Flight of the Conchords prep for album, tour; offer free MP3

photo by Amelia Handscomb

It’s definitely “Business Time” for Flight of the Conchords, who are preparing to release a new album, film the second season of their HBO show, and hit the road for a national tour.

New Zealand’s self-proclaimed "fourth most popular digi-folk paradists" broke onto the comedy scene in 2005 with the premiere of their BBC radio show Flight of the Conchords. Loosely based on the Conchords' (a.k.a. Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie) search for success in London, the show became an almost instant commercial hit.

The radio show inspired an HBO sitcom that introduced the duo’s signature blend of bone-dry humor and catchy tunes to American audiences. It was so popular that the Conchords were voted the single most popular digi-folk paradists in the U.S. (Well, not really. But they certainly would be if such a vote actually took place. Take that, you finicky New Zealanders!)

The Grammy-winning Conchords confirmed on their MySpace blog that they've been working on a second season of their HBO show, which will likely premiere in January 2009. The duo’s first full-length album, thankfully, will be available much sooner. Flight of the Conchords features professionally recorded versions of the duo’s most popular songs, including “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros” and “Mutha’uckas” and is slated for release April 22 on Sub Pop Records.

And finally—the Conchords are embarking on a nationwide tour in May. Stops include two dates in New York, a couple gigs in Cali, a performance at the Sasquatch music festival in George, Wash., and complete and total avoidance of the Southeast (c'mon guys, do you really want to see your little buddies down with a frown?). Browse the Flight of the Conchords’ tour dates, as well as the full tracklist from their debut album, below.

The best tour on the street, depending on the street:

May
5 - Upper Darby, Pa. @ Tower Theatre
6 - New York, N.Y. @ Town Hall Theater
7 - New York, N.Y. @ Town Hall Theater
9 - Washington D.C. @ Lisner Auditorium (2 shows)
10 - Ann Arbor, Mich. @ Michigan Theater
11 - Milwaukee, Wisc. @ Riverside Theater
13 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Orpheum Theatre
14 - Chicago, Ill. @ Chicago Theatre
15 - Denver, Colo. @ Ellie Caulkins Opera House
26 - George, Wash. @ Sasquatch! Festival
27 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Nob Hill Masonic Center
30 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Orpheum Theater

Flight of the Conchords tracklist:

1. Foux du Fafa
2. Inner City Pressure
3. Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros
4. Think About It
5. Ladies of the World
6. Mutha'uckas
7. The Prince of Parties
8. Leggy Blonde
9. Robots
10. Boom
11. A Kiss Is Not a Contract
12. The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)
13. Business Time
14. Bowie
15. Au Revoir