Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Chris Hawkes and Miranda Dawn competed on Season 6 of The Voice.

And you might say the lead-up to the album was a bit different.

On Facebook, Chris Hawkes and Miranda Dawn explain that in the past year, they put their possessions in storage and lived on the road in a converted van.

“We found inspiration from what we saw around us: American deserts and mountains to the South Australian coast while navigating a shared journey through mortality, grief, the after-life and compassion for differing perspectives.”

On Instagram, they describe the result as “a collection of anthems of compassion.”

What hasn’t changed are Miranda’s ethereal vocals. Or the couple’s wonderful harmonies. Just check out “Hello Mary,” my favorite track.

The 10-song collection landed Friday. Chris and Miranda celebrated with a sold-out album release show at the Cactus Cafe in Austin, their home base.

And while they’re about to head out on the road again — they’ve got a series of tour dates for the next two months listed on their website — they’ve also started building a home in the Austin area.

Dawn and Hawkes were featured on Season 6 of The Voice, making it through three rounds before being eliminated. Their blind audition cover of The Beatles “I’ve Just Seen a Face” hit number one on the iTunes rock chart.

Since then, they’ve also released an excellent debut album, “Yours and Mine.” The music video for the title track featured footage from their intimate marriage ceremony in Big Sur, Calif.

Speaking of music videos, here’s one for “Promised Land,” the closing track on the new album.