Ben Folds collaboration with Nick Hornby set for September release

Lonely Avenue, a collaboration between American singer Ben Folds and English writer Nick Hornby, will be released on September 24 through Nonesuch Records.

The album consists of music and vocals by Folds and lyrics by Hornby and features string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster (David Bowie, Elton John, Leonard Cohen).

The idea to create an album which merged Folds' pop songwriting with Hornby's prose came about during a dinner conversation between the two friends one night last year. After that, Hornby began regularly emailing lyrics to Folds, who then turned them into Lonely Avenue's 12 musical short stories.

The record, which Folds made specifically to be listened to on vinyl, was recorded on 2-inch tape and will be available on audiophile-grade vinyl. It will also be available on CD, digitally, and in a special deluxe edition that includes four short stories by Hornby.