LEE RANALDO & THE DUST played "Leece, Leaving" for Conan.

DEER TICK stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

DONORA stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

J. RODDY WALSTON & THE BUSINESS stopped by WFUV to perform a couple of new songs and chat about the making of Essential Tremors.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU from... Moshi Moshi Records. 

MARK KOZELEK drops his take on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”

SPECTOR covers John Lennon's "Jealous Guy."

ISLANDS drops a new tune, "Hawaii," as a one-off.

KIM WILDE drunkenly warbles "Kids In America" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" on the subway.

RAY PRICE: The legendary country singer has died following his battle with pancreatic cancer, after erroneous death reports over the weekend. He was 87.

THE BEATLES are releasing a bootleg album this week.  Also, the Fabs turned up in a court decision against the National Security Agency. Yes, really.

THE GUMMY AWARDS: The Top 50 Albums of 2013, according to Stereogum readers.

MUSICIANS' PICKS for Songs of 2013.

CHARLIE SHEEN claims Denise Richards is ruining Christmas.

MILEY CYRUS peddles her softer side to Barbara Walters.

KHLOE KARDASHIAN is reportedly not already dating Matt Kemp.

BEYONCE shattered the iTunes store record with her surprise album release.

CHRIS BROWN's probation in the Rihanna beating case was revoked due to the fresh assault charges against him. And yet Brown remains at large, because the judge is impressed with his progress in anger management classes.

THE CRITICS' CHOICE AWRDS nominations went to these folks.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT is producing, directing and starring in the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Sandman.

JAMES CAMERON plans to shoot three Avatar sequels in New Zealand.

TURKEY has shipped 47 tons of weapons to Syrian rebels since June, including 29 tons in September; last month the Interior Ministry said hundreds of Turkish jihadists were fighting alongside al Qaeda forces in Syria.

IRAN almost certainly has CIA contractor Robert Levinson in custody, if he still lives.

IRAQ: More than 70 people were killed in a series of bombings and attacks in Baghdad, Bayji, Mosul, Tikrit, and Jisr Diyala.

A CAT sleeps on demand.

LUCY, a Husky-beagle mix, limped to find help for her unconscious owner after they were plowed down by a speeding car while out on a walk.

INVASIVE FISH SPECIES turn up in Ohio.

A SPERM WHALE's stomach proves explosive.