Exciting news out of RTB2 camp this week, as Ryan Thomas Becker and Grady Don Sandlin, the Best Group in town according to the voters in our 2010 Dallas Observer Music Awards, pass along word that, come late this summer or early this fall, they'll have a new album to release.

And, what's more, that new album finds the duo branching out of its self-production and Denton comfort zones -- the duo came to Dallas' Elmwood Recording to have Stuart Sikes produce the new release. (Appropriately, Sikes has previously produced another guitar and drums combo, The White Stripes).

Even better? The twosome has been kind enough to pass along to DC9 readers an exclusive free download from the ways-off release -- a track called "Goon," which you can grab after the jump.

Almost immediately upon listening to the new cut, you'll notice the upped efforts on the production end. This is, without a doubt, as produced as you've heard RTB2 to date. But this also a step in a necessarily exploratory direction for the band, whose limited instrumentation can only go in so many directions. Don't worry, though; it's the same classic rock, RTB2 sound you've come to know and love.

See what I mean after the jump, where we share some other pertinent RTB2 news -- including information on the band's 8-track-only release.

Bonus MP3:

See? Same old, epic RTB2 -- wiry guitars, driving drums and narrative lyircs -- only with some added-in studio magic.

Oh, and speaking of production marvels: Remember that 8-track-only release we promised from RTB2 a few weeks back in our cover story about the upward trend of 8-track adoration in the region? Well, the band's 8-track-exclusive release for Fort Worth's eight-track label The Dead Media will finally see the light of day this week; the band will be selling a limited number of copies at their 35 Conferette performance on Friday, March 11, when they play Main Stage #1 (just off Denton's Courthouse-on-the-Square) at the festival, sharing a bill with White Arrows, Telegraph Canyon and Dr. Dog. The tape will be available for purchase through The Dead Media's website starting Friday, as well.