William Elliott Whitmore has been releasing enchanted Americana- folk records on Southern for several years now, earning a reputation as one of the most talented and distinctive singer-songwriters currently around, while Jenny Hoyston has already stamped her mark on the underground scene in acclaimed all-girl post-punkers Erase Errata & Paradise Island project (released as part of Southern’s Latitudes series). An unlikely pairing, perhaps, but as roommates in San Francisco the duo discovered a shared love of country music that resulted in joint performances on 2004’s Let’s Be Active tour (documented on the Keep The Fuzz Off My Buzz DVD currently available on Sickroom Records), performances that impressed Southern president Danielle Soto. The result is Hallways Of Always, a mini LP that enjoins Whitmore and Hoyston’s diverse influences into something strikingly unified. With backing instrumentation including organ and a singing saw, the recording sessions mutated into something beyond the expectations of either performer, producing a touching meditation on loss and longing that updates the 70’s Nashville music beloved of both into a sound that is both contemporary and timeless, almost gospel in its uplifting, heartfelt atmosphere. Stripped-down and honest, the six tracks gathered here are a gentle homage to a tradition that, in very different ways, inspired both Whitmore and Hoyston to begin making music. Read more on Last.fm.