Unwrap a flurry of new holiday-themed albums

Regardless of the economy's health, the winter holidays promise several certainties: colored lights brightening neighborhoods, Santa parked at the mall, too many cookies to avoid temptation and an onslaught of fresh holiday-themed recordings.

New holidays albums appear every year. Some offer ways for fans of a band or musical genre to enjoy their favorites belting out Christmas tunes, while other albums put a new spin on familiar songs we'll hear for months anyway. Let's not forget that holiday albums are also handy for artists, as an avenue to connect with wider audiences or simply to make good on a stale contract.

Here is a glance at 2008's holiday album crop, a sample of the countless new choices available (other biggies include Sheryl Crow, Los Lonely Boys, Faith Hill, Melissa Etheridge, Tony Bennett, Enya and Harry Connick, Jr.). I'll do my unsentimental best to help you sort cherished presents from cold, hard coal. Chances are, there's something new for you.

Hark, angels sing

Elvis Presley, "Christmas Duets" (RCA Nashville/Sony BMG)

The ghoulish trend of repurposing a dead singer's archival recordings unearths The King - 31 years after his death - and pairs him with female country singers. Elvis' vocals are from sessions in 1957 and 1971, when "duet" partners LeAnn Rimes and Gretchen Wilson weren't even born. Martina McBride (on "Blue Christmas") and Sara Evans ("Silent Night") are too sweet to tangle with E's iconic voice, while a surprisingly gritty Wynonna Judd gels with him on "Santa Claus Is Back in Town."

Sarah Brightman, "A Winter Symphony" (Manhattan/Blue Note)

British popera star Brightman gothed up her image on her recent "Symphony." This sequel-in-name contains its own share of stormy bombast, like that of gaudily upbeat "I Wish I Could Be Christmas Everyday" or ABBA's instrumental "Arrival" with trite lyrics added. She fares better with classics, such as Holst's setting of "In the Bleak Midwinter" and funeral staple "Amazing Grace."

Neil Sedaka, "The Miracle of Christmas" (Razor & Tie)

Talk about environmentally unfriendly: All the material on this two-disc holiday album would have fit on one. Disc one features all originals in Sedaka's inoffensive, white-bread piano pop style, mostly pleasant and slanted toward love songs and gimmicky themes ("Baby's First Christmas Lullaby," "Christmas 'Round the World"). Disc two is just Neil and piano doing classics.

Kristin Chenoweth, "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas" (Sony Classical)

The original Glinda of Broadway's "Wicked" and cast member of TV's "Pushing Daisies" was inspired to make a holiday album by Barbra Streisand's epochal "A Christmas Album." Chenoweth manages to be both mannered (a too-reverent "Do You Hear What I Hear?") and personable (Andrews Sisters' hit "Christmas Island," Christian country rave-up "Come On Ring Those Bells") at once.

Straight No Chaser, "Holiday Spirits" (Atlantic)

Last Christmas' viral video sensation offers what you'd expect from a 10-voice a cappella group: a mix of classic and contemporary tunes, the occasional neat vocal arrangement ("Auld Lang Syne"). SNC, founded at Indiana University by ABC 7 reporter Dan Ponce, naturally includes audio of their YouTube hit "The 12 Days of Christmas."

Brian McKnight, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Razor & Tie)

The crooner's second holiday album benefits from the warmth of live instruments rather than canned R&B beats. Two originals center on romance (the man's nickname is "Vocal Sex"), while his sons drop in for guest vocals on "Let It Snow." McKnight's silky flutter meshes shockingly well with pop/classical crossover star Josh Groban for "Angels We Have Heard on High."

Jingle bell rock

Various Artists, "This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 1" (Brushfire)

The soft rock specialists at Brushfire offer intimate four-track recordings of originals and classics, including one of each by label founder Jack Johnson. Highlights include the laid-back sexy funk of G. Love's "Christmas Baby" and Malaysian singer Zee Avi's jazzy "No Christmas for Me."

Various Artists, "All Wrapped Up!" (Hollywood)

This low-priced compilation highlighting a stable of Radio Disney kid popsters is available only at Target stores. Considering Miley Cyrus' overblown "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," the Jonas Brothers' whiny medley and the maudlin original by local favorites Plain White T's, don't bother buying this for any music fan older than 15.

