extreme even for these masters of surface noise, the four songs here seem to have had a direct, indelible effect on The Flamin' Groovies, for starters. "Bye Bye Johnny" is just the second time (of many, many times) they nail Chuck Berry like no one else, and "Poison Ivy" sounds good no matter who's playing it. [Mike McGuirk]

The Rolling Stones
The superior U.K. version of The Stones' first record, this 1964 statement of purpose differs from the U.S. version most obviously in the title (it isn't the goofy England's Newest Hit Makers). It also opens with what was perhaps their best song at the time, "Route 66," and "Not Fade Away" is switched out with "Mona (I Need You Baby)," their other best song from the early days, except for maybe "King Bee," "Carol" or … a thousand others. The greatest rock 'n' roll band somehow comes off even cooler with this original version. As far as first albums go, this punches Please Please Me in the face. [M.M.]

Five By Five EP
Featuring two somewhat forgettable Jagger/Richards compositions and three covers, Five by Five was churned out right after the band's eponymous debut took over the parts of England not already claimed by The Beatles. This may be the very first instance where The Stones cash in on their universal appeal with a less-than-stellar product. Recorded at Chess Studios in Chicago, the EP is nowhere near the explosion of raw power their first EP was. Still, "Around and Around" rules. [M.M.]

The Rolling Stones No. 2
This import version of The Stones' second U.K. album was called The Rolling Stones, Now! in the U.S. (and was their third release in the States). Track-wise, the two albums don't entirely match up, as some songs from this were released in the U.S. on 12 X 5, which was their second Stateside album. Still with us? Who cares, Brian Jones' guitar playing is absolutely filthy on "Down Home Girl," "I Can't Be Satisfied" and, especially, "What a Shame." Don't miss the solo in "Off the Hook," either. The Stones were about as badass as a band could be around this time. [M.M.]

Out of Our Heads
Out of Our Heads is one of the rare exceptions in The Stones' discography: the American version just might beat out the British one. This, of course, is debatable. The former contains three classics — "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "The Last Time" and "Play With Fire" — absent from the latter. But the reason the band left these off the original full-length is because Brits thought it a rip-off to include tracks that were previously released as singles. In this sense, the U.K. incarnation of Out of Our Heads is a proper album as opposed to a mishmash of hits, B-sides and filler. [J.F.]

Aftermath
The American version of Aftermath is a fantastic record, but its U.K. counterpart is superior. Exchanging "Paint It, Black" for three additional originals — "Mother's Little Helper," "Take It or Leave It" and the Motown-flavored "Out of Time" — it stands as a more impressive document of The Stones' growth as both songwriters and in-studio sonic explorers in 1966. Both "Lady Jane" and "I Am Waiting" benefit from Brian Jones' growing interest in exotic stringed instrumentation. Meanwhile, the 11-minute "Going Home" is one of the first extended blues-rock improvisations to be committed to tape. [J.F.]

Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
A seven-month lag occurred between the release dates of the U.K. and U.S. versions of Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass), The Stones' first greatest-hits package. Because pop music was evolving at such an accelerated clip in '66, the delay forced Decca Records to alter the British track listing so the collection remained current. Rather than "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," then over a year old, this version opens with the psych-punk, wall-of-sound jammer "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" At the time, it was the most daring and audacious single the band had yet to release. [J.F.]

Between the Buttons
The Stones themselves (particularly Mick Jagger) were dismissive of Between the Buttons upon its release in '67. Indeed, the production is muddy, blurry and out of focus (proto-lo-fi?), plus the harmonies often sound like the feral screeches of alley cats in heat. However, these imperfections only add to the album's grimy, demented charm. Clearly influenced by The Kinks' Face to Face and Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, the band attempted to craft a fusion of baroque pop and folk rock, but because they're sonic Neanderthals when all is said and done, they wound up inventing psychedelic punk rock. [J.F.]

Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)
For all intents and purposes, Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2), The Stones' second greatest-hits collection of the '60s, is the last title in the band's discography to have significantly different track listings for its U.K. and U.S. incarnations. The most notable discrepancy is "We Love You," a wonderfully weird psych-pop single from 1967 featuring uncredited backing vocals from John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Americans would have to wait another three years, for the release of More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies), before they could listen to the track in full-length format. [J.F.]

Cheat Sheet: The Louisiana Hayride Rides Again!

2011-11-30T17:47:51Z

Louisiana Hayride was a "barn dance"-style radio program on KWKH out of Shreveport, La., that was loosely modeled on its more famous cousin, Nashville's The Grand Ole Opry, along with Chicago's lesser-known WLS Barn Dance. The program, originally called Cradle of the Stars, launched on April 3, 1948, and went on to feature some of the most revered names in country music.

In fact, from the onset, Louisiana Hayride proved to be an invaluable tool for breaking new artists and new singles, as Hank Williams — who first appeared on the show in August 1948 — would attest. (Williams, who eventually had his own sponsored radio program on WSM/Nashville, would often record Hayride shows ahead of time so he could tour.) Performing a new song on a show like Louisiana Hayride was very often just the leg up an artist needed to propel a regional hit. With a firm commitment to exposing new and regional talent to a wider audience, the show became a beloved stop on artists' Southern tours.

Within a year of its debut, the program was so popular that a regional 25-station network was pieced together to broadcast portions of it. The music was certainly a large part of that popularity, but the rotating emcees who kept the show moving with interviews and artist cues provided another kind of magic. Here, the artists were given a chance to connect with the listeners and let their personalities shine.

By 1954, a special 30-minute version of Louisiana Hayride was broadcast overseas on Armed Forces Radio. Another watershed moment came in August 1954, when a teenaged Elvis Presley made his debut, singing "That's Alright Mama." (Incidentally, it was Hayride emcee Horace Logan who coined the iconic phrase, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.") By the late '50s, however, the growing popularity of rock 'n' roll, in addition to the rise of televisions, cut into the show's popularity. On August 27, 1960, Louisiana Hayride ended its regular run.

In the years since, there have been many attempts to revive the name and what it stood for. Probably the best testament to the program is the volume of quality live music recorded during its tenure. Rhapsody has many of these releases available, so let's take a listen to some of them.

Click here to listen to a playlist: Highlights from the Hayride

]]> Johnny Horton
Live Recording from the Louisiana Hayride
Johnny "The Singing Fisherman" Horton was a Louisiana Hayride regular from 1956 until his untimely death in 1960. These recordings include light banter with host Frank Page and loose, spirited performances. Horton shared the stage with many performers, and the banter with comedians Homer and Jethro is a humorous highlight, while the segue into Hank Williams' "Bucket's Got a Hole In It" is classic. If you only associate Horton with songs like "Battle of New Orleans" and "Sink the Bismarck," listen to "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor" and "All for the Love of a Girl" to widen your perspective. [Linda Ryan]

June Carter Cash
Live Recording from the Louisiana Hayride
Live Recording from the Louisiana Hayride shows an effervescent June Carter Cash truly in her element. Part self-deprecating comedian and part singer, June is pure entertainment here. In between jokes and stories — some of which are quite racy and laced with double entendres — she plays a handful of Carter Family standards, duets with Johnny Cash ("It Ain't Me Babe" and "Teenage Queen"), and offers other highlights like "He Don't Love Me Anymore" and "The Heel." This is one of the most entertaining offerings in the Louisiana Hayride series. [L.R.]

Elvis Presley
The Complete Louisiana Hayride Archives 1954-1956
Elvis' debut appearance on Louisiana Hayride in August 1954 allegedly fell flat, but by his second show, the audience — mostly teens hungry for Presley's brand of high-octane rock 'n' roll — knew the swivel-hipped singer was the real deal. He eventually signed a yearlong contract to do the show every Saturday night, and The Complete Louisiana Hayride Sessions is the fruit of that tenure. Although many of the recordings are muddy, the excitement of the performances and the raw energy from the audiences come through loud and clear. [L.R.]

George Jones
Live Recording from the Louisiana Hayride
There are only a handful of live recordings from George "No Show" Jones, who had a penchant for hitting the bottle hard and missing his own concerts. Live Recording from the Louisiana Hayride is also a rarity because it includes performances recorded after the show officially went off the air in the 1960s. Jones sounds sober and ready to impress, whether he's singing a fast rockabilly song such as "Too Much Water" or one of his signature honky-tonk tracks like "Accidentally on Purpose." More hits include "The Race Is On," "Color of the Blues," "White Lightning" and "She Thinks I Still Care." [L.R.]

Various Artists
Louisiana Hayride - Legendary Performances Vol 1
With performances spanning from 1952 to 1969, this collection lives up to its title with appearances from Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash, among others. Among the many highlights here is an early recording from Skeeter Davis and a positively haunting Osborne Brothers song, "Making Plans to Leave." [Mike McGuirk]

Various Artists
Louisiana Hayride - Classic Country Radio Vol 1
A laundry list of Nashville country heavyweights — Hank Snow, Jim Reeves, George Jones, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells and Ernest Tubb, for starters — perform the songs that made them famous. Presumably recorded approximately 1,000 years ago, these songs, with uniformly fantastic pedal steel and Western swing/C&W/soft-lit Nashville Sound backing, may as well be from a different world. Johnny Cash's "Five Feet High and Rising" is a lot of fun. [M.M.]

Cheat Sheet: Classical Young Guns

2011-11-30T17:06:44Z

The past year has seen a crop of excellent releases from the most talked-about rising stars in classical music, a varied set of neo-traditionalists who breathe life into the genre though fiery performances, scandalous outfits and bold programming choices. Astonishingly, none of them are older than 30.

The pianist who might get the most headlines is Lang Lang, whose well-styled programmatic flair has made him classical music's poster child. Using the same bold media-embracing panache of Lang Lang, plenty of other oversized talents have made waves through style and scandal: take the skirt length of Yuja Wang, who gets mentioned as classical music's Lady Gaga, or the Vogue spread by hunky violinist Charlie Siem. Perhaps less hyped but no less revered are gimmick-free recordings from violinists Alina Ibragimova, Arabella Steinbacher, Julia Fischer and Ray Chen.

This Cheat Sheet looks at some of the brightest young names in the classical world, many of whom have the talent and marketing smarts to expand the genre's audiences.

Alice Sara Ott
Beethoven
After critically successful recordings of Chopin and Liszt, 23-year-old German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott releases her first Beethoven set with a bold agenda: demonstrating the two distinct personalities of the composer using a pair of C-major sonatas, the Op. 2 No. 3 and the Op. 53 "Waldstein." The prior of these — light, mercurial and joyous — was dedicated to Haydn, and the latter — brooding and pensive — was written near the end of his life, when his hearing was failing. Ott capably bridges this divide with clean, confident playing, restraint in her pedaling and plenty of power.

]]> Julia Fischer
Poème
Fischer's passionate and often emotionally resonant program brings together four post-Romantic works for violin and orchestra that are not traditional concertos: Ottorino Respighi's Poema Autunnale, Josef Suk's G Minor Fantasy, Ernest Chausson's Poème and Ralph Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending. Aside from the ferocious single-movement concerto by Suk, these are largely melancholic poems that follow the same dramatic shape. Fischer scores with all of them, and it's a pleasure to hear these pieces played with such sensitivity. The standout is the Respighi, which truly sings.

Nicola Benedetti
Tchaikovsky-Bruch Violin Concertos
For a young violinist attempting to prove herself among the world's elite, performing the massively popular Tchaikovsky and Bruch violin concertos is becoming almost obligatory. To her credit, Benedetti is not simply going through the motions; both pieces are explored at their core, and played with spirited musicality and a clear-eyed approach. Though it's not the fault of the soloist, the recording suffers from the spongy, distant placement of the orchestra in the production. Still, it's exciting to imagine what might lie ahead now that Benedetti has survived the initiation.

Charlie Siem
Charlie Siem Plays Bruch, Wieniawski & Bull
Although the crop of young classical soloists who've caught the popular eye all seem to have model-quality looks, Charlie Siem is the only one who's actually had his own Vogue spread. As if to prove that he's more than just a pretty face, the 25-year-old violinist charges headlong into brutally difficult literature, including the explosive and technically staggering Wieniawski, which opens the recording, and Bruch, which may be the most recorded concerto of recent years. With all the fireworks, the Bull seems a bit tacked-on, but to Siem's credit, he even executes schmaltz with icy brilliance.

Yuja Wang
Rachmaninov
In performances, Yuja Wang's penchant for short skirts has quickened the pulse of conservative blue-hairs and caused quite the scandal. But regardless of reviewers' woeful assertion that Wang is a "classical Lady Gaga," the 24-year-old has a gift for beautifully executing Rachmaninov, clearly evident with both the dizzying variations of Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the 2nd piano concerto. The dazzling climax of the Paganini is challenging, contemporary and bold — not unlike the fashion tastes of the performer. Claudio Abbado, not often heard with soloists, conducts.

Alina Ibragimova
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Volume Three
There are no headline-grabbing gags here — neither in Alina Ibragimova's performance or the straightforward program. Originally conceived mostly as piano sonatas with violin accompaniment, these comparatively light works lack Beethoven's raging tempest. But after the brisk early E flat Sonata and the reserved A major Sonata, Ibragimova and pianist Cedric Tiberghien get a chance to sink their teeth into the passionate "Kreutzer." All told, there are no more communicative complete recordings of these works on the market.

Arabella Steinbacher
Johannes Brahms: Complete Works for Violin and Piano
This set of Brahms was written as a true duo — with neither the piano nor the violin part subjugated by the other. Steinbacher and Kulek are an excellent technical match, and they observe this evenhandedness throughout, matching each other at every turn with fluid decisions and solid, if not particularly arresting, performances. A movement from the "F-A-E" sonata, which was jointly composed by Albert Dietrich, Brahms and Robert Schumann and is often omitted from Brahms collections, concludes the recording.

Ray Chen
Virtuoso
In case you missed it from the title, the virtuosity of the 22-year-old, Curtis Institute-trained, Taiwanese-Australian violinist Ray Chen is on full display with the Fritz Kreisler adaptation of Giuseppe Tartini's "Devil's Trill." Even on a work of such technically gripping difficulty, Chen's tone is remarkably round and his musicality is alluring. His Bach? Perhaps a bit overwrought at times, but undeniably energetic. Therein lies the strength of Chen's debut: an ability to deliver a commanding and varied set with ease.

