Leonard Cohen – "Old Ideas" Album Review

Published in ReelRecord Magazine

Old Ideas is Leonard Cohen’s first studio album in almost ten years. It finds the 77-year old crooner taking things back to basics and the result is an album that will thoroughly satisfy his loyal fanbase. It might even win him some new supporters, after all, who could dislike an album that begins, “I’d love to speak with Leonard, he’s a sportsman and a shepherd; he’s a lazy bastard living in a suit”?

Going Home sets the scene. A waltzing, keyboard-laden joy, it hints at what’s in store – an album swollen with moments of undeniable brilliance. The morbidly enjoyable Darkness, in which Cohen admits “I’ve got no future, I know my days are few, and the present’s not that pleasant, just a lot of things to do”, is a standout and might just be the best track on the album. Likewise, the tongue-in-cheek Anyhow, which combines shuffling percussion, ghostly synths and Cohen pleading for forgiveness from an old flame, is another triumph. Only Cohen, using that unmistakably gritty vocal to maximum effect, could write a song that conjures images of smoky bars like the ones in noir films.

As with the majority of Cohen’s material, a weighty sorrowfulness lingers over every song on Old Ideas. Even the more optimistic tracks on the album, like the piano-led Show Me the Place, are mournful in atmosphere, their slow pace and contemplative lyrics rendering them some of Cohen’s most painfully frank and reflective songs. It’s evident that Cohen is aware of his age (“I’m old and the mirrors don’t lie,” he croons on Crazy to Love You), his place in music and the influence he has spread since his first album, 1967’s Songs of Leonard Cohen. Combined, these realisations have resulted in one of his best albums yet.

Old Ideas’ latter half is as good as its first, with only the disappointing Come Healing standing out as a misstep. The gospel tone of the song sounds somewhat out of place amongst the album’s darker material and Cohen’s Angels sound overused and excessively prominent. They work best when adding harmonies to Cohen’s robust vocals or adding ambience to his soundscape.   

Thankfully, the album’s final three songs make up for Come Healing’s shortcomings. They blend seamlessly into the fabric of what has come before and end Old Ideas on a high, albeit a suitably dark one. The country-tinged Banjo is a pleasant surprise; as is Lullaby, which does a much better job than Come Healing in delivering a slow, (even by this album’s standard) moving waltz; and Different Sides ends the album perfectly. Doom-ridden organs stab relentlessly as Cohen delivers his final sermon. The Angels are used perfectly here, and the theme of lost love reflects Old Ideas’ major concern.

With Old Ideas, Leonard Cohen proves that he is the master of his craft. Although some people might find the album’s gentle tempo and Cohen’s rugged growl off-putting, given a chance to sink in, Old Ideas proves to be a great album. Cohen isn’t to everyone’s taste but his fans will find that the eight year wait for Old Ideas has been worth it. 

8/10