Matt Monro - Here's To My Lady (1966/2020)

Here's to My Lady essentially replicates the winning formula of the previous This Is the Life, and why fix what isn't broken? Reuniting Matt Monro with arranger Sid Feller, the album is as mature and comfortable as the cardigan sweater the crooner wears on its cover -- Monro's vocals are smooth and rich like crushed velvet, tackling standards like "Laura," "When Sunny Gets Blue," and "When Joanna Loved Me" with a thoughtfulness that comes only with age and experience. Few crooners are so effortless yet precise, and Feller's lovely arrangements further enhance the elegance of Monro's approach. When you've exhausted the Sinatra canon, this is where to go next.