Iskandar Widjaja
Bach 'n' Blues
Since the only "blues" here is the second movement of the Ravel sonata for piano and violin, the album title is a bit of a misnomer, but 25-year-old Widjaja's program still covers a lot of ground — from the dramatic Poulenc sonata to the Chaconne from Bach's D minor Partita. Sometimes — in the Bach, for instance — the playing lacks a certain thoughtfulness, but Widjaja's confidence and energy make a strong impression.

Lang Lang
Liszt - My Piano Hero
It's impossible to imagine Lang Lang passing up an opportunity to commemorate the bicentennial of Liszt's birth. The pianist — showy, arrogant, prodigiously gifted — is a perfect match for the composer. So what if his "Grand Galop chromatique" and "Rakoczy March" sound a bit over the top? Isn't that the way they were intended to be? Thankfully, there are moments of reprieve from the technically muscular showstoppers, with sensitive (and borderline sappy) readings of Liszt's more impressionistic "Consolation No. 3" and "Ave Maria."

Rhapsody Speakeasy: Wild Flag

2011-11-30T12:22:39Z

Live from New York City's CMJ Music Festival, here's our exclusive chat with Janet Weiss and Rebecca Cole from fantastic art-punk band Wild Flag, wherein they discuss inspiring scores of young female rockers, "building a sense of mystery," and their unquenchable love for Bill Withers. Enjoy.

Various Artists, Navidad en Mi Pueblo

2011-11-30T12:00:00Z

If Christmas in the States is traditionally about pine trees and snowy days, Christmas in the hinterlands of Mexico takes on a very different shape. Just listen to the plaintive strains of Intocable's "Una Navidad Sin Ti" and you'll see what we mean: exchange sleigh bells for dusty cantinas and wailing accordions, and you're halfway there. Christmas in Mexico is a different beast, and that's what makes this music such a joy to hear. [Sarah Bardeen]

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Cheat Sheet: Christmas on the Dance Floor

2011-11-29T17:58:56Z

We don't know about you, but this time of year makes us want to strap on a pair of sparkly gold stilettos, squeeze into something that's possibly too tight given how much we ate over Thanksgiving, and get our ho-ho-holiday on — on the dancefloor, of course. Thankfully, many of our favorite pop stars seem to feel the same way, obliging us with festive dance pop originals and clubby remakes of the classics, all decked out with killer beats and groovable hooks. To get you in the holiday spirit, we've assembled this little guide to the brightest lights on the holiday pop tree, from the Biebster's naughty, brand-spanking-new Under the Mistletoe to Destiny's Child's ode to Rudolph. It's Christmas — with a beat you can dance to. 'Tis the season to get your booty wiggling!

Click here for a playlist: Christmas on the Dance Floor

Justin Bieber
Under the Mistletoe
The Biebster + the holidays? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?! The boy wonder knows how to get you in the festive mood. And we do mean mood: things get downright naughty on "Christmas Eve." The classics are craftily reworked (Santa comes to town with hip-hop swagger; the drummer boy goes clubbing), and the originals are finely tuned to show off Bieber's surprising range, from dubby coffee-shop pop to soulful country. Plus, a bunch of fabulous guests stop by, including Usher, Boyz II Men and, yes, Mariah Carey. Mistletoe is no Mimi holiday album. But it's one heck of a holiday party. [Rachel Devitt]

]]> Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas
Carey lends her impressive skills to a selection of Christmas classics with a couple originals thrown in. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is almost Phil Spector-level greatness, but the best part of the album is probably the photo of her on the cover. That said, at least Carey was cool enough to do a Christmas record. [Mike McGuirk]

Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas II You
When you've already put out one beloved and (dare we say it) almost timeless holiday album, the stakes are high. But Mariah has the diva chops to pull off II. The old familiars are bolstered by Mariah's still-impressive voice: the skyscraping live version of "O Holy Night" sounds as if the centuries-old carol was written for her, and the duet with her opera-singer mama will warm any grinch's heart. But it's the originals that elevate her a cut above the usual yuletide fluff: see "Oh Santa!", which balances heady holiday joy and hip-hop cool, and has "new classic" written all over it. [R.D.]

Destiny's Child
8 Days of Christmas
Destiny's Child's 8 Days of Christmas is all sex and family, family and sex, bling and church. Then again, sexy family values were always the beloved girl-group's ethos. The ladies bring their glittering, wholesome swagger to everyone from Rudolph to the Little Drummer Boy (taking the family part literally, with a cameo from B's sis Solange Knowles). The title track drives the album's mood home ("On the eighth day of Christmas my baby gave to me/ A pair of Chloe shades and a diamond belly ring"), but their hip-hoperatic take on the classics (especially "Opera of the Bells") sells it. [R.D.]

Various Artists
A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 7
The seventh entry in the Very Special Christmas series features hot young stars (Miley Cyrus, Sean Kingston) alongside some up-and-comers (Gloriana, Charice) hoping to make an indelible mark in their respective genres. There's a good mix here, from the dancehall-leaning version of "The Little Drummer Boy" and the pure pop bliss of "Last Christmas" to the pepped-up version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to the gentle twang and harmonies of "Silent Night." There's definitely something for everyone in this assorted box of Christmas delights. [Linda Ryan]

Glee Cast
The Music, The Christmas Album, Vol. 1 & 2
Isn't a holiday album from the cherubic-voiced, delightfully naughty Glee kids what you always wanted for Christmas? Gifted as they are, the kiddos deliver. By now, Lea Michele (Rachel) is like fruitcake: a little of that rich voice goes a long way. So it's nice to hear some of the other performers getting more ear time, especially on the second volume, which features Amber Riley's Mariah-baiting version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It's Glee, home of megalomaniacal melismas and so much belting, so both albums are heavy on the ballads. But a few Christmas dance-pop lights twinkle here and there, like the mashup "Deck the Rooftop." [R.D.]

Kristine W
Hey Mr. Christmas
The club diva's holiday album is, in many ways, just what you'd expect: soulful vocals, hopscotching house beats and two awesome (and awesomely awkward) original songs. She seductively sweet-talks a gentleman named "Mr. Christmas" and works on some new-day diva resolutions on "Everyday's a Holiday." She gets in the ho-ho-holiday spirit with the disco-fried cover "Hard Candy Christmas." But when religious songs like "O Holy Night" and "Mary Did You Know" get the club treatment, they somehow come off both reverent and sleek (albeit in a totally campy sense). [R.D.]
See Also: Club Christmas 3

Various Artists
Disney Channel Holiday
Too young for Frank Sinatra but too old for The Chipmunks? Tweens, this is your Christmas: a little sassy, a little rocking (thanks to Hannah Montana and The Jonas Brothers), and even a little country. Grab your hairbrush and break out your dance moves — decking the halls just got, you know, kinda cool. [Sarah Bardeen]
See Also: The Cheetah Girls, A Cheetah-licious Christmas

Aly & AJ
Acoustic Hearts of Winter
It may be an acoustic album, but it's also an Aly & AJ album, which means you can dance to it. The teenage sisters showcase their faith and their vocals on this album of cozy, acoustic Christmas pop. The pair updates a slew of yuletide chestnuts with polished arrangements and pristine production, but they remain faithful to the classic melodies of carols like "The First Noel" and "Silent Night." Opening the album is an upbeat original, "Greatest Time of Year," which appears on the soundtrack to the The Santa Clause 3. [R.D.]

Top 15 Metal Albums, November 2011

2011-11-29T17:07:14Z

"It's intriguing that so many of the best metal albums this year were the ones with no metal in them, by which I mean no guitars." I wrote that eight years ago, at the end of 2003, apparently impressed by certain gothic and/or ambient and/or keyboard-obsessed bands (whom I can no longer identify offhand) who'd taken their heaviness in a rather unexpected direction, to say the least. What I wrote then is certainly not true of metal albums now: my three favorite albums below are absolutely committed to overweight guitar riffs, as metal has been since the very dawn of time. Further down the list, though, there's still plenty of evidence of bands moving their music way beyond the genre's high-volume constrictions and into a territory that — on entire albums in some cases and just a few tracks in others — might make sense as relaxing background music on certain underworld elevators. So: a new age or an old one? Your choice.

Listen now: Metal Roundup, November 2011

1. The Gates of Slumber
The Wretch
This is the sort of Brobdingnagian power-plod you never imagined could come from Indianapolis: super-sized melodies set to wobbling walrus-blubber doom riffs straight out of Saint Vitus, with downcast vocal howls sometimes stumbling into La Brea Tar Pits of reverb or making way for strange Moog-y electronic breaks. Gates of Slumber have no problem going the hard-charging NWOBHM route ("Coven of Cain"), but more often prefer to keep things depressive and nocturnal, as in the 10-ton suicide note "Day of Farewell" and "Iron & Fire," an even heftier album closer that lasts almost 13 minutes. [Chuck Eddy]

]]> 2. Elder
Dead Roots Stirring
Monster drum grooves (reportedly slammed out on an enormous John Bonham-style kit) and verdant, searching soloing is what sets this power trio apart from most Sabbath-doom types. In some ways they're more a heavy hippie band, stretching out every one of their second album's five elongated songs (about 9 to 12 minutes apiece) with blues-based jam interplay that mimics the album art's drug-dream vistas and occasionally blasts into a deep-space black hole. In parts of the title track they even sound like the mid-'80s, Dead-and-Neil-Young-infused Meat Puppets — perhaps absorbed via J Mascis. [C.E.]

3. Black Tusk
Set the Dial
Playing heavily rhythmic, butcher shop-riffed metal, but yelling like punks (low voice sorta early Black Flag and high voice sorta Dropkick Murphys, usually with An! Exclamation! Point! On! Every! Word!), this Savannah band keeps things concise by metal if not hardcore standards: ten songs, almost all around three or four minutes. The tracks assume creative stop-and-start structures, grind speedily here and sludgily there and oily always, and boom like old Swans toward the end of "Carved in Stone." But does "Bring Me Darkness" go "Six! Six! Six!" or "Sick! Sick! Sick!"? Or both? [C.E.]

4. Giant Squid
Cenotes
Though each of these five mostly long songs gets its own Latin scientific-name subtitle, you'll be hard-pressed to decipher the paleontological specifics of the undulating mullah-like boy-and-girl vocals. But that detracts little from Giant Squid's congruent Middle Eastern drones, which somehow link goth, psych and Krautrock into modern metal. One track, "Snakehead (Channidae erectus)," turns cello parts and an Eastern European gypsy two-step into swirling chamber metal that somehow channels such obscure old art-bohos as Certain General and Azalia Snail. [C.E.]

5. Wolves in the Throne Room
Celestial Lineage
Though the fungus-caked and grumble-grunted background-metal gunk of the Northwest forest-yurt underworld is consistently enveloping, not to mention morose, these Olympia, Wash., farm-dwellers fare best on their fourth studio album whenever Aaron Weaver's synths step in. They clang like lonely wind chimes, gnaw like hungry meat-grinders, abrade like knives under canine-howled New Age mantras. The two shorter tracks are the most avant-garde, though the medievally plain-chanted "Woodland Cathedral" comes close. The final 21 minutes — that's just two songs — are a bit of a slog, however. [C.E.]

6. Moonsorrow
Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa
These paganistic Finns' 2011 album comprises four stately über-extended troll-metal rituals (all well over 11 minutes) broken up by three brief interludes in which a heavy-burdened man tromps across endless frigid terrain, coughing for breath as snow crunches beneath his feet and a baby cries; eventually, he succumbs to primal screams. The longer tracks feel by turns hopeful and funereal, sometimes involve cadence-shouting soldiers, and tend to be built atop almost jig-sprightly sub-Arctic folk progressions. Closer "Kuolleiden Maa" climaxes in multiple semi-symphonic false-ending crescendos. [C.E.]

7. Megadeth
Th1rt3een
Several of these 13 songs were once bonus tracks, downloads or videogame placements. Yet the hodgepodge hangs together okay, partly thanks to lots of aging Alice Cooper shtick, notably in the multi-rhymed bad-guy tune "Public Enemy No. 1," teen-angst tantrum "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" and schlock horror story "Deadly Nightshade." We get current events, too: global illuminati conspiracy theories in "We the People" and "New World Order"; Mexican cartels in "Guns, Drugs, & Money." Plus some hot guitar — curiously Van Halen-like in spots; occasionally steamrolling, shredding or psychedelic. [C.E.]

8. White Wizzard
Flying Tigers
Barely recognizable, personnel-wise, from just two years before, these '80s-obsessed Pasadenans go the D&D route on their second full-length — in this case, Dio and Dokken, or "Demons and Diamonds," though a few dragons do take flight. There's also Atlantis, pyramids, sci-fi and, in the title cut, WWII air squadrons. That song soars OK, as do ones about L.A. nights, Tokyo night trains and night stalkers. But older lineups had more fun, and despite some sweet solos, these guys don't quite manage the dynamics, hooks or grooves to support their overly ambitious mythic ideas. [C.E.]

9. In Flames
Sounds of a Playground Fading
Given the seeming breakup-song bent of several lyrics (inspirational verse: "You never understand me! And I don't care what you think! Or maybe I do!"), the "playground" in these once-death-metallic Swedes' 10th album title doesn't seem to signify abandoned jungle gyms so much as a loss Glen Campbell once lamented in "Where's the Playground Susie." Decorated in minor-key-melodic intros and on-and-off electronic body beats, In Flames sound pretty sad all through — also pretty same-y, though it's sort of special when they enter extreme hermit mode in "The Attic" and the spoken "Jester's Door." [C.E.]

10. Today Is the Day
Pain Is a Warning
As you might expect, the 2011 release from these Nashville experimental-metal veterans (their first in four years) is a nonstop tidal wave of straight-rockin' noise metal (whatever that is) and horrendous volumes. Informing the machine-gun spray of sonic viciousness with a personal nature in the lyrics department, Today Is the Day have always worked somewhere left of center, and Pain Is a Warning, despite bedrock riffs, is just as far out as their Amphetamine Reptile material. It is certainly anything but the product of a band with nothing left to say. [Michael McGuirk]

11. Cynic
Carbon Based Anatomy
Three years after their second album and 18 after their first, Florida's prototype prog-death crew delivers six songs in under 25 minutes that suggest they've mostly purged the metal from their systems, give or take brief heavy embellishments in, say, "Elves Beam Out." But there's plenty of fusion intricacy and ethno-beat airiness, nodding to the Middle East ("Bija!") and the Far East ("Amidst the Coals") and the Amazon rainforest. Vocals are relaxed throughout, rhythms occasionally electronic. And in closer "Hieroglyph," guest vocalist Amy Correia recites a few "shamanic" New Age thoughts. [C.E.]

