• Three terrific new tribute projects are due next week, saluting two superstars and the unique talents shared by a father and son. Failure to Communicate Records is releasing 2. Contamination, a two-CD collection of darkwave artists covering the songs of David Bowie.

• Things are getting - and staying - busy for the Flaming Lips. With a new album, At War with the Mystics, set for release April 4, and the digital release of one song from the album, "W.A.N.D," earlier this week, vinyl luxury, DVD expansions, and South Florida dreams are on the psychedelic, pulsating eyeball-orb horizon.

As another year twinkles softly into twilight, I find myself looking back at the year in music. With million-selling digital downloads, Billboard magazine charting the sales of cheesy ring tones, and Case Logic CD folders bulging with burned discs, the public has declared that what they want is the content, and they aren't so concerned with the medium.

I'm no foodie, but this year's home-heating costs make for luxurious reasons to fire up the oven and put your "bake on." And what better than a little holiday cheer to put some brushed snare in your whisk, or some hipster Santa soul in those stiff hips and soggy boots? What could be more perfect than mincemeat and Jimmy Smith's Christmas '64, smoking that mighty Hammond B3? Or decorating sugar cookies with Ren & Stimpy's Crock O' Christmas from 1997? Yes! How about vanilla extract with Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown and cloves for Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby"? Here's a handful of new Christmas music that might become your inspiration for some creative kitchen-craft and tree-trimming time.