Former Til' Tuesday front woman Aimee Mann has always been a personal favorite of mine, but even I'll admit that her last two solo records (2002's dismal Lost in Space and last years somewhat sub-par The Forgotten Arm) did little to quench the usual thirst I have for her work. When I first heard she was working on a Christmas album I shuddered with horror - firstly, I'm not a huge Christmas fan (music or otherwise) and secondly, I started fearing for the worst that Mann's career was starting to slide into the toilet.

I'm delighted to report, however, that One More Drifter in the Snow is not the career suicide move I had anticipated. It is, in fact, quite an enjoyable record with a loungy old time feel that is instantly likeable. "The Christmas Song," "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Winter Wonderland" and a handful of other classics are honored here with care. Mann's vocals are soothing to the ear and even though you've heard these songs a million times before, they sound superb under Mann's wing. Personally, my two favorites on Drifter are a cover of Michael Penn's (Aimee's husband) "Christmastime" which I think is even better than the original and Aimee and special guest Grant Lee Phillips' take on "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch" with Phillips voicing the narrator of the story; it's a real hoot. One More Drifter in the Snow isn't quite up there with holiday classics released by such legends as Sinatra, Martin, Como or dare I incriminate myself (gulp!) The Carpenters, but it is an enjoyable addition to my very thin collection of Christmas music and I think it could become a favorite for those who give it a fair shake.