Yuletunes, various artists (Black Vinyl Records)

If you're a fan of obscure pop-rockers and 90s alternative, this 1991 compilation is one of the more listenable ways to celebrate the season. Artists include Matthew Sweet, Material Issue, The Cavedogs, The Spongetones, Shoes, and a number of others. In fact, it was produced for the most part by the folks behind Shoes, who were arguably the first-ever indie-rock group, releasing their Black Vinyl Shoes album completely independently in 1977. Nearly all the tunes are originals by the bands involved, except Don Dixon and Marti Jones' sharp and too-short cover of William Bell's "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday." They don't Christmas up the arrangements too much, which could be good or bad depending on your taste, but there are a lot of interesting lyrical takes on the holiday, from the single-entendre of "Piece For Christmas" by Big People to Spooner's "The Saddest Time of the Year." And The Cavedogs get points for doing a "You Know My Name -- Look Up the Number" -- styled piece with the epic title "Three Wise Men and a Baby." I've linked the cover to Amazon, as is the current practice here, though Amazon only has 3rd-party sellers with new and used copies. It is possible, however, to buy it from Black Vinyl Records in the current day.