With a characteristically soft smile last Tuesday, Alanna Boudreau, explained the proper pronunciation of her name.

"Rhymes with banana," she said lightly.

The singer-songwriter from Cortland arrived early at Subcat Studios in Armory Square to meet with Joseph Mettler, a musician from Hamilton, N.Y. Both trekked from their hometowns to Syracuse on a frosty Tuesday morning to record the latest installment of the Subcat Sessions. The monthly video series pairs artists who have never met and puts them in Studio A at Subcat to make music together.

The result of Tuesday's session: an irresistibly buoyant piece of Americana steeped in sweetly soulful melodies from a pair of quietly talented young musicians.

Mettler and Boudreau have a strikingly similar style and demeanor. They sat for more than an hour patiently learning each other's music and rhythms. Each possesses a soft charisma behind a strong and soulful voice and a portfolio of beautifully crafted original songs.

After strumming through several of each other's original numbers, they decided on one of Boudreau's newer songs. She hasn't yet settled on a name for the new number, but refers to it in passing as "The Weight Of Glory."

Subcat Studios engineer Jeremy Johnston (crouching) talks with Alanna Boudreau and Joseph Mettler during a recording session.

They ran repeatedly through the brief, jaunty tune. Boudreau's voice bounced across the plucky melody while Mettler chimed in with smoky harmony. After several takes -- and a break to snack on the banana bread Mettler brought from home -- the two had it down.

Boudreau -- a recent college graduate -- lives and plays in Cortland, N.Y. At just 22 years old, she's already toured the country with a troupe of Nashville musicians. Mettler has established himself with the folk trio Rabbit In The Rye, based out of Hamilton, N.Y. The band received the 2014 Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist at this year's Syracuse Area Music Awards.

Like it? Check out more from the Subcat Sessions:

John Cadley and Rebecca Colleen

Ryan Burdick and Andrew Van Norstrand

Joe Altier and Amanda Rogers

Brian Golden and Donna Colton

Lacey Lee and Mark Mazengarb

Adam Gold and Max McKee

John McConnell and Josh Dekaney

Chris Baker is the music writer for Syracuse.com and the Post-Standard. Contact him: Email | Twitter | Google+