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At
a concert in Princeton, New Jersey in June of 2005, Aimee Mann
revealed to the audience that her manager said
Starbucks would not sell her cds in their stores. They deemed her
music "not suitable for the Starbucks listener". Then she said
in typical Aimee Mann deadpan delivery, "I AM the Starbucks
listener! I'm the double soy decaf mocha latte!"
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The
ironic thing is that Mann has appeared year after year on Starbucks'
Christmas music cd's. Five times in all. So Starbucks does sell Aimee Mann
music, just as long as it's one of their cds and not her's, which tend to
have the occasional 'fuck' word scattered here or there.
In
the winter of 2005, just before Christmas, Aimee Mann's management team put together a Christmas EP, containing a number of her covers that
had appeared on Starbucks compilations with the addition of "I Was
Hoping I Could Clean Up for Christmas" from her Forgotten Arm cd (a
song about someone cleaning up their drug habit for Christmas).
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Thus
the prelude story to Aimee Mann's first full-length Christmas cd -- One More Drifter in the Snow, released in late October, 2006,
featuring a whole new set of covers of traditional songs, a cover of
"Christmastime" (written by her husband Michael Penn and Jon Brion)
and one new song written by Mann, "Calling On Mary" |
YouTube
Video
Coverage
click here |
The
Review
It
is a wonderful, wonderful album, with a fireside feel and an ode to
Christmas albums of years past, by Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Frank
Sinatra, and Eddy Arnold, augmented by a tasteful, modern sound (percussion,
chimes, and Hawaiian guitar added on various songs; album produced by Paul
Bryan), and Aimee Mann's pretty voice. This album has in fact vaulted to the top of my list of favorite Christmas
albums. It doesn't crap on Christmas with a blaring, modern-rock,
let's-modernize- Christmas sound, but rather brings you back to the
Christmas feel of the forties, fifties, and sixties, and a celebration of
the human spirit.
"You're
a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is already loved by everyone in the family;
I've had numerous requests to play it over and over and over. It is
Broadway-esque. Mann duets with Grant Lee Phillips (male voice of the year
by Rolling Stone, 1995), who talks the lyrics as if he's telling a story.
Mann chimes in with effortless lilting highs. It is the epitome of a great
duet. My wife is in love with Grant Lee Phillips voice on that song. It's a
great song for the little ones too, as our one-year-and-a-half-year-old son
is transfixed to it, turning and heading for the computer with a curious smile
as soon as it starts.
"God
Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" has Christmas chimes and bells on it, which is
a favorite touch of Paul Bryan. They add spice and make the song
enchanting.
"I'll
Be Home for Christmas" has a background of what sounds like dorky, swaying horse hoofs clopping in the
snow, which adds a perfect touch of humor to this 50's lounge-act rendition
of the song.
"Winter
Wonderland" is another favorite; love the jazzy Hawaiian-guitar touch. More
horse hoofs on this song as well. Makes you want to go out and play in the
snow, even if it's the Fall and there's no snow out yet.
I
could listen to this album all year. I played it all evening on Halloween. Heck
I may even play it at the beach next summer. Blare "Winter Wonderland" at the beach from
the car speakers. And watch the reaction and people would start humming the
song to themselves as they wound their way down to the beach blankets. I'd
have everyone on the beach humming "Winter Wonderland" to
themselves, and feeling good, if a bit confused.
Thanks
to Aimee Mann and Paul Bryan and Grant Lee Phillips and Jay Bellerose and
Patrick Warren and Duke Levine and Chris Bruce and team!
Merry Christmas to
you too!!
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