Vampire Weekend has announced a string of concert dates throughout the U.K. starting February 7 at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. The group is ramping up for the release of its second album, Contra, set to drop on January 11 through XL Recordings. Tickets for the tour will go on sale today and will be available through the band's official website and venue box offices. The first single from the album, "Horchata," is currently available as a free download on the band's website.

Papa Roach and Shinedown have announced that they will share the stage for a tour this December. The winter trek will kick off on December 5 at the Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights, Ky., and wrap up at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on December 16. "We are stoked to be touring with Shinedown, we have a lot of love and respect for them," said Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix.

Jack White has reportedly turned down an offer to collaborate with Slash on the ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist's forthcoming album. The album has been gaining considerable buzz around the rock world for its growing list of star collaborators including Flea, Dave Grohl and Alice Cooper. According the Slash, White was willing to contribute to the album, just not as a vocalist.

Puddle of Mudd's new single, "Spaceship," made its debut this week. The song is the first to be released from the band's forthcoming album. It is available through iTunes and Amazon MP3. The new album, which was recorded in Vancouver and Los Angeles, is the follow-up to the band's 2007 release, Famous. No tracklist has been announced yet, though the album is set to hit stores on December 8.

Carly Smithson has come a long way since she was dismissed from American Idol's seventh season. The Irish rock/soul singer-songwriter has joined forces with original Evanescence members Ben Moody, John LeCompt and Rocky Gray, plus Static-X bassist Marty O'Brien, to form a new group called We Are the Fallen. The group has already signed a deal with Universal Republic and expect to release their debut album in early 2010.