Oh Santa!, various artists (Yep Roc)

This rootsy independent label rolled up a bunch of Christmas-oriented tunes from its artist roster for 2007. The subtitle is "New and used holiday classics from Yep Roc Records," and indeed some of these items have slipped out elsewhere, like The Apples in Stereo's "Holiday Mood," Marah's "New York is a Christmas Kind of Town," "Holiday Twist" by Los Straitjackets and Rev. Horton Heat's "Santa on the Roof." Indeed, when you pull this disc up in iTunes it gives the album title as Redeye Christmas, suggesting either a pilot title or a previous release. UPDATE: Yep Roc is distributed by Redeye Distribution, and apparently this was the working title until a contest resulted in the collection's current name. END UPDATE. Anyway, if that number of doubles doesn't dissuade you, there are rewards here. Th' Legendary Shack-Shakers cross Tom Waits with Dick Dale in their unique "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," The Moaners rail against a commercial Christmas in "Something Funny in Santa's Lap," and though the American Princes' "This Business of Christmas" threatens to cover the same territory, it's more about Christmas spirit. Jason Ringenberg with Kristi Rose take things into the country with "Lovely Christmas," Chatham County Line brings us the title song, Cities bemoans that it's "So Cold This Christmas," and Minus 5 pours us a helping of "Your Christmas Whiskey." If we're dealing with Yep Roc, I'd sure like to hear takes on the holiday from John Doe, Robyn Hitchcock and Nick Lowe, but all told this is worth having.