I’m not opposed to getting into the holiday spirit, but I cannot condone those who take it too far or start too early. Because it is after December 1st, it is now acceptable to listen to Christmas music (in moderation). I can only listen to the “classic” songs for so long, year after year. So, to kick off the holiday season I will share my favorite collections of X-mas music.

Last year I impulsively bought this album from Amazon. Subtitled “A Punk Rock Christmas,” the album has 20 tracks from popular punk rock bands. Notable tracks include:

• Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - Fall Out Boy
• Forget December - Something Corporate
• Christmas Time is Here - Gatsbys American Dream
• I Won’t Be Home For Christmas - Blink 182
• So This Is Christmas - Acceptance

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The title of this post may be a reference to alt-rockers Weatherbox, but today I am in fact talking about the raw beats and catchy riffs of the electronica group Ratatat. Summer 2008 saw the release of LP3, the third album from the Brooklyn duo. I was instantly hooked on the idea of chill, instrumental electronica. I’ve fully listened to all 3 albums (Ratatat, Classics, and LP3) and am most impressed with the newest release, particularly the tracks Falcon Jab and Mirando. Check out Falcon Jab below:

I find every track mellow enough that I can work with it in the background, yet entertaining enough to break a boring silence. Even more impressive is the way Ratatat manages to stay away from electronica’s annoying cousins, techno and house. Ratatat has a very broad appeal which I believe most can (and should) enjoy. Check them out, let me know what you think.