Contemporary Christmas: Here's a guide to new spins on seasonal songs

IT'S NOT EVEN Thanksgiving yet, and we're already tired of hearing the same old bunch of Christmas tunes on the radio. Not that there aren't new albums coming out, chock-full of holiday cheer.

We've been building a nice little mountain of these releases since August. And 11 of the entries currently on the top album charts are Christmas-themed, reports the entertainment publication Variety.

Clearly, some of these "new" releases are just the same old song, with different wrapping paper.

But some artists have gone out on a limb with new holiday fare or radically rethought arrangements that make you feel the spirit in a surprisingly new way. This is seasonal music that deserves a shot on the radio, just as much as (if not more than) Alvin and the Chipmunks, Bruce Springsteen, Bing Crosby and that whole bunch.

BEST OF THE BREED: Three packages top our 2008 list: the all-instrumental jam-up by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, "Jingle All the Way" (Rounder, A); a persuasive package of folkish pretties by singer/songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, "12 Songs" (Rounder, A); and a silly-dilly DVD of holiday cheer hosted by Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert, "A Colbert Christmas - The Greatest Gift of All!" (Paramount Home Video, A).

With their varied, bluegrass/jazz/funk/world music/classical crossover instincts ever on the prowl, Fleck and friends make even the repetitive "12 Days of Christmas" seem fresh on repeated rounds. Weirdest concept is the Tuvan throat singer-endowed "Jingle Bells." This is Oprah Winfrey's favorite holiday album, too.

Carpenter's set won my heart with its unusually strong originals, reworking the familiar child is born, peace and love, snowy morning and city shopping themes in blessedly cliche-free fashion. And the sonic warmth perfectly matches Carpenter's earnest, ruminative voice.

"A Colbert Christmas" slyly mocks the kind of holiday TV special that Bing Crosby and Andy Williams used to do, with an amazing array of guests and gleefully twisted original tunes by Adam Schlesinger and David Javerbaum.

John Legend's sexy homage to "Nutmeg," Willie Nelson's offerings of "kind bud" as the Fourth Wise Man and Toby Keith's self-parodying salute to an All-American, bomb-dropping Santa are just some of the treats.

PRETTY RIBBONS: Country star Faith Hill takes the ribbon for the most lavishly orchestrated and, ahem, "serious" holiday music package of 2008 with "Joy to the World" (Warner Bros., B).

Oddly, though, Hill doesn't let her down-home nature out to play until the seventh track, "Away in the Manger." And it's only on her exit that she delivers a new gift of value, a take-it-two-ways song by, we kid you not, the Wisemans (Craig and K.K.) and Tom Nichols called "A Baby Changes Everything."

"Elvis Presley - Christmas Duets" (RCA, B-) is one of those spooky, "from beyond the grave" efforts merging Elvis' past performances with new vocals by some of country music's most popular female stars.

Wynonna Judd and LeAnn Rimes convince us that they're really rocking with the King. Carrie Underwood, Gretchen Wilson and Olivia Newton-John barely phone in their parts.

Kristin Chenoweth is a Midwesterner at heart and razzle-dazzle Broadway star by profession (best known for "Wicked"). She splits the difference on the entertaining "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas" (Sony Classical, B) with the help of two radically different producer/arrangers.

Broadway notable Jonathan Tunick steers the first first half of the disc down Shubert Alley. Then she lets her country voice out to play in the second act arranged by Robbie Buchanan and bested with a countrypolitan song he co-authored called "Born on Christmas Day." Play, it please, radio dudes!

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR CELLO: That rare classical talent who can cross over to the mainstream without seeming to sell out, cellist Yo-Yo Ma does it again with a bunch of notable "Friends" on "Songs of Joy and Peace" (Sony Classical, A), another "best of the year" contender.

Ma mingles with artists from the worlds of jazz (Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Paquito D'Rivera, Joshua Redman, Chris Botti), classical (Renee Fleming), folk (James Taylor, Natalie MacMaster and Alison Krauss), Brazil (the Assad Brothers/Family) and even Hawaiian (ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro) in a grab bag of organic, high-quality, take me wherever acoustic performances.

One of the happiest "a-ha" moments comes with a tune you might not normally consider holiday fare but which works in the context: James Taylor singing "Here Comes the Sun."

Also succeeding in the the verging-on-classical vein are the blissfully chilled out Celtic charmer Enya, sharing "And Winter Comes" (Reprise, B+), and Canadian export Loreena McKennitt's old-worldly "A Midwinter Night's Dream" (Verve, B). Both beg, "play me first on Christmas Eve - then all winter long."

