Preorder Joan Shelley’s upcoming album, Real Warmth, and join us in the record store on Tuesday, Septembwer 16th at 4:00 PM for an instore performance and record signing with Shelley herself! All who preorder for local pickup score a signing wristband. (Wristbands are required for kids 13+ and ensure entry into our event.) You can read more about our upcoming event with Joan Shelley on our site here.

Joan Shelley has long factored place into her recordings. For her self-titled album (2017) she landed in Chicago, at The Loft with Jeff Tweedy producing. In 2019 she went to Iceland, bringing along collaborators Nathan Salsburg and James Elkingtonto make Like The River Loves The Sea. The pandemic kept her close to home in Kentucky for The Spur (2022), but as a new batch of songs began to take shape in late 2024—and as Shelley and her family began settling into their new home in Michigan—she began searching for a place where she could record in the company of talented friends.

Enter Ben Whiteley, bassist for The Weather Station and Jake Xerxes Fussell, who engineered the snowy sessions that became Real Warmth at Casa Wroxton in Toronto.

According to Whiteley “we had a few windows in mid-winter and it really felt like there was an urgency to capture a moment in time with these songs, performances, people involved, and against the political backdrop. The record really feels like a capture instead of a meticulous construction. Part of Joan’s concept was not only to go to a place but to draw on the community of musicians from that place.”

Those community musicians include drummer Philippe Melanson, saxophonist Karen Ng, singer/songwriters Doug Paisley and Tamara Lindeman, Matt Kelley, and Ken Whiteley. Joan’s partner, guitarist Nathan Salsburg, also appears. Toronto artist Heather Goodchild designed and painted the cover and inner sleeve.

Real Warmth is officially due out on September 19th via No Quarter Records. Copies are available here to preorder on black vinyl LP and CD. All who preorder the album for local, store pickup will receive a wristband with their preorder for our 9/16 signing with Shelley. Preorders are limited to total of FOUR TOTAL per customer / household. For each album preordered, you’ll receive one wristband such that two LPs preordered = two wristbands, one CD preordered = one wristband, etc. All who place preorders in advance will receive an email with preorder pickup and event details on or by the day before our event.

At the event Shelley will sign up to two albums per wristbanded attendee. Wristbands are required for the signing for all 13+ and guarantee entrance to our event. (Wristbands are not required for kids 12 & under attending with a wristband-holding adult.)

Preorders placed for local, event pickup will be available starting at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 15th, the day of our event with Joan Shelley. Event preorders for store pickup will be held for three months after the event date. Please pick up your copy of Real Warmth no later than December 16th.