It's that holiday season once again, and Santa Mike insists we cover a slate of season-appropriate releases. Are they jazz appropriate as well? Not really, but two are jazz adjacent and one at least features an ex-Messenger, so there's that. There's also, er, Swamp Dogg. Pop matters travels from Sufjan Stephens to late eighties England to the soothing, ambient sounds of the Zamboni, nature's Andreas Vollenweider. Bobby Timmons – HOLIDAY SOUL; Swamp Dogg – AN AWFUL CHRISTMAS AND A LOUSY NEW YEAR; Squirrel Nut Zippers – CHRISTMAS CARAVAN; Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass – CHRISTMAS ALBUM.