Holiday music: Jingle all the way

Like Christmas sweaters, holiday albums are an acquired taste. Every season offers a new selection. Here's a look at the good, the bad and the offbeat of 2011.

THE GOOD

Michael Bublé, "Christmas" (Reprise) -- The runaway bestseller of this season is Bing-tastic, with a Dean Martin chaser. If you yearn for those big, schmaltzy arrangements or just a jazzy little combo, this is your cup of Christmas nostalgia. The swingin' retro charmer also updates Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and delivers a delightfully big-band "Jingle Bells."

Keri Noble, "More Than Santa" (Kiko Says So) -- The Minneapolis piano popster with the raspy/weary voice has crafted 11 holiday-tinged originals, including the yearning "Won't Be Christmas," the satsifyingly solitary "Everything I Want for Christmas" and the superb post-breakup reflection "In the Winter (Raise a Glass)." Impressive introspective stuff.

Joey + Rory, "A Farmhouse Christmas" (Sugar Hill) -- This wife/husband duo offers less familiar songs and a few originals, with a homey flavor and bluegrass, country-folk and Tex-Mex accents. The brightest lights include Merle Haggard's toe-tapping "If We Make It Through December" (with Hag singing a chorus) and the western-swing of Garth Brooks' "I Know What Santa's Getting for Christmas."

Marcus Roberts Trio, "Celebrating Christmas" (J-Master) -- Even though the stride-loving jazz pianist goes uptempo at times, this instrumental collection makes good dinner-party music.

Cantus, "Christmas With Cantus" (Cantus) -- The Twin Cities male choral group has a love of the traditional and the adventurous, the familiar and the obscure. There are 15th-century French carols, old English carols, an Advent hymn, "Ave Maria" and "Pat-a-Drummer," a mashup of African drums and "Little Drummer Boy."

Justin Bieber, "Under the Mistletoe" (Island Def Jam) -- Even though his voice is hopelessly teeny-bopperish, there is an undeniable charm to this eager-to-please teen idol, who co-wrote nine of the tunes here. He's invited the right guests to the party -- Usher, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, the Band Perry and Boyz II Men -- but this CD has a limited shelf life.

Paul Anka, "Songs of December" (Decca) -- The 1950s/60s teen idol croons the classics with familiar orchestrations. Perfect for sitting around the fire with a cup of cocoa with Mom and/or Grandma. Will Bieber be able to pull this off in 50 years?

THE BAD

Scott Weiland, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Atco) -- The Stone Temple Pilots rocker tries to channel his inner Bing Crosby, but never has a crooner been so flat emotionally and vocally. The lone redeeming track is a jaunty "Silent Night" that takes place in the musical intersection of Hawaii and Brazil.

Carole King, "A Holiday Carole" (Hear Music) -- One of the greatest songwriters of all time leaves the task of writing seasonal originals to her producer/daughter Louise Goffin (who also sings on the jazzy "Chanukah Prayer"). Go figure. Jewish composers have written many Christmas classics. More disappointingly, King's warm, spirited voice is thin and often off-pitch on the most familiar December ditties. Oy vey.

Chicago, "O Christmas Three" (Mailboat) -- The horn-driven pop band's third yule collection (and 33rd album overall) reminds us that Chicago doesn't really have a compelling lead vocalist anymore. Hence, the standout tracks feature BeBe Winans ("Merry Christmas Darling") and Dolly Parton ("Wonderful Christmas").

Various artists, "This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 2." (Brushfire) -- This super-mellow collection by Jack Johnson, Zee Avi and others is mostly a snooze fest save for such originals as G. Love's swingin' jump blues "Christmas Cookies" and Zack Gill's "Party Hard."

THE OFFBEAT

She & Him, "A Very She & Him Christmas" (Merge) -- With understated arrangements and Zooey Deschanel's small but sweet Karen Carpenter-ish voice, this is an indie-hipster decaf Christmas record with a vaguely mid-1960s vibe.

The New Standards, "The New Standards & Friends Holiday Show" (The Current) -- On this disc drawn from the annual hipster revue at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, you get reimagined pop by the jazz trio the New Standards (Britney Spears' "Toxic," the Suburbs' "Love Is the Law") as well as heartfelt holiday classics by an all-star cast of Minnesotans including Gary Louris, Dan Wilson and Haley Bonar.