Details of Ben Folds collaborative album with 'High Fidelity' author Nick Hornby have been revealed. The album will be called 'Lonely Avenue' and is set for release on September 24th.
Folds and Hornby are longtime friends, and came up with the idea to work together over dinner one evening in 2009. The album features music and vocals by Folds and lyrics by Hornby, with string arrangements by one of the most influential pop string arrangers of all time, Paul Buckmaster (David Bowie, Elton John, Leonard Cohen). It consists of 12 musical short stories, wurg riycg ib "subject matter ranging from a mother with a child in the hospital over New Year's Eve to the work of Doc Pomus, lyricist of countless '50s and '60s pop hits", according to a press release.
Speaking to Paste, Folds said of the collaboration,"I kind of ran the gamut between being as simple as I’ve ever been, and sometimes having to go [Russian composer Dmitri] Shostakovich on some of them."
Hornby, who is also known for writing 'About a Boy' and 'Fever Pitch' commented, "At this stage in my career, I want to collaborate with all the talented people I can find, and I’ve always been a big fan of Ben Folds’ music. It’s been a real privilege to watch and listen to Ben at work, and I’ve learned a lot about how proper songwriters like Ben think."
'Lonely Avenue' will be available on audiophile-grade vinyl, and was recorded it on 2-inch tape to make the analogue listening experience more authentic. It will also be available digitally, on CD, and in a special deluxe edition that includes four short stories by Hornby.
