"Round Christmas Time," The Smoking Trees (Ample Play)

This Los Angeles duo comes to us via a British label, performing mellow psychedelic garage pop, at least if these two sides from 2014 give us anything to go on. (The Urban Dictionary definition of the band's name contributes to that impression.) "Round Christmas Time" asks in a dreamy tone, "Why do you always love me more round Christmas time?" And on "The Psychedelic Lights of Christmas," acoustic guitars and jingle bells offer a spacey ode to our electric decorations (though probably not to those aggressive suburban displays set to Trans-Siberian Orchestra). These tunes make for an enjoyable change of pace.