Upon hearing Popular Problems by Leonard Cohen for the first time, I must admit I was not that impressed. I am familiar with Cohen’s music and have never been a huge fan, but he has been around for a long time—this is his 13th studio album since his debut in 1967—so I figured there must be merit to his music.
The reason it takes a bit of time to get into Cohen’s music is because you have to get used to the way he sings: in a half-spoken-halfsung monotone voice. Scratchy and gravelly, the Montreal native sounds like he just rolled out of bed, putting his voice in stark contrast to his smooth, bluesy back up singers. But once I accepted that Cohen is more of a poet than a singer, the musical structure was easier to grasp.
“A Street” starts out with organ hits as Cohen rumbles “I used to be your favorite drunk/ Good for one more laugh/Then we both ran out of luck/Luck was all we ever had.” The horns come in to back up gospel singers and soon the track becomes a full-blown ballad, reciting “The party’s over/But I’ve landed on my feet.” These two lines sum up the melancholy yet hopeful themes throughout Popular Problems.
The best song of the album is another example of battling themes by sounding uplifting and engaging even as it paints a pretty harsh picture. “Did I Ever Love You” ties together southwestern chugging percussion, bluegrass guitar plucking, Irish violin interludes and sweet choir harmonies. Cohen’s growl takes on a vulnerable sense of yearning, as he rasps out “Did I ever leave you/Was I ever able/Or are we still leaning/Across the old table.”
After listening to Popular Problems I’ve learned that each song sets a tone. Cohen is much more interested in the portrait his words paint than melodies or guitar riffs. This doesn’t make for terribly exciting tracks to listen to musically, but it is clear that Cohen has something to say and that music is a platform for his poetry.
Rating: B-
