It's been a crazy whirlwind of a time in Chubland recently, but have no fear, your little darling is fine. In fact, I'm better than fine - I'm jolly.

I'm not going to put together a top ten list or anything, because music to me isn't about a year. It can be about a moment. An album you couldn't stand to listen to back in the day might be exactly what you need a few years later. Also, I find lists to be pretentious and self-serving and more than likely I'd end up adding an artist not because I think their album is the best of the year but because their everyday life is something I find interesting or they seem like people I'd like to party with (editor's note: In reality I'd like to party with everybody, including Miley Cyrus as of late).

But, I won't leave you completely empty handed, that is, if you're interested in knowing what I'm listening to these days.

In no particular order, these artists have been playing nonstop in my ears at work, the gym, public transit, walking down the street - always:

Robyn
Kelis
Tricky
The Black Keys
Band of Horses
Sharon Van Etten
LCD Soundsystem
Coeur de Pirate
and Florence and the Machine.

I'm not the only one feeling jolly - the folks at Amazon are giving away a free holiday mp3 per day (25 of them!) until Christmas. There you go boys and girls, get it while it's hot.

Enjoy your holiday season no matter what you're celebrating and always remember it's not about the gifts but about the time you're spending with the people you love (or the amount of alcoholic beverages you need to imbibe while spending time with people you aren't so crazy about).

Political, musical and fashion misfits, The Dresden Dolls, are coming to Chicago for one of my most highly anticipated concerts of the year. I mean, who doesn't want to see a self-described "Brechtian punk cabaret" show? If the answer is you, then we might have to rethink our relationship.

Amanda Palmer and her partner in music, Brian Viglione, have reunited after a three year hiatus, which included solo projects and the David Lynchian dream world of Evelyn Evelyn. The punk rock cabaret kicked off on the duo's 10th anniversary, Halloween night.

If you're in Chicago on November 17th, come buy me a drink at The Vic! Ok, buy it for yourself, but at least say hello. I'll be the small tattooed one with her eyes fixed on Amanda Palmer. For a full list of dates, check the band's website.

I will take these California girls over Katy Perry's any day of the week. Jury is still out on the California gays though - those mos are pretty great.

Why is Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker so sexy? I mean, I think when he was a wee little British lad he probably wasn't considered a sexual tour de force, but now, oh now, he makes me melt into a heart-shaped pool of Anglophile.