You'd be well within your rights to approach indie chanteuse Rosie Thomas's album of Christmas songs with a little trepidation. Like a Christmas present from your cat lady aunt, you might not know what to expect upon unwrapping. After all, Christmas music is Christmas music; some things don't need to be re-invented.

Well, never fear. Rosie Thomas's 2008 album of Christmas music is no ironic, tongue-in-cheek lump of coal. A Very Rosie Christmas manages to be both respectful to the traditional sound of Christmas recordings (sparse instrumentation, hushed, restrained vocals) while still adding a fair bit of personal and unique, albeit depressing, flair.

Whether handling standards such as "Silent Night" and "Let It Snow," or lesser known (roasting) chestnuts like Joni Mitchell's "River," the mood of A Very Rosie Christmas might have you reaching for the spiked eggnog a little earlier than you had planned. Thomas has a naturally melancholy voice and this is Christmas music for people who find the lights, the falling snow and the rituals of the season a little bit maudlin.

The joys of the album come, then, from the more leftfield selections, namely a breathtaking rendition of "Christmas Don't Be Late," by the helium-voiced Alvin & The… read more »