New Music

Baby Dee

Safe Inside The Day (Drag City)
***

Avant-garde gender-bender Baby Dee sings songs with an old school show tune feel, like a modern day cabaret star teasing twisted tales out of her piano and harp. Her deep voice might turn some people off, but let it sink in and her voodoo starts to work on you. The tracks form a concept based around experiences and observations in her hometown neighborhood. Her beautiful melodies and upbeat lyrics find the positive side to a bizarre world where not everything is as it seems. Like Antony and the Johnsons or Marc Almond, she's a unique artist that has few peers. —CHRIS FREEMAN

Duran Duran

Red Carpet Massacre (Epic)

**

Like Rodney Dangerfield, Duran Duran never got any respect. They didn't need it; their synth ditties delighted girls and androgynous boys throughout the '80s and part of the '90s. So you can't blame DD for wanting another commercial heyday, but the production skills of Timberlake and Timbaland on their latest distract as much as they add. So the standouts are in the vein of old school DD: the punky title track, the spacey “Box Full o' Honey”, and an instrumental, “Tricked Out.” The band's not as pretty as they once were, but they're still horny. Good thing they're in a rock band, or the authorities might come knocking. —DAN LOUGHRY

The Killers

Sawdust (The Island Def Jam Music Group)
***

A collection of odds and ends from The Killers catalog since 2004, Sawdust is put together with care. Songs aren't thrown together for a quick holiday buck; they flow with ease, and showcase this foursome's command of commercial alt-rock. “Tranquilize”, with Lou Reed, is a standout—the stadium-ready vocals of Sam Flowers is kept earthy by Reed's tremulous monotone. The dance-friendly remix of “Mr. Brightside” is revisionist art at its finest. And though “Shadowplay” should be heard in its Joy Division incarnation first, the band does a professional job with the classic. Elsewhere, the tunes are good: less duds than on Sam's Town; not as good as Hot Fuss. —D.L.

Seal

System (Warner Bros.)
***

Seal could be considered guilty of self-plagiarism since most of his catalog tends to sound the same. But with a voice that distinctive, why mess with a winning formula? For this, his fifth release, he's gone back to square one to make an album we can dance to by enlisting producer Stuart Price (who's kept Madonna on the cutting edge). The tracks are bouncy and light as air and the whole album has an uplifting quality, perfect for the clubs. And this set of songs could be his best and strongest yet—even if they do sound like all the others. —C.F.

CONCERT CALENDAR

Social Distortion

Follows up greatest hits compilation as one of the pioneering bands of the original Southern California punk rock movement. House of Blues. Wed., Dec. 19. 8 p.m. $27.50. www.ticketmaster.com.

Van Halen

Buries the hatchet with David Lee Roth and reunites as one of America's classic rock bands of the '70s and '80s. Honda Center. Thur., Dec. 20. 7:30 p.m. $49.50-149.50. www.ticketmaster.com.

The Germs and The Adolescents

Return to The Strip, having spearheaded the bourgeoning West Coast punk scene in the late 1970s. Key Club. Fri., Dec. 28. 8 p.m. $18. www.ticketmaster.com.

B.B. King

Reigns as the king of Blues and, at the age of 76, continues to wear that crown well. The Wiltern. Fri., Jan 4. 8 p.m. $39.50-89.50. www.ticketmaster.com.

Chris Brown

Headlines with fellow R&B heavyweights Bow Wow and Sean Kingston. Honda Center. Sat., Jan. 5. 7:30 p.m. $49.75-95.75. www.ticketmaster.com.

Homo Must

Shiny Toy Guns

Blends electronica and independent rock as the Los Angeles-based band returns to their hometown.The Wiltern. Sat., Dec. 22. 9 p.m. $19. www.ticketmaster.com.