Leonard Cohen, 'Old Ideas'

Release date: Jan. 31, 2012
Record label: Columbia
Official website: http://www.leonardcohen.com

The buzz: Baritone bard Leonard Cohen makes his return to the recording studio with "Old Ideas," his first album of new material since 2004's "Dear Heather."

The verdict: After spending the better part of the last several years on the road playing classics from his decades-long career, Cohen proves with "Old Ideas" that his songwriting gift burns as brightly as ever. Cohen is in the same league of composers as Bob Dylan, and "Old Ideas" could be seen as the former's wry but heartfelt response to the latter's 1997 lion in winter masterpiece, "Time Out of Mind." While many justifiably sing Cohen's praises as a lyricist, on this album his musical powers and flexibility are in full force, as his weather-beaten voice mixes it up with the blues on "Darkness," hymn-like reverie on "Show Me the Place" and acoustic balladry on "Crazy to Love You," a stunning song that would have fit in perfectly on Cohen's earliest albums. Cohen may label this a collection of "Old Ideas," but these songs are timeless.

Did you know? Even the most casual fan is likely to be familiar with Cohen's 1985 masterwork, "Hallelujah," probably thanks to one of its many, many covers. Artists who have performed their own renditions of the song over the years include Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi and Bob Dylan.