Alt-rockers Cake [ tickets ] will return to the road this spring for a handful of shows in the US and Canada.

The band is set to kick things off April 17 in Georgetown, TX, and visit cities in Vermont, Washington, Kansas, Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, through early June. Details are listed below.

Cake, which parted ways with Columbia Records after touring behind its 2004 studio album, "Pressure Chief," released "B-Sides and Rarities" on its own Upbeat Records label last fall. The set features a host of covers, including Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" and Barry White's "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up," alongside Cake originals. A limited-edition version includes a bonus track--a live performance of "War Pigs" with The Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd--and a scratch-and-sniff cover.

Meanwhile, Cake continues to make ground on its sixth studio album, which is due sometime this year, according to information posted at its MySpace page.

The band has been offering up its quirky blend of funk, soul, pop, jazz, rap and country since it formed in Sacramento, CA, in the early '90s. Over the years, Cake has scored radio hits including "Rock and Roll Lifestyle," "The Distance" and "Never There," as well as its latest, "No Phone," from the "Pressure Chief" album.

The group, fronted by singer/songwriter John McCrea, is also known for hosting and headlining the "Unlimited Sunshine Tour," an eclectic traveling festival that aims to showcase quality and diverse music. That touring revue returned late last year for its fourth incarnation.

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