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Jan 31, 2011 By Mark Redfern Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes have announced details of the much-anticipated follow-up to their widely acclaimed 2008 self-titled debut (which was Under the Radar‘s #1 album that year and our #7 best album of the decade). The Seattle-based band’s second album, Helplessness Blues, will be released on May 3 via Sub Pop (and in the U.K. via Bella Union). The title track has been released as a free download via the widget below (no email address is required, as frontman Robin Pecknold has already previously stated that he’s against trading email addresses for free MP3s).

The album was recorded at various studios in the course of a year and was co-produced and mixed by Phil Ek (who worked on their debut). The band had originally finished their album last year, before the band decided to go back into the studio last fall to rework it. Last November Pecknold posted on Facebook that the band was “still working on finishing the record, but things are back on track.” And then on January 17 Pecknold posted the following on Twitter, “Q to musicians: how much time do you spend feeling good about what you do vs. grappling with doubt and second guessing?” But then a few days later Fleet Foxes posted on Facebook that “the record is totally done and mastered and has been for a bit.”

The art that appears on Helplessness Blues’ album cover was illustrated by artist Toby Liebowitz (who’s based in Seattle) and painted by Chris Alderson.

Fleet Foxes have also announced some new tour dates, which go on sale tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time via the band’s website.

Fleet Foxes North American Tour:

04/30/11 Sat - Vancouver BC @ The Vogue Theatre *

05/01/11 Sun - Portland OR @ Crystal Ballroom*

05/03/11 Tue - Seattle WA @ Moore Theatre*

05/05/11 Thu - Oakland CA @ Fox Theater**

05/06/11 Fri - San Diego CA @ Spreckels Theatre*

05/07/11 Sat - Hollywood CA @ Hollywood Palladium*

05/08/11 Sun - Tucson AZ @ Rialto Theatre*

05/10/11 Tue - Austin TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater*

05/11/11 Wed - Dallas TX @ Palladium Ballroom *

05/13/11 Fri - Nashville TN @ Ryman Auditorium*

05/14/11 Sat - Atlanta GA @ The Tabernacle*

05/15/11 Sun - Washington DC @ DAR Constitution Hall*

05/17/11 Tue - Boston MA @ Orpheum Theatre*

05/18/11 Wed - New York NY @ The United Palace Theatre*

05/21/11 Sat- Upper Darby PA @ Tower Theatre***

* On sale to general public Feb 4

** On sale to general public Feb 6

*** On sale date TBA

U.K. and European Tour:

05/25/11 Wed - Berlin, Germany @ Astra*

05/26/11 Thu - Munich, Germany @ Dachau Summer of Music*

05/28/11 Sat - Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound**

05/30/11 Mon - Paris, France @ Bataclan*

05/31/11 Tue - London, England @ Hammersmith Apollo*

*On sale to general public Feb 4 at 9am local time

**Currently on sale