Happy Holidays!  While gifts are flowing to friends and loved ones, there's not much new coming to stores!  Here are a few highlights to keep you sated over the next three weeks!

John Mellencamp, Other People's Stuff [LP] (Republic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Other People's Stuff is a new collection of covers that shows Mellencamp applying his knack for storytelling to ten staples from the American music canon. The material is culled mostly from his own albums, hard-to-find compilations, and documentary soundtracks. Mellencamp also recorded a brand-new version of "Eyes on the Prize," a standard that he had performed at The White House for the 2010 Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement at the request of President Obama. Read more about this release here.  Out today.

The Classics IV, Spooky/Mamas and Papas - Soul Train/Traces/Song (BGO) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

BGO follows up its recent Sonny & Cher set with another long-overdue title.  This 2-CD, 4-album set brings together the Dennis Yost-fronted Florida band's first four albums for the Imperial and Liberty labels, all of which are making their official CD debuts.  The southern soft-rockers' big hits are all here ("Spooky," "Stormy," "Traces," "Everyday with You Girl") as well as an eclectic blend of originals and covers like "The Letter," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Our Day Will Come," and "It Ain't Necessarily So" in one slipcased package.  Available now.

Mike + The Mechanics, Living Years: 30th Anniversary Edition (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

BMG has revisited Mike + The Mechanics' breakthrough sophomore album from 1988 in a new 2-CD/2-LP edition which features the same contents as the 25th anniversary editions, albeit with new liner notes and with the CDs and LPs brought together this time around.  Available now.

Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, Diana and Marvin/Best of Marvin Gaye/Diana Ross & The Supremes: The #1s (Universal U.K.) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Universal U.K. has packaged together three catalogue titles from two of Motown's brightest lights in one budget box.  Other than the box itself, there's nothing new here, but if you don't own this music, here's a quick and inexpensive way to obtain it.  Out today.

Dear Evan Hansen: Original Broadway Cast Recording - Deluxe Edition (Atlantic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Atlantic has a physical release planned for December 28 (subject to change) of the Dear Evan Hansen Deluxe Edition.  This release (already available digitally) adds six bonus tracks to the Tony Award-winning musical's Grammy-winning cast album including cut songs, demos, and a cover of "Waving Through a Window" by Katy Perry.

There's not much of note to look for on January 4, but - in addition to our usual daily assortment of news and reviews - we'll be back with a new Release Round-Up on January 11!