"Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, Vol. 2"

After last year's first edition of "Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album" -- which featured Darren Criss and Chris Colfer's adorable "Baby It's Cold Outside" duet -- sold 931,000 copies (according to Nielsen SoundScan), those crazy McKinley kids return for round two. Out Nov. 14, "Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, Vol. 2" features Mercedes (Amber Riley) belting out a stellar "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and a more traditional "Little Drummer Boy" (by Artie/Kevin McHale) than the, um, interesting rap redo on Bieber's Christmas album. "Glee" also gives its original songs another go on this 12-track Christmas compilation, nestled up alongside Santana (Naya Rivera)'s sexy "Santa Baby." -- Jillian Mapes

She & Him | "A Very She & Him Christmas"

If sweet-voiced, throwback acoustic covers of well-known holiday ditties gets you in the mistletoe mood, then Zooey Deschanel has you covered with "A Very She & Him Christmas." Her third album as She & Him -- alongside folk singer-songwriter M. Ward -- arrived last week and features covers like "Blue Christmas," "I'll Be Home Christmas" and a fitting Beach Boys ode with "Little Saint Nick." Sure to warm the Grinch-like heart of the hipster on your Christmas list. -- Jillian Mapes

Justin Bieber | "Under The Mistletoe"

Between last year's breakout release "My World 2.0" and next year's sure-to-be-huge follow-up album, Justin Bieber has headed home for the holidays (with some very special guests) for his first Christmas release, "Under The Mistletoe." The R&B-heavy album features a mix of original cuts and holiday classics, as well as collaborations with Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Usher and The Band Perry. However, the Biebs can still command an audience on his own -- first single "Mistletoe" flew into the Top 20 on the Hot 100, and its music video has 27 million views on YouTube. Read our track-by-track review. -- Jason Lipshutz

Young Jeezy Brings Hustlerz Ambition to 'RapFix Live'

The Snowman will join Sway on 'RapFix Live' Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com.

 

It's been almost three years in the making, but on December 20, Young Jeezy will finally be releasing his long-awaited TM: 103 Hustlerz Ambition. And on Wednesday, the Snowman will be coming to "RapFix Live" to chop it up with Sway about his upcoming release. Not only that, but Young has also given RapFix an exclusive clip from the album's accompanying film.

The album boasts appearances from Lil Wayne, T.I., Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg and Devin the Dude. Last week, "I Do," a tongue-in-cheek love song featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000, hit the Net to rave reviews. On it, Jeezy professes his love for hustling, while Jay cleverly raps about his marriage to the streets, though at times sounds like he is dedicating his bars to wifey Beyoncé.
Next week's edition of "RapFix Live" will also celebrate MTV2's upcoming Sucker Free Awards, as well the return of "Yo! MTV Raps," with a special episode dubbed "Classic Cuts." Both shows will premiere on MTV2 on December 4, and "RapFix Live" has exclusive behind-the-scenes looks.
Held at Miami's Club LIV, the Sucker Free Awards will celebrate the year in hip-hop, giving out statues for Best Crew of 2011, Rookie of the Year and the Must-Follow Person of 2011. Rick Ross, Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, Red Café and Ace Hood were all on hand as well as Birdman and his YMCMB family.
"Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts" will profile three artists and their classic tracks: A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," Geto Boys' "My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me," and Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day."
The special will feature discussions from former hosts Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover and Dr. Dre, as well as some of rap's generational heavyweights. The special will explore the way each song revolutionized the genre and impacted generations to come. In addition to the three classic cuts, the special will also feature a long list of current hip-hop artists from Common to Wiz Khalifa and Fat Joe.

