According to Billboard local pop-stars the Shins are bailing on the good ship Sub Pop and will be releasing album number four on singer James Mercer’s Aural Apothecary label. Hey, let’s hear what their manager has to say about this:

“The deal will be more of a [pressing and distribution] deal than a traditional record deal,” Shins manager Ian Montone tells Billboard. “That partner could very well remain Sub Pop, who have done a remarkable job with the band and have a great staff of people who really love music. It could be a digital partner with respect to other rights. All of this is being determined. The first goal is to make the record and see where that takes us.”

Oh, so it could still be Sub Pop. I see. I wonder if their manager has more to say about such a deal?

“it allows them to have the best of all possible worlds — control and ownership, as well as the ability to still partner with a label and be able to take advantage of that traditional infrastructure,” according to Montone.

Now that sounds like major label talk to me. Whatever. As long as this keeps the band’s drummer, Jesse Sandoval, in the studio and off the softball field for Team Disjecta, the Mercury (and their respective softball team that just so happens to always lose to Sandoval’s team) supports this decision.