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One More Drifter in the Snow

Aimee Mann - One More Drifter in the Snow Audio CD

A fair review of the Aimee Mann "One More Drifter in the Snow" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Aimee Mann reviews here, or go back to the Aimee Mann tabs.

Band: Aimee Mann
Title: One More Drifter in the Snow
Rating:

Release Date: 2006-10-24
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Whatever Happened To Christmas 2: Christmas Song 3: Christmastime 4: I'll Be Home For Christmas 5: You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch 6: Winter Wonderland 7: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 8: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 9: White Christmas 10: Calling On Mary

Brilliant mellow Christmas music
Nevertheless, the album works brilliantly. Looking at the front cover of the second edition (the one that I own), Aimee doesn't exactly seem to be in the Christmas spirit and this reflects the generally downbeat music contained within. The first edition of the album (the front cover picture of which appears on the back cover of the second edition) contains ten tracks, six of which are Christmas standards, two of which are original songs and the other two are covers of rarely-recorded Christmas songs. The second edition includes one bonus track, which is a cover of Joni Mitchell's River. This song was never intended to be a Christmas song but it now seems to be accepted as part of the Christmas repertoire, and I'm not complaining. It is exactly the kind of song that you would expect to find on a downbeat Christmas album. Aimee performs it brilliantly, but if you've already got the first edition of the album, I don't think it would be worth buying the whole album again just for that track

The set opens with a cover of Whatever happened to Christmas?. Though written by legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb, I don't remember hearing this song before, but it's a great song that deserves to be heard more frequently. The other rarely-recorded cover is You're a mean one Mr Grinch, which features male vocals by Grant Lee Phillips. This Broadway song fits the mood but not really the style of the album, so I can understand why some people don't like this track. I definitely hadn't heard the song before I heard Aimee sing it, but I'd like to hear it in a setting that suits it better.

The two original songs are Christmastime (co-written by the album's producer Michael Penn) and Calling on Mary (co-written by Aimee). The latter song includes the phrase that gives the album its title. Both songs are excellent. Of the other songs, Aimee comes nearest to being cheerful on God rest ye merry gentlemen, which perhaps sounds even better as it contrasts with much of the rest of the album. Aimee also turns in a particularly good performance on Have yourself a merry little Christmas, though perhaps she's hoping that her listeners have a better Christmas than she's having. I'll be home for Christmas (ideally suited to this album), The Christmas song and White Christmas also sound brilliant, but I wish Aimee sounded more cheerful on Winter wonderland.

Despite my slight reservations about Winter wonderland, this is a brilliant, mellow Christmas album. Although recorded during better times, this album seems particularly appropriate for the recession-hit times in which I bought it. I'm thinking that Christmas 2009 may be difficult for a lot of people and this album might just capture the mood of the time.
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Solid, albeit short, Christmas album
It's mid-January, and I'm taking out Christmas-related CDs from my CD carousel to put them away until the next Christmas season comes around, in mid-December (not late October, as regretfully far too many retail stores seem to think, but I digress. . ). This particular album has quickly become one of my favorites.

On "One More Drifter in the Snow" (10 tracks; 33 min. ), Aimee Mann brings her interpretation of mostly well-know Christmas staples, such as the opener "Whatever Happened to Christmas", "I'll Be Home For Christmas", "Winter Wonderland", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "White Christmas". The two most remarkable songs are the Michael Penn-written "Christmastime", and Aimes's cover of "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" (featuring Grant Lee Phillips on guest vocals). The whole album has a warm and jazzy feeling to it, and sounds great. Yet, at barely a half hour of music, it all goes by too quickly. A few more songs would've been nice.

As talented a singer-songwriter as Aimee Mann is, I am not sure why she did not include any original material written by herself on here. Maybe she's holding those back for a sequel to this collection? Since releasing this in 2006, Aimee has started a short annual Christmas tour, which I hope to catch one day. Meanwhile, for the best Christmas album in years, make sure to check out Over the Rhine's 2007 album "Snow Angels", which contains nothing but original material and is simply superb. .

Sad girl does it again....

There are some really nice pieces on here, but it's not a very Merry Christmas in Aimee's world. Pass the Prozac it's an Aimee Mann Christmas. On the opening track she asks "Whatever Happend to Christmas?" Well, all you have to do listen to this cd to get a clue. I actually laughed when she got to the line "were happy tonight" in "Winter Wonderland. This is not a happy walk though the winter wonderland.

"Calling on Mary" for all it's brilliance is about a suicidal woman gettin' ready to take the big leap off a building. Well, Merry Christmas to you too! I think a nice addition to this cd would have been a version of "It's Not" with sleigh bells. Yeah, I know, I know. . . there are so many happy Christmas cds out there. Why make another one.

So, break out a bottle or two of hard liquor, put plenty of mascara on, take out a picture of someone who broke your heart, light up the tree, slide this puppy onto your cd player and sit alone in the darkness. Aimee can write about you next year.
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pure delight
This album is pure delight; it's truly fascinating, moving, sweet and delicious; it's a very good Christmas collection.

a snowy delight
I really liked Aimee's take on xmas songs. I am not one normally for Christmas songs or CDs but this CD is an exception. They weren't typically sugary and fake (like I find some holiday music to be) but I felt she really captured some of the bittersweetness of the holiday, but still didn't let things get too down. And I have to admit, I have listened to these tracks year round and still enjoyed them. So get a fire going, sit back, relax and enjoy this wonderful holiday CD. .

You can see a complete list of all Aimee Mann discography, or go back to the Aimee Mann tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.