Stereo Stuffers: Time for new tunes

It's been on some radio stations for weeks. It's playing in every store in the mall. And soon, if you're not sick of it yet, you'll be looking to spin a little Christmas music in your own CD player. So as the season approaches and even more new music is released, we want to help you choose some new Christmas tunes.

Here's our roundup of the best new Christmas music out this year:

Brian Setzer Orchestra

>> “The Ultimate Christmas Collection”

This CD/DVD combo delivers a swingin' Christmas sound the way only Brian Setzer can. Featuring a horn section, up-tempo guitar licks and Setzer's deep croon, the disc covers old Christmas tunes such as “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” Christmas-ized versions of swing classics such as “Gettin' in the Mood” and other swing-y Christmas tracks including “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus.” The DVD features 25 songs from a live Christmas concert.

Favorites: “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Jingle Bell Rock”

Bob Dylan

>> “Christmas in the Heart”

You might think Dylan's gruff, gravelly vocals wouldn't fit with holiday music, or that Dylan would turn everything from “Here Comes Santa Claus” to “Little Drummer Boy” into a folk song. But that's not what you get here. Instead, it sounds like Dylan is having a ball singing these songs, recording them mostly in the bluesy, rock style of his last few albums. He goes everywhere on the musical spectrum, doing slow stuff such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and the fast, silly, accordion-based melody of “Must Be Santa.”

Favorites: “The Christmas Song,” “Must Be Santa”

Neil Diamond

>> “A Cherry Cherry Christmas”

Diamond is back with another set of Christmas tunes, including the title track, a holiday tune about family gatherings that doesn't sound anything at all like his song “Cherry Cherry.” The rest of the album feels like Diamond tried to take Christmas songs and make them into sing-along tunes a la “Sweet Caroline.” And he pulls it off. Take “Joy to the World,” which includes anthemic electric guitar solos and a standout vocal performance. On this, his third Christmas album, the Jewish singer finally includes a song about his own faith. But it's actually a cover of actor/comedian Adam Sandler's goofy tune, “The Chanukah Song,” which humorously lists famous Jews.

Favorites: “Joy to the World,” “The Chanukah Song”

David Arkenstone

>> “Christmas Lounge”

If you're having an ugly Christmas sweater party or another goofy holiday get-together, this might be the perfect disc for you. It's 12 tracks of deliciously kitschy lounge versions of your favorite Christmas songs, from “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” to “Angels We Have Heard on High.” As opposed to the overtly holiday feel of Mannheim Steamroller, these songs can blend into the background but still have a Christmas feel while folks at your party sip eggnog and laugh at each other's silly sweaters.

Favorites: “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride”

Ten Out of Tenn

>> “Christmas”

This disc is a mix of original tunes and holiday classics from Ten Out of Tenn, a collective of 10 artists from Nashville. Indie acoustic re-dos of songs such as “O Holy Night” are mixed in with new tracks, including “Santa's Lost His Mojo,” a funky track about getting “Kringle back to feeling jolly.”

Favorites: “Santa's Lost His Mojo,” “Why Are Mom & Daddy Fighting on Christmas”

Yule A Go-Go

TV stations used to air footage of yule logs with Christmas music playing in the background, but they never did it like this. On the “Yule a Go-Go” DVD, women perform burlesque stripteases in front of a burning yule log while jazzy versions of Christmas favorites play in the background. Most wear holiday costumes including a reindeer, dreidel and angel, which makes for a silly — not always sexy — sight. The video doesn't have a rating, but it has no nudity and would probably be rated PG-13. The DVD also comes with an audio CD with all of the songs.

Favorites: “Good King Wenceslaus,” “Auld Lang Syne”

Contact the writer:

444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com

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