Old Ideas - the new album - January 31, 2012

[jarkko]

Leonard confirms that his new studio album is finished.
The title will be "Old Ideas". All songs are brand new except
"Darkness", the only song from the recent concert tour.
The album will be released in Spring 2012, but the
exact date has not yet been fixed.
There are no decisions about a new tour.
Jarkko

[Karren B]

Love the title...Lets hope there's a tour to follow!

Karren B
xx

[LisaLCFan]

Awesome news (about the album!). Thanks for keeping us updated, Jarkko.

(Does this mean no Born in Chains, no Feels so Good, no Lullaby?)

[basecamp]

Thanks for the update, Jarkko! Great news! Can't wait!
Glad that "Darkness" made it to the new album! My favourite new song from the last tour!

[joyezekiel]

Yes - great news! Pity about "Born in Chains" though..... that has become one of my new favorites. Maybe he's saving it for the next album, hey?

Joy

[Henning]

Is that Leonard's birthday present for you ?

[swisschris]

Although I am very happy about the confirmation of the album title and the release date, I am rather disappointed (ok, this is an understatement, I am rather shocked) that "Born in chains" won't be on the album.
I mean, it is one of the best songs he has EVER written. Jarkko, do you know anything about why he won't include the song on the album? And does "all songs are brand new" mean, that their titles haven't ever been mentioned before (unlike, for example, "Amen")...Yes, questions...

[peter danielsen]

But I thought the title "old ideas" once was Cohens name for the album later named Dear Heather

[ladydi]

Thanks for the update, Jarkko. I'm another completely surprised by the exclusion of "Born in Chains", however, it IS Leonard's album and the new material may even surpass it. Will be interesting to see how the title "Old Ideas" fits in with the new songs.

Diana

[holydove]

Wow!! This is so exciting!! Thank you so much for posting the great news, Jarkko!!

It is surprising that the other 3 new songs which Leonard did on tour won't be on the album, but also very intriguing that all but one will be songs we've never heard before!! And I had the same thought as Joy: that perhaps the other 3 songs will be on the next album!! Anyway, as long as Leonard Cohen is singing, life is very good!!

[Mabeanie1]

It is wonderful to have some positive news on the album at long last. Thanks for the update Jarkko.

To be honest, I'm not surprised that most of the new songs we got to know over 2009-10 will not make the final album. I imagine Leonard had a pretty large pool of material for the album by the end of the recording process. Not all songs can make the final cut and it then becomes a question of which songs go together best to make the album Leonard wants to create. I guess he has made his decision. Personally, the song I will miss most is Lullaby. I never got to hear it live and when Leonard told me in Sweden about a year ago that he had recorded a totally different version of it I was looking forward to hearing that on the album but never mind - there will be even more new songs to look forward to next Spring!

Wendy

[B4real]

I just want to know what "Love" is all about.
.......and I wonder if it is one of the new songs on Old Ideas!

[LisaLCFan]

I, too, am excited by the fact that all (but one) of the songs on Leonard's new album will be brand new (despite my inital surprise at the omission of the other "new" tour songs)! The more new songs, the merrier! It's almost more exciting this way! We can still listen to all the live recordings of those other great songs that we've come to know and love, plus we'll have a whole album of new material, so we have the best of both worlds! Leonard is spoiling us! (Thank you, Mr. Cohen!)

[musicmania]

I, too, am excited by the fact that all (but one) of the songs on Leonard's new album will be brand new (despite my inital surprise at the omission of the other "new" tour songs)! The more new songs, the merrier! It's almost more exciting this way! We can still listen to all the live recordings of those other great songs that we've come to know and love, plus we'll have a whole album of new material, so we have the best of both worlds! Leonard is spoiling us! (Thank you, Mr. Cohen!)

Exactly my thoughts Lisa. While it would have been nice to have these songs on an official record we have the many videos and fan recordings of these songs to listen whenever we choose. Liking the fact it means even more new songs to look forward to

[bridger15]

Thanks for the update, Jarkko!

Darkness is my favourite of the three "new" songs that I was privileged to hear on the World Tour.
So, I am especially delighted this song is included in the new album.

---Arlene