Musing on love, mortality, peace with oneself, the state of the world, Leonard Cohen delivers “You Want It Darker” – the newest in a famed and distinguished collection of songs. Of course, he has always been well known for his writer’s voice, his particular romantic attitude. He’s confessed that he’s always been something of an anti-authoritarian type – interesting then that his legacy may mostly remember him as a sort of instructive authority on the magic of lyrics and songs.
Leonard’s words, for me, always dealt with the sorts of universal conflicts we all take part in. This particular set of music is no different. His lyrics grapple, as they always have, with feelings of love pitted against feelings of anger. Thoughts of compassion mated with a sense of guilt. Recognizing that which is truly holy… but nevertheless being underwhelmed by it. Leonard recognizes that the journey can be quite sweet but the ending is always a tragedy.
Mostly, this music reveals itself very slowly. These words never truly unlock, instead they just peel apart and connect in new ways. “It Seemed the Better Way” is the first from this album that has really revealed itself to me. In it, Leonard questions his experiences with a mysterious “him”, saying that things “sounded like the truth, but its not the truth today”. Faith may be blind, and justice is often twisted. Everything we do in this life may only “seem” the better way.
As for the specific sound of this record, those familiar with Cohen’s writing shouldn’t feel abandoned. It’s full of that signature Rococo charm, with flavors of gospel and classic American country music. Cohen’s vocal is loud and up front and he seems to favor a delivery that feels more like spoken word than it does traditional singing. All of this is not new. For all of its heavy subject matter and the excruciating heaviness of Cohen’s elderly voice, the sound and arrangement of these songs is extremely delicate and spacious.
These songs, and indeed his entire songbook satisfy me deeply, but for reasons that i can’t really define or understand. You might be able to discuss it in terms of music theory or reference classical writing, but these discussions may not be useful. There is something else at play here, some opening of the channels. Something that has little to do with experimentation and stays well in its box. But the box – and i mean this quite literally – decorated perfectly.
A couple weeks ago, The New Yorker published an article featuring an extended interview with Cohen in which he discussed his current state and reported that his health was not very good. “That’s about it for me”, he says. “I am ready to die”. At times, the article reads more like a brief biography or an extended obituary. I was aware this release was coming, but hadn’t considered that it could be his last. I am terribly sorry to say what has become obvious: we may have just heard the reports of a dying man – a colossus and a legend of songwriting making some of his final notes.
“I wish there was a treaty between your love and mine”
