Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (2016)

http://img.wennermedia.com/760-width/leonard-cohen-announces-new-album-you-want-it-darker-e8b1abea-cf05-4320-85e1-4aa9f29c7268.jpg

Leonard Cohen has announced that his new LP, You Want It Darker, is arriving this fall. The album, featuring nine new songs, is Cohen's first studio LP since 2014's Popular Problems.

Sony Music, Cohen's label for five decades, calls You Want It Darker a collection of "haunting new songs," with the "lucky few" who have heard the album deeming it "a masterpiece" and "classic Cohen." Leonard's son Adam Cohen produced the album, Cohen's 14th studio LP. In June, a portion of the album's title track debuted in the show Peaky Blinders.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/leonard-cohen-preps-haunting-new-lp-you-want-it-darker-w434168

!!!

I do want it darker.

he's really cranking 'em out these days

I suspect he knows this is his last album. It's going to be extremely difficult to listen to.

The old dude idgaf swag on that cover is off the charts!

Glad he's still making new things.

This was a story last week - letter penned to Marianne:
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/08/leonard-cohen-farewell-letter-to-muse.html

Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine. And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and for your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.

Great title

Hmm I'd prefer the Leonard/Leonard dream team to this Cohen/Cohen pairing but looking forward to this

Cover is a step up from the last two.

This rules!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0nmHymgM7Y

I want the vinyl edition of that cover to have a cut-out for the window with the photo of Leonard on the inner sleeve.

Good stuff. This should be a hit.

Getting strong Blackstar vibes from this. I hope it doesn't portend.

fantastic title

http://www.macleans.ca/culture/arts/the-gloomy-grim-and-triumphant-third-act-of-leonard-cohen/

That article inspired me to check out The Future for the first time; I didn't even know that that one existed but it's so good. Anybody have any other recs for their favorite late period Cohen albums? I've always been a sucker for Dear Heather, even though it's really uneven and kind of ridiculous at times

'ten new songs' is great imo, has a handful of his latter-day classics too. nice late-night music.

backing track reminds me of (no lie) La Funk Mob Motor Bass Get Phunked Up Richie Hawtin Electrophunk Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGTXrR8oLpI

“I have no idea what I am doing,” he said. “It’s hard to describe. As I approach the end of my life, I have even less and less interest in examining what have got to be very superficial evaluations or opinions about the significance of one’s life or one’s work. I was never given to it when I was healthy, and I am less given to it now.”

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker

Now streaming at NPR:

http://www.npr.org/2016/10/14/497542079/first-listen-leonard-cohen-you-want-it-darker

His voice has descended into metallic depths and it's thrilling to hear it against these arrangements.

Gah, "Audio for this story is unavailable." That's just cruel, NPR.

Damn just finished my first stream of this (it's working again). This might even top Old Ideas. "Treaty" is a knock out, and those string arrangements on the second half of the album are some of his best ever. This is even better than I could have hoped.

FUCKING CHRIST

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/leonard-cohen-dead-at-82-w449792

you want it darker?

He really knew.

oh god

Fuck you, 2016. The actual fucking worst year ever.

ENOUGH

the end of that new yorker interview has been playing in my head more or less since i read it so i'm quoting for what i deeply hope to be truth

“What I mean to say is that you hear the Bat Kol.” The divine voice. “You hear this other deep reality singing to you all the time, and much of the time you can’t decipher it. Even when I was healthy, I was sensitive to the process. At this stage of the game, I hear it saying, ‘Leonard, just get on with the things you have to do.’ It’s very compassionate at this stage. More than at any time of my life, I no longer have that voice that says, ‘You’re fucking up.’ That’s a tremendous blessing, really.”

leonard cohen, full of grace, i cherish your beauty. rip

you wanted it darker

listened to this for the 1st time this morning -- obviously a heavy listen, but I thought it was great. "seemed the better way" was a standout:

I better hold my tongue
I better take my place
Lift this glass of blood
Try to say the grace

'Steer your way' sounds great too, those strings

Entirely possible that this is my album of the year.

I guess what I'm saying is that this is equal and opposite bookend to Blackstar. Happy 2016

Man this record keeps on giving. The followup Thanks For The Dance was also short but excellent - and seemed to totally fly under the critical radar for it's year? It's basically more of You Want It Darker... same band, same production style.

actually i forgot what a crazy lineup 'Thanks' has... guest spots from Beck, Feist, Lanois, Matt Chamberlain, Damien Rice... but not overbearing or obvious in any way - it's all very sensitive to the material.
plus Jennifer Warnes and Sharon Robinson both back on some songs...

plus guys from The Unicorns and Death Cab? it's such an odd collection of people.

I think I may like Thanks for the Dance even more than You Want it Darker. It's very spare and understated, and some of the lines ("as if there ever was a you") occasionally pop up in my head.