ADDITIONAL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

 APPEARING ON THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT ON MARCH 13th

HEARTWORMS OUT TODAY ON AURAL APOTHECARY/COLUMBIA RECORDS

In celebration of the release of their fifth album Heartworms – out today via Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records – The Shins have released not one but TWO videos for the “joyfully infectious” (NPR) single “Name For You”, with one featuring an alternate version of the song.

What began as an exercise in songwriting transformed into a commentary on what it means to be a songwriter. After writing the first track for Heartworms, James Mercer decided to recreate the song from scratch. Driven by its malleability, its ability to be foundationally identical, yet aesthetically and sonically utterly new, Mercer continued experimenting with each subsequent track until he had two complete albums: one original and one “flipped”.

Mercer’s ability to create two totally divergent albums from the same underlying compositions not only highlights his immense capability as a songwriter, but also functions as a reminder of what it means to be an artist, how an artist acts as both the master and facilitator of his artistic product.

Our first taste of these parallel reality albums comes in the form of two videos based on first single “Name For You”.

The first video, which accompanies the album version of the song, follows a day in the life of prominent skateboarders Savannah Headden and Samarria Brevard (acclaimed X Games veterans). Directed by The Shins’ drummer Jon Sortland, this lo-fi version set in Southern California is embellished with bursts of Dillon Moore’s cartoonish animations. Watch the video at http://smarturl.it/NFYofficial.

The second video is paired with the alternate version of “Name For You”, which Mercer re-composed as a borderline sinister new-wave track. Directed by Zaiba Jabbar and co-directed by Jon Sortland and Mark Watrous, this neo-noir version stars trans-icon and actress in Amazon’s hit series Transparent Trace Lysette, and accentuates the non-binary nature of gender. Watch the video at http://smarturl.it/NFYflipped.

In the same way that each version of the song serves to redefine its underlying composition, their corresponding videos serve as a reflection of the tonality of each song as they work to frame and redefine womanhood.

Fans can go to theshins.com/nameforyouvideo to see both videos in real time as they play simultaneously: simply move the switch to the left or right to go from watching the video with the album version of the song to the alternate video with the “flipped” version of “Name For You”. The “flipped” version of “Name For You” is also available to stream or download at http://smarturl.it/NFYouFlipped.  

Following a jam-packed release week, The Shins will be stopping by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert for a special appearance on March 13th. Tune in at 11:35pm EST.

The band has also added more shows to their tour in support of Heartworms with new dates added for Memphis, Las Vegas, Pittsburg, Boston and more. Presales for these shows begin March 13th at 10am local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public on March 17th at 10am local time. Every pair of tickets purchased online includes a copy of Heartworms.

Don’t forget to enter the special contest to win The Shins’ first van: a 1990 Ford 350 Clubwagon. To enter, visit theshins.com/van and submit a video of you or your band covering a track from Heartworms.

For more information, visit theshins.com and stay tuned to the band’s and stay tuned to the band’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

THE SHINS 2017 TOUR DATES

New dates in bold
May 19 – Saint Louis, MO – The Pageant
May 20 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Hotel & Casino – Stir Cove
May 21 – Moorhead, MN – Bluestem Center for the Arts
May 23 – Edmonton, AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
May 24 – Calgary, AB – McEwan Hall
May 26-28 – George, WA – Sasquatch Music Festival
May 27 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
May 29 – Boise, ID – Summerfield at Memorial Stadium
June 1 – Kansas City, MO – Midland Theatre
June 2-3 – Cincinnati, OH – Bunbury Music Festival
June 3 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall
June 3-4– Houston, TX – Free Press Summer Festival
June 15 – Brooklyn, NY – Prospect Park Bandshell
June 15-18 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival
June 16 – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point
June 17 – Cooperstown, NY – Brewery Ommegang
June 21 – Troutdale, OR – Edgefield
June 22 – Ogden, UT – Ogden Amphitheatre
June 23 – Las Vegas, NV – The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – The Chelsea
July 11 – Niagra Falls, NY – Rapid Theater
July 29 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
July 28-30 – Oro-Medonte, ON – Wayhome Music & Arts Festival
July 30 – Burlington, VT – Lake Champlain Maritime Festival
August 1 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE — Indoore
August 2 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
August 4-6 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga