The Raconteurs [ tickets ] have dropped a big surprise on fans, announcing that their just-completed sophomore studio album will hit store shelves next week.

The 14-track set, which will be titled "Consolers of the Lonely," was mastered and completed earlier this month and quickly pressed in both vinyl and CD form, according to the band, which made preparations to begin selling the disc as quickly as possible.

"With this release, The Raconteurs [ tickets ] are forgoing the usual months of lead time for press and radio set up, as well as forgoing the all important 'first week sales,'" reads the press announcement--which is available at the band's website. "We wanted to explore the idea of releasing an album everywhere at once and THEN marketing and promoting it thereafter. The Raconteurs would rather this release not be defined by its first weeks sales, pre-release promotion, or by someone defining it FOR YOU before you get to hear it."

The group plans to distribute the album, which follows the outfit's 2006 debut, "Broken Boy Soldiers," through as many distribution channels and on as many formats as possible. The set, recorded earlier this year at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, will be available as a vinyl album, CD and also as a digital download.

The band stated in the announcement that it prefers that fans "buy the album as a whole instead of breaking up the tracks, but until iTunes and other digital services allow bands to release their albums with the option of NOT breaking it up, it will be sold in that fashion on those particular sites. On the band’s website however, the album will be sold in its entirety as an mp3 at 320kb bit rate. Also in Japan, fans will be able to download the record via their mobile phones, as that is how a majority of recorded music is consumed there.

"We hope not to confuse anyone with too many options, or deny them the formats that they like best," the statement concludes. "The Raconteurs feel very strongly that music has worth and should be treated as such."

The group launches a brief tour behind the new set April 20 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 12-date outing includes an April 25 appearance at the Coachella festival in Indio, CA. All dates are below.

Formed in 2005, The Raconteurs feature White Stripes frontman Jack White and singer/songwriter Brendon Benson on vocals and guitars, and Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler of Ohio garage rockers The Greenhornes on bass and drums, respectively.