Diane Birch

The xx: Crystalised. London, England’s newest it-band reveals moody girl-boy vocal interplay and spooky, spare indie-rock atmospherics on this gently soaring ballad that sounds like Chris Isaak meets PJ Harvey by way of Danger Mouse. Available on: xx.

The xx opens for Friendly Fires Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at Le National, 1220 Ste. Catherine St. E. Tickets cost $17.50. Call 514-845-2014.

T’CHA DUNLEVY

Stars: Fairytale of New York. Montreal’s indie-pop romantics inject the Pogues’ ragged Christmastime classic with twinkling innocence. Luckily, they don’t forget to let it swing a bit along the way. Available at: iTunes.

T’CHA DUNLEVY

Diane Birch: Rise Up. One of the year’s best feel-good tracks comes with churchy piano, sassy horns, soaring hooks and a funky rhythm section that makes the song sound as if it could have been recorded in 1971 – or last week. Available on: Bible Belt.

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