Various Artists, "We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year" (Armoury)

Filling the heavy metal holiday void is this project uniting musicians in various configurations. Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi reteam for a doom update of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," members of Testament, Anthrax and Shadows Fall thrash through "Silent Night" and Foo Fighter Dave Grohl joins Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons for a suitably sleazy "Run Rudolph Run."

Various Artists, "I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas" (Animal World)

Comprised of mostly somber, sonically intricate tracks by blogosphere darlings (Le Loup, My Brightest Diamond, Au), proceeds from this digital-only compilation benefit Amnesty International. Cooler-than-thou standouts include Parenthetical Girls' angelically twinkling "Festive Friends (Forever)" and the tart, heartbroken laptop pop of Figurine (aka The Postal Service's Jimmy Tamborello) on "The Holidays Behind Us."

Various Artists, "Ten Out of Tenn Christmas" (Ten Out of Tenn)

The TOoT collective of Nashville singer-songwriters presents classics and originals, often as one-person acoustic jobs and with very little of the twang typical of their region. Jeremy Lister's groovy "Santa's Lost His Mojo," K.S. Rhoads' chamber pop drama "Why Are Mom & Daddy Fighting on Christmas" and Matthew Perryman Jones' ghostly "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" rise to the top.

The Boxmasters, "Christmas Cheer" (Sawmill/Vanguard)

Eccentric actor, writer and director Billy Bob Thornton is also the singing drummer of country rock outfit The Boxmasters. The group's second release of 2008 contains a bunch of holiday favorites and three relatively depressing originals. Props for a truly kickin' "We Three Kings of Orient Are" and a nice job on John Prine's "Christmas in Prison," one of two jail-themed tunes here.

Gentleman Auction House, "Christmas in Love" (Emergency Umbrella)

This rising seven-piece St. Louis indie pop band has a gently ebullient sound that lends itself perfectly to the holiday song format. Aside from "Here Comes Santa Claus," this EP (GAH's third release this year) presents five original tunes, with the jolly boy/girl pop of "On the Rooftops" and the low-key, electro-tinged title track making the strongest impression.

Reilly, "Kick Ass Celtic Christmas" (Oglio)

Energetic Milwaukee-based Irish rockers Reilly put a wild cultural spin on the holiday. If you've ever thought The Kinks' immortal "Father Christmas" would be better with fiddle and mandolin, this is the CD for you. Although the entire disc doesn't have genuine Celtic flavor, they kick off with a stomping "Christmas in Killarney," and their raucous "I Saw Three Ships" simply jams.

Holly jolly jazz

Various Artists, "A Jazz & Blues Christmas" (Putumayo)

A warm, accessible genre collection. The informative and interesting liner notes, typical of Putumayo's globe-spanning comps, say the compilers sought "lesser-known versions" of classic songs. Thus, Ray Charles makes the lightweight children's favorite "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" sparkle, while New Orleans' Topsy Chapman and Sweden's Lars Edegran infuse "The Christmas Blues" with Big Easy tang.

Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, "Jingle All the Way" (Rounder)

For those who can't stand the holidays without a bit of noodling, jamgrass banjo hero Fleck presents one of the longest discs here. High points within more than an hour of mostly instrumental jazz/bluegrass fusion (with spots of Tuvan throat singing) include a funky, tangent-filled "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Béla's lightning-fast delivery of "Sleigh Ride."

The Brian Setzer Orchestra, "Christmas Rocks! The Best of Collection" (Surfdog)

This "compilation" only draws from two albums, mining both of the former Stray Cat/swing revivalist's previous holiday discs. The big band comes off best with songs written in jump blues style ("Dig That Crazy Santa Claus," original "Santa Drives a Hot Rod"). Believe it or not, a second version of this, entitled "The Ultimate Christmas Collection" and packaged with a live DVD, is also available.

Dan Baraszu and Joseph Patrick Moore, "Christmas Time Is Here" (Blue Canoe)

The opening track, an active and oddly spacey "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," sets the bar high for this release by digital-only jazz label Blue Canoe. Yet the interplay between guitarist Baraszu and bassist Moore is also remarkable in mellower moments, such as the cool shuffle of "Winter Wonderland" or the bass-lead undulations of "Silent Night."