One More Drifter In The Snow

Aimee Mann's first Christmas CD is solid: Aimee sings ten beautiful songs on this CD and her voice is in excellent form. Aimee passionately involves herself with her artistry; and this CD proves it.

The album starts off with the nostalgic and bittersweet "Whatever Happened To Christmas." The singer laments the fact she isn't as happy as she once was. It is only near the very end of the song that Aimee reveals that she longs for her former lover.

Other great ballads on this CD include "Christmastime" and "Winter Wonderland." The musical arrangements are very nicely done.

One surprise nostalgic song that makes me laugh is "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch." This brings back fond childhood memories when I watched this Christmastime TV special every year in December. Aimee performs this along with Grant Lee Phillips; together they pack a punch on this number.

There are classic Christmas ballads on this CD, too. Aimee sings "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire);" "I'll Be Home For Christmas;" "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "White Christmas." Aimee sings "White Christmas" with a certain extra melancholy style that draws attention to this number on the CD.

The CD ends with another rather bittersweet ballad entitled "Calling On Mary." Aimee makes a play on words between "Merry" as in "Merry Christmas" and "Mary" as is Mary Magdalene, the devoted disciple of Jesus. Aimee then calls upon Mary to grant her inner peace and strength at this very special time of year.

Although the CD impresses me as a solid album, the packaging disappoints me. The CD does not come in any type of jewel case but rather a thin cardboard case with a plastic holder for the CD. The liner notes, therefore, are practically non-existent. You get the credits but that's all. However, there are very nice photos of Aimee and that partially compensates for the cheap packaging.

Overall, Aimee Mann succeeds with her first Christmas CD. The quality of the sound is good and Aimee communicates her passion for the season and all the nostalgia that comes with it. Despite the second class packaging I still highly recommend this CD because Aimee's artistry is excellent on all these songs. She both sings and plays acoustic guitar throughout; I hope this CD brings you joy and peaceful reflection at this coming Christmas season.

Mann's take on the classics are enjoyable--enough of a twist to be interesting, though nothing that would wake the holiday shoppers from their stupor. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is especially good, beginning with a verse before delving into the standard arrangement and conveying a gut-wrenching sense of longing. Likewise, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is hauntingly un-merry. The standout tracks here, though, are the originals "Whatever Happened to Christmas", "Christmastime", and "Calling on Mary". They're exactly what you'd expect from an Aimee Mann album about Christmas: thoughtful melancholia. For those of us in sunlight-challenged climes, it's just the ticket for wallowing in seasonal affective disorder.

When I read that Aimee was doing a Christmas album, I too was surprised as her music is so introspective and often melancholy. But that is precisely what makes this album work. There are many artists who record Christmas albums without giving them their own personal stamp, and the result is that many of them deliver a kind of relentless bubble-gum cheer that becomes annoying over time. These recordings fail to acknowledge the double-edged sword of Christmas: the joy, but also the memories of years (and people) past, with that accompanying pain/melancholy. That is what this album accomplishes.

The two original songs are true standouts. "Calling on Mary" is an instant classic.