Lloyd collaborated with three other musicians on Guesswork, most notable of whom are two former bandmates guitarist Neil Clark and keyboard player Blair Cowan who found themselves working together on an album with Lloyd for the first time since The Commotions swansong Mainstream in 1987. However anyone expecting a Commotions sound will be on the wrong tack: Guesswork is predominantly an electronic album. Lloyd, Blair Cowan and another longtime Lloyd associate Fred Maher (drummer on Lloyds early solo albums and his last album 2013s Standards) have fashioned the Guesswork sound from classic and modern keyboard, modular and drum synthesizers, though guitars played by both Lloyd and Neil Clark do feature. Lloyds ear for a melody, his lyrical smarts, and his unmistakable voice ensure these songs stand shoulder to shoulder with anything he has previously written.I might just stop breathingI might just stop keeping timeWith the violinsOr I might come out swingingAnd what if I sang out of keyWith the violins?ViolinsSays Lloyd: When I was 27, the concept of the washed up older guy seemed very entertaining. Now Im starting to think that old age could be a lot more fun. Because really what have we got to lose?The portrait of Lloyd that graces the cover of Guesswork is by Glasgow Art School graduate and former singer of The Big Dish, Steven Lindsay.Recorded (mostly) in his attic studio in Massachusetts, Guesswork is produced by Lloyd and mixed by maverick German producer Olaf Opal, with executive production from Chris Hughes. The record was mastered by Kai Blankenberg at Skyline Tonfabrik in Dusseldorf.Lloyd Cole will tour the UK and Ireland in October. Neil Clark will accompany him. The full list of dates is:OCTOBER5 NEWCASTLE Tyne Theatre Opera House7 KILMARNOCK Palace Theatre8 ABERDEEN Tivoli Theatre10 DUNDEE The Gardyne Theatre11 HAMILTON Townhouse12 EDINBURGH Queens Hall14 LIVERPOOL The Philharmonic Hall15 LEEDS Town Hall16 BUXTON Opera House18 BIRMINGHAM Town Hall19 GUILDFORD G Live20 SALISBURY City Hall21 NORTHAMPTON Derngate Theatre23 BASINGSTOKE The Anvil The Forge24 LONDON Union Chapel25 LONDON Union Chapel29 KILKENNY The Set Theatre30 DUBLIN Vicar StreetNOVEMBER1 CORK Live At St Lukes2 LIMERICK Dolans Warehouse3 GALWAY Roisin Dubh4 BELFAST The Belfast Empire Music HallTickets go on sale at 10am today from http://www.lloydcole.com/live/Lloyd Cole has released 14 studio albums including three with The Commotions [Rattlesnakes (84), Easy Pieces (85), Mainstream (87) nine solo albums [Lloyd Cole (90), Dont Get Weird On Me Babe (91), Bad Vibes (93), Love Story (95), Plastic Wood (01), Music In A Foreign Language (03), Anti Depressant (06), Broken Record (10), Standards (13), one with The Negatives [The Negatives (2000) and one with Hans Joachim Roedelius [Selected Studies Vol. 1 (13).