"This Warm December: A Brushfire Christmas, Vol. 2

After its first 2008 compilation struck a chord with listeners, Brushfire Records's second 'Warm December' -- out in time for Thanksgiving -- features original wintertime tunes by the label's eclectic roster. G. Love turns in a pair, as does Jack Johnson, while Money Mark, Matt Costa, ALO and others have one song each. An album bundle, which includes the record digitally and on vinyl plus a 12-card set autographed by Jack Johnson and a six track preview of upcoming Brushfire releases, is available at ThisWarmDecember.com. -- Jessica Letkemann

"A Skaggs Family Christmas, Vol. 2"

Ricky Skaggs and his kin made a country Christmas classic with their 2005 album, and now the clan is back with Volume Two. The new album, which features ten tracks including favorites like "Joy To The World" and "Silent Night," comes with a DVD of the family performing at Nashville's Ryman Auditorum. Skaggs, who was just named Entertainer of the Year and Musician of the Year at the Inspirational Country Music Awards, takes his Family on an eight city Christmas theater tour of the south and midwest between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  -- Jessica Letkemann

Jackie Evancho | "Heavenly Christmas"

The age-defying vocals of 11-year-old sensation Jackie Evancho have an almost magical quality. When the "America's Got Talent" star performed at the lighting of Washington, D.C.'s national Christmas tree last year, her age-defying soprano reportedly caused rival Democrats and Republicans to lock arms and harmonize through "O Holy Night." While this may or may not be true, there's plenty of reason to expect big things from Evancho's latest collection of classic Christmas renditions. Last year's "O Holy Night" EP helped make her the year's top-selling debut artist, so it's safe to say Justin Bieber won't be the only member of Billboard's "21 Under 21" at the top of charts this Christmas. -- Chris Payne

Carole King | "A Holiday Carole"

Famed singer-songwriter Carol King has been around the musical block, but she just recently dipped her toe into the world of holiday albums with the release of "A Holiday Carole" (get it?). The record, produced by her daughter louise Goffin, features traditional songs ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Carol of the Bells," "Sleigh Ride"), as well as original holiday tunes across an array of genres, from jazz to Latin. -- Jillian Mapes

Ginuwine | "A Ginuwine Christmas"

Veteran R&B crooner Ginuwine followed "Elgin," his latest LP released in February, with this Christmas effort released in mid-October. Covers of "Silent Night" and "Joy To the World" are a far cry from Ginuwine's "Pony" days, but "12 Days" puts a seductive contemporary twist on the holiday staple. Who knew "two turtledoves" could sound so sexy? -- Jason Lipshutz

Michael Bublé | "Christmas"

Looking for a little classic crooning this holiday season? Michael Bublé has released holiday albums before (2003's "Let It Snow," 2010's "A Holiday Gift For You" EP) but this year, he's going all out. New LP "Christmas" features the Sinatra-inspired baritone covering holiday standards like "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Holly Jolly Christmas," with plenty of retro jazz flourishes and swooning strings. Still want more? Bublé has an hour-long holiday special planned for NBC, which will feature holiday songs and sketch comedy segments. -- Chris Payne

Scott Weiland | "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

Though not exactly a Velvet Revolver reunion, hard rock fans get the gift of new music from Stone Temple Pilots/VR singer Scott Weiland this holiday season. The solo effort takes on classics like "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas" and gives them what Weiland calls "a little twist," ranging in style from big band to reggae. -- Chris Payne

Young Jeezy Brings Hustlerz Ambition to 'RapFix Live'

The Snowman will join Sway on 'RapFix Live' Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com.

 

It's been almost three years in the making, but on December 20, Young Jeezy will finally be releasing his long-awaited TM: 103 Hustlerz Ambition. And on Wednesday, the Snowman will be coming to "RapFix Live" to chop it up with Sway about his upcoming release. Not only that, but Young has also given RapFix an exclusive clip from the album's accompanying film.

The album boasts appearances from Lil Wayne, T.I., Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg and Devin the Dude. Last week, "I Do," a tongue-in-cheek love song featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000, hit the Net to rave reviews. On it, Jeezy professes his love for hustling, while Jay cleverly raps about his marriage to the streets, though at times sounds like he is dedicating his bars to wifey Beyoncé.
Next week's edition of "RapFix Live" will also celebrate MTV2's upcoming Sucker Free Awards, as well the return of "Yo! MTV Raps," with a special episode dubbed "Classic Cuts." Both shows will premiere on MTV2 on December 4, and "RapFix Live" has exclusive behind-the-scenes looks.
Held at Miami's Club LIV, the Sucker Free Awards will celebrate the year in hip-hop, giving out statues for Best Crew of 2011, Rookie of the Year and the Must-Follow Person of 2011. Rick Ross, Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, Red Café and Ace Hood were all on hand as well as Birdman and his YMCMB family.
"Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts" will profile three artists and their classic tracks: A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," Geto Boys' "My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me," and Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day."
The special will feature discussions from former hosts Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover and Dr. Dre, as well as some of rap's generational heavyweights. The special will explore the way each song revolutionized the genre and impacted generations to come. In addition to the three classic cuts, the special will also feature a long list of current hip-hop artists from Common to Wiz Khalifa and Fat Joe.

