Imagine the Debbie Harry of "Rapture" with more sass, imagine Sheena (of 'Sheena Is a Punk Rocker") in the Shangri-La's, imagine the Crystals meeting Sleater-Kinney. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Shalitas.

Honestly, an all-girl doo wop trio in 2004? You'd think it would be retro but it's not, instead, it's something that actually sounds new and different while being derivative in the right way - taking everything they love and making it their own. The Shalitas also double as back-up singers for Philly rock and roll powerhouse Marah (who guest star on the single), and it's clear why they're kindred spirits — they've got the same r'n'b echoes in their soul.

It seems that everyone's covering this song lately, but Joey Himself (who, after all, worshipped at the altar of Ronnie Spector) would undoubtedly approve of their version of the Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)". Only complaint is that this cover, while sharply executed, doesn't showcase the Shalitas' energy strongly enough. The flip side (okay, it's a cd, but work with me here), "Christmas Don't Be Late" (which is actually a cover of, um, the Chipmunks - trust me, it works) is more like it, including some deadpan humor from the Bielanko brothers.

Right now, the only place to get the single is from the Shalitas web site (theshalitas.com) for $4, and you can download "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)" from Reel To Reel Records for about a buck.