-- Improvised solo piano albums: So hot right now. Former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle has recorded his own solo piano album, Merry X-Mas 2009, and he's giving it away for free on his website. Sample song title: "Wild Animals Slowly Approaching the Lovely Country Funeral".

-- On December 11, Danny Tamberelli and Mike Maronna, stars of the beloved Nickelodeon show "The Adventures of...