Swedish crooner Jens Lekman will make an appearance in the US this summer with a "short and luxurious" tour that kicks off with two dates in New York this month and wraps up with a performance at the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago. Lekman's press release states that he will be backed by a "six-piece all girl band complete with horn section" and supported by Frida Hyvonen, "a household name in Sweden." Lekman plans to debut new material from his forthcoming "pop record," which will be released by Secretly Canadian in early 2007.

For those expecting faithful renditions of his lovelorn ditties, be warned that "Jens' live shows have always strayed from his recorded material, so expect the unexpected." Free IKEA meatballs? Norse mythology? Nobel ceremonies? We can only guess.

Tour Dates For Jens Lekman:
07/19 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
07/20 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church*
07/21 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
07/22 - Boston, MA - TT The Bear's Place*
07/23 - Rochester, NY - Bug Jar*
07/24 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland*
07/25 - Cincinnati, OH - Southgate House*
07/26 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck*
07/27 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews*
07/28 - Minneapolis, MN - The Triple Rock*
07/29 - Bloomington, IN - Second Story**
07/30 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Festival

* with Frida Hyvonen
** with Frida Hyvonen and the Early Day Miners

www.jenslekman.com