3.8 - I was skeptical but I ended up liking this album. Gone is the flamenco-style guitar picking in favor of a more "updated" synth background, reminiscent of a Casio keyboard. It shouldn't work but this aesthetic switch is applied with artful subtlety so it somehow ends up sounding sophisticated. I'm reminded of soundtracks for adult dramas of the 1980s. Cohen's baritone sounds smokier and more seasoned, which adds even more atmosphere and gravitas to his poetic lyricism. I like also that he's kept the female backing vocals to punctuate certain lines throughout. Standouts: "Everybody Knows", "Take This Waltz", "Tower of Song."