New Leonard Cohen album, "You Want It Darker" due Fall 2016

Album of the year is now out.

94% on Metacritic so far.

 

Finally listened to the NPR stream last night.

WOW

Absolutely beautiful

82 years old huh (!)

What a year this has been for these kind of albums from our senior statesmen

Bowie - Nick Cave - Leonard

 

Pre-listen on HDTracks. Absolutely gorgeous! And it seems to be well recorder as well. Minimalistic accompaniments exposes Leonard voice and choruses adding sexy feeling and sound. Album of the year in its own category is out indeed!

P.S. Now, I wish to get the clean and well pressed vinyl which is already on the way.

 

Yep, ordered today. Getting it next week.

 

Where are you guys getting the vinyl from? Amazon US lists November 25

 

Cool cover. I love that he started to smoke again on his 80th birthday. It's so stubborn. He does not take himself so seriously. I like that quality in a man. He makes me smile.

 

Playing it now. Haunting. Beautiful. And what a band.

 

Yeah, I saw Alison Krauss in the liner notes as backing voice...

 

I'm not literally sitting at the door waiting for the UPS truck, but I am sitting several feet from the door at my desk throwing wistful glances at the picture window every few minutes as I work.

 

Bumping my post

 

In stores: Leonard Cohen. Leonard Cohen's 14th studio album, YOU WANT IT DARKER will be released on October 21st, 2016

 

Where? Every store lists November 25

 

To clarify I am inquiring about the VINYL

 

I think I'll wait a week for the B&N white vinyl...

 

At first listen this is an instant classic to me. There's a brooding darkness that sweeps you away, but with the usual backing vocals being spot on as they usually are with latter-day Cohen, there's a release and a relief in there as well. Whatever is around the corner for Mr. Cohen I cannot say, but in either case this album is a probable perfect swansong. Played it 4-5 times in the record store and each listen made me look forward to go home and put on the headphones and just delve.

 

I plan on purchasing the disc this weekend but, thankfully, my free Google Music/YouTube trial hasn't ended yet, allowing me to sample the album as an uninterrupted whole. My initial impressions are below. Nothing deep, nothing specific. I'm slow to fully embrace new material by favorite artists and am hesitant to heap hosannas or voice disappointment with any certitude.

• As a whole album, Adam Cohen has done a fine job producing the album. This is the third studio album in a row where I've felt Cohen was served very well by sympathetic, organic production that suits his material. I think the arrangements will age well.
• Cohen's voice is in fine form within expected, natural limitations. As always, he's fully invested. The customary female backing singers are tastefully integrated and the male choir is particularly evocative considering the album's tone and that they are a new, ominous stylistic wrinkle that, so far, feel like they add shadow where the women have added light.
• After two listens none of the first three songs have particularly struck me. Not that uncommon experience but sometimes -- even with favorite artists -- it can make me drift away and lead to more disengaged listening by the middle. It's a bad habit. [Edit: per the comment below I'm relinquishing my right to opine or allow my taste in a song to evolve over multiple listens and sternly rebuking myself for my lack of taste.]
  
• In this case, though, tracks 4-6 ("Leaving the Table," "If I Didn't Have Your Love," and "Traveling Light") very much drew me back in. I have ideas why but that's for another time.
• Tracks 7 & 8 were also engaging. Maybe on par with the opening tracks but benefitting from residual appreciation from the middle run.
• I'm unsure by the closing song and its string reprise. Most likely because the song being reprised, "Treaty," didn't leave a strong impression. Ultimately, the more I learn the previous version of the song, the more clearly I'll feel about this one.
• Most telling is that both times it left me wanting not for more songs, despite the short length, but to re-listen to the album itself in its entirety. That's only happened with one other album in the last couple years (Eilen Jewell's latest) so something's working. First, I plan on revisiting Popular Problems, an album which I like but don't love. I look forward to a long relationship with this song cycle.

 

Not sure that he ever quit...

 

You mean FIVE weeks?!

 

If you don't think 'Treaty' is one of the best songs he has ever released, you should have a very stern word with yourself.

 

Oops! I guess I wasn't paying very close attention...

 

Got my copy just a few hours ago, but haven't had the time yet to listen! I like the sleek, dark, digipack, though! And the note thanking Adam Cohen is very moving.

L.

 

Picked up the CD, and it's a lovely little package. Simple and smart. Yet to play it, though.

It's a wonderful album; I agree that "Treaty" is a particular highlight. Between Cohen, David Bowie, Nick Cave and Iggy Pop, 2016 has been the year that the veterans have got their groove back!

 

The best album ever recorded by someone in their 80s? I believe so.

 

Played it this evening. I was not expecting anything ground breaking from him this point, and frankly would be satisfied with "mediocre" as that's still better than a lot of the stuff these day. After q single play I'd say the album flows very well, a very good LC album and I'd be very surprised if my opinion didn't give it more after a few more listens...he's definitely sill got it.

 

He did stop around the late 90s/early 2000s, I think. He had a tickle in his throat and the doctor told him he was on the "royal road" to cancer.