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Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner, who perform as Ghostland Observatory, play electronica with the ferocity of great rock 'n' roll. The Austin duo's music presents a beguiling synthesis of new-wave-influenced bands like The Rapture and the progressive dance-floor musings of Daft Punk.

A performance and chat with musician Stephin Merritt and author David Handler (a.k.a Lemony Snicket) about The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events. Merritt, of The Magnetic Fields, contributed his talents to the soundtrack.

The eyepatch-wearing pianist was among the most erratic characters in the Crescent City, and as a result, his discography includes few solid studio sides. Booker was prone to effusive showboating, but on this 1977 live recording, he sounds engaged playing songs that were staples of his live show.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews three new releases of live recordings by the late mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: John Harbison's North and South; Peter Liberson's Neruda Songs; and Rilke Songs.

Musician Tony Trischka knows there's more to banjo than The Beverly Hillbillies. He has explored the banjo and its rich history, from African melodies to jazz fusion and classical arrangements.

The Shins' fine new Wincing the Night Away is built of the same solid stuff that made its predecessors famous: lush pop melodies, rich harmonies, vaguely obtuse lyrics, and sly, sideways hooks. It also features a gorgeous, brightly swooning ringer in "Phantom Limb."

A beguiling and visionary blend of reggae, soul and pop, Jackie Mittoo's Wishbone didn't connect commercially upon its release. Now, more than 30 years and countless stylistic hybrids later, the disc sounds like pure genius — one of the boldest and most cohesive expansions of Jamaican pop ever recorded.

He's an Orthodox Jew who is also a reggae singer. And if some of his songs sound like prayers, you're not far off. Meet Matisyahu, a singer exploring his spiritual side through reggae. This year, he's performing several concerts at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City to celebrate Hanukkah.

Every year brings a flood of new holiday CDs, and with good reason: They're quick and easy to make, most if not all of the songs have already been written, and they get reissued practically every year. From Sufjan Stevens to Twisted Sister to The Chipmunks, here's a look at 2006's holiday crop.

The Beatles' original producer George Martin worked on a Fab Four soundtrack to a Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas show, which remixed and combined various Beatle songs. Now, Martin and his son Giles have released a modified soundtrack of that production, an album called Love.