Lillie Lemon releases CD, hits the highway on national tour.

Before she takes off on an ambitious tour, Lillie Lemon is giving 831 fans a parting gift.

She and band mate Erica Wobbles are hosting an EP pre-release party Friday at Cibo. Presale tickets are $5.

The EP launches officially in November, but the band is preparing for a big national swing with 60 dates already booked. That number may bump to more than 80.

The EP consists of tracks that didn’t make the band’s debut album, but have been performed live and will be familiar to loyal fans. Among them is “California Drifting,” which is currently getting major burn on KRML.

“It’s something we’re really proud of,” Lemon said of the single and EP.

A video for the sultry single “Stardust” was also just released. It’s all helping build momentum for the tour, which will stretch through the end of the calendar year.

The band will trek in a reliable Mercedes Sprinter. With an RV rig attached, the band will be able to crash on the road and cook vegetarian dishes on the small stovetop. The band took cues from the van troubles on its last tour, chronicled in the Weekly, and got serious about its road approach.

The band also got serious about its commitment to electro-pop, which carries the EP’s four tracks.

“The last album was very much acoustic driven, and this one is fully electro-pop, which I’m really excited about,” Lemon says. “That’s the direction we’re taking right now.”

Going in the right direction matters when you get ready to hit the road.

LILLIE LEMON EP Pre-Release and Tour Kickoff Party featuring DJBadDJ Steb Montez. 9pm Friday, Sept. 11 at Cibo Ristorante, 301 Alvarado St., Monterey. $5/advance, $8/at the door. 649-8151.