And then this musical poet, this poetic musicians increases in the anticipated relaxation with "Slow" in his 13th album a (thing one can say to be among his best is now). "... I always liked it slow, I liked it never quickly ... It is not because I am old. It's not because I'm dead. I always liked it slow ..." he explains himself. And now you want to kneel during the first song; No, not to clean his shoes, but to thank this great master of appeasement. In an age completely overtightened acceleration even silly art banalities Leonard Cohen acts as the leader of the counter-revolution and "Popular problems" as the newest testament of peace and the meaning of life.
Dark and yet this orchestrated rhythmic and already almost cool and like the entire album fabulously good and clear (which in previous Cohen productions, particularly in the 1980s, unfortunately not always so was) he describes then in the second song, "Almost like the blues ", charmless and drastically trashed and brutalized state of our civilization. As always, spelling out from the perspective of almost disillusioned observer of shaking their ways, never accusatory or slogans, certainly not with a raised index finger; watching, pointing, almost laconically as: "Look here, look at that and then there, but is crap, right ?!", always with the full force of poetry, calmly, sometimes even mischievous spite bitterness.
What the album overall striking is good, is teaming up with Patrick Leonard. The musician and producer (of, inter alia, also worked with already and for Bryan Ferry, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Madonna and Pink Floyd) 2012 was already significantly involved in Leonard Cohen's last album "Old Ideas"; produced there, some refined compositions and helped to perfect matching to Cohen's poetry and voice sound dress. In "Popular problem" now he is listed in all nine pieces of board as a co-composer. Of course, Cohen has over the decades always understood his poems to construct it themselves and unassisted a tonal basis, often very beautiful and haunting, but he is indisputably more poet than a musician, what to his music to people who do not constantly eighth text, sometimes let act a bit monotonous. The cooperation makes his music more open, more varied, so musical. Despite the depth of the album does not affect sinking difficult. Wonderfully light jazz elements and occasional, well-measured pace, Patrick Leonard are the rather rare tunes Leonard Cohen ohrwürmigen a touch vitality, without letting it come to pop songs. For this, the years with the now all compelling voice Leonard Cohen and there are true musical gems; nine times out of nine, all good, no loss.
To formulate now already two days before the 80th birthday congratulations and congratulations on, supposedly brings bad luck; So I let it. But show respect, one can already. And you should!