Little Windows

2016 release. The best harmony duet singing always confounds basic arithmetic. One plus one, instead of equaling two, suddenly yields an unexpected third thing. An upper-case ONE. A deep vibration. A universal hum that encompasses both male and female viewpoints and conveys more subtle shades of emotion than a single voice can. On Little Windows, the debut album by Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones, the duo have that kind of ONEness. Just because two people can sing doesn't mean they can sing well together, says Teddy. It's a more rare thing than you might think. When I sang with Kelly the first time, I knew we sounded good together. Listening to their seamless blend and the way they turn the corners of every phrase with precision and tonal beauty, you might assume that they've been singing together for half their lives. But they haven't. And as you listen to exquisitely-wrought songs like the stunning, goosebump-inducing Don't Remind Me and the unshakably catchy Wondering, you might also think, surely, these are covers of old classics. But they're not. What makes Little Windows so remarkable is that Teddy and Kelly are relatively recent collaborators, and the material is newly minted. Standing side by side in the vocal booth, Teddy and Kelly sang to the accompaniment of an ace backing band of Pete Thomas drums, Davey Faragher bass, Stevie Elliott guitar and Daniel Clarke keys.