Leonard Cohen recently released album Popular Problems in celebration of his 80th birthday, a nine-track ensemble full of powerfully poetic lyrics and lively melodies.
Despite being 80 years old, his lyrics are still among the greatest poetry of all time, and his deep, gravelly voice and sultry beats put most modern musicians to shame. But let’s remember this is a musician who is old enough to be your grandparent.
Cohen’s last album, Old Ideas, was beautiful but it literally put me to sleep one night, whereas “Popular Problems” soars in its melodic appreciation and occasional upbeat moments.
The album starts out with “Slow,” a jazzy introduction that offers a female harmony with Cohen’s ultra deep spoken word. It’s a nice and easy song, not reinventing the wheel, but allows Cohen to set the tempo for the album with the line, “It’s not because I’m old/ It’s not what dying does/ I always liked it slow/ Slow is in my blood.” Cohen’s doing what he’s always done. Just because he’s 80 doesn’t mean he’s losing it.
Cohen is a good musician, but good God, is he a phenomenal poet. The man has never actually sung a song in his life, it’s entirely spoken word. “Almost like the Blues” shows off his talents with lines like “There is no God in heaven/ There is no hell below/ So says the great professor/ of all there is to know.” Cohen is one of the most brilliant poets/lyricists to lend his vocals to music.
The album understands most people can’t listen to just Cohen’s soothing voice for an entire 40 minutes, adding impressive violin solos and synthesized beats to keep the listener awake. These additives don’t always work, like with the strange almost “Monster Mash”-like beats on “Nevermind.”
“Did I Ever Love You” starts out like every other song on this album with beautiful poetry that Cohen sings softly. But then it picks up with upbeat guitar and female vocalists. This track is the most energetic song on the album. It is just gorgeous with its dichotomy of melancholy poetry and upbeat Paul Simon-esque guitar. For such a depressing title, the song turned out truly perfect.
Cohen ends the album on a positive note with “You Got Me Singing.” It’s a charming song and brings together the rest of the instrumentals as background for Cohen’s raspy baritone voice. “You got me singing even though it all looks grim/ You got me singing the Hallelujah Hymn.” Though Cohen could be referring to a different religious song, he gives new meaning in his musical classic, “Hallelujah.”
Leonard Cohen is such a melodic icon he’s never going to make bad music. Is this an album people of all ages will clamor for? No. But they should. Cohen’s understanding and appreciation of music’s relationship with poetry is unprecedented, and his lyrics will be written about and dissected for centuries. Please, Leonard Cohen, keep us singing for many more years to come.
