Music Tuesday: XLR8R’s 2011 picks, holiday music and more

As December wears on, we’re faced with two major issues: finding holiday music we can actually love...and discovering end-of-year lists we can trust. Today’s features on youtube.com/music get you started on both counts.

XLR8R’s best videos of 2011
The taste-making electronic music magazine has strong opinions and good taste -- not such a bad combination, right? After wading through innumerable music videos, they share ten which they feel stand out for their beautiful imagery, unique storylines, great animations and/or baffling special effects. Prepare to be baffled.



‘Tis The Season
The season of giving is beginning, and here's what we've got in our sack for you: brand new holiday videos from Zee Avi and Matt Costa, and not one but two entire Christmas albums (f'reals!): one from hipster record label Carpark and one Americana offering featuring the Avett Brothers, among many others. Time to get your holiday on in style.



Little Tybee: Boxcar Fair
It reportedly took six months to craft this lovely little gem of a video. Yes, puppets are creepy -- and put them in a strange country fair, at night, in the middle of a desert, and things get even creepier. Or perhaps it’s just whimsical? This band has consistently pushed the boundaries with their videos, and this one marries the song and video beautifully. Bravo.



Sarah Bardeen, Music Community Manager, recently watched “Rains - by Teebs and Jackhigh.”