The year 2008 was supposed to be a restful one for country-tinged British singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt [ tickets ]. However, with the momentum building in the US behind his 2006 album, "The Beautiful Lie," he can't afford to rest.

"It's a weird one, because I was meant to have a break this year," Harcourt said in an interview with LiveDaily. "It's, like, my fourth tour this year. But it's all good."

Originally scheduled to open for the Gutter Twins--who have since canceled most of their tour--Harcourt's on a headlining jaunt that wraps up July 23. See below for details. While in the US, he'll play guitar with the Gutter Twins at Chicago's Lollapalooza, and also plans to film a video for "Until Tomorrow Then."

"I want to do something really surreal and psychedelic and weird [for the video]," Harcourt elaborated. "That's why I chose Las Vegas as the location."

Besides the tour, Harcourt is keeping busy collaborating with up-and-coming artists in England and penning the soundtrack for the "Donnie Darko" sequel.

"It seemed kind of interesting," he said about the film. "I think some people are anti the film being made and some people aren't. Some people are intrigued by it."

Recording "The Beautiful Lie," which features guitar work by ex-Blur member Graham Coxon, was an exercise in lo-fi, according to Harcourt. While his 2004 album, "Strangers" was recorded with 2-inch tape, "The Beautiful Lie" was laid down on 1-inch tape with an eight track.

"I had eight channels to work with, so it's very lo-fi, in minimal way," he said. "Then we'd add whatever strings on top. Initially, the kind of meat-and-potatoes was done on eight track, recorded at my parents' house."

Harcourt, who is married violinist Gita, wrote 30 songs for "The Beautiful Lie" but only 15 for "Strangers." Recording "Strangers," he said, was far more enjoyable than recording "A Beautiful Lie," which he explained was bogged down by conflicts and issues, and by trying to simultaneously plan his wedding.

"But it got there in the end," he said with a laugh.