A Very Magistery Christmas, various artists (Le Grand Magistery)

This 2005 collection came whipping out of left field just after Christmas via iTunes; I couldn't even find a mention of this at the Le Grand Magistery website, the label from which this emanates. Needless to say, this is a grouping of the label's artists performing contemporary rock/pop Christmas music. There's a fairly wide selection of original tunes here too. Baxendale's "Flash Gordon" is a fairly offbeat take on the holiday through the eyes of the sci-fi radio hero. Mascott and Dave Derby give us a coming-home waltz in "This Christmastime," Stars offers its very own original "Christmas Song," not Mel Torme's, let alone the Raveonettes', and they return at the end of the album with a philosophical "A New Year." Alexander's Festival Hall takes a shot at its own "Silent Nites," a mellow bit of electronica. Pas/Cal throws us a couple of covers, a completely deconstructed lounge-y "Jingle Bell Rock" and a more conventional version of Wham's "Last Christmas." The Moth Wranglers go garage-lounge on us with a rhythm box-organ rendition of their own "Dear Santa," Cidermill Drive give us a pop-rock "Suzy Snowflake," and Cigarbox Planetarium go all faux-cornball on a guitar/organ instrumental of "Jingle Bells." This is pretty listenable all the way through and comes highly recommended.