When The Hold Steady announced a U.S. tour earlier this month, little did we know that it would be in support of a brand new studio album. After all, the only real news we’ve gotten from the outfit in recent month was that Craig Finn had become a screen writer, while keyboardist Franz Nicolay decided to leave the band in favor of a solo lifestyle. So imagine our surprise when we logged online this morning to discover the Brooklynites’ announcement that they will be releasing their fifth studio, titled Heaven Is Whenever, on May 4th (3rd in the UK) via Rough Trade. Yeah, greatest way to start a morning ever!

Produced by Dean Baltulonis, who previously worked with the band on both Almost Killed Me and Separation Sunday, the album was was recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in Upstate NY and Wild Arctic Studios in Queens, NY, with mixing also happening at Wild Arctic. This time around, however, The Hold Steady chose to record in several smaller sessions spread out over a long period of time. The songs were also road tested, so that, according to the Finn, the band could “see what was working and what wasn’t. I believe this record benefits from us working at a more deliberate pace.”

The end result is an album that hears the piano and keys take a backseat to guitar, while continuing the positive vibes. It’s about “embracing suffering and finding reward in our everyday lives,” explains Finn. Ten tracks make up the effort and you can find their names below.

The band has also added to its upcoming tour schedule. Following their April tour of the U.S. and an appearance at Sasquatch!, Finn and co. will hit Europe for more dates and festival performances. Find the complete itinerary below.

Heaven Is Whenever Tracklist:
01.The Sweet Part of the City
02. Soft in the Center
03. The Weekenders
04. The Smidge
05. Rock Problems
06. We Can Get Together
07. Hurricane J
08. Barely Breathing
09. Our Whole Lives
10. A Slight Discomfort

The Hold Steady 2010 Tour Dates
04/02 – Ardsley, NY @ LIFE
04/03 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
04/06 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
04/07 – Albany, NY @ Linda Norris Auditorium
04/08 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
04/09 – Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby’s
04/10 – Syracuse, NY @ The Westcott Theater
04/12 – Rochester, NY @ The Club at Water Street Music Hall
04/13 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
04/14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club Lounge
04/15- Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant St.
04/16 – Harrisburg, PA @ Appalachian Brewing Company
05/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
05/06 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
05/29 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
06/12 – Isle of Wight, UK @ Isle of Wight Festival
06/14 – Paris, FR @ Fleche D’Or
06/21 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
06/22 – London, UK @ HMV Forum
06/26 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2