Holiday Sound Check

Sixpence None The Richer

Various Artists “Christmas A Go-Go” (Wicked Cool)

Underground Garage head Little Steven – he of Bruce Springsteen and Sopranos fame – has gathered 20 of his favorite fun holiday songs. Some are brilliant variations on the traditional, such as The Chevelles joyous instrumental surf romp through “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” dubbed here “Come All Ye Faithful Surfer Girls.” Some are great originals, such as The Kinks fabulous garage pop number “Father Christmas” and The Ramones “Merry Christmas (I Didn’t Want to Fight Tonight),” with  singer Joey relaying a familiar holiday conundrum. Some are iconic, such as Keith Richards making like Chuck Berry on “Run Rudolph Run.” Tough to say, but Joe Pesci ( “If It Doesn’t Snow on Christmas”) and The Electric Prunes (“Jingle Bells”)  are a waste of space. But ex-Move man Roy Wood’s Wizzard, performing the British Yuletide classic, “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day,” more than makes up for any skipable moments.

Sixpence None The Richer “The Dawn of Grace” (Nettwerk)

Christmas brings people together. Usually. Four years since they split, Nashville-based pop outfit Sixpence None The Richer,  the band responsible for the hit 1997 hit “Kiss Me,” reunited to make a Christmas album. A decidedly odd reason for a pop reunion, one that could smack of quick money were it not for the fact that, following a summer tour and some Christmas performances, a non-seasonal album is set to follow next year.  Either way, this is a delightful collection  of mostly traditional Christmas songs. The two Sixpence originals -- “The Last Christmas” and “Christmas for Two” – blend into the disc’s lovely ethereal atmosphere. Jars of Clay singer Dan Haseltine duets on a pretty version of “Silent Night.” But mostly, the focus is Leigh Nash’s coy, sweet voice  and guitarist Matt Slocum’s delicate instrumentation. A warm, welcome Christmas get-together.

Various Artists  “Brushfire Holiday's, Vol. 1: This Warm December” (Brushfire)

Jack Johnson’s record label alumni unite  on a compilation that mostly sticks within the acoustic, rootsy, chill-by-the-campfire theme Johnson is known for. Some songs are traditional, some original. Johnson is seductive with his sweet, syncopated “Someday at Christmas” and Mason Jennings’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” one-ups Bruce Springsteen’s overly-anxious version. Stylistically, mellowing down doesn’t quite work for Zach Gill’s cover  of “Silent Night,” which comes off a little limp, though it’s tough to totally kill that great song. Beastie Boys keyboard player Money Mark aka Mark Ramos-Nishita switches up the pace with his funky stomp, “Stuck at the Airport.” Nishita’s stream-of-conscious lyrics capture one of the worst aspects of the holidays outside of the shopping mall and runs with it. “I am stuck at the airport and my iPod is broken… I’m tryin’ to text you, I’m not jokin’.” Even at Camp Johnson, it’s not all hassle-free peace on earth.

Various Artists “All Wrapped Up” (Hollywood)

Every li’l brother and sister, cousin, and possibly mom, will want this collection of Disney-backed teen champs’ Christmas cuts. The Jonas Brothers emote like overly-hormonal teens on “Joyful Kings,” which crudely mashes up “Joy to the World” and “We Three Kings.” Miley Cyrus pouts and chirps through the traditional “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” without doing too much damage. Still, it’s hard to top the Crystals’ Motown pop version, now isn't it. Plain White T’s play up their romantic side on “Christmas Won’t Be the Same Without You” without wimping out.  Jordan Pruitt couldn’t be sweeter  on “Celebrate Love.” So she really shouldn't try. Please. Aly & AJ go all power pop with “Greatest Time of Year.” While Marie Digby actually wrote “Bring Me Love.” Latest Hollywood teen icon, Demi Lovato, covers Sir Paul McCartney’s annoyingly happy-go-lucky “Wonderful Christmas Time.” A song that, to this young crowd, is probably as ancient and traditional a holiday number as “Good King Wenceslas.”

Mary Chapin Carpenter “Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas” (Zoe/Rounder)

This veteran singer songwriter shuns the syrupy commercialized joy of the holidays in favor of a more thoughtful rumination on the natural and spiritual worlds at the end of the year. This, Carpenter’s first Christmas record in a nigh 20-year recording career, contains a handful of  a solemn, purposefully composed sonsgs that capture the darkest time of the year and the slow dawning of a new one. Alongside her own songs, the five-time Grammy winning Carpenter also chose to cover carols (“Once In Royal David’s City”) , songs by her contemporaries (Robin and Linda Williams “On A Quiet Christmas Morn”), and traditional folk songs (“Children, Go Where I Send thee”). But, either simply backed by a piano, or with a band gently plucking and tapping, all is tempered within a wintry, contemplative mood. You can all but see the snowflakes falling.