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Is it too soon for Christmas music?

If you are the type that answers, "It's never too soon," you are in luck. The Holidays Rule compilation album came out earlier this season and it's jampacked with an impressive array of contributors, including lots of local musicians. This is due to one of the compilation's producers, Chris Funk of the Decemberists and Black Prairie, who roused the local troops for some Yuletide cheer. Along with nobodies like Paul McCartney and Irma Thomas, Holiday Rules has tracks by the Shins, Y La Bamba, Black Prairie with Sallie Ford, AgesandAges, and Fruit Bats (Portlanders all).

After the jump, I'll post complete streams of a couple songs—the Shins' take on McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" and Fruit Bats' "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas"—plus a giant embed that has 30-second previews of all the other tracks on the record. More info here.

If it is too soon for Christmas music, you can wait to open this package until closer to December 25.

Wonderful Christmastime | The Shins by fantasylabelgroup

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas | Fruit Bats by fantasylabelgroup

Holidays Rule | Various Artists (sample clips) by fantasylabelgroup