12. Russian Circles
Empros
On its fourth album, you can totally tell this instrumental trio comes from Chicago, home to Tortoise and The Sea and Cake. Russian Circles' metal machine Muzak basically rushes in circles like a louder, distorted version of the New Agey so-called "post-rock" that those bands concocted back in the '90s. There's plenty of bloodily Valentined oceanic shoegaze, too, which aligns them with combos like Isis, Pelican, Cult of Luna and Red Sparowes. In "Atackla," they even manage some bombastic Glen Branca overtones. And in closer "Praise Be Man," they finally murmur a few words. [C.E.]

13. All Pigs Must Die
God Is War
Ferocious hardcore with elements of black, death, grind and doom metal, All Pigs Must Die's debut for Southern Lord is a bottomless pit of aggression delivered with high-speed musical brutality. A throwback to the intense-negativity heyday of death metal, this fresh (if sweaty) burst of ticked-off air is sure to soothe folks annoyed by the hipsterization of the genre. With only a self-titled EP and this first full-length under their belts, A.P.M.D. are rippling with potential, proving that the ancient rites of extreme metal are as vital as ever. [M.M.]

14. Vale of Pnath
The Prodigal Empire
These melodic Denver ninjas have been turning heads since their self-titled EP surfaced in 2008. Their schizoid combination of highly technical death metal with gurgling vocals that at times veer into serious melodies makes Vale of Pnath's debut full-length distinctive, to say the least. Not quite as slide-ruler-demanding as Gorguts or as far out as Nile — but certainly cut from a similarly nerdy cloth — the band really comes together on "Mental Crucifixion," an orgy of metalcore ribboning, insistently catchy Cookie Monsterisms and brutal tempo shifts. [M.M.]

15. Machine Head
Unto the Locust
One of the first (and best) bands to be labeled as part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement, Machine Head follow up their critically acclaimed 2007 album The Blackening with this equally legitimate, and loud as all hell, mixture of black and death metal. While it may not be so advisable to open the record with a piece subtitled "Sonata in C#," singer Robb Flynn and guitarist Phil Demmel make up for it with wriggling riffs galore and decidedly hairy vocals. Don't miss "Locust" — it's like Pantera with pop moves at the chorus, no lie. [M.M.]

Label Spotlight: Spectrum Spools

2011-11-29T17:06:08Z

The Cleveland trio Emeralds may play at stoner affect, but slackers they ain't. These three ambient ambassadors from the noise underground are not only responsible for dozens of tapes, CDRs and "official" albums, they also pursue multiple side projects. Steve Hauschildt recently released one of 2011's finest electronic albums, Tragedy & Geometry, on the Kranky label. Mark McGuire has put out three albums on Editions Mego in the past 13 months, in addition to a steady stream of cassettes, CDRs and vinyl-only LPs. And John Elliott might be the most prolific of all: in addition to his array of solo projects and side groups (among them Mist, Imaginary Softwoods and the vividly named Colored Mushroom and the Medicine Rocks), he's also responsible for Spectrum Spools, a label offering an even broader view of Emeralds' brand of psychedelic synthesizer music.

Rippling drones are at the core of the Spectrum Spools aesthetic, which remains heavily indebted to the blissed-out electronic fantasias of Klaus Schulze, Edgar Froese, Harald Grosskopf and other analog cosmonauts. (You wouldn't expect anything else from a guy who also records as Outer Space.) But the Spectrum Spools catalog — numbering an incredible nine albums so far, after just one year in operation — ventures far beyond the traditional limits of "cosmic" synth music. Container's LP is mutant techno in the vein of Rephlex's early-'90s records, pummeling and unhinged, while Temporal Marauder's Temporal Marauder Makes You Feel — allegedly a lost recording from the '70s by a Belgian musician with connections to Conny Plank — runs the gamut from Suicide-style electrobilly to industrial skronk in the vein of Cabaret Voltaire or Throbbing Gristle. As for the more placid, conventionally ambient sectors of the Spectrum Spools universe, they range from kitschy prog impersonations to lie-on-the-floor-drooling bliss-out drone fests.

My playlist Spectrum Spools: A Sampler features representative tracks from all Spectrum Spools' releases to date, so dig in and space out. Check out the whole catalog via the links below.

]]> Fabric: A Sort of Radiance
Bee Mask: Canzoni dal Laboratorio del Silenzio Cosmico
Forma: Forma
Mist: House
Bee Mask: Elegy for Beach Friday
Temporal Marauder: Temporal Marauder Makes You Feel
Container: LP
Driphouse: Spectrum 008
Hive Mind: Elemental Disgrace

Keri Hilson, No Boys Allowed

2011-11-29T12:00:00Z

Keri Hilson is such a clever girl. We don't just mean that she is an intelligent individual, which she undoubtedly is: Her second album showcases supremely well-crafted and lovingly sung soul-pop, with particular emphasis on the pop, as Hilson treads more deeply into the big beats and fierce stances of diva territory. But she is also very clever about being a girl: No Boys is not only full of smart shout-outs to the ladies (and nuanced reminders about respecting them), it also articulates an idea of girlishness as a strength rather than a liability (see "Pretty Girl Rock"). [Rachel Devitt]

Hear It Now!

Rhapsody Speakeasy: Dum Dum Girls

2011-11-28T17:12:58Z

Live from New York City's CMJ Music Festival, here's our exclusive chat with Dee Dee from fantastic fuzz-punk band Dum Dum Girls, whose new Only in Dreams is one of the best records of 2011. Here, she talks about her love of Patti Smith, the pleasures and perils of being married to a fellow musician (Crocodiles' Brandon Welchez), that time she dreamt a new video for The Breeders' "Cannonball," and more. Enjoy.

White Wizzard, Flying Tigers

2011-11-28T12:00:00Z

Barely recognizable personnel-wise from just two years before, these '80s-obsessed Pasadenans go the D&D route on their second full-length -- in this case, Dio and Dokken, or "Demons and Diamonds," though a few dragons do take flight. There's also Atlantis, pyramids, sci-fi and, in the title cut, WWII air squadrons. That song soars OK, as do ones about L.A. nights, Tokyo night trains and night stalkers. But older lineups had more fun, and despite some sweet solos, these guys don't quite manage the dynamics, hooks or grooves to support their overly ambitious mythic ideas. [Chuck Eddy]

Hear It Now!

Celia Cruz, Festejando Navidad

2011-11-27T12:00:00Z

It really doesn't get better than a Celia Cruz Christmas album. You can pinch yourself, check for sleigh bells on the roof, sniff the eggnog...but you're not dreaming. This really is the young Cruz (with La Sonora Matancera) singing "Jingle Bells" in Spanish and lending her surprisingly sweet voice to an assortment of romantic, horn-driven songs loosely about the season. It's so charming, you won't be able to stop listening. [Sarah Bardeen]

Hear It Now!

Prince, Controversy

2011-11-26T12:00:00Z

Sandwiched between two classic Prince albums, Controversy is overlooked, and that's not unfair: the hooks aren't memorable, the funk is a bit thin and the political overtones seem ham-fisted. But a subpar Prince album is still a work of genius. The title tracks fuses spirituality and sexuality, while the uncanny "Do Me, Baby" subverts typical pop gender roles. [Sam Chennault]

Hear It Now!

Friday Mixtape: Metal That Fell Through the Cracks

2011-11-25T12:05:20Z

Metal has been around for more than 40 years (or at the very least, since Black Sabbath's original lineup got together the first time), and by now it's hauling around its own canon of what are generally assumed to be classic, world-shaking albums—some of which are every bit as great as people claim, others of which (as with any other genre) aren't.

But this mixtape isn't about those. Nope—these are bands you probably never even heard about, or (if you did) forgot about, or maybe you heard their names and wondered about them but most likely never got around to checking them out, or (in the case of the more familiar names) maybe they started out way more metal than you ever figured. Or at least more "heavy rock"—once upon a time, the two genres were synonyms. That would've been back in the '70s, which takes up a healthy chunk of this playlist. Thought there's plenty from the '80s, too—especially the first third or so of that decade, when thrash and hair metal hadn't quite fully gelled yet, and lots of bands were somehow unknowingly predating both at the same time, all while the New Wave of British (though also often Non-British) Metal was somewhere between a rumor, a mystery and a myth.

To keep things current, this playlist does eventually wind its way into the '90s and '00s, but that stuff's kept to a minimum, since it really hasn't been around long enough to get lost in the dustbin of history quite yet. Whatever. These 50 songs rock your socks off at the school of hard knocks, as Black N Blue used to say. A few are even about eating the rich—or about anarchy, the police, war heroes and stuff. (Occupying Metal, if you will!) Two are shrieked in sexy romance languages; another (by Krokus) concerns a long stick going boom. Plus, five artists —Vandenberg, Heavy Metal Kids, Wild Dogs, Axe and Pat Travers—chronicle what's happening out on the street, or at least claim to in their song titles. And what is happening out there? A knock-down, drag-out rock 'n' roll party, of course! So what are you waiting for?

Click here to hear my Friday Mixtape: Metal That Fell Through the Cracks playlist.

Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas

2011-11-25T12:00:00Z

Not only is this one of the greatest Xmas albums ever, it's one of the few holiday releases that you can enjoy throughout the year (and it doesn't even matter if you've seen the beloved Peanuts TV special or not!). Guaraldi's original tunes "Linus & Lucy," "Skating" and the oddly melancholy "Christmas Time Is Here" have all become a part of our culture. [Nick Dedina]

Hear It Now!

Radio: Holiday Hayride

2011-11-24T19:33:45Z

What holiday has more family traditions than Christmas? And who knows more about "family tradition" than country music lovers? We've spent the past few weeks trimming the tracks on our radio tree and adding plenty of shiny new tunes to make sure it sounds nice for all you folks—even you naughty ones.

On Holiday Hayride, we feature such iconic old-school country artists as Gene Autry, Johnny Cash and Kitty Wells, dropping them in the mix with several decades' worth of more contemporary artists: Alabama, John Denver, George Strait, Kenny and Dolly, and many more favorites. Does anyone sing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" better than Gene Autry? Take a listen to George Strait's and Merle Haggard's versions. Kenny Chesney's reggae-fied version of "Jingle Bells" has to be heard to be believed, mon. And we've also included plenty of brand-new Christmas tunes from Joey and Rory, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Julie Roberts and a whole lot more.

So dig your spurs into old and new country Christmas classics via Rhapsody's Holiday Hayride radio.

Pixies, Come on Pilgrim

2011-11-24T12:00:00Z

Need we remind you that in 1987, most people were doing their best to catch a drop of Whitney Houston's brow sweat? Somehow, this record worked its way through the mire: eight tracks of howling rage, surreal folk-y pop, and Oedipal confusion. You should have every note of this record tattooed on your back. [Jon Pruett]

Hear It Now!

Rhapsody Speakeasy: Sarah Jaffe

2011-11-23T17:16:16Z

Live from New York City's CMJ Music Festival, here's our exclusive chat with intimate singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe, who discusses her love for Radiohead's The Bends and the indie flick Junebug, and how she got over her control-freak ways. Enjoy.

Rhapsody's Holiday Music Spectacular

2011-11-23T15:00:00Z

The holiday season is upon us. And if you're like us, and you can't help but thrill to the yuletide aural exploits of Charlie Brown, Phil Spector, Bing Crosby, James Brown, Mariah Carey, Celia Cruz, The Muppets, King Diamond and all the rest, then here's our gift to you: an absolute enormous guide to the holiday music available on Rhapsody, from soul jams to Latin favorites to deep-cut crooner epics, from new 2011 favorites (Justin Bieber!) to our 10 favorite classic rockers who look like Santa (Rick Rubin!), from the tasteful lilt of John Fahey to the seedier exploits of St. Nick himself. We've got an in-depth guide to A Charlie Brown Christmas, an ultimate holiday-party playlist, and capping it all off, our 30 favorite Xmas albums of all time. Enjoy, and have a jovial holiday season.

	The Pantheon: Our 30 favorite holiday albums of all time			Ultimate Holiday Party Playlist: Classics, deep cuts, oddities
	2011 Xmas Roundup: New jams from Michael Bublé, Justin Bieber and more			Charlie Brown's Parents: The piano-jazz influences behind a holiday classic
	Santa's Clones: The Top 10 classic rockers who look like St. Nick			Xmas Soul Muzak: Cheesy jams from Whitney, Mariah and more
	New Country Christmas: Fresh yuletide cheer from your favorite stars			Global Holiday Albums: From Enya to Sly & Robbie
	Santa's Dark Side: He cheats, he lies, he kisses Mommy and/or Daddy			Winter Indieland: Good tidings from She & Him, Fleet Foxes and more
	Christian Roundup: New tunes from TobyMac, Matthew West and more			Feliz Navidad: Latin holiday hits from José, Celia, Luis and more
	Crooner Deep Cuts: Lesser-known jams from Bing, Frank and the gang			John Fahey's Respite: The folk giant soothes even holiday haters
	Radio: Silent Night: Classical carols and merry symphonies galore			Radio: Holiday Hooks: Pop hits, from The Beach Boys to Destiny's Child

On The Record: Wild Flag Talk Minutemen

2011-11-23T14:01:16Z

On the Record is a video series wherein rock stars gush about their favorite records -- for exactly 45 seconds. Click above to watch Wild Flag give it up for Minutemen.

Wild Flag
Wild Flag

Minutemen
Double Nickels on the Dime

Source Material: A Charlie Brown Christmas

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

With breezy, swinging panache, Vince Guaraldi pulled off something nearly impossible with his 1965 score to A Charlie Brown Christmas: he issued a record that instantly expanded the overstuffed Christmas canon. The formula was unusual, to say the least. The pianist's lightly swinging trio brought a fresh, sophisticated air to dreary holiday standards like "O Tannenbaum," captured several cute (if somewhat tuneless) kids' sing-alongs, and turned out a few nimble originals—"Skating," "Christmas Time Is Here," "Linus & Lucy"—that became standards in their own right.

Getting under the surface of A Charlie Brown Christmas requires a musical trip back to the genre-bending, transformational West Coast jazz scene of the 1950s. Guaraldi grew up in San Francisco and found himself returning to the city after serving in the Korean War. In college, he was fascinated by boogie-woogie piano players like Meade "Lux" Lewis, Albert Ammons and Jimmy Yancey, and eventually took an interest in straight-ahead jazz. He sat in at San Francisco clubs like the Blackhawk, and eventually landed a gig adding to the shimmering, Latin-influenced grooves of Cal Tjader.

