Izumi Records It's Not Like Christmas compilation includes Electric Soft Parade track The Friday Before Christmas. Limited to 1000 CDs, released on December 13th. All proceeds go to Shelter Available through UK independent stores like Rough Trade, Fopp and Sister Ray, or 100. Play some songs at their Myspace - Order here

The Times Pop CD Of The Week

That rare thing, a great Christmas record, this album lets its contributors make merry with cover versions and original songs. The 12 Days of Christmas, performed by a supergroup including Kathryn Williams, Futureheads and Field Music, captures precisely why the project works. At once informed by a warm fidelity and a spirit of anarchy, the track hurtles thrillingly towards its denouement. Other highlights include Duels’ sinister reading of Do You Hear What I Hear? and El Perro del Mar’s overwrought Oh! What a Christmas. Minuteman’s cover of Wham!’s Last Christmas flirts with feyness before luring the song into a very dark place indeed. Best of all is Of Whoredom and Falconry, by Duke Special and David Ford, which sends a chill up the spine, as all great Christmas songs should. It’s available on iTunes from Wednesday and in stores on December 13; all royalties go to Shelter. Four stars.