The Cure [ tickets ] has announced make-up dates for the North American shows it recently postponed after pushing back the release date of its forthcoming new album.

The group has rescheduled 18 of the 19 original dates from the postponed fall tour, which now looks set to kick off May 9 in Washington, DC. In addition, the band has added five entirely new destinations to the schedule, with new shows set for Austin, TX; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Kansas City, MO; Phoenix; and Cleveland.

"We apologize again for the inconvenience and upset the original postponement caused, and will make sure that the new shows are more than worth the wait," the band wrote in a tour announcement posted at its website.

All tickets held for all 2007 North American Cure shows will be valid for the re-scheduled 2008 shows, the band emphasized in its latest announcement.

"It's all happening slightly later than we expected due to 'the playoffs,'" the band wrote, most likely referring to the need for arena-sized venues to keep their spring schedules somewhat clear in anticipation of NBA and NHL needs. "A lot of the venues we needed wouldn't let us confirm dates in the March/April period--but we understand they all have to live in hope!"

The group originally announced in August that its impending September/October tour would be postponed so it could put the finishing touches on its still-untitled new studio set, which is expected to be double album.

"The schedule as it stands only gives us a couple of weeks to finish our new double album before we hit the road again, and we know this just isn't enough time to complete the project to our total satisfaction," the band said in an August statement.