【contact us】

Dirty Projectors' self-titled album,contact us released in February, is a brutal breakup record even if you don't know David Longstreth wrote the whole thing about the band's former member, Amber Coffman.

Coffman issued a statement to Stereogum Tuesday, to clear things up ahead of the release of her solo debut, City of No Reply.

"It was never my intention or wish to leave the band or end my friendship with Dave. It was a surprise to me to learn last September about his album plans, the content, timing, use of the band name, etc…," she writes. "I consider it a loss to no longer be involved with Dirty Projectors, but ultimately walking away was the only healthy choice for me."

Longstreth began releasing music under the name Dirty Projectors in 2003 and Coffman joined the band in 2007. Longstreth and Coffman dated for six years before breaking up in 2012, the year the band release Swing Lo Magellan, which addressed the couple's strained relationship.

Following their breakup, the longtime collaborators worked together on Coffman's solo debut for Columbia. According to Coffman, "All went considerably well, but things took an unfortunate downturn around the completion of my record, at which time we stopped speaking." Last fall, she found out about Longstreth's plans to move forward with the bands without her.

Dirty Projectorsfeatures some pretty pointed lyrics, including the following verse from "Keep Your Name."

I don't think I ever loved youThat was some stupid shitI wanted what you wanted but we never really felt the sameI kept my name 'cause we were just differentYour heart is saying clothing lineMy body said Naomi Klein, No LogoWe shared kisses and visionsBut like KISS' shithead Gene Simmons said:A band is a brand and it licks that our vision is dissonant

Read Coffman's full statement below:

Dave and I indeed broke up in the summer of 2012, after a six-year relationship. After a long tumultuous period, we managed to patch things up enough to leave the future open, and in 2014 we gave working together on my music a test run. Eventually I brought him on in a greater capacity as a producer, he moved to LA and we recorded my album at his newly built studio in 2015.

It was never my intention or wish to leave the band or end my friendship with Dave. It was a surprise to me to learn last September about his album plans, the content, timing, use of the band name, etc… I consider it a loss to no longer be involved with Dirty Projectors, but ultimately walking away was the only healthy choice for me. I’m really proud of the album I made and my hope is that people will listen to it on its own terms. I’ve waited a long time to share it and I’m looking forward to it.

Coffman released her first solo single, "All To Myself," last fall. Her solo debut will be released by Columbia Records.