When Leonard Cohen passed away in November 2016, he left behind fifty years of words and music, including his final album, You Want It Darker.  Now, Columbia and Legacy have announced a new collection, "a continuation of the master's final work" called Thanks For The Dance.

Due on November 22, Thanks For The Dance was produced by Cohen's son Adam, who followed Leonard's wishes to complete the musical sketches that remained after You Want It Darker.  Contributions came from many of Leonard's closest collaborators and most celebrated acolytes.  Javier Mas, the Spanish laud player who'd performed with the elder Cohen since 1979, traveled from Barcelona to track his parts; the Shaar Hashomayim choir, who were part of the sonic signature of You Want It Darker, contributed to a song; members of Arcade Fire and The National contribute vocals along with Damien Rice and Feist; Daniel Lanois contributed to the album's arrangement; and Jennifer Warnes provides background vocals.

"In composing and arranging the music for his words, we chose his most characteristic musical signatures, in this way keeping him with us," Adam Cohen said in a statement. "What moves me most about the album is the startled response of those who have heard it. 'Leonard lives!' they say, one after the other."

Thanks For the Dance will be released on CD (in a 4-panel digipak with 12-page booklet), digital, standard vinyl, and Barnes and Noble-exclusive white vinyl on November 22.  The Leonard Cohen Online Store also offers some exclusive merchandise bundles.  You can pre-order your preferred configuration now with the links below and preview one track, "The Goal," below.  The label promises more singles from Thanks For the Dance to come.

 

Leonard Cohen, Thanks For the Dance (Columbia/Legacy, 2019)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP black: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP white: Barnes and Noble
Merch bundles: Leonard Cohen Online Store

1. Happens to the Heart
2. Moving On
3. The Night of Santiago
4. Thanks for the Dance
5. It's Torn
6. The Goal
7. Puppets
8. The Hills
9. Listen to the Hummingbird