As more than one writer has pointed out, in 2008 and 2009
Leonard Cohen
's loss became his audience's gain. After spending five years living as a monk in a Buddhist monastery during a sabbatical from music,
Cohen
discovered in 2005 that his former business manager had embezzled nearly all his savings, and two years later, in order to put his finances back in order, he warily agreed to an international concert tour, his first in nearly a decade and a half. Given the circumstances that prompted
's return to the stage as well as his age -- 73 when the tour began -- one would have the right to wonder just how enthusiastic the great songwriter would be about meeting his audience again. But judging from
Live in London
-- a two-disc set recorded during a rapturously received appearance at London's
O2 Arena
on July 17, 2008 -- these concerts have unexpectedly given
a chance to remind the world of his strengths as a musician and a performer, and he's embraced the opportunity with joy. The notion of
playing a 20,000-seat arena may seem a bit surprising (at least in America), but
and his nine-member supporting ensemble give 25 songs from his catalog a treatment that fills them out enough to work in a massive room (at least compared to the intimate arrangements of his early work) without crushing the nuances of gentler numbers like
"Who by Fire"
and
"Suzanne,"
while
"The Future"
"Democracy"
sound just as big as they need to be. There's sometimes a bit too much
David Sanborn
in
Dino Soldo
's horn solos, but otherwise the band is superb -- especially
Javier Mas
on banduria, laud, archilaud, and guitar, and the vocal ensemble of
Sharon Robinson
,
Charley Webb
, and
Hattie Webb
-- and despite the craggy, weathered state of
's voice, he sounds sure and committed from the first moment to the last, often finding notes that seem elusive at first, and his performance here is genuinely engrossing. It's also surprisingly witty;
may have a reputation as one of the most dour performers in contemporary music, but his between-song patter is charmingly droll, and he finds a passion and a humanity in his songs that sets them apart from their studio counterparts.
sounds genuinely moved by the affectionate reception he receives from his audience, and he seems determined to give them a show to match their loyalty, and with his band (who he frequently lauds during the performance) he truly gives of himself; if this isn't quite the strongest live performance
has released for public consumption, it's certainly the warmest and the most emotionally resonant. Perhaps fate forced
's hand to stage the tour documented in part on
, but it seems that fate knows just what it's doing, and this album eloquently demonstrates how much
still has to offer, and how clearly his music still speaks to him (and us). ~ Mark Deming