Singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco [ tickets ] drops a new album this month, and backs the set with a tour that kicks off in early February.

Titled "Knuckle Down," the new album lands in stores on Jan. 25. Soon after, DiFranco launches a month-long winter U.S. outing, followed by a three-week trek through Europe. She then returns to North America for a spring outing that begins in mid-April. Details are shown below.

DiFranco has tapped Andrew Bird to open all of her winter U.S. shows, and Hamel on Trial for all of the currently confirmed spring stops. Both artists are signed to her self-founded Righteous Babe Records label.

"Knuckle Down" is the follow-up to 2004's Grammy-nominated "Educated Guess," which is vying for this year's awards in the Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Recording Package categories. The 47th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony takes place in Los Angeles on Feb. 13

DiFranco--a renowned do-it-yourselfer--wrote, sang, played, recorded and mixed every song on "Educated Guess," and was also the designer, photographer and "sharpie-and-white-out artist" for the album's packaging, according to Righteous Babe's website.

On "Knuckle Down," DiFranco takes a different tack, sharing production duties with guitarist/songwriter Joe Henry and enlisting several guest musicians.