Since his career began in the late 60’s, Leonard Cohen’s style has consistently toed the line between music and poetry. He does not sing, so much as have a one-sided conversation with the listener about anything from his girlfriend’s parents to Greek mythology. His signature piano and acoustic guitar accompaniments are often haunting, but his gravelly voice is central to every song. In many ways, he was one of the first soul singers.
Cohen, 77, began his
career as a contemporary of Andy Warhol and Velvet Underground. His “Suzanne”
was a hit single for singer Judy Collins, and he became a folk festival darling
at a time when folk festivals were an exciting, new trend in live music. His latest
album shows there is still a lot of piss and vinegar in this old Canadian
balladeer, though these days he tends to gravitate toward mortality and the
afterlife instead of, say, pretty girls named Suzanne. But if he’s got
metaphysical matters on his mind, then we should hear what he has to say.
His most recent studio release, Old Ideas, is his twelfth in 45 years. Much like the late Johnny Cash and Warren Zevon, Cohen doesn’t want to vaguely mention the issues of life and death as he approaches his octogenarian years. He wants a podium and a microphone, and he does a masterful job hitting every syllable with authority and wisdom. He even understands the modern-day concept of ‘meta’; in the opening lines of “Going Home,” the album’s first song, he refers to himself as “a sportsman and a shepherd” and a “lazy bastard livin’ in a suit.”
Like his other albums, this one showcases an eclectic mix of
accompaniments. “Crazy to Love You” features a solemnly plucked guitar, while
“Show Me the Place” is sung to low piano keys. The backing vocals sound
downright choral, especially on the songs that hint at religion, like “Amen”
and “Come Healing.”
The most striking track, “Darkness,” deals with Cohen’s own demise. “I’ve got no future / and I know my days are few,” he bemuses. “The present’s not that pleasant / just a lot of things to do.” The song ultimately blames his morbid fascinations on a poisoned outlook, passed on to him by someone close. “I used to love the rainbow / And I used to love the view,” Cohen hisses. “But I caught the darkness baby / And I got it worse than you.”
Cohen, a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame alumnus, is a living
legend, largely because he tackled heavy subject matter when much of our
country’s music was saturated in psychedelia. Old Ideas proves he hasn’t lost his touch. Kids today should take notes.
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