Counting Crows Map Out 2012 Spring Tour Dates Backing New Album

Counting Crows have announced plans to hit the road in support of their new album, 'Underwater Sunshine (or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation),' a collection featuring covers of tunes by the likes of Dawes, Gram Parsons, Big Star, the Faces and Teenage Fanclub, Bob Dylan and others. The smattering of dates launch with a March 9-10 two-night stand in their hometown of San Francisco, while 'Underwater Sunshine' drops April 10.

Following the San Francisco gigs, the Crows make a March 16 appearance at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, Texas, before kicking off an April tour of small theaters that will roll up the California coast before circling the country and winding down May 5 in Nashville.

"It's all of us squeezed into a room playing great songs together," singer Adam Duritz says of the intimate theater gigs in a press release. Tickets to most shows go on sale to the general public starting Friday (Feb. 24).

'Underwater Sunshine' is the outfit's first release on the indie label Collective Sounds after amicably parting ways with longtime label Geffen following the release of 2008's 'Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.' Fans can check out one song from the disc, 'Mercy' originally by Tender Mercies, by downloading it for free from the band's official website here.

Meanwhile, Counting Crows are holding a contest inviting fans to record a cover of their favorite Crows song, with the top three winners having their submissions featured on an EP that will be distributed for free. Get the contest details here.

Counting Crows Spring 2012 Tour Dates
3/9 -- San Francisco
3/10 -- San Francisco
3/16 -- Austin, Texas
4/13 -- Seattle
4/14 -- Portland, Ore.
4/16 -- Oakland, Calif.
4/17 -- Los Angeles
4/19 -- Denver, Colo.
4/21 -- Minneapolis
4/22 -- Chicago
4/24 -- New York
4/25 -- Boston
4/27 -- Mashantucket, Conn.
4/28 -- Atlantic City, N.J.
5/1 -- Jacksonville, Fla.
5/4 -- Atlanta
5/5 -- Nashville, Tenn.