One More Drifter In The Snow

Aimee Mann - One More Drifter In The Snow

Aimee Mann is one of those artists who can seemingly do no wrong. Even when she's not great, she's still very good. I'm not sure I've ever heard a song of hers that I didn't like. In fact, "Wise Up" is probably one of my favorite songs of the past ten years. But until now, I've never owned a single one of her albums.

A lot of the press for One More Drifter In The Snow suggests that it's a throwback to the Christmas albums of the 40s and 50s. And while it does have a classic feel to it, it still seems very contemporary. Many of the songs have a kind of jazzy sound, but the arrangements make clever use of percussion, banjo and keys that keep it from being too retro. Apart from a brilliant and jaunty duet with Grant Lee Phillips on "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch," it's full of mellow, reflective takes on holiday standards, though there are a couple songs that will be new to most listeners . Unless you're a Frank Sinatra fan, you're probably not familiar with Jimmy Webb's "Whatever Happened To Christmas." And two originals are also included; "Christmastime," written by Mann's husband Michael Penn and Jon Brion, and perhaps the albums best song, "Calling On Mary," written by Mann herself. It's a bit melancholy, but never depressing. If such a thing is possible, I think Aimee Mann might have made the perfect Christmas album for people who normally don't like Christmas music.

Aimee Mann - "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (mp3)