This major-indie debut from North Carolina singer-composer Ari Picker and his symphonic band of folk gypsies has stayed in my pocket since its August release. In a crowded field of overly sensitive, plaid-wearing singer-songwriters, Lost in the Trees is verging on creating a new genre of music. Call it neoclassical folk or acoustic pops, because Lost in the Trees turns the coffeehouse into the orchestra pit. “All Alone in an Empty House” may keep folk and classical music alive for another hundred years.

WATCH the video for Lost in the Trees’ “Walk Around The Lake.”

Released in the middle of summer, “Dark Night of the Soul,” sounds even better in these short winter days. But Danger Mouse and the late Mark Linkous did not come together to wallow in darkness. These 13 songs — sung with 11 guest vocalists, ranging from the Pixies’ Black Francis to Suzanne Vega — refuse to blink in the face of life’s ups, downs, beauties, and tragedies. “Dark Night of the Soul” is sweet, idyllic, despondent, and full of worn-out rage.

WATCH Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse’s “Little Girl” (Featuring Julian Casablancas).

“The Suburbs” could spell the end or the beginning for Arcade Fire — their outsider status is now forever blown away by an album that’s an inspired, urgent, fresh, and instantly classic work from start to finish. Expect the copycats to come running and get ready for the backlash. They’re all jealous. They should be. “The Suburbs” is the best thing to ever come out of a clone home cul-de-sac.

WATCH the video for Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start.”

Damn, Kanye West doesn’t make it easy. Between his crazy tweets and televised outbursts, you could be forgiven for wanting to dismiss him as more of an attention seeker than an auteur. Wrong. Kanye can deliver the genius along with the crazy. And with “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” West has given hip-hop its “Highway 61 Revisited.” It’s an album that reaches into decades of musical and literary history (and film, if you count his spellbinding “Runaway” short), studies it closely, then instantly renders it obsolete. No doubt, Kanye West is maddening. That’s the price of admission. The dude is also a stone cold artist.

WATCH Kanye West’s “Runaway” (video version) featuring Pusha T.

I’m one of those last-minute holiday shoppers. The Christmas tree is up in my house just as the tree lots are taking theirs down. For all of you fellow stragglers, here are five new Xmas releases to put in your holiday playlist: from the Glee-ification of “Jingle Bells” and Mariah Carey’s Christmas block party to Annie Lennox’s old London town caroling and Perry Como’s ghost of Christmas lounges past. It’s nearly a perfect tree-trimming party mix — just skip “Idol” alum Katharine McPhee’s stiff, saccharine “Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You.” Maybe it sounds better after a few hits of eggnog.

VIDEO: Check out this week’s must-play pick: Annie Lennox.

Mariah Carey’s 1994 Christmas album is one of the all-time holiday best-sellers, at over 12 million stockings stuffed. So it’s not surprising that the diva would take another pass at her version of holiday cheer — she has a baby to feed. On her sequel, Carey updates the beats a bit but largely keeps the formula the same. It’s big and shiny, just like that overpriced gift you’ll forget about by New Year’s Day. And who am I to stand in the way of a singer and her Santa Claus teddy?

WATCH the music video for Mariah Carey’s single “Oh, Santa!”

This one is a Christmas bridge too far. “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee breaks every holiday rule about the joyful spirit of the season. “Christmas Is the Time . . .” is too stiff, too polite, and too soul-less to raise my holiday spirits. It’s the kind of album that gets played at the obligatory office party all the employees are trying to escape. For a taste of some real holiday cheer, check out Billy Squier’s 1981 original take on the title track. I wanna be carried out of that party.

WATCH the music video for Katharine McPhee’s single “It’s Not Christmas Without You.”