Adam Cohen, son of legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, has announced that a posthumous album by his deceased father is in the works. The surviving Cohen made this announcement in an interview with the CBC, which is set to air in full on Monday, August 1st.
You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen’s final studio album, was produced by Adam Cohen, who also has a career as a prominent singer-songwriter in the music industry. “I believe that there are some really beautiful new songs of Leonard Cohen that no one’s heard that are at some point going to come out,” Cohen explained in the CBC interview.
Leonard Cohen passed away on November 7, 2016 after a battle with leukemia, 19 days after the release of You Want It Darker. Much like David Bowie’s Black Star, which was also released in close approximation with the singer’s death, the album deals with themes of death, and relationship with God.
His final studio album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, his second album to do so after his 2012 release Old Ideas, which debuted at number 3, becoming his highest charting album. The album’s title track “You Want It Darker,” received a Grammy award for Best Rock Performance in January 2018, two months after the artist’s death.
Three months prior to his death, Cohen’s former lover and lifelong muse Marianne Ihlen, the subject of his song “So Long Marianne,” passed away from leukemia. This event held a strong impact on Cohen, as he also suffered from the disease and was near his final moments.
“Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine,” Cohen addressed his late friend in final letter to her. “And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and for your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.”‘
Last year, an animated music video for the song “Leaving The Table,” off You Want It Darker, was released posthumously for the artist. This music video featured Cohen dancing across the Montreal skyline as many famous clips from his illustrious career are played in the background.
Later that year, a memorial performance in honor of Cohen was held by Lana Del Rey, Philip Glass, Feist and Elvis Costello in the artist’s hometown of Montreal. Del Rey and Adam Cohen covered the late Cohen’s song “Chelsea No.2,” live at the memorial show.
“My father left me with a list of instructions before he passed: ‘Put me in a pine box next to my mother and father. Have a small memorial for close friends and family in Los Angeles…and if you want a public event do it in Montreal,’” the surviving Cohen said in a statement. “I see this concert as a fulfillment of my duties to my father that we gather in Montreal to ring the bells that still can ring.”
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