The Shins Perform Live On KCRW & Share ‘Name For You’ Videos

Today The Shins issued their fifth studio album Heartworms. Frontman James Mercer and the band recently stopped by radio station KCRW and performed songs from the album during a live in-studio session.

Marking one of the first full band performances of songs on Heartworms, the appearance on Morning Becomes Eclectic also featured the performance of songs from The Shins’ 2003 sophomore LP Chutes Too Narrow. The full appearance can be streamed via this link.

Accompanied by Yuuki Matthews, Jon Sortland, Mark Watrous, Casey Foubert and Patti King, watch Mercer lead the ensemble on Heartworms tracks “Rubber Ballz” and “The Fear”:

Another track on Heartworms is the song “Name For You.” After penning the first song on the record, Mercer developed an alternative or “flipped” edition of the track. That prompted him to attempt the same process for the other 10 songs on the LP, resulting in a second, flipped version of Heartworms. The Shins have shared two videos for “Name For You” – one featuring the original version of the song and another showcasing Mercer’s flipped recording.

The video for the original version “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.” For the video for the flipped arrangement 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.”

Both videos can be viewed simultaneously via this link. Watch the pair of clips here: