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Apr 03, 2018 By Christopher Roberts Eleanor Friedberger

Eleanor Friedberger (of the long on hiatus The Fiery Furnaces) is releasing a new album, Rebound, on May 4 via Frenchkiss. Previously she shared its first single, “In Between Stars,” as well as a video for “In Between Stars.” Now she has shared another song from the album, “Make Me a Song,” via its video. Scott Jacobson directed the black & white video, which features Friedberger going for morning jogs, having a session with a no touch healer, and jumping into the pool fully clothed. Watch it below, followed by her upcoming tour dates.

Friedberger had this to say about the song in a press release: “Despite the refrain ‘I could love you more,’ ‘Make Me a Song’ is not a love song. It was inspired by an encounter with a born-again Christian musician I met while living in Athens. Over dinner he confessed: ‘I love Jesus; Jesus is my best friend.’ I was surprised—and even more surprised later, when I was searching for the right tone and lyrics for a song that could be long, meditative, and unifying. I wanted to write a song about wanting to try harder and not knowing how; a song about writing songs that urge us to vibrate and resonate!”

Rebound is the follow-up to 2016’s New View. The album was recorded mostly by Friedberger solo, with assistance from producer Clemens Knieper. A previous press release says Rebound is “an entirely new sound for Eleanor, exchanging live instrumentation for programmed drums, a Juno synthesizer, and muted guitars, creating a sonic landscape where influences range from Stereolab and Suicide to Lena Platonos and Yellow Magic Orchestra.” Friedberger is half-Greek and traveled to Greece frequently with her family. Rebound is inspired by time she spent in Greece in late 2016 and is named after an ‘80s goth disco in Athens. Below is a full statement from Friedberger on the album and the influence Greece had on it.

Friedberger had this to say in the previous press release: “I spent most of 2016 on the road, and I needed to keep that momentum going. I had always wanted to spend more time in Greece; take Greek lessons and get to know Athens better while hopefully writing some music. After November 8, 2016 I set that loose plan into motion. While friends back home were suddenly becoming politically activated for the first time, it was exciting to be living in a city where protest marches occur on a weekly, or sometimes daily basis. I assembled a band of Greek musicians, played a few shows, learned a few more Greek words, but didn’t get much writing done. It turned out to be more of a reconnaissance mission.

“After a month in Athens I asked my friend, the Greek musician Stella, ‘What’s one thing I have to do before I leave?’ After some long and careful consideration she smiled and said, ‘you have to go to Rebound. It’s a time warp; kind of an ‘80s goth disco where everyone does the chicken dance; you’ll love it… but it’s only open on Saturdays after 3:00 AM.’ Rebound proved to be a revelation in terms of finding the sound and energy for my fourth album. The club was very dark and despite the no smoking signs, like everywhere in Athens, it was very smoky. The ‘chicken dance’ Stella mentioned was a solitary one. I copied the slouchy strut, moving back and forth in line, swinging my arms in time to the music that at first sounded like Joy Division or maybe The Cure, but never revealed itself—one could only assume it to be knock-off by an unknown Baltic band. It was alienating and exhilarating.”

Eleanor Friedberger Tour Dates:

April 4: Moth Club, London, UK
April 6: ZBD, Lisboa, Portugal
April 7: Auditorio Academia, Espinho
April 8: Costello Club, Madrid, Spain
April 9: Teatre del Raval (SONS), Castellon, Spain
April 11: La Lata de Bombillas, Zaragoza, Spain
April 12: Fabra i Coats, Barcelona, Spain
April 28: BSP, Kingston, USA
May 1: Bowery Ballroom, New York, USA
May 3: The Drake, Toronto, Canada
May 5: Lincoln Hall, Chicago, USA
May 9: The Moroccan Lounge, LA, USA
May 23: Uptown Theatre, KC, USA*
May 25: Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, USA*
May 26: Art Park, Buffalo, USA*
May 28: Metropolis, Montreal, Canada*
May 30: Sony Center, Toronto, Canada*
May 31: Benedum Centre, Pittsburgh, USA*
June 2: Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, USA*
June 5: Iroquois Amp, Louisville, USA*

* w/ The Decemberists

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