In Anjani Thomas, Leonard Cohen Finds a New Voice
By ALAN LIGHT
Published: May 21, 2006
LEONARD COHEN is not known for being prolific. In a recording career approaching its 40th year, this master of romantic despair has released a mere 11 studio albums. So his fans might be surprised that less than two years after his last album, "Dear Heather," a new set of Cohen songs is seeing the light.
The new album is "Blue Alert" by Anjani Thomas (Columbia), featuring 10 songs co-written and produced by Mr. Cohen, the 71-year-old Montreal-born bard; Ms. Thomas, billed on the album simply as Anjani, is his longtime backup singer and current girlfriend.
The project began when Ms. Thomas, 46, who first worked with Mr. Cohen on his "Various Positions" in 1984, took the lead vocal on the "Dear Heather" track "Undertow." Soon after, she spied a set of lyrics on his desk and asked if she could record them, possibly as a demo for his next album. Pleased with the results, she began poring through Mr. Cohen's notebooks and files.
"If there was a line or a verse I liked," she said in a telephone interview from the couple's home in Los Angeles, "we put that aside." And together they worked on turning the scraps into completed songs.
Though Mr. Cohen's songs have been covered by artists from Harry Belafonte to Jeff Buckley, he has never written for another voice. But he says he found the prospect refreshing. "Being what you are is always tricky, but being what you're not is really liberating," he said.
In addition, he said, he was delighted to find an outlet for lyrics he had consigned to the archives.
"It always surprises me when something can be used," Mr. Cohen said. "There's this gnawing feeling that what you're doing is useless."
"Blue Alert" is a series of what Ms. Thomas called "bittersweet love songs," characteristically melancholy meditations on longing and loss, given a jazzier feel by her vocal range, which is considerably broader than Mr. Cohen's signature gravelly near-monotone.
There was another motivation for this project. Last year Mr. Cohen filed a lawsuit alleging that his former manager Kelley Lynch, had defrauded him of millions of dollars he had set aside for his retirement. The singer, who spends much of his time at a Zen monastery outside Los Angeles, realized that he needed to accelerate his work schedule. (In February Mr. Cohen won a $9.5 million court judgment against Ms. Lynch, though it's unclear when or if he will actually see any of this money.)
"Finances were a huge factor," Ms. Thomas said. "It was like, we've got to make a record, make some money. It was a terribly pressurized situation, full of shock and awe and disbelief — so in the midst of that, running to the studio and banging on a piano was the fun part."
By design and by luck, there is currently a flurry of Cohen-related activity. In addition to "Blue Alert" there is "A Book of Longing," a collection of new poems and drawings recently published by HarperCollins. And the documentary "I'm Your Man," featuring artists like Rufus Wainwright and Nick Cave performing Cohen compositions (and U2 backing up the songwriting legend on one song), opens next month at Film Forum in New York. Mr. Cohen added that he was "deep into" his own next album.
"I'm happy that all these events came to completion around the same time," he said. "Since I'm not in the marketplace that often, it creates a certain possible invitation to listen."
New York Times review of Blue Alert
New York Times review of Blue Alert
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/arts/ ... 1ligh.html
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medicinejar
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 11:37 pm
The singer, who spends much of his time at a Zen monastery
I believe this includes a time warp of sorts.
I much prefer the depiction of her sitting, leafing through one of his [many] notebooks and coming upon something that really struck her. This verbiage makes her appear rather predatory regarding Leonard's work.Soon after, she spied a set of lyrics on his desk and asked if she could record them . . .
Of course, "current girlfriend" doesn't get it for me, either... it gives too much of a fleeting sense to it, though I'm sure the writer's intent was to make it clear that they are, indeed, involved.
Okay ~ other than those
, this review is a nice one, though not particularly remarkable.Thanks for posting it, Jarkko.
~ Lizzy
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medicinejar
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 11:37 pm
With my tongue planted in cheek, I'd sat its actually important to say "CURRENT""girl friend is a propos. Mr. Cohen's protestations in verse aside, he has, in my view, a deserved reputation as a ladies man.... and because of a few songs I believe women will continue to be kind to him in spite of his old age! 
But remember, my tongue is firmly planted in cheek!
Cheers
But remember, my tongue is firmly planted in cheek!
Cheers
Okay, Medicinejar ~ Going with this tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek [hopefully far enough forward, so one doesn't 'choke' on it ] ~ My more serious response, though not rabidly so 
, is that I get the sense regarding Leonard's reputation as a "ladies man" is akin to the "celebrity as a celebrity" phenomena that occurs with some people in the entertainment business. "Not rabidly" not because I don't fully believe what I'm saying, but because I do understand what you're saying and I'm not being argumentative; just carrying the premise along with some thoughts.
When I think of the long-term relationships that Leonard has been in, and his continuing friendship with the majority of those women; his dedication to his craft [many notebooks ~ many hours scribbling]; his months lost to depression, where he had all he could do to function; his re-emergence from depression, where he 'immediately' returned to his writing with a seriousness and fervor that would astound most of us, if we were to witness it in daily fashion; his block of time on Mt. Baldy; his caring and attentiveness to his children and in their care and raising; and with other factors I could list, but this is enough to broach what I'm saying ~ I feel that, perhaps, this reputation has been built as much upon Leonard's desirability to women, his mysterious intrigue, and his inability to engage with every woman who finds him attractive and desires mental/emotional/physical intimacy with him. Once a man has that reputation ~ perhaps, begun with his clumsiness within a relationship where he "was good at taking out the garbage and holding up the wall," but not as good at seeing "the woman standing there" ~ it has the uncanny ability to compound upon itself ~ the "celebrity as a celebrity" process. I can only wonder from where the time came for Leonard to be this ladies man.
