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There are respectable entries to the Christmas canon that get some love from the general population. In 1963, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector took from Leadbelly’s “On a Christmas Day” the distinction of best Christmas record by someone who’d killed somebody. It has maintained that distinction ever since. I welcome any corrections

Names like The National, Jónsi, She & Him, and Flight of the Conchords‘ Bret McKenzie are some of dozens hoping to receive an Academy Award nomination for “Best Original Song”. The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences unveiled the list of 39 competing songs yesterday. These 39 songs will endure a Pitchfork-style rating from

MP3: The Kills – Silent Night The Kills are showing their Christmas spirit with an acoustic rendition of “Silent Night”, recorded live with Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music. A chord-less guitar progression guides the minimal arrangement as Alison “VV” Mosshart unleashes her solemnly creaky voice. She sounds several years older here than on their

Like Panda Bear? Great. Enjoy psychedelics? Even better, if you intend on watching this video. If Lennox's songs weren't already enough of a mind trip, Danny Perez turned in a music video for "You Can Count on Me" that seems designed for a certain kind of consumption

On his tenth studio album, nearly 20 years after he first hit the scene, Common is back with his best work since 2005’s Be. Some weak acting gigs and the abysmal Universal Mind Control in 2008 put Common out of most people’s musical sights minds. Listening to these new tracks, it’s as if Universal Mind Control

MP3: Acid House Kings – (I’m In) A Chorus Line Swedish indie-pop group Acid House Kings released a new single, “(I’m In) A Chorus Line”, to celebrate Christmas and the end of a busy year, which was particularly busy for group. Labrador also released a Dave DaG remix of the track, also available for free

Over thirty years after he left, Brian Wilson will be re-joining The Beach Boys to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The new lineup – Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks – will kick off a massive worldwide tour in 2012, along with a new album to follow later in the year. Their

Arcade Fire released the music video for “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”, in both a traditional version (above) and interactive form. The latter can be found here; viewers can enable their webcams, and control the movement of the images in the video with their own movements. Both are directed by Vincent Morisset, considered by many

"Born to Lose" is the first single from Sleigh Bells' second album Reign of Terror, out this February. Judging by this single (MP3 inside), listeners can expect the same sort of cheerleader-like vocal chants and voraciously fuzzy guitar riffs found on 2010's Treats, their widely acclaimed debut full-length. Fun stuff as usual

We Are the Works in Progress, Blonde Redhead's compilation to benefit Japan's recovery from the March 2011 tsunami and aftermath, has plenty of big names. Among them are Terry Riley, Deerhunter, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Interpol, and The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson. Another is Four Tet, who leads off the compilation with "Moma". Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) unveiled it today via Soundcloud, which you can stream above