Guaraldi's first major recordings were with Tjader's outfit in 1951, and he'd keep that association going throughout his career, eventually playing on about a dozen of the bandleader's records. Guaraldi cut his first solo sessions in 1955, and eventually shaped a career that ranged far beyond his dalliances with Charlie Brown and Snoopy. His melodic, grounded playing simultaneously imbibed Dave Brubeck's trained compositional sensibility and swinging elements of piano greats like Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. More than anything, he had a fierce ear for melody as both a composer and an improviser.

]]> A Charlie Brown Christmas, which we still return to nearly 50 years later, every holiday season. Here's where it came from.

Listen along with two playlists: Source Material: A Charlie Brown Christmas (compiling everything listed below) and the more general, self-explanatory Christmas Piano Jazz

Art Tatum
In Private (1948)
As an up-and-coming pianist on the SF scene, Guaraldi scored a gig playing between Art Tatum sets at the Blackhawk: according to interviews, he nearly considered giving up the piano entirely. These sparkling recordings of Tatum capture the pianist in a lovely private setting.

Meade "Lux" Lewis
Tidal Boogie (1954)
Guaraldi described himself as a "reformed boogie woogie pianist" and had great affection for Meade Lux Lewis, one of the unquestionable greats of the genre. This collection of brassy tack-piano boogie was in heavy rotation as Guaraldi was branching out to play both straight-ahead jazz and Latin jazz with Tjader's group.

Vince Guaraldi
Vince Guaraldi Trio (1956)
Between sessions with vibraphonist Cal Tjader and tours with Woody Herman, Guaraldi embarked on an understated solo career. Although he hadn't grown the iconic mustache yet, his second effort as a bandleader boasts a slice of his mature, tasteful writing in the slinking melody of "Fenwick's Farfel." It's the LP's only original and shows off Guaraldi's skill at weaving together a melody with guitarist Eddie Duran.

Cal Tjader
Jazz at the Blackhawk (1957)
This disarming live set from Tjader's 1950s period shows what a hot (non-Latin) jazz bandleader he was while illustrating how much he learned from Milt Jackson. Tjader was a San Francisco institution who played long engagements at the Blackhawk with this edition of his group, which includes soon-to-be stars Vince Guaraldi on piano and Eugene Wright on bass. Guaraldi makes a whimsical contribution with the tongue-in-cheek "Thinking of You, MJQ." [Nick Dedina]

Cal Tjader
Latin Concert (1958)
This 1958 set shows off Guaraldi with one of Tjader's greatest outfits, including Latin heavyweights Willie Bobo and Mongo Santamaria. Amid the star-studded lineup and righteous Latin-jazz polyrhythm, there isn't much room for Guaraldi to strut his stuff—he mostly stays in a supporting role. But the set is amazing in its own right.

Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook (1959)
Although Oscar Peterson dedicated a number of LPs to songwriting icons in trio settings, none are a better match for him than the Cole Porter songbook, which is played with such familiarity and originality here that it seems sometimes as if Peterson wrote the tunes himself. Supported with unadorned perfection by drummer Ed Thigpen and bassist Ray Brown, he struts through banner standards like "Love For Sale" and "Night and Day" with his collar turned up. The heart-racing trip though "It's Alright With Me" finds his playing at its most authoritative, powerful and dexterous.

Dave Brubeck
Time Out (1960)
One figure overshadowed all others in the West Coast scene during Guaraldi's era: Dave Brubeck. Brubeck's records in the early '50s built a strong reputation for San Francisco's Fantasy label, on which Guaraldi would release a number of records as a leader and sideman. This recording was a huge hit for Brubeck, who grafted foreign time signatures onto modern jazz. "Take Five" was a crossover smash that defined the early '60s and freed up jazz's boundaries.

Vince Guaraldi
Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (1962)
Although Guaraldi had growing notability in San Francisco jazz circles, he had his major breakthrough with this LP, which features his combo taking on Jobim and Luiz Bonfá's score for Marcel Camus' film Black Orpheus. Buried on the B-side of single "Samba De Orpheus" was a Guaraldi original, "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," that became a grassroots hit after a Sacramento DJ started spinning it. In an age when jazz was all but excluded from the pop charts, it scored a place in the Top 20 and wound up the biggest jazz hit of the decade. Most importantly, that's the tune filmmaker Lee Mendelson heard while considering making a documentary on Peanuts creator Charles Schultz, marking the first connection between Charlie Brown and Vince Guaraldi.

Christmas Soul Muzak

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Each Christmas brings with it another glut of holiday soul albums. This year's crop includes A Ginuwine Christmas and a holiday single from Mindless Behavior, "Christmas with My Girl." In years past, everyone from Destiny's Child (8 Days of Christmas) to Whitney Houston (One Wish: The Holiday Album) to Ashanti (Ashanti's Christmas) has gotten into the spirit, always mixing reliable standards (see Donny Hathaway's deathless "This Christmas") and original compositions that occasionally result in new classics (see Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You").

These are the kind of records you'll hear all month long at your family's house, especially since NBA basketball is on hiatus; it seems as if I've been hearing The Temptations' "Silent Night" on soul-oldies stations forever. The predictability of this stuff is part of the reason it works so well: B2K may get a little randy on 2002's Santa Hooked Me Up with "Sexy Boy Christmas," but eventually they get around to "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose … the voices may change, but the standards stay with us.

Click here to listen to my playlist: Christmas Soul Soundtrack

An Indie Winter Wonderland

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Holiday music is not just reserved for the fair crooner. In fact, many an indie artist has been struck with yuletide fever — or has at least shivered enough through a December day to be inspired to sing about hard winters and white snow. So this isn’t strictly hall-decking, bell-jingling music, but rather an array of tunes that represent both the jolly and the melancholy of the holiday season, from covers by Sufjan Stevens, She & Him and Rogue Wave to sweet originals by Snow Patrol and The Raveonettes to, well, stranger Christmas ditties from Beck, The Flaming Lips and Julian Casablancas. There’s also lots of talk about winter and snow — and if you’re dying to learn 50 ways to describe the white stuff, Kate Bush will educate you.

Click here to listen to my An Indie Winter Wonderland playlist.

Another Side of Santa Claus

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Kris Kringle is quite the mystery. Some believe he's just a jolly good fella that can do no wrong; others are a little more suspicious. What exactly does he do with those reindeer in the off-season? Who is he really kissing under the mistletoe? Artists like The Killers, Sonic Youth, They Might Be Giants, Sufjan Stevens and, of course, Weird Al have all questioned Santa's greater motives. The songs featured in this playlist suggest a different side to the typical portrayal of good ol' St. Nick. Is he really a gun-carryin', mullet-sportin', daddy-kissin' slave driver? Free the elves!

Click here to listen to my Another Side of Santa Claus playlist.

2011 Christian Christmas Roundup

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Christian artists were born (or should we say born again?) to create Christmas music. After all, "Christ" is right there in the name of the holiday! It's not surprising that a genre that delivers spiritually themed music all year long goes into overdrive around the holidays. From the outside looking in, it could seem like overkill (the sheer volume practically guarantees at least a few lukewarm covers), but when it comes to marking the birth of a baby they see as a savior, the faithful take this stuff seriously. Here's our take on a half-dozen of the most high-profile new Christmas collections, with details on everything from guest stars to don't-miss tracks.

Listen now: New Christian Christmas Mix - 2011

1. Matthew West
The Heart of Christmas
The pop purveyor with a great big heart kicks off his first seasonal disc with a bang, belting out the uptempo "Come On, Christmas." Even if you're a little low on Christmas spirit, you'll find it hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm for the ho-ho holiday. Not content to just deliver covers, West mixes six classics with the same number of original tunes and adds a bit of a Rat Pack vibe. While he has no problem holding his own, West's musical guests are nothing to throw a candy cane at: Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Mandisa each join him for a duet, taking this album from "merry and bright" to "instant classic."

]]> 2. Matt Wertz
Snow Globe
It's a sad fact that a lot of Christmas albums are just plain embarrassing. As you listen, you find yourself cringing a little for the artist and wondering how their label convinced them to submit to this seasonal silliness. Fortunately, there are exceptions to every rule, and if you're looking for a new collection that mixes old and new while avoiding the schmaltz, this is it. Matt Wertz somehow manages to inspire holiday cheer and still come across as a guy you'd love to join for a beer — no mean feat. His take on "White Christmas" is a welcome update, and his cover of Amy Grant's "Tennessee Christmas" is a soulful ode to his adopted home state. Even after singing about how he'd like to live in a snow globe, Wertz can still hold his head high.

3. TobyMac
Christmas in Diverse City
The man who manages to remain as ageless as Santa gathered a group of talented friends to celebrate Christmas, creating a collection that should be at the top of your wish list. Leigh Nash, Owl City, Nirva Ready, Toddiefunk and others lend a hand as this talented mix-master blends rock, hip-hop, soul and even a little reggae as only TobyMac can. It's not your typical Christmas collection, but this fresh take maintains the spirit of the holiday throughout.

4. Kutless
This Is Christmas EP
If you find yourself questioning whether Christmas music can rock, Kutless have the answer. This electrifying six-song collection delivers a big sound that is both reverent and rocking. Who knew "O Holy Night" could sound so cool? Meanwhile, "This Is Christmas" offers a spiritual take on the classic rock ballad. Kutless' cover of "Breath of Heaven" is just short of breathtaking, while their version of "Mary Did You Know" (originally done by Southern gospel artist and frequent Gaither collaborator Mark Lowry) turns out to be not just an interesting but an inspired choice.

5. David Crowder*Band
Oh for Joy EP
Quirky Texas artist David Crowder puts his unique spin on eight well-known carols, using his musical gifts to point listeners back to the real meaning of Christmas. You wouldn't think a classic hymn like "Joy to the World" could be infused with even more spiritual meaning, but Crowder manages to do it effortlessly. His worshipful approach to music transfers seamlessly to tracks like "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night," resulting in a beautifully honest collection that never feels forced. This is perfect for a Christmas Eve service or personal contemplation.

6. FFH
One Silent Night
The harmonies of husband-and-wife team Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler are at the heart of FFH, and there are plenty to be had in the acoustic pop of One Silent Night. Classics like "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "Winter Wonderland" coexist peacefully with originals like "Glorious Impossible" and "Heaven and Nature Sing." The duo does justice to "I'll Be Home for Christmas," but several other covers seem to fall flat. In particular, their cover of "Baby It's Cold Outside" pales in comparison to the numerous other versions out there. That said, "The Birthday of the King" shines, and the title track is a standout.

2011 Christmas Music Roundup

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Can you smell it in the air? It's that time again. Christmas is coming, ready or not, and while there's still hope this is the year you'll successfully avoid Grandma's probing inquiries about your still-single status and Uncle Carl's awkward full-frontal hugs, holiday music is a Christmastime inevitability. At the mall or the doctor's office, in grocery stores and elevators, on TV and the radio, from the computers of overly cheery coworkers and the mouths of misguided carolers, you can't escape it. Don't even try. The best you can hope for is to exercise some control over the seasonal sounds you consume. It's in that spirit that we present a host of brand-new holiday releases. Read on and find out which ones are worth adding to this year's holiday playlist.

Or, click here to listen to our Holiday New Music Mix - 2011 playlist

1. Justin Bieber
Under the Mistletoe
The Biebster + holidays? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?! The boy wonder knows how to get you in a festive mood. And we do mean mood: things get downright naughty on "Christmas Eve." The classics are craftily reworked (Santa comes to town with hip-hop swagger; the drummer boy goes clubbing), and the originals are finely tuned to show off Bieber's surprising range, from dubby coffee-shop pop to soulful country. Plus, a bunch of fabulous guests stop by, including Usher, Boyz II Men and, yes, Mariah Carey. Mistletoe is no Mimi holiday album, but it's one heck of a holiday party. [Rachel Devitt]

]]> 2. She & Him
A Very She & Him Christmas
Most of us were first alerted to Zooey Deschanel's vocal abilities when she crooned "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in Elf, so tackling an entire album of holiday hits seems like a natural fit. Her bluesy, breathy approach (alongside singing partner M. Ward) yields a mostly welcome addition to the classic carol collections we pull out this time of year. In fact, Deschanel's voice is perfect for tracks like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," while others are near misses: This version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" seems rushed, and "Silver Bells" feels underdone, even for a stripped-down album like this. It'll do for a hipster holiday gathering, but we're not sure this one will stand the test of time. [Wendy Lee Nentwig]

3. Michael Bublé
Christmas
There won't be any coal in Michael Bublé's stocking this year. In fact, he's been a very, very good boy, if this wonderfully listenable album is any gauge. His Sinatra-esque takes on holiday classics like "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" are just what you'd expect; a big-band sound and some interesting duet partners (Shania Twain joins him for "White Christmas") add a little extra dimension, but there are no real surprises here. Rabid Bublé fans who are still nursing broken hearts after his March 2011 nuptials may feel that his cover of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" only rubs salt in their wounds, but they can console themselves with some "naughty or nice" Christmas undies, for sale on the Michael Bublé website. Fortunately, this collection is less cheesy than his merch. [W.L.N.]

4. Scott Weiland
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Instead of transforming these holiday chestnuts with alt-rock cool, Weiland plays them straight — kind of. The move must be a nod to his hero David Bowie, whose 1977 duet with Bing Crosby, "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," surely served as an inspiration. With saccharine string arrangements and show-biz schmaltz, Weiland sounds like a '40s crooner who barged into the studio after knocking back too much eggnog: you can almost hear him falling off his stool on "I'll Be Home for Christmas." The scary thing is, the guy could've been a half-decent pop singer, had he come up through the tradition. [Justin Farrar]

5. Joey + Rory
Farmhouse Christmas
Every holiday season, we're titillated by new Christmas albums — until we realize they offer the same old, same old. How many different ways are there to interpret "Silent Night"? Joey + Rory sidestep that problem here with both originals and a clutch of lesser-known songs: "The Gift," a touching story of an orphan girl named Maria and her heartfelt offering on Christmas Eve, is the stunning highlight of the set. With south-of-the-border flourishes in its instrumentation, this poignant tale of a humble-hearted girl will have you in tears by song's end. And their version of "If We Make It Through December" (with Merle Haggard) takes on deeper meaning when heard in the context of a Christmas album. But there's plenty of humor here, too — just check out "Let It Snow (Somewhere Else)" or "I Know What Santa's Getting for Christmas." [Linda Ryan]

6. Mannheim Steamroller
Christmas Symphony
The very name is synonymous with Christmas. They're part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, there's a huge annual holiday tour, and every seasonal release seems to instantly shoot up the charts. For their latest, Mannheim Steamroller join forces with members of the world-renowned Czech Philharmonic Orchestra for a brand-new instrumental recording of some of the group's classic Christmas songs. Recorded in Prague (even their recording locations seem Christmas-y!), the set features 16 tracks expanded into full symphonic arrangements. It might not cause a Scrooge-like conversion, but it will infuse you with a little holiday spirit. [W.L.N.]

