The ten songs of this hypnotic album are Cohen rarities recorded on his recent, celebrated “Old Ideas World Tour”.
The songs have the immediacy, spontaneity, and thrilling intimacy of the best studio recordings made in the white heat of live performance and Cohen’s legendary soundchecks, in which he brings the colours of his virtuoso band to the full bloom in harmony with his voice, never more seductive.
Review
Leonard Cohen's return to touring in 2008 kicked off a remarkably
productive and satisfying third act in his career, and his continued enthusiasm
for live performances has been both surprising and rewarding, as Cohen has
reminded his fans that he's one of the most compelling artists you can see on a
stage, even in his eighth decade. But Cohen has also released three live albums
since his comeback – 2009's Live in London, 2010's Songs from the Road, and
2014's Live in Dublin – and even his most loyal patrons must be wondering
how badly they need a fourth. Product overkill might keep some of Cohen's fans
away from 2015's Can't Forget: A Souvenir of the Grand Tour, which features
live performances and soundcheck recordings from 2012 and 2013 road dates, but
from a strict standpoint of quality, Cohen's batting average is still admirably
high, and this album once again leaves no doubt as to his continued strength as
a vocalist. Admittedly, as Cohen was close to 80 when he recorded most of these
performances, his instrument is not as smooth as it once was (and it was never
pristine), but he can do remarkable things with the register he has left, and
his phrasing is artful while his emotions are honest and beautifully rendered
(short of Alberta Hunter, no one in this age bracket has ever sung about sex
with this degree of conviction and realism). Cohen's band, who have been
consistently superb since he resumed touring, are in great form here, and
generally sound a bit more spare and restrained, with fewer extended solos and a
coolly blues-influenced feel on a pair of new tunes, “Never Gave Nobody
Trouble” and “Got a Little Secret.” Good as his bandmates are, on Can't
Forget, Cohen is the star, and he's as strong, as witty, and as willing to lay
himself emotionally bare as ever; it's anyone's guess how much longer he
intends to keep going, but there's nothing here to suggest he needs or wants to
quit now. M Deming – Allmusic.com