Five new holiday songs you should already be listening to

"Last Christmas" - Tarja

And if all this good Christmas cheer is just a little too much for you, I give you Tarja. Tarja Turunen has a voice that you won’t soon forget. It’s that Scandinavian operatic death metal sound that we all love. She has released a Christmas album this year, appropriately called Dark Christmas. I remain unconvinced by her dark versions of happy trifles like “Jingle Bells” and “Wonderful Christmastime.”

But there are times that it all fits together perfectly. She wills “Frosty the Snowman” into her nightmare-vision because there is a touch of nightmare in the whole Frosty story. And it works best of all on the modern classic “Last Christmas.”

When George Michael sings it, it is undeniably catchy. You can believe that this is a song of overcoming heartbreak and moving forward. But is it really? Tarja digs into the heartbreak that set up the need to overcome. She gives it a gothic quality that feels like a Dario Argento horror come to life.

So there you have it. From happy and silly to Dario Argento. From Gregory Porter, who might have been a football player if an injury hadn’t derailed his career, to Jordan Mailata, who may turn to music when his football-playing days are over. And the Dollyrots – who are pretty much my favorite rock & roll band. A little something for everyone.

Happy holidays to all your ears.

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