Leonard Cohen announces new album

It’s been 7 years since Leonard Cohen released his last studio album, Dear Heather, so the anticipation for new material is at a peak. The songwriter revealed news of the new album, entitled Old Ideas, in Spain where he is being honoured with the Prince of Asturias Prize for his songwriting and poetry.

The album is set for a 2012 release. He currently has no plans to tour it, but notes that it is always a possibility.

“I’ve played it for a few people, and they seem to like it,” he said, according to Reuters.

Old Ideas includes ten unreleased songs he worked on with his son Adam, a musician and frontman of the band Low Millions.

Cohen is known internationally for his incredible songwriting, with songs like “Hallelujah” being one of the most covered tunes of all time, alongside many novels and poetry collections.

Winning the Asturias Prize – which celebrates international achievement in arts and sciences – puts him in good company with the likes of Margaret Atwood, Bob Dylan and Arthur Miller.

Listen to “Hallelujah” below:

Like father, like son? Watch Leonard Cohen’s son, Adam, perform “So Long Marianne“.