Live: Morrissey at the Shrine Auditorium

Morrissey has a sense of humor about himself and the endless drama and disappointments of life, but he's serious about it too. At the Shrine Auditorium on Saturday, he was forever bending and swaying to the emotions of the moment, at times outraged, obsessed, bored, hopeful or simply resigned to the limits of human happiness.
During “Ouija Board, Ouija Board,” he stepped back into the shadows, tilting his head in a posture of strength and resignation to a life of romantic disillusion. Of his unreleased new songs, the most immediate was “Action Is My Middle Name,” a typically obsessive plea for love, demanding, “I can't waste time anymore! . . . La-la-la-la-la!” in a tone blending vulnerability and toughness.
The 75-minute performance in the big concert hall often had the sweaty atmosphere of a much smaller room.
Morrissey, the former frontman of the Smiths, still prefers to rock, and his five-man band performed with real force and sharp edges, layering songs with a fitting intensity of feeling.
The band eased into a swirl of noise and melody as an intro to “All the Lazy Dykes,” as guitarist Jesse Tobias plucked a dramatic pattern on the strings. Their take on Lou Reed's early post-Velvet Underground song “Satellite of Love” unfurled with emotional muscle and fit the singer like one of his own.
Morrissey is a genuine sex symbol.
In the lobby, fans could pick up a playful black-and-white poster ($10) of the crooner lounging in the tub. There was also a life-sized cardboard cutout of him nude, his privates covered by a vinyl 45 while he fixed his hair, for $100. It was signed (i.e., touched) by Morrissey himself, and was carried off happily after the concert by a bearded fan.
For the Smiths' “Meat Is Murder,” he projected disturbing surveillance video from factory farms of chickens being beaten and slammed into pens and cows being dragged across the ground to slaughter, as the band erupted with sounds of rage and violence to match, mingling grinding guitars and chaos with drumbeats like gunfire. Morrissey has long since improved on the original 1985 recorded version, turning “Meat Is Murder” into a deeply emotional treatise on the morality of killing animals for food.
As with much of his audience, Morrissey has sought solace in popular culture. Before he was a first-class pop star, Morrissey was a first-class fan (and a former president of the New York Dolls fan club in Britain), which provides him a special bond with his fans and his heroes. On the bass drum was the handsome face of actor Anthony Franciosa in an image from the 1962 Italian film “Senilità.” And for most of the night, the image of English writer Shelagh Delaney was projected behind the band. The playwright of “A Taste of Honey,” a central influence on the singer, died last week, and Morrissey has been paying tribute ever since.
Midway into the night, he referred jokingly to a big football game in the neighborhood by saying something about “the Bears or whoever” (it was actually UCLA versus USC). The game added to an intense traffic and parking gridlock in the area — and might just be a preview of what's to come with a new downtown stadium right beside Staples Center and the Nokia theaters.
Later, in introducing the rocking “People Are the Same Everywhere,” Morrissey told the crowd, “It's
interesting to me that Egypt and Syria are leading the world. You may not realize this, but people have the power to change the world.”
One of the most romantic ballads of the night, the Smiths' “I Know It's Over,” was performed to the gasps and “Ahhs!” of fans. Morrissey sang it in silhouette, a single spotlight shining behind his head, to the delicate strokes of electric guitar and a heartbreak beat. He wailed sadly, defiantly, “If you're so very good-looking, why do you sleep alone tonight?”
A young man climbed the stage to briefly embrace Morrissey from behind, stealing a quick kiss before being whisked away, as the band slipped into “Speedway,” where the singer delivered one of the night's most dramatic readings, his arms dropping helplessly to his sides.
When Morrissey and the band returned for an encore of the Smiths' “Still Ill,” several more fans took their final chance to rush the stage, hoping for an embrace but often stopped just short of reaching the singer. Sometimes, he reached right back.