Music

My Xmas by Andrea Bocelli — the Italian tenor releases his first Christmas album; 17 tracks including Italian tunes like "Caro Gesu Bambino" and "Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle.

Swords by Morrissey — The lovable crank isn't feeling so well these days (he collapsed at a recent concert in England), but that won't stop his next album, which is a collection of B-sides from his last four CDs. Get ready for some hilarious song titles including,"Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice," "If You Don't Like Me, Don't Look at Me," and "My Life Is a Succession of People Saying Goodbye." We'll always love you, Mozz, but jeez Louise.

Other notable releases of next week include Play On by Carrie Underwood, Raditude by Weezer, and an eponymous release from a band called Vagina Panther (we're serious).

The week in concerts is robust with fearsome female talent. After knocking 'em dead this week with shows in Los Angeles and Austin, lovely Beth Ditto and her band Gossip head to Little Rock (in Beth's home state of Arkansas) on Friday before beginning their European tour in Paris.

Tegan and Sara close out the promotional tour of their new album, Sainthood, with shows at New York's Town Hall venue on October 30 and 31 (dressing up should be a requirement for attendance, but it isn't).

Our new personal obsession, Florence and the Machine, a British powerhouse with stirring songs of obsession and agony, played this week in N.Y., L.A., and on Letterman's show. If you're lucky enough to be close to (or in) Canada, you can see this about-to-explode star in Montreal on Sunday and Toronto on Tuesday.