The sound on New Skin For The Old Ceremony adds a few more musical touches but is still unmistakably Leonard Cohen. On his fourth album, Cohen sings of relationships, two in particular. The sexual encounter reportedly about Janis Joplin on “Chelsea Hotel #2” is ended with the harsh send off, “I don’t even think of you that often”. More romantically he sings about Nico on the poetic “Take This Longing”.
Talking to God, the repeated refrain on “Lover Lover Lover” is sure to get stuck in one’s head before the strings come in on the second verse of “Field Commander Cohen” that adds a certain majesty to the proceedings. The back-up singers add a bit extra to “There Is A War”, one that takes place between different groups of people, more harshness in the line “I guess you call this love, I call it service”.
The standout track is performed with singer Janis Ian, “Who By Fire” sounds simple at first but is about the way people often meet their maker. It’s a powerful tune at under 3 minutes, one that has been covered many times after. Regularly regarded as the end of his first recording period, the songs recorded on this 1974 collection are not as well known but in Cohen’s voice and style, they still carry a certain amount of power.
7.5/10
The Light Appears 