Lemonheads ready to record new album, reissue Ray

Evan Dando is back in the songwriting zone. After taking a decade to follow up 1996's Car Button Cloth, Dando's Lemonheads project will churn out an encore for its self-titled comeback release in under two years. Billboard.com spoke with Dando, and the singer quickly mentioned that he and his sidemen are set to record new songs in January for an April 2008 album release.

Apparently he doesn't want to jinx the project, but the online music media is effectively doing that for him. Sorry, Mr. Dando.

Billboard also reports on a March reissue for the Lemonhead's 1992 classic It's A Shame About Ray. Arriving on Rhino Records, the re-release will feature demos, b-sides and a DVD.

Finally, Dando is breathing new life into the Lemonheads touring experience by bringing in the ex-Descendents rhythm section of Karl Alvarez (bass) and Bill Stevenson (drums), both of whom played on the Lemonheads' eponymous 2006 album.

"After touring for 10 months, we've given the album a fair shake, but the exciting part of the next tour is that it's with the people who actually played on the album," Dando told Billboard. "It's the first tour with Bill and Karl, so to me it's like a rebirth of the record."

The group should also preview a bit of its new material on the tour, which kicks off at the end of this month:

November
30 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Slim's

December
1 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Troubadour
2 - Anaheim, Calif. @ House of Blues
4 - San Diego, Calif. @ The Casbah
5 - Tucson, Ariz. @ Club Congress
8 - Fort Collins, Colo. @ Aggie Theatre
9 - Kansas City, Mo. @ The Record Bar
10 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Varsity Theatre
11 - Chicago, Ill. @ Double Door
12 - Chicago, Ill. @ Double Door
13 - Maryland Heights, Mo. @ Harrah's Casino - Voodoo Lounge
14 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogart's
15 - Anne Arbor, Mich. @ Blind Pig
17 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Grog Shop
18 - Lancaster, Pa. @ The Chameleon
19 - Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
20 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ The Trocadero
21 - New York, N.Y. @ Highline Ballroom
22 - Cambridge, Mass. @ Middle East - Downstairs