When talking about Leonard Cohen‘s recent return to the spotlight it’s hard not to get caught up in his ongoing financial issues. What he’s going through is enough to make any ordinary man crumble. But as he’s proven time and time again, Leonard Cohen is no ordinary man. As a poet he is fearless and as a musician, refreshingly vulnerable.
Popular Problems (which Cohen co-wrote with Patrick Leonard) isn’t afraid to go down dark alleys because its creator knows that whether you find light at the end of the tunnel or not isn’t important, because you still learn something valuable along the way. Legal woes aside Leonard Cohen and Popular Problems does not falter one bit. On the contrary, he sounds stronger, more determined, letting his faith carry him through these trying times.
The album is a slow crawl through the trenches. But at nine songs, there are enough emotional peaks and valleys to keep it engaging. You’ll find elements of folk, soul, R&B, gospel and even some world influences to help push the action along. Every song is worthy of multiple rotations, what you hear or thought you heard one moment can be reinterpreted and experienced in an infinite number of ways the next. He’s not being misleading or aloof he just leaves enough room between ideas to let the listener walk away with their own story to tell. It is as clean and well-crafted as any other album in his catalog, which is now 13 albums deep spanning across four decades.
Cohen goes back to what he knows best here: thoughtful songwriting using a wealth of stories and life experiences to guide him. He proves that there’s no need to rush, that if you move at your own pace the fast walking world will eventually come back around full circle.
‘Slow‘
Moving against the grain, and never in a hurry. The leaky, Booker T. style organ cradles him nicely giving him the backing he needs to explain exactly how all of this is about to go down. Add a sprig of gospel soul, some liquid riffing and a fresh shot of brass and enjoy it like smooth bourbon:
‘Almost Like the Blues‘
Thin slices of contradiction followed by unnerving pangs of guilt. The percussion follows dutifully as he strolls along. Once again the muses keep him and his misery company with shouts of testimony. Not quite the blues, no, but enough wretched heartache to bring it damn-near close:
‘Samson in New Orleans‘
Lost in New Orleans with nothing but faith, gut and instincts to guide him, there’s an undefinable air of tragedy and destruction – thanks to a band of weepy strings – that resonates from all angles. It gives off a somber, post apocalyptic feel that only a teddy bear like Cohen could pull off:
‘A Street‘
A slight pick up, but still very much moving at a slow and tempered pace – one that comes after a few stiff drinks and a whirlwind of thoughts. The blues-infused rhythm – accompanied by some subtle brass and a dusty organ – add a thick aroma of smoke. The streets are his home and this is his ode:
‘Did I Ever Love You‘
Like a boss Cohen’s not afraid to ask himself the tough questions. It’s a battle that can tell you a lot about yourself and in this case inspire a man to examine his own ability to love. His grizzled voice and the pain that radiates suggest that it’s taken its toll. At the very least though he tried:
‘My Oh My‘
As soon as that twang hits you know what you’re in for, a sleepy yet dramatic exchange between a man and a woman. But the complexity of that relationship is what gives it depth. It shows how love can come in any form – that the brief exchanges, the ones that come and go, can be just as meaningful:
‘Nevermind‘
The subtle world influences crosses some borders, but the universal nature of the lyrics transcends all. It explores truth, lies and deception in ways that demand accountability. No matter how hard you try you can’t run from who you really are, and in the end it’ll either be your salvation or demise:
‘Born in Chains‘
The story of exodus explained in plain English. You can practically hear Moses in the background stroking his beard nodding in approval. What makes it definitively Cohen is that It all comes together in a strange barroom sort of way. Romantic, a bit drunken and righteous like only a poet could do:
‘You Got Me Singing‘
Marching to the beat of his own drum, we get one last clear snapshot of what keeps this iconoclast’s stride going. That if a person is bold, honest and takes the time to listen to their heart they will never need to search for inspiration again. Because the truly good ones find it from within:
