A Newbury Comics exclusive color vinyl pressing.

The Shins are pleased to announce the release of their fifth studio album, Heartworms. In contrast to 2012s Port of Morrow, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 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, with exception of So Now What (produced by band member 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. The result is a cohesive, yet genre defying album marked by Mercers distinct voice and melodic composition. Unified by his singular vision, Mercer creates a sound that is both familiar a nostalgic nod to the albums predecessors – and distinctly new. The albums first single, Name For You, is a resounding call for female empowerment inspired by Mercers three daughters.

The Shins are James Mercer (lead vocals, guitar), Joe Plummer (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Yuuki Matthews (bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Mark Watrous (guitar), and Richard Swift (keyboards, piano, organ, synthesizers, percussion, backing vocals)