Additonal Cohen Remasters & New Album 2008 ???

[substance]

Hello...

Anyone have any information on....

the additional remasters to be released with bonus tracks? Next in line, I believe, will be NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY, DEATH OF A LADIES MAN, and RECENT SONGS. I am glad that Cohen will finally 'accept' DOALM in his catalog. DOALM was the only album that did not have any tracks featured on the ESSENTIAL LEONARD COHEN 2CD set, other than DEAR HEATHER which had yet to be released.
I don't think that LIVE SONGS will be included in the remaster series, which is a shame. Additional live tracks would be great! Curious which bonus tracks will be included on the next batch of remasters... rare NEW SKIN ear material, Do I Have To Dance All Night single, some Spector outtakes?

also...

what is going on with the new album? I suspect that it's completed and final mixing has yet to be done... perhaps during the break in the tour later this year, to release the remasters and this new album before kicking off with additional dates in 2009??? I recall two tracks leaking out from an american radio broadcast, "Book Of Longing"" and "Puppets". This was once available to hear in a very poor recording on youtube but has since been removed. If anyone has a decent sounding quality version of these recordings, it would be treat to upload them!

and one more thing....

the current tour is absolutely amazing! You would be a fool to miss it! Being a devoted Cohen fan, I was totally blown away by Sharon Robinson!!! Strangely enough though, no songs from DEAR HEATHER are featured in the set list (none from DOALM either.... why?). It was a pleasure to hear songs like IN MY SECRET LIFE, THAT DON'T MAKE IT JUNK, BOOGIE STREET and the recitation of A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP (which was incredible and had moved me to tears!) given a live airing.
Hopefully, when the second leg of the tour rolls around, Cohen may switch up the set a bit and include HERE IT IS (Ten New Songs) and material from DEAR HEATHER like THE LETTERS and THERE FOR YOU. These would be amazing with Sharon there! I would also like to hear NEVER ANY GOOD (More Best Of). Maybe even some songs from the new album???
Sooooo many great songs!!! BLESS COHEN!

-substance.

[JJR]

According to a number of UK websites, a new collection of LC discs is due out on June 30th. This contains re-mastered versions of 'Various Positions', 'I'm Your Man', 'The Future' and 'Ten New Songs'. Hopefully these new re-masters will soon be made available in North America.

[jarkko]

This contains re-mastered versions

there will be one more album in this collection: Songs of L.C.
I am not sure whether or not the four recent albums will be re-mastered. Where did you get that information?

[JJR]

Information from Spin Cd. Here's the link.

http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9017070

[jerry]

But why have Songs Of in the set when it's already available remastered?

[substance]

Hello....

... the outer red box itself is a nice design but I also wonder why SONGS OF has been chosen as part of the set and why the albums from VARIOUS POSITIONS to TEN NEW SONGS were chosen?
In my personal opinion, VARIOUS POSITIONS and I'M YOUR MAN are Cohen's two weakest albums, in terms of instrumentation. The music is too synthetic (the 1980's) that is seems lazy to me, in comparison to his musicianship prior to their release. In other words, I certainly wouldn't suggest to someone just getting into Cohen to start off with those two albums.

The discs included in this upcoming box do not seem to have any bonus tracks what so ever, and their remastered form is probably only a matter of packaging (ie. vinyl replica sleeves) and not sound at all. It seems like a typical quick cash grab from a record company (makes me think of the recent Pink Floyd box).

... I'm very excited about the upcoming continuation of the digi-pack remasters WITH bonus tracks!!! Cohen should consider releasing some DVD's as well (1974's 'Bird On A Wire' documentary perhaps? With added television appearances!!!)

- substance

[jerry]

These cds will not be remastered. Just reissued! This is not a part of the reissue program. These are just budget reissues of popular titles. Many other Sony artists are also getting this boxset treatment.

[John Etherington]

I can see why these five albums have been chosen. Clearly they best represent the choice of material on Leonard's current tour. Thus we have his classic first album with "Suzanne", "Marianne" and "That's No Way to Say Goodbye", "Various Postions" - essential for "Hallelujah" and "Dance Me To the End of Love", plus of course the best-selling "I'm Your Man", "The Future" and "Ten New Songs".
As much as I love "Songs of Love and Hate" and "Recent Songs", I have to say this is a good selection of five albums.

It would be good to see a re-issue of "Live Songs" if it had enough bonus tracks. I actually compiled a "Live Songs 2" in 1976 and regretted not suggesting it to Leonard when I met him that year. Among my choices for inclusion were "Sisters of Mercy" and "Chelsea Hotel" with the elevator rap, which Leonard had recently introduced.

All good things, John E

[k-e-t]

also...

what is going on with the new album? I suspect that it's completed and final mixing has yet to be done... perhaps during the break in the tour later this year, to release the remasters and this new album before kicking off with additional dates in 2009??? I recall two tracks leaking out from an american radio broadcast, "Book Of Longing"" and "Puppets". This was once available to hear in a very poor recording on youtube but has since been removed. If anyone has a decent sounding quality version of these recordings, it would be treat to upload them!

This is what the man himself says in the recent Maclean's interview (in reference to the band he's playing with on tour):

My only regret is that I have a lot of new songs but I didn’t get a chance to rehearse them with this band. We’re going to rehearse in August and September and I’ll be able to include these new tunes. I’ve written most of a new album. I’ve recorded three tracks. But this band is so good that I’ll probably re-record the tracks that I did. It’s such a privilege to play with these guys.

[The detainee]

These reissues are the ones I'm most excited by, it was good to have the first three albums in a new format, and obviously good for Leonard to make some income from them, but the extras added very little (esp. Songs Of Love And Hate which is my favourite LC album, and along with the first album is as perfect as it gets with or without the extras) - but I think New Skin, DOALM, and Recent Songs represent a really interesting, and at times, curious period of his career that could do with re-examining.

[jerry]

These are not remasters. Just reissues! Same as the old ones that have been around for awhile.

[The detainee]

These are not remasters. Just reissues! Same as the old ones that have been around for awhile.

Wasn't talking about the June 30th box - more anticipating the New Skin, DOALM, Recent Songs reissues (when, hopefully, they surface).

[jerry]

Like Dylan's remasters the next batch of LC remasters is probably dead in the water.

[bruinsy19]

I thought LC recently mentioned he has 3 new songs recorded and most of a new album written.What a treat it would be to have his current band as the musicians on the album.I don't know how anyone could dislike the album Various Positions,I think it is one of his best,but everyone has the right to there opinion.

[Davido]

Leonard has said in interview (the extract is somewhere on the forum, just can't locate it) that he has recorded 4 tracks of his new album already, but he likes the sound of his current band so much that he will probably re-record them with his touring band.
Dave