Paul McCartney, the Shins, Andrew Bird, Rufus Wainwright Contribute Christmas Covers to 'Holidays Rule'

BY Alex HudsonPublished Oct 11, 2012

Now that it's October, news of upcoming Christmas releases is beginning to roll in. The latest is Holidays Rule, a star-studded collection that will arrive on October 30 through Starbucks' Hear Music/Concord.

The collection features an impressive array of acts (many of them of the indie rock/folk persuasion) offering up brand new covers of some festive classics. Among the artists featured here are Paul McCartney, Andrew Bird, the Shins, Rufus Wainwright with Sharon Van Etten, Heartless Bastards, Eleanor Friedberger, Calexico, Holly Golightly, Fruit Bats, the Head and the Heart, and more.

Holidays Rule will be available on CD. It was produced by Chris Funk (of the Decemberists) and Sara Matarazzo. Peruse the tracklist below, and scroll past that to hear Rufus Wainwright's Sharon Van Etten-assisted version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Below that is a 30-second sample of each track on the album.

Thanks to Pitchfork for the tip.

Holidays Rule:

1. fun. - "Sleigh Ride"

2. The Shins - "Wonderful Christmastime"

3. Rufus Wainwright with Sharon Van Etten - "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

4. Paul McCartney - "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"

5. Black Prairie (ft. Sallie Ford) - "(Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man With the Bag"

6. The Civil Wars - "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"

7. Calexico - "Green Grows the Holly"

8. AgesandAges - "We Need a Little Christmas"

9. Holly Golightly - "That's What I Want For Christmas"

10. Irma Thomas with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - "May Everyday Be Christmas"

11. Heartless Bastards - "Blue Christmas"

12. Eleanor Friedberger - "Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me"

13. Fruit Bats - "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"

14. Y La Bamba - "Señor Santa"

15. The Punch Brothers - "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

16. The Head & the Heart - "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve"

17. Andrew Bird - "Auld Lang Syne"



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