7. Vanessa Peters
The Christmas We Hoped For
Texas-based indie artist Vanessa Peters applies her jangle-pop approach to a dozen holiday tunes to nice effect. Many are already holiday standards, like "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas," while others, like her cover of "All That I Want" by The Weepies, add a bit of indie cred. The album ends Peters' three-year hiatus and was meant to be a simple side project; instead, it became all-consuming and even threatened to bring on heatstroke as she recorded during the hottest Texas summer in 30 years. The spare production results in an album that is wistfully nostalgic without being overly sentimental. [W.L.N.]

8. Various Artists
This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 2
Jack Johnson's Brushfire label offers up its second seasonal disc, this time featuring festive originals by Johnson himself as well as cuts from G. Love, Matt Costa, ALO, Money Mark, Zach Gill, Paula Fuga and Neil Halstead. Other artists tackle the classics, with Zee Avi covering "Frosty the Snowman," Rogue Wave getting down on "Jingle Bell Rock" and a Bahamas cover of The Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight" rounding out the collection. [W.L.N.]

9. Carole King
A Holiday Carole
Carole King finally takes on the holidays, 50 years after her first No. 1 hit. Produced by her daughter Louise Goffin, the album's 12 tracks run the gamut, mixing ubiquitous holiday faves with more obscure choices like "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday." Hearing King's familiar, throaty vocals belt out well-loved classics seems like a great idea, but it turns out to be better in theory than in execution. The jazz-inflected "Chanukah Prayer" is a bit clunky, but it's the most heartfelt and personal track here, featuring both Goffin and King's grandson. [W.L.N.]

Feliz Navidad: A Latin Christmas Celebration!

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Like the holiday season itself (emphasis on season — as in weeks of festivities), Christmas songs are kind of a big deal in the Latin-music world. From meditative religious songs to rollicking salsa soundtracks perfect for a parranda (the caroling/party tradition), sun-kissed Spanish versions of "White Christmas" to "El Burrito de Belén," there's a song for just about every occasion, and chances are it's been recorded by just about every big-name Latin star. In the spirit of the season, we put together a massive navidad mega-mix with the perfect song for every mood and moment, whether you're waking up at the crack of dawn for a novena service, preparing for a festive nochebuena dinner with family or just celebrating the season with friends. It includes a multiversion "Burrito" breakdown! ¡Feliz Navidad!

Listen now: Feliz Navidad: A Latin Christmas Celebration!

Classic Rock Crate Digger: Ten Rockers Who Totally Resemble Santa Claus

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Happy holidaze, people! The Crate Digger here. To inject a little Christmas cheer into your lives, I compiled a list of 10 rockers who totally resemble Santa Claus, from Billy Gibbons and Rick Rubin to Edgar Winter and Mick Fleetwood. I also included several younger rocker dudes who are definitely little Kris Kringles in the making (if they decide to keep their beards in the coming decades).

One more thing: I sprinkled in a little history here and there regarding the evolution of the mythology of Santa. This stuff will make great dinner conversation with your stupid in-laws.

Be sure to also check out my playlist: Ten Rockers Who Totally Resemble Santa Claus

1. Billy Gibbons
Other classic rockers might look more like Sinterklaas, but let's face it, none are cooler than the St. Nicholas of Tejas, Mr. Billy Gibbons. Instead of a sled and reindeer, the ZZ Top legend uses the Eliminator car to deliver gifts around the world. Rather than elves, his helpers are scantily clad babes who use lots of hairspray. By the way, did you know that in certain regions of Mexico, children tie their letters to Santa to helium balloons, which they release into the sky in hopes they'll float to the North Pole ... or Billy's house?

Stocking Stuffer: ZZ Top, Tres Hombres

]]> 2. Jerry Garcia
Is Santa a hippie? He's most certainly a stoner: always jolly, giggles often, eats a lot. Another interesting fact: a large part of the Santa myth can be traced back to Nikolaos of Myra (aka Saint Nicholas). Like so many hippies throughout the annals of history, St. Nick grew up wealthy but felt deeply guilty about his privileged background. So, he decided to slum it with the poor folk of Asia Minor. He also did a lot of fasting, which is pretty damn New Age.

Stocking Stuffer: The Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks, Vol. 10: Winterland Arena 12/29/1977

3. Edgar Winter
Edgar has the perfect last name. As for that severely gaunt face and rail-thin frame, the bluesman is a throwback to the aforementioned Saint Nicholas, who had none of the bulbous heft of modern-day Santa Claus. Where did this bulbous heft originate? Well, it's primarily an American concoction, it seems. This shouldn't come as any surprise, seeing as how we're also the country that invented the KFC Famous Bowl.

Stocking Stuffer: Edgar Winter, They Only Come Out at Night

4. Leon Russell
Russell gets my vote for the one true Father Christmas of rock 'n' roll. Hell, the guy had a white beard when he was, like, 13. Nowadays, the thing is as blinding white as the green room on the Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour.

Stocking Stuffer: Leon Russell, Carney

5. Brent Hinds
Mastodon guitarist, singer and flaming beardo Brent Hinds looks most like Groundskeeper Willie — if the irascible Scot had decided to get his body covered in biker ink. But there's another way to approach this: Hinds is a child of heavy metal, and as we all know, the ruling god of heavy metal is none other than Odin, who is considered, in certain Pagan circles, a major influence on the development of the myth of Santa Claus.

Stocking Stuffer: Mastodon, The Hunter

6. Jim Morrison
The genius of Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa is in the way he didn't actually portray Santa, but Jim Morrison dressed as Santa.

Stocking Stuffer: The Doors, L.A. Woman

7. Rick Rubin
Rubin is kind of like Buddha meets Father Christmas. The guy's chakras are so exquisitely tuned that nothing seems to ever phase him. Moreover, he produced one of the greatest holiday singles of all time: Run-D.M.C's "Christmas in Hollis."

Stocking Stuffer: Linkin Park, A Thousand Suns

8. Buffalo Killers
Remember that flick The Boys from Brazil? A leftover cadre of Nazi power elite, hiding in the Amazon forest in the decades following World War II, creates baby clones of Hitler in an attempt to bring about the second coming of the Führer. Swap Nazis for elves and Hitler for Santa, and you have Cincinnati's Buffalo Killers. All three resemble clones of a twenty-something Kris Kringle.

Stocking Stuffer: Buffalo Killers, 3

9. Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood is the gentleman's Santa Claus: tall, distinguished and well groomed. But then again, Santa never romped with a witchy woman like Stevie Nicks.

Stocking Stuffer: Fleetwood Mac, Tusk

10. William Lee Golden
Yes, The Oak Ridge Boys aren't rockers. But if you're like me and came of age in the 1980s, then William Lee Golden's gloriously flowing beard was permanently burned into your memory via those commercials hawking the group's greatest-hits package for "just $19.99" (available on vinyl, cassette or eight track). Those ads were weird. I never understood why Golden held his microphone so far from his mouth. Did he possess a more powerful and robust voice than his fellow Oak Ridge Boys? Was he afraid of his beard getting caught in the mic head?

Stocking Stuffer: The Oak Ridge Boys, Christmas (the only actual holiday album here!!!)

A New Country Christmas

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Feeling like your collection of country-flavored Christmas carols could use an overhaul? The time to do it is now, and it’s definitely best to do a little sprucing up before Auntie Jane and Uncle Charlie land on your doorstep.

This twanging playlist will get you into the swing of the holidays in no time. Each song is, for the most part, a brand-spanking-new tune recorded for the 2011 Christmas season by such well-known stars as Toby Keith, Little Big Town and Sawyer Brown. Of course, we also have some offerings from up-and-comers as well. Whether you like your carols with a touch of holiday humor or prefer something more prayerful, we’ve got all the new sounds for the 2011 holiday season.

Hit play and hear how this year’s crop stacks up against some of country’s best-loved Christmas classics!

Listen now: A New Country Christmas

Roundup: International Holiday Albums

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

We all love our holiday traditions, including our favorite seasonal songs, whether you're a classicist or a "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"-ist. This year, why not add a global dimension to your holiday listening traditions by embracing some international music customs? We've assembled an extensive guide to the best international and Latin holiday albums, including Christmas-, Hanukkah- and solstice-friendly music from Ireland, Cuba, Jamaica, Eastern Europe and more. So start listening and find some new ways to (musically) say Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh! Ah Freilichen Chanukah! Happy holidays!

Listen now: International and Latin Holiday Albums Roundup

1. The Chieftains
The Bells of Dublin
This 1991 album still stands as an unlikely holiday classic — unlikely because only a handful of the usual suspects make it on here. Yes, you'll hear "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "O Holy Night" and a healthy heap of other traditional tunes, but the bulk of The Bells of Dublin plumbs deep into the season, featuring Breton and French carols alongside the odd, Elvis Costello-sung "St. Stephen's Day Murders." The sprawling album commences with the chiming bells of Dublin's Christchurch Cathedral, and they appear throughout. Jackson Browne, Rickie Lee Jones, Marianne Faithfull and many others guest. [Sarah Bardeen]

]]> 2. The Klezmatics
Woody Guthrie's Joyous Happy Hanukkah
Yes, you read that right — Woody Guthrie's happy joyous Hanukkah. Guthrie wasn't Jewish, but his mother-in-law, Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt, was, and they shared a professional as well as a familial relationship, critiquing each other's work and participating in social-justice movements together. Over the years, Guthrie penned a handful of Jewish-themed songs for community events, and The Klezmatics (at the behest of his daughter, Nora) have picked them up and transformed them into a rollicking, lighthearted album. [S.B.]

3. Celia Cruz
Festejando Navidad
It really doesn't get better than a Celia Cruz Christmas album. You can pinch yourself, check for sleigh bells on the roof, sniff the eggnog ... but you're not dreaming. This really is the young Cruz (with La Sonora Matancera) singing "Jingle Bells" in Spanish and lending her surprisingly sweet voice to an assortment of romantic, horn-driven songs loosely about the season. It's so charming, you won't be able to stop listening. [S.B.]
See Also: La Reina's Celebremos Nochebuena

4. Various Artists
Sly & Robbie Presents: Taxi X'mas
If you're a fan of Sly & Robbie's storied production or their pioneering work in Jamaican music, well, this isn't the best example of it. What we've got here is a collection of holiday standards by reggae and dub legends that's appealing not so much for its legendary artistry as its kitsch value. But oh my, what kitsch value. A 20-minute medley that covers everything from "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" to "Little Drummer Boy"? A dubby cover of The Jackson 5's "Give Love on Christmas Day" with New Jack synth blasts? And, of course, reggae stars dreaming of a white Christmas? Yes, please! [Rachel Devitt]

5. Willie Colon with Hector Lavoe
Asalto Navideño and Asalto Navideño II
Despite this dynamic duo's bad-boy rep, the "assault" here refers to the parranda, the Latin American custom of caroling groups staging impromptu parties at neighbors' houses. Like any good Fania record, an impromptu party is just what Asalto sounds like. No salsa-fied versions of the holiday standards here. Instead, we get warm, virtuosic originals laced through with Puerto Rican folk styles (bomba, plena and, especially, jibaro), filled with lyrics about the roots and evolution of diasporic culture, and performed by Colon, Lavoe and a cadre of their equally talented friends. [R.D.]

6. Enya
And Winter Came
In the wintry world of Enya's first-ever Christmas release, the Irish artist carries us across snowy fields that stretch for miles, windswept by unearthly "oohs" and "ahhs" and accompanied by the shimmering bridle bells of the ivory gelding's canter. The collection of originals is mixed with some traditionals — like the startling rendition "O Come O Come Emmanuel" — but leans toward agnostic winter leitmotifs. The most interesting song is the penultimate "My! My! Time Flies!", a gentle snowball fight between John Tesh and Brian May that includes, of all rare gifts, a genuine guitar solo. [Nate Cavalieri]

See Also: Celtic Woman, A Christmas Celebration

7. Various Artists
Superestrellas en Navidad: Pop
Okay, it's not a genius Christmas album. But Superestrellas will get you in that food-eating, TV-watching, family-gossiping, slightly sentimental mood that typifies the holidays. It does best, however, when it ditches the David Bisbal stuff and focuses on the slightly more folksy songs — Juanes' "El Burrito De Belen" (which easily trumps Garibaldi's "Feliz Navidad") or Jose Feliciano's "Canto a Borinquen," for instance. [S.B.]
See Also: Various Artists, Navidad en Mi Pueblo

8. Various Artists
Jewltide
JDub, the Jewish crossover label that brought us acts like Balkan Beat Box and DeLeon, jumps into the holiday fray with an unorthodox (ha!), truly enjoyable, nominally Chanukah-identified holiday album. The first religion of many musicians is the joy of the dance, and that's pretty evident here: these artists may sit down for Shabbat dinner with you at twilight, but they'll have you at an all-night rave by midnight. You'll be thanking your lucky dreidel. And really, what better way to celebrate the triumph of the Maccabees? [S.B.]
See Also: The Klezmonauts, Oy to the World

9. Various Artists
Top Latino Navidad 2
This sampler from across the Latin-music world will hit the spot during the holidays. Plenty of big stars (Luis Enrique, Milly Quezada, Gilberto Santa Rosa) and beloved classics are here, and if they're skewed a bit to the Caribbean side of things, well, you won't mind too much when that bias encompasses Gloria Estefan's "Arbolito de Navidad," El Gran Combo's "Jingle Bells"-sampling "Alegría y Paz," and Celia Cruz doing "El Año Viejo." Besides, the comp branches out in just the right places: a duranguense "Jingle Bells," Javier Solis waxing nostalgic and, of course, "El Burrito de Belén." [R.D.]
See Also: Luis Miguel, Navidades

10. Kitka
Wintersongs
Eastern European women's choir Kitka offers a refreshingly distinctive take on the seasonal album, focusing on songs of winter (and the holidays, including pre-Christian traditions) from the region. It's a spine-tingling smorgasbord of traditional songs and carols that evokes a range of moods, from angelic choir ("Domnulet Si Domn Din Cer") to rollicking, meter-shifting folk dance ("Zamuchi Se Bozha Majka") to prayerful meditation ("Otche Nash"). Equal parts folk archive and gorgeous fireside soundtrack best served with a mug of glintwein, it's also a showcase of the group's power and grace. [R.D.]
See Also: Bulgarian Voices, Angelite: Angels' Christmas

A Deep-Cut Crooner Christmas

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Although we love last century's Christmas classics, sometimes the unrelenting spins of Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" are enough to drive a person batty. This playlist rummages around in Santa's sack for the lesser-known gems by your favorite classic crooners, and finds Bing, Dino, Rosemary Clooney and the like singing would-be holiday standards about snowmen, donkeys and snowy white magic. Have fun.