Okay, tongue back in cheek, now .
Regards ,
Lizzy
~ Going with this tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek [hopefully far enough forward, so one doesn't 'choke' on it ] ~ My more serious response, though not rabidly so , is that I get the sense regarding Leonard's reputation as a "ladies man" is akin to the "celebrity as a celebrity" phenomena that occurs with some people in the entertainment business. "Not rabidly" not because I don't fully believe what I'm saying, but because I do understand what you're saying and I'm not being argumentative; just carrying the premise along with some thoughts. When I think of the long-term relationships that Leonard has been in, and his continuing friendship with the majority of those women; his dedication to his craft [many notebooks ~ many hours scribbling]; his months lost to depression, where he had all he could do to function; his re-emergence from depression, where he 'immediately' returned to his writing with a seriousness and fervor that would astound most of us, if we were to witness it in daily fashion; his block of time on Mt. Baldy; his caring and attentiveness to his children and in their care and raising; and with other factors I could list, but this is enough to broach what I'm saying ~ I feel that, perhaps, this reputation has been built as much upon Leonard's desirability to women, his mysterious intrigue, and his inability to engage with every woman who finds him attractive and desires mental/emotional/physical intimacy with him. Once a man has that reputation ~ perhaps, begun with his clumsiness within a relationship where he "was good at taking out the garbage and holding up the wall," but not as good at seeing "the woman standing there" ~ it has the uncanny ability to compound upon itself ~ the "celebrity as a celebrity" process. I can only wonder from where the time came for Leonard to be this ladies man.
Okay, tongue back in cheek, now
. Regards
,Lizzy
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medicinejar
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 11:37 pm
Hey lizzytysh,
I pretty much agree with everythin you say. There may have been a lot women in his life (at least compared to mine). But I certainly get the impression that he has treated everyone with respect, which, as you note, is why he often stays friends with them later. Overall, I am not much into the speculation/poking my nose into the personally lives of celebrity. But I will say that I have always noticed Leonard's ability to be irresistable to women and I am very jealous of this!
Cheers!
I pretty much agree with everythin you say. There may have been a lot women in his life (at least compared to mine). But I certainly get the impression that he has treated everyone with respect, which, as you note, is why he often stays friends with them later. Overall, I am not much into the speculation/poking my nose into the personally lives of celebrity. But I will say that I have always noticed Leonard's ability to be irresistable to women and I am very jealous of this!
Cheers!
Yes, Medicinejar... and, in that context, here is an irrefutable testament to Leonard's charm 
:
Don't be so quick to discredit yourself, either, Medicinejar. For one thing, English accents are near irresistable . You are likely far more charming than you suspect... actual relationships are a whole different entity and not necessarily a measure.
Cheers !
~ Lizzy
:Ironic that you should be here with such close timing.. . . he has, in my view, a deserved reputation as a ladies man . . .
Don't be so quick to discredit yourself, either, Medicinejar. For one thing, English accents are near irresistable
. You are likely far more charming than you suspect... actual relationships are a whole different entity and not necessarily a measure. Cheers
!~ Lizzy
Lizzy, you're picking upon details in the review which are important to you but bear in mind the reviewer is not as besotted with the subject as your good self. And there's another album waiting to be reviewed and another and another...................
And hey can you get those US footballers to calm down, they seem hell bent (no pun intended) on breaking Italian legs!!!
And hey can you get those US footballers to calm down, they seem hell bent (no pun intended) on breaking Italian legs!!!
Night before last, I lay in bed with the headphones until "Thanks for the Dance" had finished; and then tried to go to sleep. Instead, I lay there for over an hour [checked the time at both ends of this] with "Thanks for the dance / I hear that we're married / One two three one two three one/ Thanks for the dance . . . " repeating over and over in my head. Finally, I drifted off. However, upon approaching full consciousness while waking, I heard, "Thanks for the dance / I hear that we're married / One two three... one two three... one... / Thanks for the dance . . . " repeating over and over in my head .
As has been commented by some, elsewhere on the Forum, I don't feel Anjani is a Leonard II, at all. As he said, her voice dropped from her throat to her heart. That is Anjani's heart we're hearing. However, what we are also hearing is Leonard's love letter to Anjani ~ and Anjani's love letter to Leonard. Perhaps, that's why/how the two seem merged in this album.
"Never Got to Love You" makes me tear up every time I listen to it. I guess that effect will eventually fade, but it hasn't yet. Sublimely sad and tender.
"The Mist" ~ That Leonard, at such a young age, was writing such incredible lyrics as this may have been the beacon signaling his lifelong success at composing songs and poems.
"Innermost Door" was my unsolicited companion inside my head last night as I did all I needed to do prior to sleeping.
From photos I've seen of Leonard's environments and their simplicity, this album softly playing in the background would fill his spaces with pure magic.
~ Lizzy
As has been commented by some, elsewhere on the Forum, I don't feel Anjani is a Leonard II, at all. As he said, her voice dropped from her throat to her heart. That is Anjani's heart we're hearing. However, what we are also hearing is Leonard's love letter to Anjani ~ and Anjani's love letter to Leonard. Perhaps, that's why/how the two seem merged in this album.
"Never Got to Love You" makes me tear up every time I listen to it. I guess that effect will eventually fade, but it hasn't yet. Sublimely sad and tender.
"The Mist" ~ That Leonard, at such a young age, was writing such incredible lyrics as this may have been the beacon signaling his lifelong success at composing songs and poems.
"Innermost Door" was my unsolicited companion inside my head last night as I did all I needed to do prior to sleeping.
From photos I've seen of Leonard's environments and their simplicity, this album softly playing in the background would fill his spaces with pure magic.
~ Lizzy