Sugarland

Nashville's most suburban superstar duo uses its obligatory holiday release as a means to experiment both with the form and its sound. Five songs out of 10 are secular humanist originals that range from snow-shimmering Renaissance-faire fugues to hot-toddy power-pop for lonely singles; rarely revived carols include a naughty "Nuttin' For Christmas" hoedown and a Midnight Mass "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"; two tracks turn into surprise medleys; one turns Spanish. And as befits an album where much of the celebrating takes place in the city, there's nearly as much jazz and gospel as country.