Listen now: Crooners' Christmas Rarities

A John Fahey Christmas Companion

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

Let's get this out of the way up front: I am no great fan of the Christmas season, although that manifests itself less in grinchitude than in mild indifference. (No, Fox News, I am not waging a war on Christmas; I just want to enjoy the ability to indulge or ignore it at my leisure, without being reminded that 'TIS THE SEASON every commercial break and/or city block.) Anyway, the same goes for Christmas music.

Some of that stuff I actually like to hear on, say, December 24 and 25. You can't argue with Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" — that would be like arguing against, I don't know, oxygen. "The Little Drummer Boy" has that Bing Crosby/David Bowie version going for it, of course. And I have fond memories of performing carols in a bell choir at a friend's church when I was a boy. But finding a Christmas recording that doesn't send my kitschometer off the charts — that's a different matter.

Enter John Fahey. Fahey was an eccentric master of fingerpicked guitar — a onetime philosophy student who discovered the blues and never looked back. His early recordings built upon the knowledge of old-time blues and bluegrass he amassed over years of collecting records, folding in elements of European church music and 20th-century classical composers. A champion of American "primitivist" music, he also moved in avant-garde circles: he recorded with the Red Crayola in the late '60s, and in the '90s, linking up with musicians like Jim O'Rourke, he established his legacy for a new generation of listeners.

None of that seems like the pedigree of an avid performer of Christmas music. Nevertheless, Fahey released several Christmas albums in his lifetime, beginning with 1968's The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album and continuing through 1975's The John Fahey Christmas Album, 1982's Christmas Guitar Vol. 1 and 1988's Popular Songs of Christmas & New Year's. (Another album in Rhapsody's catalog, John Fahey Live at Studio KAFE, includes four of the Christmas songs he returned to most often.)

I'm particularly fond of the creaky grace of the earlier recordings. The starkness, the twang and the dissonance don't scan as typical "holiday music"; they have an intimacy and even an imperfection that runs counter to the plastic trees and blinding lights of the season at its most commercialized. I've culled some of my favorites from all five aforementioned albums to create a single playlist, A John Fahey Christmas Companion. 'Tis the season!

Ultimate Holiday Party Playlist

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

You provide the eggnog and mistletoe (or dreidel and menorah); we'll provide the tunes. That's how holidaze work around here. Of course we've got all the eternal carols and trusty standbys about winter wonderlands, sleigh rides, jingle bells, frosty snowmen, drummer boys, feliz navidads, Santa Claus coming to town and/or Mommy kissing him, God resting merry gentlemen, and chestnuts roasting on open fires — many of them harmonized by legendary girl groups or Motowners or recent rock/pop/R&B stars. And we've got all your favorite ubiquitous seasonal standards of less antiquated vintage, too — from John & Yoko and The Beach Boys and The Waitresses and Mariah Carey and Run-D.M.C. Heck, we even have Neil Diamond deadpanning Adam Sandler's timeless Chanukah hymn.

But we've also stuffed your playlist stocking full of yuletide cooltides you definitely don't hear every year: forgotten goodies from folks like Kurtis Blow, Spinal Tap, Slade, SHeDAISY, August Darnell and Ying Yang Twins; holiday hipster bait from The Raveonettes, Vandals, Smashing Pumpkins, James Chance and Sarge (covering Wham!); and vintage historical performances from Clarence Carter, The Moonglows, Solomon Burke, Dean Martin, Mel Torme and two jovial and jumpable guys named Louis (Jordan and Prima.) Not to mention — last but far from least, given an economy that, once again, may not be conducive to heavy gift-giving — plenty of empathetic examples of income-inequity-and/or-dysfunctional-family-spurred seasonal affective disorder, both sociological (Was [Not Was], David Banner, The Fall, Merle Haggard, Ry Cooder, Montgomery Gentry) and psychological (Sparks, Alan Vega, Cristina, a few bleak midwinter goth bands, Aly & AJ). Which might seem kinda depressing, but those are all perfect party songs too, honest!

Scrooges and Grinches who could totally live without December deserve to celebrate too, right? Bah humbug? No, that's too strong. So deck those halls, trim those trees, raise up cups of Christmas cheer, surprise your secret Santa, gobble fruitcake and get down. Just don't spend so much time around the office-party wassail bowl that you wind up doing that sitting-on-the-Xerox-machine thing, OK? Ho ho ho.

Listen now: Ultimate Holiday Party Playlist

The 30 Best Christmas Albums Ever! Of All Time!

2011-11-23T14:00:00Z

The thing about Christmas music is you either love it or hate it. There isn't usually much middle ground. For those of us who love it, the warble of Alvin & The Chipmunks' "Christmas (Don't Be Late)" and Bobby Helms' rockabilly-ing "Jingle Bell Rock" are welcome at least the first 10,000 times we'll hear them—in the car, in the supermarket, in our sleep—between now and December 25th. For those poor souls who have to spend the next month or so trying (unsuccessfully) to get that seizure-inducing "Carol of the Bells" song out of their heads, we're sorry. You have absolutely no use for the list below. But, if you're like me and you listen to Darlene Love's "White Christmas" and, especially, her "Marshmallow World" in June, well, have fun, and don't miss Ella Fitzgerald's bangin' "Jingle Bells," the made-for-Jimmy-Buffett wonder "Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby, the backup singers in Elvis' "Blue Christmas" or any of Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas.

One thing: This list was supposed to be 25 albums, but it's actually 30. That's because I'm a weirdo and couldn't decide on just 25. I love Christmas music.

One other thing: Somebody needs to put out the soundtrack to Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. But for now, this'll have to do.

1. Various Artists
A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector
Weird enough to actually like Christmas music? Well, Darlene Love's "White Christmas" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" are the two best Christmas songs ever. The Crystals' "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" is third, and The Ronettes are always wonderful. Anyone who disagrees is getting coal in their stocking. [Mike McGuirk]

]]> 2. Vince Guaraldi Trio
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Not only is this one of the greatest Christmas albums ever, it's one of the few holiday releases that you can enjoy throughout the year (and it doesn't even matter if you've seen the beloved Peanuts TV special or not!). Guaraldi's original tunes "Linus & Lucy," "Skating" and the oddly melancholy "Christmas Time Is Here" have all become a part of our culture. This remastered version actually improves on perfection, with superior sound and alternate takes. [Nick Dedina]

3. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Christmas Eve and Other Stories
The heavy metal Christmas band delivered this record in 1996, and people are still trying to figure out whom the joke's on. The fact is, TSO take their Christmas music very seriously, and while it doesn't always have the timeless quality of Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas," there are parts here ("A Star to Follow," for one) that are totally awesomely Christmas-y. [M.M.]

4. Bing Crosby
White Christmas
Bing Crosby's reading of "White Christmas" is the definitive holiday song: soft-lit, painfully nostalgic and invincible before the forces of passing time. It's sobering to learn the song took on incredible meaning to G.I.s getting shot at all over the world when it was released in 1942. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" also takes on heavy meaning when you place it in historical perspective (that song came out the next year). Aside from this, Crosby's voice, and these arrangements, will revive practically everyone's childhood memories. "Mele Kalikimaka" is the other bona fide classic here. [M.M.]

5. Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas
Mariah Carey, Merry Christmas
Carey lends her impressive skills to a selection of Christmas classics with a couple of originals thrown in. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is almost Phil Spector-level greatness, but the best part of the album might be the photo of her on the cover. That said, at least Carey was cool enough to do a Christmas record in 1994. [M.M.]

6. John Denver and The Muppets
A Christmas Together
This soundtrack to the priceless TV special brings together the Crown Prince of 1970s easy listening country/folk/pop with Jim Henson's Muppets. Denver's ever-polite "aw shucks" style is well suited to holiday fare, and it just doesn't get any better than Miss Piggy belting out "Christmas Is Coming," Rowlf crooning "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Kermit leading the entire Muppet gang on "Deck the Halls." [N.D.]

7. Mannheim Steamroller
Christmas
This is the first Christmas album the 'Roller unleashed, and it became a surprise smash, turning the heartland onto synth rock in 1984. It still sound amazing—like Kraftwerk's army of Man/Machines marching over your memories of Christmas past. [N.D.]

8. Various Artists
A Very Special Christmas
Debuting in 1987, the first Very Special Christmas holiday compilation on A&M became an instant classic, dominating holiday radio with singles by The Boss, Sting, Whitney, Run D.M.C., and a host of other A-list stars. The cover illustration by Keith Haring and charitable cause—all sales benefited the Special Olympics—helped to further embody the holiday spirit. [Nate Cavalieri]

9. Various Artists
The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection
Motown has released many essential holiday numbers, but this one is exceptional. You get the irrepressible joy of the young, eager-to-please Jackson 5, the group dynamics of the Temptations, the wintry genius of Stevie Wonder and the ever-eccentric Marvin Gaye crooning the truly weird "Purple Snowflakes." It gets even better when you add the label's lesser lights (but not lesser talents) and a number of old seasonal radio spots. There is even a Smokey number touting adoption on here! [N.D.]

10. Amy Grant
A Christmas Album
It's hard to decide which of Grant's three Christmas collections is best, but for the nostalgia factor alone, this one's a keeper. From the album cover to that unforgettable "yoo-hoo!" bellowed out during Grant's rendition of "Sleigh Ride," the album is practically bursting with holiday cheer. Grant's first seasonal disc also gave birth to future Christmas classics that include the hymn-like "Emmanuel" and timeless ballads like "Heirlooms" and "Tennessee Christmas." Christian music's crossover queen was born to sing Christmas music, and her fans are only too happy to keep tuning in. [Wendy Lee Nentwig]

11. Dean Martin
A Winter Romance
There are dozens of Dino Christmas comps out there. Forget about 'em—his original concept album is the one you want. First off, look at that album cover: Dino is hugging one snow bunny while eyeing a Swedish number heading for the slopes. And the music is just as good, matching a romantic holiday narrative full of intrigue with seasonal favorites that even the kiddies can enjoy. [N.D.]

12. Burl Ives
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
It just wouldn't be the holidays without watching a rerun of the best claymation Christmas special ever made. Burl Ives first appeared as narrator Sam the Snowman in 1964 to set the record straight: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer couldn't have guided Santa's sleigh that one foggy Christmas Eve without help from prospector Yukon Cornelius, aspiring dentist elf Hermie and Bumbles the bouncing abominable snowman. If you find yourself Scrooged this holiday season by the weight of commercialism and the nagging of family members, this is the perfect soundtrack to stoke the fire of your Christmas spirit. [Eric Shea]

13. Willie Nelson
Pretty Paper
Recorded in 1979, this is primo mid-period Willie, bouncing down the chimney with a platter of holiday standards interpreted as only he can. This LP contains not only the definitive version of its title track, but other standards of the season crafted with loving attention. The most impressive of Nelson's tricks, though, lies in his treatment of chipper standards like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," which manage to remain listenable year after year. [N.C.]

14. James Brown
Funky Christmas
Three of James Brown's sizzling, groovy, positively political, heartfelt and (sometimes) bizarrely joyous Christmas albums get compiled on this feel-good disc. The remembered hits are "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" and the unbelievably funky (O.K., with Brown you can believe how funky it is) "Christmas Is Love," while the lovely soul ballad "Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay" deserves to be heard every holiday season by members of any and all faiths. [N.D.]

15. The Carpenters
Christmas Collection
The Carpenters lend their soft-focus, slightly whacked touch to two discs worth of Christmas music. With intricate arrangements that blink and shine like a fully loaded tree, by the time you get to the totally narcotic take on "Sleigh Ride," you will be wondering why anyone else ever bothered playing Christmas music. [M.M.]

16. The Beach Boys
Christmas With the Beach Boys
Like the Carpenters' Christmas stuff, The Beach Boys sound as if they're doing heroin on a few of these ("White Christmas," "Blue Christmas," "Smacked Up Christmas," etc.), and "We Three Kings" may be one of the most annoying holiday songs ever recorded. But there's no beating "Little Saint Nick" and "The Man With All the Toys." Weirdos make the best Christmas music. [M.M.]

17. Jimmy Smith
Christmas Cookin'
An undisputed legend on the Hammond B-3 organ, Jimmy Smith blessed listeners with his fluid and funky playing for over 50 years. Originally released back in '64, Christmas Cookin' showcases the jazzman's take on holiday standards like "White Christmas" and "Silent Night," and is overflowing with mellow tones as warm and inviting as a crackling fireplace. [Brolin Winning]

18. Dr. Seuss
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Forget the lame modern version with Jim Carrey—nothing can beat the original Dr. Seuss cartoon. Not only does this holiday classic include Boris Karloff narrating Dr. Seuss' entire twisted holiday tale, it also spotlights three songs, including "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch," the coolest Christmas classic never sung by Bing Crosby. [N.D.]

19. Johnny Cash
Christmas With Johnny Cash
This album boasts what is perhaps the only photograph of the Man in Black dressed in white. The music here is gritty, but Cash sings these carols in a gentle, loving voice. Also featured is "Christmas as We Knew It," a previously unreleased bonus narrative in the spirit of "The Night Before Christmas." Sort of. [E.S]
Note from former Rhapsody writer/turncoat Nick Dedina: What Eric is politely trying to say is that you need to hear Johnny's "Christmas As We Knew It." It's a story of hardscrabble Christmas past, and it rules.

20. Ella Fitzgerald
Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
This one lives up to its title, with the purest set of pipes in holiday history covering Christmas classics backed by Frank DeVol's hot big-band charts. It's all pure gold, but the highlights include the wisely chosen "Good Morning Blues," which contains so much saucy swagger that Ella turns a frown upside down, and "The Secret of Christmas," a drop-dead gorgeous ballad. [N.D.]

