Nellie McKay Fights the War on Christmas

1. Nellie McKay, “Christmas Dirge”
McKay lists a few of the things she hates about the season’s most annoying holiday — as if we needed another reason to love her. [NellieMcKay.com]

2. Brad Laner, “Out Cold”
Indie royalty Brad Laner (of Medicine) is scoring Eric Green’s shoegaze documentary just as his most famous contemporaries, My Bloody Valentine, melt the blogosphere with news of their reunion. This pleasant but underwhelming track is off his upcoming solo record. [Bradley’s Almanac]

3. Kevin Drew, “Cocaine Skin”
Another winner from Kevin Drew, this time a clap-along mid-tempo number from the 2007 Arts & Crafts sampler. Does anyone remember what we listened to before Broken Social Scene? [Cause=Time]

4. Nine Inch Nails, “Meet Your Master (The Faint remix)”
Trent Reznor is really psyched to release his remix album Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D on Tuesday, because it means he’ll have fulfilled his contract with Interscope and can stop charging people for his records. This track will help him dance all the way to the bank one last time. [Faronheit]

5. Justice, “D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco mix feat. Mos Def and Spank Rock)”
Added to the list of things the world doesn’t need: a new remix of “D.A.N.C.E.” with another phoned-in Mos Def performance. Maybe he’s playing a lackluster rapper in an upcoming film, and these past couple of years have just been research. [Discobelle]
—Ehren Gresehover