Joan Shelley has announced that her new album Like The River Loves The Sea will be released on 30 August via No Quarter. The record, her fifth solo album, was recorded at Greenhaus Studios in Reykjavik, Iceland with Shelley and James Elkington serving as co-producers. The twelve songs were recorded primarily over five days, with Elkington and Nathan Salsburg serving as the backing band. A pair of Icelandic sisters: Þórdís Gerður Jónsdóttir and Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir added strings. Shelley says of the collection: “Woven into the melodies and rhythms of these songs are fragments of the many musical traditions that comprise what we now call Kentucky music: Irish, British, and African to name a few. The best music would be a conversation with the divine that has seen all of it, or with the oldest trees that have witnessed the whole human story. These songs are partly that conversation, at times through the lens of lovers. They are also a longing cry born of all the dividing; a call across the slowly spreading ocean. Primarily, Like the River Loves the Sea is built as a haven for overstimulated heads in uncertain times. The title (which comes from a song by Si Kahn) speaks of the inevitable and at times indifferent nature of love. Whether it be a physical place or an idea, everyone needs a place of comfort. One where we can look out again from that place of calm and see how to best act and to be in an uncertain world.” About the record locale she says, “Iceland sits on top of that bubbling ridge and gains strange new land by its spreading. It was the desire to drink in that otherworldly landscape and experience its effect in the music, the way different alcohols have different intoxicating effects on a body”. Maybe the world outside has already vaporized. Maybe we’re already living on borrowed time. Nathan Salsburg’s guitar pours out clean as water through his fingers, turning over every smooth stone. Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s harmonies stretch time tight enough to break without breaking. Joan’s voice calls us back. Birds are singing outside. Insistent. Don’t miss what’s right in front of you. The track ‘Coming Down For You’ had already been shared and today you can hear a new song called ‘Cycle’. Like The River Loves The Sea follows Shelley’s self-titled 2017 record, which was produced by Jeff Tweedy at The Loft in Chicago. That record placed on year-end lists at Uncut (#5), Q and NPR Music among others and led to an appearance on Later… with Jools Holland.

Shelley toured the world behind the album, supporting Richard Thompson, Wilco, Andrew Bird and Patty Griffin. Praise for Joan Shelley:

“This, her fourth album, is simply magical” 5/5 The Independent

“One of the finest, most concise and eloquent displays of songwriting you’ll hear all year” 9/10 ‘Album of the Week’ Loud & Quiet

“A wonderfully warm record that’s more like an understanding companion than a collection of songs” 4/5 The Times

“Simply put, a revelation” 4/5 Q

‘8/10′ Uncut

“Over And Even was next-level extraordinary; her self-titled follow up, produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, is even better” Mojo ‘Rising’

“If the singer hasn’t already won herself a committed following, she should have by the time the needle lifts on her fourth long player” The 405

“The songs here are consistently gorgeous” NPR

“‘Where I’ll Find You’ bares a haiku’s graceful economy of language and meaning—sounding both old and new, spare yet lush.” Pitchfork