A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector
Various Artists
Legacy

As you can probably imagine, Phil Spector is on my naughty list right now. But it wasn't always so! Back in the day I loved rocking out to the Wall of Sound pop music that the fuzzy-haired studio wizard produced. This reissue of the 1963 classic LP brings this set of well-known holiday songs from Darlene Love, the Ronettes, the Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans to CD for the first time. Phil himself issues a heartfelt spoken-word holiday greeting at the end of the set as the entire line-up coos "Silent Night" in the background.

Tori Amos
Midwinter Graces
Universal Republic

Please don't tell Mrs. Claus, but I've always had a bit of a silly crush on Tori. She really makes my sleigh bells jingle if you know what I mean! On Midwinter Graces she gives fairly traditional readings to tunes like the chestnut "What Child, Nowell" but on other familiar songs like "Star of Wonder" she can't help but sound, ahem, sexy. Tori collectors will want this set at least for her two original composition; "Pink and Glitter" and "Our New Year."

A Blackheart Christmas
Various Artists
Blackheart Records

Oh I remember little Joanie Jett's first Christmas like it was yesterday. I knew way back then that she'd grow up to be a very special grrl! This eleven-song compilation from Jett's Blackheart label features a rootsy take on "Blue Christmas" from Girl in a Coma, a rave-up called "The Elf Song" from the Vacancies, a Donnas-like take on "Santa Baby" from the Dollyrots and of course Joan Jett and the Blackhearts themselves complete the season with the rocking-est version ever of "Little Drummer Boy." The Cute Lepers, Kenny Laguna (Joan's old man) and Thommy Price with Nefertiti Jones also help to keep the good cheer flowing.

Christmas
Ten Out Of Tenn
TOT

The Ten Out Of Tenn collective of singer/songwriters from Tennessee have logged almost as many tour miles this year as I do on Christmas Eve. But they took time out to honor the season with these mostly mellow versions of well-known holiday favorites. KS Rhoads performs a song called "Why Are Mom & Daddy Fighting on Christmas" and I know who she's talking about and I'm going to straighten that situation out with some of my St. Nick magic. But there's plenty of magic here otherwise in cuts from Jeremy Lister, Trent Dabbs, Butterfly Boucher, Griffin House and five others.

MXPX
Punk Rawk Christmas
Rock City Recording Company

Go ahead and put a little something in your egg nog and crank this one up. I know you'd laugh if you saw this jolly old elf dancing to this one but I've always been a bit of a punk rocker! My favorite here is the brand new cut "Punk Rawk Christmas" but these guys have been getting in the spirit for over a decade and there are songs here that go way back to '98 ("Christmas Day") and '99 ("Christmas Only Comes Once a Year".) Also brand new is MXPX's version of a very old song; the New Year's Eve classic "Auld Lang Syne."

Handel's Messiah Rocks---A Joyful Noise
Sony Masterworks

Ol' Santa isn't much into classical music but I've always liked this Christmastime favorite and I especially like this hopped-up version of Handel's Messiah. Alex Skolnik (Testament, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) plays guitar throughout that's hotter than some of those chimneys I slide down and a great batch of singers including LaChanze, J. Robert Spencer and Mig Ayesa from Rockstar INXS "handle" the vocal chores. This is a nice one for Christmas Eve; I'm going to put my boots up and listen to it when I get back to the pole that night.

Blitzen's Picks
I found these songs on Blitzen's iPod---he's the hippest member of my crew so I guess these are pretty good!

Findlay Brown "Last Christmas" (A Wham cover)

The Bloody Beetroots Christmas Vendetta…Spares of Romborama (3 songs + 1 video)

Moneypenny "Christmas Time is Here" (Their version of the Peanuts cartoon Christmas song)