Making a list? Checking it twice? Here are some guidelines to keep befuddled spouses, parents of teenagers and others on the right track.

*** NO DOUBT, “Tragic Kingdom,” Trauma/Interscope. A catchy, cannily arranged, stylistically diverse excursion in which bright, enthusiastic music is wed to cautionary tales of relationships breaking under stress.

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Albums and other items in the Gift Guide are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).