21. Andrew Peterson
Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ
Instead of redoing a bunch of festive classics and wrapping them up with a bow, Andrew Peterson took on the ambitious task of telling the biblical story of Christ's birth from its true beginning in the Old Testament. Fortunately, he wasn't alone in this mad mission. Artists like Fernando Ortega, Derek Webb and Jill Phillips joined him on inspired tracks like "Passover Us" and "Labor of Love." Strings, hammered dulcimer and an organic approach sets this further apart from the usual Christmas glitter and sparkle. Don't miss "Matthew's Begats" for a rhyming rendition of the genealogy of Jesus. [W.L.N.]

22. Elvis Presley
Elvis' Christmas Album
"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" rocks, and "Blue Christmas" has the best backup singers EVER, not to mention the way Elvis masterfully adds syllabic sobs to almost every word in the song. The rest of the album follows lines similar to the King's unparalleled gospel material. One of those albums where you can hear how much Presley really loved to sing. [M.M.]

23. Frank Sinatra
A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra
This holiday classic should actually be titled Frank's Alternately Somber and Jolly Christmas, as neither Sinatra nor arranger Gordon Jenkins could hide their maudlin sides when they worked together. The first half contains beautiful readings of modern holiday classics, while the second half features traditional Christmas numbers. [N.D.]

24. Alvin & the Chipmunks
Christmas With the Chipmunks
Forget the Chipmunks' recent hip-hop update. These are the Chipmunks in their early 1960s incarnation, singing Christmas classics in the warbling twitter that enchants little kids and is remarkably palatable (in controlled doses) for adults. Add in a little corny humor as their handler, the long-suffering David Seville, tries to keep the unruly threesome corralled, and you end up with holiday gold that's certainly twee but still charming. [Sarah Bardeen]

25. Johnny Mathis
Merry Christmas
This yuletide classic is probably played more at Christmastime than all other holiday albums combined. The heavenly voiced Mathis (shown hitting the slopes on the album cover) crooning the perfect mix of popular and sacred Christmas tunes can turn any home into a holiday haven. [N.D.]

26. Various Artists
A Christmas Record
From Was (Not Was)'s down-and-out Detroit-soup-kitchen free-funk to Davitt Sigerson's lovely Christmas card for his geography-dispersed family to The Waitresses' unforgettable-despite-those-cranberries "Christmas Wrapping," A Christmas Record, when first released on downtown NYC's great new wave dance label Ze in 1981, was harder to humbug than any rock-era holiday compilation not produced by Phil Spector. Of five songs added in subsequent pressings, only James Chance's jingle-blurting "Christmas With Satan" kills. But despite a bit of cabaret-campy filler, this remains a December party essential. [Chuck Eddy]

27. King Diamond
"No Presents for Christmas"
Originally released on December 25, 1985, as the first satanic metal Christmas carol of all time, "No Presents For Christmas" was the legendary vocalist's introductory entry as a solo artist after leaving Mercyful Fate. That's reason enough to make the single a timeless metal keepsake, but toss in the fact that it acted as a blueprint for black metal (as most of Diamond's music/shtick did), as well as being both bizarre as hell and hilarious, and you end up with a rather interesting little tidbit in Diamond's already-impressive oeuvre. [M.M.]

28. Boney M
The Greatest Hits
Not a Christmas album, this collection from '70s disco act Boney M gets on here for the great, Abba-riffic song "Mary's Boychild," which is probably the best Christmas carol to have tin drums ever. Probably. [M.M.]

29. Lynyrd Skynyrd
Christmas Time Again
For some of us, Christmas isn't Christmas until some form of domestic violence explodes in our faces, and what better band to provide the soundtrack to Dad's drunken rampage after Midnight Mass than those Jack Daniels-swilling bad boys from Florida. "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'" is truly one of the most disturbing songs ever recorded. [M.M.]

30. Jingle Farts Orchestra
Jingle Farts
The timeless Christmas classic performed not by dogs, not by cats, but possibly by Bobby McFerrin. [M.M.]

David Nail, The Sound of a Million Dreams

2011-11-23T12:00:00Z

Missouri country-rock charmer David Nail starts his second album at a full Black Crowes gallop: Whoever's playing banjo loses his or her mind during the raucous "Free Bird"-style coda to the soul-singer-studded "Grandpa's Farm." From there we get slower, softer, more romantically melancholy, casting a wistful Jackson Browne sheen over lost-love laments like the tremendous "Desiree" and the devastating "That's How I'll Remember You." His voice isn't that boisterous, but he's got the sad-puppy-dog thing down, and he's on the hunt: "I know one of those sets of taillights just might be you." [Rob Harvilla]

Hear It Now!

On The Record: Tim Green Talks The Creation

2011-11-22T23:08:00Z

On the Record is a video series where rock stars gush about their favorite records -- in exactly 45 seconds. Click above to watch Producers Corner member Tim Green give it up for The Creation.

The Creation
How Does It Feel To Feel?

Cheat Sheet: Merge Records

2011-11-22T17:52:24Z

One of America's most successful indie labels doesn't run out of Brooklyn or Portland or L.A., but rather the modest metropolis of Durham, N.C., home of the Blue Devils of Duke University and the Bull Durham Tobacco Factory. It may not be the likeliest of habitats for a record label to blossom, but Merge Records has slowly risen to indie-powerhouse status.

Founded in 1989 by Superchunk's Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan, the label released a handful of indie classics by the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Magnetic Fields and Superchunk themselves during the 1990s. But it wasn't until a little collective called Arcade Fire found themselves on the Billboard 200 for 2004's Funeral that the label started getting its due. Since then, bands like Spoon and She & Him have also had chart success, but perhaps the label's biggest feat to date was Arcade Fire's unprecedented Album of the Year Grammy win for 2010's The Suburbs. In the following year, albums by Wye Oak, Destroyer, Wild Flag and Telekinesis have helped earn the label further indie cred.

Below, we spotlight key albums from Merge Records' vast catalog. For a sampling of each album, check out our Cheat Sheet: Merge Records playlist.

]]> Arcade Fire
Funeral (2004)
"Wake Up" sounds like it was written for a revolution. Arcade Fire didn't start one — their songs ape the best bits of Springsteen, U2 and Talking Heads — they merely sound like it, and in so doing have gotten several folks believing in collectives, Canadians and the power of jams to inspire joy and conviction. This album evokes familial connections, love affairs and the bonds of friendship; if it were a Rorschach drawing, you'd say it looked like passion itself. What the band is so exuberant about is simply being a band. Their songs have purpose, but could be about whatever you wanted. [Garrett Kamps]

Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
On Neutral Milk Hotel's second album, Jeff Mangum crosses the line between abstract folk singer and something more akin to cryptic genius. The song arrangements and musical backdrops are perfectly fuzzy and off-kilter, but it's Mangum — obviously enraptured by some intangible muse — who delivers most. [Jon Pruett]

Spoon
Kill the Moonlight (2002)
The only unconvincing part of this album is when Britt Daniel coyly claims, "We rarely practice discern." It's a little hard to believe him when it's self-control, subtlety and simplicity that make Kill the Moonlight prickle and pop. Spoon take elements that are often just sprinkled in for effect and make them key ingredients. Flittering synths, staccato piano chords, tambourine jingles, hand claps, drumstick taps and a human beatbox make standouts like "The Way We Get By," "Stay Don't Go" and "Paper Tiger" both sticky and sweet — ear candy you don't feel guilty asking for more of. [Stephanie Benson]

Caribou
Andorra (2007)
On Andorra, Dan Snaith works like a scientist, dissecting the emotions and notions of his created characters and turning them into a frolicsome jumble of beats and bleeps, flutes and strings, claps and taps. "Sandy" has a playful electro-pop spirit, while "Eli" floats on psychedelia. "Desiree" basks in Beach Boys-like sanguinity, and "Irene" and "Niobe" repose in a fairy-tale fusion of shoegazer and folktronica. Delving into an array of genres, Snaith has a distinct ability to create order and beauty out of chaos — maybe it has something to do with that PhD he earned in mathematics. [S.B.]

Superchunk
Foolish (1994)
Chapel Hill, N.C.'s indie-rock heavyweights put out this fourth album in 1994. While there's nothing as pitch-perfect and flat out "crank it up" fun as "Slack Motherf*cker" on here, the band was in full stride, so the songs, while a little more grown up, still offer plenty of enthusiasm. Like a cross-up of Daydream Nation-era Sonic Youth and Neil Young, Superchunk offer a sort of twangy noise-pop heartbreak. "Driveway to Driveway" and "Kicked In" are highlights. [Mike McGuirk]

Camera Obscura
Let's Get Out of This Country (2006)
Crave an even sweeter alternative to Belle and Sebastian? These Glaswegians spin similar pillowy pop magic with the shy vocals of Tracyanne Campbell ramping up the twee quotient and, on this third CD, highlighted with a subtle '50s girl group touch. Country includes plenty of orchestrated charmers dealing in kiss-offs and low self-esteem, plus a winking response to '80s alt-pop expatriate Lloyd Cole on the answer song "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken." [Michele Flannery]

Destroyer
Kaputt (2011)
Dan Bejar is something of a musical nomad, and his ninth album is the consummate diary of his travels. From soft rock, acid jazz and vintage funk to ambient electro, space rock and New Wave, he explores areas well wandered, but rarely linked within the same journey. It comes quite effortlessly, too: sultry synths share kisses with breathy flutes and smooth-operating sax. Bejar remains cool and calm; he doesn't so much sing as he intones with the lulling touch of a therapist, even when his words add unexpected spark: "Wasting your days, chasing some girls, alright, chasing cocaine." [S.B.]

M. Ward
Post-War (2006)
For his fifth solo album, Portland troubadour Matt Ward enlists the help of a full band, including guest appearances by Neko Case and My Morning Jacket's Jim James. The added Rhodes, percussion, backing vocals, and other bells and whistles only sweeten the already rich pairing of Ward's nimbly plucked guitar and his electric blanket of a voice. "Post-War" is a warm bath of electric keys and hushed vocals, while "Chinese Translation" tells a jaunty tale of man's never-ending quest for love and redemption. This thing shimmers like a full moon on a crystal lake. [G.K.]

The Clientele
Suburban Light (2000)
This collection of The Clientele's initial singles and EP cuts is so cohesive that it plays like a well-thought-out debut LP. Suburban Light offers gauzy, '60s-etched, rain-strewn guitar pop, full of polite English lyrics flush with dreamy imagery. There's no denying the pastoral pull of such tracks as "Monday's Rain" and "Reflections After Jane." [Nick Dedina]

Archers of Loaf
Icky Mettle (1993)
Released at the height of the '90s explosion, Archers' 1993 full-length debut has everything any indie rocker worth his or her salt could ask for: crashing guitars, Pavement-ready chord changes and lyrics that denote a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to poseurs, which is pretty much everyone alive. Archers of Loaf's endlessly P.O.'d Eric Bachmann burst on the scene like an EMP when this band's early seven-inches (collected in this reissue along with their stellar Archers of Loaf vs. the Greatest of All Time EP) made the rounds. [M.M.]

She & Him
Volume 1 (2008)
Though fans of Him will flock to this debut, it is She who earns the spotlight: Zooey Deschanel wrote most of the songs and sings them all. Her girl-next-door vibrato and M. Ward's country inclination lend the album the lilt of a Crystal Gayle demo, with highlights in "This Is Not a Test" and "Change Is Hard." The covers toward the end — chestnuts like Smokey's "You Really Got a Hold on Me" and a Hawaiian rendering of The Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better" — offer campy rewards. [Nate Cavalieri]

Teenage Fanclub
Shadows (2010)
Five years after their last release, Teenage Fanclub offer up more bittersweet power guitar pop from three distinct songwriting talents. The band is still refining its sound — many of the songs on Shadows take woozy, orchestral detours that will please anyone with an affection for Love or forgotten acts like The Blades of Grass or modern indie bands like The Clientele. There is a consistency of vision, yet every tune is distinct. Highlights? This is Teenage Fanclub — every number sounds like it belongs on the radio. [N.D.]

Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst (2008)
With Oberst dropping his Bright Eyes handle and heading to a studio in a Mexican city famed for UFO sightings to record this album, things seemed poised for the deep end. But aside from the 49-second conch solo of "Valle Mistico," he stays with a relatively unadorned set of songwriter-driven rock in the mode of his main band's recent Cassadaga. Sturdy Americana rockers like "Danny Callahan" and "Souled Out!!!" owe stylistic debts to Wilco, though the crystalline simplicity of the ballads — especially the elegant closer "Milk Thistle" — bear the heartrending confessions he's best known for. [N.C.]

Wild Flag
Wild Flag (2011)
If anyone ever questions a female's ability to rock, crank Wild Flag and watch them weep. The quartet comprises vets of the grrrl-power '90s: Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney), Mary Timony (Helium), Janet Weiss (Quasi) and Rebecca Cole (Minders). Opening with "Romance," a flirty pop-punk hand-clapper, their debut quickly shifts into proggy acid-punk (see "Glass Tambourine"). Brownstein and Timony's vocals and guitars slither around one another with self-assured defiance, as Weiss pounds and Cole's keyboards hypnotize. And they do it all with just the right touch of Go-Go's girliness. [S.B.]

Further Listening
Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs
Wye Oak: Civilian
Lambchop: What Another Man Spills
Versus: Hurrah
Telekinesis: 12 Desperate Straight Lines
Portastatic: I Hope Your Heart Is Not Brittle
David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights: Left by Soft
Oakley Hall: I'll Follow You
Robert Pollard: Normal Happiness
The Love Language: Libraries
Stephin Merritt: Obscurities

Pop Roundup, November 2011

2011-11-22T17:16:03Z

Well, pop fans, it looks like Christmas came early for us this year. Or, to put it another (more accurate) way, your favorite pop stars hustled to get their big albums out in time for the holidays — but before the end-of-the-year dead zone in which no album survives. Many beloved boldface names here: Rihanna! Kelly Clarkson! Drake! Bieber! The Muppets! In fact, so many great albums came out in the last month, we couldn't find a way to limit it to just 10. So here are pop's Top 11 albums of the last month — plus honorable mentions!

For a sampling of each album, check out our Pop Roundup November-December 2011 playlist.

