Leonard Cohen’s son has revealed plans for a post-humous album of the late musician’s work to be released next year. Adam Cohen who worked as a producer on his father’s final album You Want It Darker talked to CBC’s q radio show about his father’s legacy and what to expect from the upcoming album in an interview set to air on Monday October 1st.
Listen: Leonard Cohen – “You Want It Darker”
Cohen passed away in early November 2016, less than a month after the release of You Want It Darker. The singer had discussed his declining health in the lead up to the albums release. It was later announced that the singer died in his sleep after a fall late at night.
Related: Watch this touching new Leonard Cohen video for ‘Traveling Light’
Adam Cohen was visiting q as part of promotion for the upcoming October 2nd release of The Flame, a book of unreleased poetry by his father. The producer discussed the upcoming release of music, telling host Tom Power “What’s also beautiful about [these songs] is that, unlike the the gravity and the nature of You Want it Darker, these have a sort of more mytho-romantic [tone] that resembles his older work, something more romantic.”
Whilst details are scarce, we know that several of the songs were recorded during sessions for You Want It Darker, with Cohen telling power “I would implore him, even though I knew he was in a delicate state, I’d say, ‘Dad, just read this, just read this poem to a metronome and we’ll look at it later.’ Some of my favourite poems of his are actually in the vault and I was tasked with finishing them.”
When asked what it was like to continue working on his father’s music after his passing, Adam revealed “it’s a luxury and a treat. … How wonderful that these songs exist, that I’m going to bring them and see them to completion, … It’s going to surprise and delight.”
The Flame – a collection of unpublished poetry by Leonard Cohen is out on October 2nd. No release date has been set for the upcoming album. Check out a video of Cohen performing “Hallelujah” below.
Watch: Leonard Cohen: “Hallelujah” Live in London
