Back in 2008, Billboard reported that The Shins’ fourth album would be released via frontman James Mercer’s own Aural Apothecary instead of longtime label Sub Pop. At the time, however, distribution for Aural Apothecary was not known, but continued collaboration with Sub Pop was suggested. As Sub Pop GM Megan Jasper told Billboard at the time, “The Shins have been a huge part of Sub Pop’s story. We’d love to continue working with them.”
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Yesterday, amid an announcement of upcoming tour dates, came news that the next record from the Portland indie rockers will, in fact, arrive via Aural Apothecary — and its associated major label, Columbia (also the label home of Mercer’s side project with Danger Mouse, Broken Bells).
The Shins’ new album, expected in 2012, will be the band’s first since 2007’s Grammy-nominated “Wincing the Night Away,” which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 612,000 copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In the four years since the release of “Wincing,” an album that cemented the “Garden State”-touted band as indie rock mainstays, The Shins have seen lineup changes. On upcoming tour dates, backing Mercer will be back by Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer, Yuuki Matthews of Crystal Skulls, singer/songwriter Richard Swift, and singer/songwriter Jessica Dobson. The dates, mostly clubs and a few festivals, are below.
Mercer also revealed a new track from the upcoming album at a Puddleton School benefit show in Portland back in March. Watch below.
The Shins Tour Dates:
8/8: Eugene, Ore. (W.O.W. Hall)
8/9: Bend, Ore. (The Domino Room)
8/10: Portland, OR (The Doug Fir Lounge)
8/12: San Francisco, CA (Outside Lands Festival)
9/22: Toronto, Ontario (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
9/23: Philadelphia, PA (Popped! Festival)
9/24: Boston, MA (Paradise Rock Club)
10/15: Pensacola, FL (DeLuna Festival)