The Jayhawks includes: Gary Louris (vocals, guitar, synthesizer, melodica); Tim O'Reagan (vocals, guitar, drums, percussion); Marc Perlman (guitar, mandolin, synthesizer, bass, percussion); Kraig Johnson (guitar, background vocals). Additional personnel: Eric Heywood (pedal steel guitar, dobro); Bob Ezrin (accordion, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, background vocals); Karen Grotberg (keyboards, background vocals); Patrick Seymour (synthesizer); Joseph Bishara (programming); The Armadillo String Quartet. Recorded at Flower Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Following founding member Mark Olson's departure, The Jayhawks, using drum machines and loops, continued to distance themselves from the y'alternative universe they helped create. On their sixth record, SMILE, these Minneapolis natives follow the creative vision of Gary Louris, who wrote or co-wrote every song. Of course, the band don't make a complete break with their rootsy past, as shown by "What Led Me to This Town," and "Better Days," songs with enough twang to satisfy long-time fans. With tracks like "Pretty Thing," they do a fine job maintaining the grainier guitar style of their previous album, SOUND OF LIES. The most radical departure for the band comes here via a songwriting collaboration with famed rock producer Bob Ezrin (Kiss/Pink Floyd) who also oversaw the creation of SMILE.

• Genre: Rock and Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 03/18/2014