YOUNG LOVE: The 'tweens on your list will probably get a charge out of "All Wrapped Up!" (Hollywood, B-), a seven-track EP featuring Disney Channel faves like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and Aly & AJ, available exclusively at Target. Only one entry here really tugged at my grown-up heartstrings - a newbie sung by girly girl Jordan Pruitt, "Celebrate Love."

SINGING IN THE REIGN: From Indiana University comes Straight No Chaser, an all-male a cappella ensemble feeling the "Holiday Spirit" (Atlantic, B-). The lads have fine voices, and their deep bass and beat box contributors could make you think there's a band working behind them. Despite the hip factor, I'm still sensing an old-school choral director hiding behind the curtains. Their jumbled-up "12 Days of Christmas" is the most fun.

A classier, more cerebral approach to (mostly) a cappella music is taken by the Celtic vocal group Anuna on their soon-to-be-a-PBS special, "Christmas Memories" (Elevation, B), available exclusively at Borders. Bless their hearts for tossing four(!) originals on the fire: two of the "fun and perky" persuasion, two haunting and carol-like.

SWINGING AFFAIR: Like your Christmas music swinging? An octogenarian Tony Bennett sounds a mite wobbly now and then on "A Swinging Christmas" (Columbia, A-), working out with the Count Basie Orchestra. But you've gotta love the sparkle of "Silver Bells" (with keyboardist Monty Alexander aping the Basie style), the brassy blasts of "My Favorite Things," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (with Philly guy Andy Snitzer soloing on tenor sax) and the rarely heard "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

On the CD and DVD "Christmas Rocks!" (Surfdog, B), Brian Setzer tosses his guitar around with a big band for the hep cat jive of "The Man With the Bag" and "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus." It's their jazzed-out instrumental rendering of "Nutcracker Suite" (as first done by Les Brown and His Band of Reknown) that got us really weird-bearded out.

While not setting our world on fire, Harry Connick Jr.'s "What a Night!" (Columbia, B) does strike a sturdy thematic balance between happiness, sentiment and spirituality.

Local girl Anna Wilson earns kudos for dreaming up an all new and sassy set of holiday cheer, "Yule Swing!" (Transfer, B+). Drop the laser beam on the homey "Through Their Eyes," the smooth jazz "Wish" or hot and steamy "Mrs. Claus" and see what we mean.

BLUE(S) CHRISTMAS: That down-home, R&B Christmas vibe has been alive and well ever since Charles Brown first foisted "Merry Christmas Baby" on the world. This year, jazz-tinged singer Ledisi best fills the bill with "It's Christmas" (Verve Forecast, B+), jumping out with four new tunes of note and perennials like "Children Go Where I Send Thee" and "What A Wonderful World."

Want more of that good stuff? Gloria Gaynor's "Christmas Presence" (Koch, B) is pumped, and Brian McKnight's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (Razor & Tie, B-) has some decent smooth-jazz moments.

ROCK THE MANGER: Sheryl Crow is headed toward New Orleans for much of her "Home for Christmas" (Hallmark Stores, B-) set. Only her original "There Is a Star That Shines Tonight" shouted "keeper," however.

The Fleshtones' "Stocking Stuffer" (Yep Rock, B-) earns our appreciation for its originals, like the AC/DC-styled "Six White Boomers" and bubbilicious "Christmas With Bazooka Joe." Too bad the novelty lyrics are oft obscured by a mumble-mouthed singer.

Southwest rockers Los Lonely Boys take the holiday to the border on "Christmas Spirit" (Epic, B). Instrumental treatments of "Carol of The Bells" and "Silent Night" are most exotic.

PRESENTS YOU CAN REFUSE: Who earns the dubious distinction of "worst of the year" holiday album?

"We Wish You a Metal Xmas and A Headbanging New Year" (Armory, C-) almost begs for the honor, with its howling to the winds treatments of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Ronnie James Dio) and anything but "Silent Night" (Chuck Billy and friends). Stephen Pearcy, Billy Sheehan and Greg Bissonette's assault on "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer" does bring out all the sickness of that novelty tune, though.

If you believe this holiday season is a bad joke, maybe you'll connect with the hip-hop jams from Jim Jones and Skull Gang, "A Tribute to Bad Santa," starring Mike Epps (Koch, C+). The R word (recession) keeps rearing its ugly head, along with complaints about practical gifts and ungrateful kids.

"Christmas in the Ghetto" finds dudes contemplating which shopper they're gonna rob, while their "12 Days of Christmas" includes wishes for big bootie b------ and death to all snitches.

But wait, there's worse. It's Neil Sedaka and "The Miracle of Christmas" (Razor and Tie, D). I was thrilled to hear he'd written a whole new album of material (there's also a second disc of covers in the package). But Neil's Tin Pan Alley ways produced a set that could have been subtitled " 'Fiddler on the Roof' Goes to Bethlehem." *