The first song from posthumous Leonard Cohen album is here and it’s beautiful.
Leonard Cohen, yes you read that right, the man, the mystery, the talent himself, has released a brand new track that goes for one minute.
It’s a stunning piece of poetry that fans of the crooning wonder will be rather familiar with. Cohen drapes words of the world over sparse instrumentals strumming along, to what we could only imagine is but a taste of what is to come.
This album will seemingly be the last from the artist, who passed away in 2016 after falling in his home.
After it was confirmed in 2018 that a posthumous album is in the works, Thanks For The Dance will now arrive on November 22.
The record was developed by Cohen’s son Adam Cohen and saw him fulfilling his father’s wish to complete the “bare musical sketches” that he left behind from his final album You Want It Darker.
In doing so, Adam recruited the likes of Spanish guitarist Javier Mas – who accompanied Leonard on stage for the last eight years of touring.
While attending Berlin’s People Festival, Adam also invited a cast of all-star friends to lend their talents to the record. Damien Rice and Leslie Feist provide vocals on the record, while Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire plays bass and Bryce Dessner of The National plays guitar.
Other notable additions on the record include composer Dustin O’Halloran, as well as Berlin choir Cantus Domus and the s t a r g a z e orchestra.
Check out the tracklisting and artwork in full below.
- Happens to the Heart
- Moving On
- The Night of Santiago
- Thanks for the Dance
- It’s Torn
- The Goal
- Puppets
- The Hills
- Listen to the Hummingbird
Adam Cohen said of the album: “In composing and arranging the music for his words, we chose his most characteristic musical signatures, in this way keeping him with us,” said Adam Cohen. “What moves me most about the album is the startled response of those who have heard it. ‘Leonard lives’! they say, one after the other.”
