Chicago musician Kennedy Greenrod has spent years in his band, Thin Man. But the subdued sounds of Thin Man’s early years had long since given way to a more rock-based rhythm.

For Greenrod, the soft tones still lingered in his inner songwriter, and he needed an outlet for them. Enter musician and Michigan native, Maggie Schultz. Soon after the two met, they began collaborating musically. Greenrod says that the resulting collaboration, Honey and Buffalo, evolved naturally from there.

The challenge Greenwood embraced, he says, was writing for two voices instead of just his own. When it comes to writing for Schultz, Greenwood says “I have to think of her voice, and picture the words being sung by her.” By writing for both parts (though, Schultz also contributes to some of the songwriting), he says it was interesting to be able to expose different sides of the same character.

Honey and Buffalo excel at the art of writing warm, elegant and sometimes tragic songs. These rustic tones are featured heavily on the band’s new, self-titled release.

Kennedy Greenrod, Maggie Schultz and sometime collaborator Dorian Taj joined Eight Forty-Eight’s Tony Sarabia in WBEZ’s Jim and Kay Mabie Performance Studio to talk about the musical partnership, and perform songs from their new album.

Honey and Buffalo perform a record release show this Friday night at the Hideout in Chicago. Laura Gibson headlines the event.