It has been a while since Jason Mraz released his album “We Sing. We Danced. We Steal Things.” in 2008. In an interview with Billboard magazine, Mraz says that now he has enough songs written for two complete and very different albums.

How different-sounding will these two albums be?

“If I cut all of the material in half, I’ve got something that’s fresh for the summer, ready for people to dance to, and I’ve got something else that’s a little different, a little more lush and tender.”

His description of the two new albums sounds a bit like a mullet: business in the front and a party in the back.

Mraz continued “I kind of hope that I do (have two albums) because I’ve been doing three years between each album now… but I’ve got so much stuff right now that it hurts my feelings to leave some of it off one album, and I would like to know that I will have a follow-up album all ready to go.”

(We would want you to be upset Jason, if you had to omit a song or two.)

On a serious note the singer-songwriter has collaborated with Dido, Willie Nelson, and Milton Nascimento on the new tracks. The song with the Brazilian artist, Nascimento, is written in both English and Portuguese.

Plans to have the first of these two albums out sometime in early 2011 seem very doable. Of course fans will be clamoring to get their hands on both albums worth of material, especially if the two are that varied.

Article by Bryce Westervelt

Jason Mraz will take a break from the recording studio to test out new material on North American cities this fall.

The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter will take to the road beginning with a Sept. 11 performance in Bangor, ME, followed by another 18 stops throughout the northern portion of the continent. The itinerary, which includes a two-night stand at Chicago’s Wrigley Field with Dave Matthews Band, wraps with one West Coast gig slated for Oct. 8 in Santa Barbara, CA. The full schedule is shown at right.

Tickets for most shows are available now via Mraz’s website.

Mraz has spent the past few months working on his next studio album, which is still unnamed and currently has no release date. The performer wants to see the audience reactions to the new material, according to a press release.

“Even though we performed 250 shows all around the world in 2008 and 2009, I still got emails and Facebook messages from fans whose hometowns we missed,” Mraz explained. “When I found out I had some time off, I called up the band and said, ‘Let’s get to some of these places.”

Fellow Atlantic recording artist Robert Francis will provide opening support for most dates.

In 2008, Mraz unveiled his third studio effort, “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.,” which peaked at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and spawned hits including “I’m Yours” and “Lucky,” featuring Colbie Caillat.

Earlier this year, Mraz took home two Grammy awards, one for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Make It Mine” and Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for “Lucky.”