Christmas in July, Judith Owen (Century of Progress)

This Welsh-born jazz-pop singer might not have made this site under normal circumstances, but this EP has a novelty twist -- her mellow cover of "Christmas With the Devil," the mock-holiday classic by Spinal Tap. She didn't have to look too far for the inspiration to do this tune -- she's married to Tap co-creator Harry Shearer, who contributes supporting vocals. She throws in a couple of holiday originals, "The Dancing Tree" and "My Father's Voice," and covers "Silent Night" in a duet with Julia Fordham, also doing "The Christmas Song" and a fairly mannered jazz version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." The whole disc is mellow pop singing, but Owen is the real deal in terms of singing and writing talent, if you prefer the mellower sounds. But for Mistletunes regulars, the Tap cover is worth the whole disc. From 2004.