After performing with his Small Ensemble bluegrass trio on recent tours, former Commotions leader Lloyd Cole strips it all back down next month for a 13-date solo-acoustic tour of the U.K. and Europe. He’ll perform seven U.K. shows beginning March 5 followed by concerts in Germany, The Netherlands and Italy.

Robert Smith’s new recording of the ‘Small Hours’ appears on ‘Johnny Boy Would Love This… A Tribute to John Martyn,’ which is due out Aug. 16. Lauren Laverne debuted the song on BBC 6 Music today, and you can stream and/or download the radio rip thanks to ever-vigilant fan site Chain of Flowers.

After spending much of last fall and this past spring touring Europe, former Commotions leader Lloyd Cole finally is ready to support 2010’s ‘Broken Record’ in the United States, and has begun announcing dates for a June tour — with nine on the books so far, all in the eastern part of the country.

This week’s new CD releases include new albums from Lloyd Cole (‘Broken Record,’ his first full-band effort in a decade), The Vaselines (‘Sex With an X,’ their first album in 21 years), Nick Cave’s Grinderman side project (‘Grinderman 2’) and James (the 2CD ‘The Morning After the Night Before’).

Former Commotions leader Lloyd Cole next week will release his first full-band album in a decade, ‘Broken Record,’ a rootsy collection that’s preceded by first single ‘Writers Retreat!’ and its accompanying music video,

Lloyd Cole will release ‘Broken Record’ — the former Commotions leader’s first full-band album in a decade — this September, and says he’s ‘happy we got these songs finished because I’m not sure I’ll make another record like this again.’

Lloyd Cole this week released a new ‘souvenir’ CD recorded last month with his twangy Small Ensemble that features stripped-down, acoustic takes on Commotions favorites and solo tunes — plus two new songs likely earmarked for the next album, which he’s set to begin recording Monday.