This Christmas, Martha's Trouble (self-issued)

This transnational folk-rock group (they split their time between Ontario and Alabama) has released its second holiday disc in 2008, and it's more of the same following on from the first, mostly classic carols in their acoustic rock-folk style. That said, their cover of Sir Paul's "Wonderful Christmastime" adds a bit of martial drumming and folky drone that makes this a better-than-average interpretation of this song. The title song is the band's own original, a nice mid-tempo rocker that highlights Jen Slocumb's folk-diva singing style well. The other original is "Christmas in the City," another mid-tempo rocker. Just eight songs, but it's a keeper. As their previous holiday outing had only six songs, I'd bet that a future Christmas season will see both reissued on a single disc, especially if a major label picks them up eventually.