New album, video from The Shins ahead of Jan. 7 radio gig

Photo by Nikki Fenix

Following their warmly received Halloween gift to fans in the form of “Dead Alive”, The Shins are pleased to announce the release of their fifth studio album, Heartworms. The album will be released on March 10 via Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records.

In contrast to 2012’s Port of Morrow, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 in the U.S. and was nominated for a Best Alternative Album GRAMMY, Heartworms ushers in a return to the handmade. Heartworms is, as always, entirely written by James Mercer. However, with the exception of “So Now What” (produced by Richard Swift), Heartworms is the first Shins album to be self-produced by Mercer since Oh, Inverted World in 2001.

Heartworms features Mercer’s most diverse lyrical palette to date: From fictional character sketches (“Fantasy Island,” “Rubber Ballz”), autobiographical accounts (“Mildenhall”), to first single “Name For You,” a resounding call for female empowerment inspired by Mercer’s three daughters. Watch the lyric video here.

The result is a cohesive, genre defying album marked by Mercer’s distinct voice and melodic composition. Unified by his singular vision, Mercer creates a sound that is both familiar – a nostalgic nod to the album’s predecessors – and distinctly new.

The record will be supported by a world tour, on which Mercer will be joined by Yuuki Matthews (bass), Jon Sortland (drums), Mark Watrous (guitar, keys, vocals), Casey Foubert (guitar) and Patti King (keys).

For those fans who need their fill of The Shins live ASAP, have no fear: the band will be appearing on this weekend’s episode of “A Prairie Home Companion” which will broadcast live from The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA. Listen online at www.prairiehome.org on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.