Tony Bennett's love affair with Count Basie's band has lasted longer than the great Basie himself. On this delightful holiday platter, Bennett sits in with Basie's orchestra and show's everyone how it's done -- relax, be yourself and swing through Christmas and straight into the New Year. Monty Alexander holds down Basie's place at the piano while West Coast stalwart Bill Holman writes most of the charts. The album shines with Bennett's innate musicality and decency. You aren't ever going to hear better versions of "Silver Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" anywhere. Editor: Nick Dedina
Not only is this one of the greatest Xmas albums ever, it's one of the few holiday releases that you can enjoy throughout the year (and it doesn't even matter if you've seen the beloved Peanuts TV special or not!). Guaraldi's original tunes "Linus & Lucy," "Skating" and the oddly melancholy "Christmas Time Is Here" have all become a part of our culture. This remastered version actually improves on perfection, with superior sound and alternate takes. Editor: Nick Dedina
It just wouldn't be the holidays without watching a rerun of the best claymation Christmas special ever made. Burl Ives first appeared as narrator Sam the Snowman in 1964 to set the record strait: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer couldn't have guided Santa's sleigh that one foggy Christmas Eve without help from prospector Yukon Cornelius, aspiring dentist elf Hermie and Bumbles the bouncing abominable snowman. If you find yourself Scrooged this holiday season by the weight of commercialism and the nagging of family members, this is the perfect soundtrack to stoke the fire of your Christmas spirit. Editor: Eric Shea
This Sunday, long-suffering Guns N' Roses fans will finally have in their hands something that many probably thought they'd never see again: a brand-new album. Literally 15 years in the making, the often-ridiculed "Chinese Democracy" documents band leader Axl Rose's transformation from the savage ringmaster of sleaze rock to the finicky maestro of overproduced epics. More Details
Ironically, 2007's all too literally titled Blackout was a more exhilarating return to form than Britney's true comeback, which feels sort of subdued. This is not necessarily a bad thing for our girl. Circus tries out, among other new flavors, moody Grey's Anatomy-ready ballads and retro campiness (the fab "Mmm Papi" -- don't miss it). Even the straight-up dance tracks seem calmer, more collected, different (with the exception of the fourth and fifth tracks). In short, Britney is going in new directions. (Cue sigh of relief from the California court system.) Editor: Rachel Devitt
In the last two years, Akon's weathered both controversy and a gazillion hits. So perhaps he was wary of taking risks on his third album ("I'm that type of guy that likes kissing/ I'm that type that will pop the clip in," he says on "Troublemaker," sounding defensive in the face of challenges to his cred). Or maybe he's just resting on his laurels (and that Auto-Tuner!). Whatever the reason, Freedom feels kind of phoned in. The hits are here, as are plenty of dancefloor-ready beats, but (with the exception of the poignant "Against the Grain") none of it recaptures Konvicted's magic. Editor: Rachel Devitt
![A Charlie Brown Christmas [Expanded]](http://images.ibsys.com//2008/1127//18157916.jpg)