1. Rihanna
Talk That Talk
With love-drunk lyrics and throbbing club beats, much of Talk sounds like Rihanna recorded it while joyously spinning in circles. Don't worry: she's still a naughty girl, too — more than ever. But in place of Loud's themes of strength in submission, Riri climbs on top this time, making demands, acting the aggressor, even requesting you suck her "Cockiness." Her "Red Lipstick" marks her claim on hip-hop masculinity, rather than on a man, but even her self-presentation as a "Birthday Cake" feels like a finger-snapping command. Talk is a sexy, confident play on notions of power. [Rachel Devitt]

]]> 2. Kelly Clarkson
Stronger
All right, who keeps doing Kelly Clarkson wrong? Because the unselfish humanitarian in us wants them to stop it. But our selfish music-lover side loves how good feeling bad sounds through Clarkson's voice. Album five finds her doing what she does best: exposing her insecurities, giving the heartbreakers the Clarkson Kiss-Off and strumming our pain with her husky belt in variations on her dramatic pop-rock from '80s confessional pop (the lovely "Honestly") to country ("Breaking Your Own Heart"). Don't miss the title track, "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," a classic diva survival anthem complete with four-on-the-floor disco beats. [R.D.]

3. Florence & the Machine
Ceremonials
After blowing up with her debut, Lungs, Florence Welch holds nothing back on the follow-up. Every song has a similar setup: Welch tiptoes in like it's a haunted house — quietly, innocently, almost tentatively — before she bursts through, a reckless siren of Kate Bush descent, boldly battling with rolling piano, huge bass, glistening strings and choral echoes. She works the romantic drama with gut-twisting grandiosity like fellow Brit belter Adele trapped in some sort of Transylvanian echo chamber. This is the kind of woman who will haunt your dreams — and you can't help but like it. [Stephanie Benson]

4. Drake
Take Care
For Take Care, Drake re-ups the lush R&B romanticism of 2010's Thank Me Later, albeit with a twist. "I know I exaggerated things/ But now I got it like that," he says on "Headlines," where he threatens to use his bodyguards on haters. (What happened to Gang Starr's "Suckas Need Bodyguards"?) Big cars, pliant women and deliciously ambient beats from Boi-1da and Noah "40" Shebib inspire this tastefully appointed exercise in debauchery. But Drake's not too famous to beg the girls on "Marvin's Room" and the title track, even if it sounds more like a booty call than true love. [Mosi Reeves]

5. Mary J. Blige
My Life II: The Story Continues
Mary J. Blige can never re-create the experience that was My Life. She has evolved since that 1994 classic, and nowadays she sings quiet storm ballads more often than hip-hop soul. That said, My Life II is Mary's most vital album in years. It's hard not to get a rush of giddiness when she teams with Nas for "Feel Inside" and its Wu-Tang-sampling beat, and "Ain't Nobody" and "Next Level" recall Mary in her prime. Yes, there are plenty of sappy self-help numbers like "The Living Proof," but after two decades in the business, this R&B legend has earned the right to make them. [M.R.]

6. Various Artists
The Muppets Soundtrack
OK, so they may not be the best cover artists, but it's hard not to crack a smile at merely the idea of The Muppets Barbershop Quartet tackling '90s anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit," or Camilla and the Chickens clucking their way through Cee-Lo's "Forget You." To add to the randomness, Joanna Newsom pops up on the theme song, and Feist livens up "Life's a Happy Song" (written by Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie). Along with quick snippets from the movie, cowriter and star Jason Segel gets his rightful time in the crooner spotlight with gems like "Man or Muppet." [S.B.]

7. Big Time Rush
Elevate
The Jonas Brothers may be pursuing solo projects, and the era of 'NSYNC (and even Justin Timberlake the singer) may be long over, but the funky, fresh-faced boy band lives on, thanks to Big Time Rush. The Nickelodeon TV band's take on the idiom ranges from Bieber-fied pop soul ("No Idea") to acoustic heartstring-strummers that fall somewhere between Mraz and Mars ("Cover Girl"), from angsty midtempo jams to plenty of finger-popping dance cuts. In other words, the whole album is as comfy and familiar as your boyfriend's borrowed hoodie, complete with solid, snuggly-sexy vocals. [R.D.]

8. Paulina Rubio
Brava!
Like every other early 2010s pop star, Paulina Rubio has been bitten by the clubby dance pop bug. And why not? She's got the voice (light, unobtrusively sexy) and the (diva) presence to pull it off. But while that material is pleasant and danceable (especially lead single "Me Gustas Tanto"), it feels a bit standoffish. The English tracks are particularly lackluster. The second half finds her branching out — and warming up — as she duets with Taboo, preens and prances through the vallenato-laced "Me Voy" and fetchingly coos across the sweeping synths of ballad "Que Estuvieras Aqui." [R.D.]

9. Gym Class Heroes
The Papercut Chronicles II
On their first album since Travie McCoy's solo turn, Gym Class Heroes play things a bit safe. The Papercut Chronicles II doesn't get as playful as previous efforts have. Mischievous titles take off in serious directions: "Martyrial Girl$" is pretty cynical, while "Ass Back Home" turns out to be a kinda heartwarming love song. Much of the quirk is reserved for collaborators: British dance pop weirdo Neon Hitch, indie ingénue Oh Land. But who needs quirk when you've got slick beats, smooth flows and, of course, lots of girl talk, like on "Lazarus, Ze Gitan," a revamped "California Girls." [R.D.]

10. Justin Bieber
Under the Mistletoe
The Biebster + holidays? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?! The boy wonder knows how to get you in the festive mood. And we do mean mood: things get downright naughty on "Christmas Eve." The classics are craftily reworked (Santa comes to town with hip-hop swagger; the drummer boy goes clubbing), and the originals are finely tuned to show off Bieber's surprising range, from dubby coffee-shop pop to soulful country. Plus, a bunch of fabulous guests stop by, including Usher, Boyz II Men and, yes, Mariah Carey. Mistletoe is no Mimi holiday album. But it's one heck of a holiday party. [R.D.]

11. Alexandra Stan
Saxobeats
Saxobeats is not so much Alexandra Stan's debut album as a continuation of the Romanian pop star's first big hit. The familiar sultry coo, icy club beats and, especially, that jaunty synth-sax that made "Mr. Saxobeat" a smash are so prevalent that the appropriately titled album almost feels like a continuous mix, from the bouncy, innuendo-licked "Lollipop" through the clutch of remixes that round out the eight original tracks here. But little details (like the catwalk hopscotch beat of "Ting-Ting") and one big detour (hip-hop cut "1 Million") keep the groove from being a sexy, sexy rut. [R.D.]

Honorable Mentions
Romeo Santos: Fórmula Vol. 1
Tyrese: Open Invitation
Childish Gambino: Camp
Boyz II Men: Twenty

Hip-Hop Roundup, November 2011

2011-11-22T17:01:51Z

It's nearing the end of the year, and there's no shortage of rappers trying to squeeze in an album for holiday shoppers. The big releases this month come from Drake, Wale, Gym Class Heroes and, surprisingly, Mac Miller. December brings The Roots, Common, and Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa. However, there are plenty of lower-profile albums worth a listen, too; so many, in fact, that I couldn't squeeze them in. I compiled a list of them at the end of this roundup.

Click here to listen to a playlist: November 2011 Hot Rap Singles

1. Drake
Take Care
For Take Care, Drake re-ups the lush R&B romanticism of 2010's Thank Me Later, albeit with a twist. "I know I exaggerated things/ But now I got it like that," he says on "Headlines," where he threatens to sic his bodyguards on haters. (What happened to Gang Starr's "Suckas Need Bodyguards"?) Big cars, pliant women and deliciously ambient beats from Boi-1da and Noah "40" Shebib inspire this tastefully appointed exercise in debauchery. But Drake's not too famous to beg the girls on "Marvin's Room" and the title track, even if it sounds more like a booty call than true love. [Mosi Reeves]

]]> 2. Mac Miller
Blue Slide Park
Mac Miller detailed his journey from Pittsburg prospect to Internet phenom much better on the On and On and Beyond EP. With the goal line for stardom in sight, Blue Slide Park sounds triumphantly carefree. What it lacks in depth — thanks to Miller's tedious variations on "I'm so rich and famous" and "b*tch*s want to sleep with me" — it makes up with ambient vibes from ID Labs ("Of the Soul"), Clams Casino ("My Team") and others. Miller tosses a few clunkers, like "I always do it big like a Jewish nose." But he's smart enough not to mess up a winning hand. [M.R.]

3. Wale
Ambition
Contrary to its title, Wale's Ambition is less ambitious than his uneven 2009 debut Attention Deficit. That may be a good thing. He still uses florid melodies and occasionally dips into go-go rhythms, particularly on the standout "Double M Genius" and the hit single "That Way," the latter sampling from Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love." His rhymes are less introspective, though, as he turns his adventures as a semifamous rapper into an urban pop confection. ("DC or Nothing" is an exception.) Wale's Ambition is platinum success; musical aesthetics will have to wait. [M.R.]

4. Gym Class Heroes
The Papercut Chronicles II
On their first album since Travie McCoy's solo turn, Gym Class Heroes play things a bit safe. The Papercut Chronicles II doesn't get as playful as previous efforts have. Mischievous titles take off in serious directions: "Martyrial Girl$" is pretty cynical, while "Ass Back Home" turns out to be a kinda heartwarming love song. Much of the quirk is reserved for collaborators: British dance-pop weirdo Neon Hitch, indie ingénue Oh Land. But who needs quirk when you've got slick beats, smooth flows and, of course, lots of girl talk, like on "Lazarus, Ze Gitan," a revamped "California Girls." [Rachel Devitt]

5. YelaWolf
Radioactive
Yelawolf has long aspired to "arena rap" that mixes hard rock with Dirty South rap, and he finally gets his chance with Radioactive. Indeed, this is the only time you'll hear Three 6 Mafia affiliate Gangsta Boo and Kid Rock on the same record. Eminem ("Throw It Up"), a post-incarcerated Mystikal ("Get Away") and Fefe Dobson ("Animal") appear, too, but no matter how many features there are, it still comes down to the songs. For that matter, most of Radioactive is crack-rock solid, but a few tracks, like "Everything I Love the Most," overreach for mainstream acceptance. [M.R.]

6. Pusha T
Fear of God II: Let Us Pray
Fear of God II: Let Us Pray is a revised version of a mixtape Pusha T posted on the Internet. The original Fear of God paired original tracks with freestyles, including "My God" and "Raid" with Pharrell Williams and 50 Cent; this new version adds more star power, including Young Jeezy and Kanye West ("Amen") and Odd Future's Tyler, the Creator ("Trouble on My Mind"). For his part, Pusha T flips drug-dealing metaphors despite the implausibility of the idea that someone with 10 years in the rap game still gets "paper bag money." But that gangsta rap fantasia is part of his charm. [M.R.]

7. Childish Gambino
Camp
Childish Gambino thinks he's the weird black kid who's different from everyone else. But he wants to indulge in rap clichés, too, from running through "b*tch*s" and driving Maybachs to clowning "backpackers." As he raps and occasionally sings in an impassioned voice reminiscent of Patrick Stump, and underscores his rhymes with string arrangements akin to those on Kanye West's albums, Childish Gambino doesn't bother to unravel Camp's contradictions. However, his best songs — the intraracial discord of "Hold You Down," the working-class smart kid in "Outside" — help us understand what he's going through. [M.R.]

8. Webbie
Savage Life 3
With his mushy voice and stumbling delivery, Webbie isn't even the best rapper in his Trill Fam crew — that honor belongs to the currently imprisoned Lil Boosie, with Lil Phat a close second. But the Baton Rouge, La., thug has a knucklehead's grace on Savage Life 3 as he rambles over strip club homages like "Bounce That," "I Do Em All" and "Mo Ass," and rag-swinging headbangers like "What's Happenin'." Webbie's zone is getting the club crunk; when he swerves into a different lane, like a tribute to his "Momma," it's not as fun. [M.R.]

9. Tech N9ne
Welcome to Strangeland
On the latest Tech N9ne Collabos showcase, the Strange Music crew spends the album discussing the after-effects of Tech's mainstream breakthrough, All 6's and 7's, from party favors ("My Favorite") and pornographic sex ("Won't You Come Dirty," "Retrogression") to fame itself ("Overwhelming") over ambient goth-metal beats. Though nominally a compilation with appearances from Mayday, Brotha Lynch Hung, Kutt Calhoun and others, Welcome to Strangeland sounds like a concept album, as these self-described "swinging c*cks of hip-hop, R&B and rock" adjust to their newfound success. [M.R.]

10. USDA
The After Party
Young Jeezy's voice is mostly absent from this showcase for his USDA crew, and when he takes the mic, it's on "Bandana," one of the album's weaker tracks. That leaves Slick Pulla, 2Eleven and Boo Rossini to turn The After Party's screwface taunts and trap talk into a surprisingly entertaining hour. Freddie Gibbs, who recently signed to Young Jeezy's Corporate Thugz, has a nice verse on "On My Sh*t"; the hammerhead beat on "Dolla Billz" will make the brostep kids go nuts; and "Maybe" and "Epic Night" match an '80s R&B vibe with thug love raps.

Also see:
Nappy Roots: Nappy Dot Org
Kidz in the Hall: Occasion
Action Bronson: Well Done
Doomtree: No Kings
Stalley: Lincoln Way Nights
M.O.P.: Sparta
Onra: Chinoiseries Pt. 2
Jedi Mind Tricks: Violence Begets Violence
Pac Div: The Div

Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury

2011-11-22T12:00:00Z

The Clipse are back with a jittery collage of wealth porn and crack synonyms. Emcees Pusha T and Malice set out to rescue rap from those "dunce cappin' and kazooin'." You know, the "penny Annie n*gg*z" and "Jo-Jo dancers" who line up round the block as our boys shuffle "snow" and "diet coke." Throughout Hell Hath No Fury, the mundane is made obscene, and words are twisted to meet the group's glistening white worldview. As they repeatedly remind us: "Keys open doors." Think about that while you "getcha nostrils clear." [Sam Chennault]

Hear It Now!

Producers Corner: John Vanderslice

2011-11-22T02:32:27Z

Welcome to Producers Corner, our new video series in which we grill our favorite producers about their mysterious craft while following them around their natural habitat: the studio, of course. So far we've talked to folks like Pacific Northwest indie icon Phil Ek, wily Renaissance man Andrew W.K. and Grass Valley noise-rocker Tim Green. Today we visit John Vanderslice, the artist and producer behind San Francisco’s Tiny Telephone Studios, birthplace of great albums from Death Cab for Cutie, The Mountain Goats, Spoon, tUnE-yArDs and more. Here, he discusses his "sloppy hi-fi" philosophy, why the second or third take is always the best, the joys of not using computers, the value of "unknowingness," and much more. There’s also a few kittens, and a special visit to Vanderslice’s very own echo chamber. It’s all brought to you by ASUS and Intel. Enjoy.