Frolic Down Lonely Avenue With Ben Folds

Lonely Avenue is a collaboration between the singer-songwriter and English novelist Nick Hornby.

Hornby, who is best known for penning the novels “High Fidelity” and “About A Boy,” wrote lyrics for the album and Folds handled the music.

In a YouTube video posted on Folds’ site, the singer-songwriter explains that he read Hornby’s books when he first toured the U.K.

“That’s where I feel like I met him,” Folds said. “And then I started bothering him about writing lyrics for me after that.”

The author included the Ben Folds Five tune “Smoke” in his 2003 release “Songbook,” which features 26 essays about 31 songs that have particular meaning to him.

“I wrote about Ben in my book “31 Songs,” which is “Songbook” in America,” Hornby said. “One of the things I’d said was how brilliant the lyrics were in the song ‘Smoke’ and this was why Ben Folds was a genius. And then Ben wrote to me and said it was very kind of me to say those things but [he] didn’t wrote those lyrics.”

The 11-track album is set for release in the U.S. Sept. 28 via Nonesuch Records.

Fans can choose between pre-ordering a standard CD, a vinyl package or a deluxe package that includes the CD and four short stories by Hornby along with 15 images by photographer Joel Meyerowitz in a hardbound, 152-page book.

All three pre-order options include an exclusive, limited-edition Folds/Hornby-penned manuscript score from track “Picture Window,” a number of which will be signed by both the author and singer. In addition, all pre-orders include a MP3 download of the album on release day. The vinyl package also includes the CD.

The fall tour begins Nov. 5 at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. Folds will also make stops at The Fillmore Detroit (Nov. 6), Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio (Nov. 8), Zoo Entertainment Complex in Pittsburgh (Nov. 11), Orpheum Theatre in Boston (Nov. 17) and The Tabernacle in Atlanta (Nov. 21).

On Nov. 27 Folds wraps up the tour by participating in “Keys to Music City,” a benefit for the Nashville Symphony at Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Jackson Hall. Folds will perform with the orchestra, which will be led by guest conductor Francisco Noya.  A portion of proceeds will also go to two local volunteer firefighting organizations: the Williamson County Rescue Squad and Pleasantview Volunteer Fire Department.

Click here for Ben Folds’ website.