Forget the Past With a Present, That Band From Holland (self-issued)

This European band with the fourth-wall-breaking name is offering free downloads of their Christmas EP, four songs with a great iconic cover (which you'll have to see in all its glory at the download page). The four songs represent catchy independent pop-rock of a decidedly laid-back vibe, starting with "Joulupukki," which is the Finnish name for Santa Claus, though the lyrics don't say much about this version of Father Christmas unless he's the one who "drinks a lot of beer," as the lyrics say. "Riot in Wintertime" is actually a fairly laissez-faire approach to a potentially explosive subject, and "Santa Must Be Daddy" is a fresh look at this traditional holiday angle. That leaves "Optibits," an interesting bit of quasi-hip-hop and rap as envisioned by a bunch of really white guys, though its connection to the holiday isn't obvious. Good stuff, and hard to argue with free.