You will hear hipper, more radical and certainly louder releases this year. But if you’re wise enough to buy this elegantly packaged release, I doubt there’s a purchase you’ll play more. The third release from this esteemed duo, the concept couldn’t be simpler. It’s a collection of their favourite ballads, many of which will be yours too, from the classic – ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘In A Sentimental Mood’ – to those that may surprise – a sombre ‘Paper Bag’ (a Goldfrapp goodie) or Sigur Ros’ lyrical ‘Heysátan’. The mood remains restrained, intimate, but never cloying, even on chestnuts like ‘Skylark’, which gets a flash of Vaughan-Williams-meets-Grappelli in the intro. Instead, Etheridge and Garrick apply the golden rule of standards and let the melody do the talking. So a timeless tune like ‘First Time Ever I Saw Her Face’ is sifted to an essence that is almost painfully naked, with Garrick playing with an unadorned yearning. Even Carroll, much loved but not generally known for her emotional containment, keeps a tight wrap on ‘River’ while her bittersweet, almost whispered ‘Think It’s Going To Rain Today’ is simultaneously plain and gorgeous. But, hey, don’t take my word for it: just go listen.