Last week I documented the grim results of trying to download free Christmas music from Amazon.com’s 25 Days of Free promotion. I just checked and things haven’t improved much, but Amazon does also have a free download of Los Straitjackets’ “Deck the Halls” from their new Yuletide Beat album. It’s Los Straitjackets’ second Christmas album, but they can nail this stuff while doing their taxes, and this sounds fun and effortless.

iTunes sent out a link to download a collection that was just as glum in its own way as the Amazon set. Since the link’s down, I won’t go on except to say that it made me sad how happy downloaders seemed to be with tracks by Barry Manilow, David Archuletta, Charlotte Church, Sarah McLaughlan, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts and more. Ham&eggers every one, and their tracks are so artistically tepid that not a one of them leaves a clear set of fingerprints on a song that they touch.

Thankfully, today I downloaded Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings “Ain’t No Chimney,” which is available at Daptone.com. Admittedly, they write their own Christmas song, but rather than being an exercise in celebrity, the song engages Christmas their way – and it’s a cool track.