Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Mr Cohen, you are welcome in my playlist, but just pop by occasionally cos too much of you gets on my tits apparently.
A rarity in the back half being weighted heavily. The album builds to the final track. While his voice is extremely unique and definitive, the over-enunciation of the final syllables gets to be a bit vexing. 3.25/5
The religious allusions—of which there are many—were completely lost on me, but the bleeding heart romanticism—delivered in equally ample supply—spoke to me loud and clear.
Good album
Nice voice, but the album is too slow and melancholic. Personally, I like something like this remix more: Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (Paul Kalkbrenner Remix).
Not used to hearing Leonard without his raspy voice. Very lyrically good album with some haunting instrumentals at times. 3/5
I don't usually listen to this type of singing style because it's almost spoken word, but there's something about Leonard Cohen that I respect. I always found Suzanne a beautiful song. Part of it is the lyrics
Liked it but wouldn't necessarily reach for it.
Good album. Leonard Cohen is one of those artists where I like their music but it's not anything I would ever pick to listen to.
Even after listening to a few of his albums, I'm still not sure i'm completely connecting with Leonard Cohen's music. This is definitely the favourite so far though, the playing on this one is so beautiful, mostly just a quiet acoustic guitar and his voice. The opener 'Suzanne' is a highlight with it's gorgeous melodies and sweet lyrics, also 'So Long Marienne' which has a bit more instrumentation surrounding it than most of the other songs, along with some female backup vocals in the chorus to really bring it to life. I'll be back to it soon to try and get into Leonard more, but I did enjoy the listen.
Meh. A three.
The songs are Beautiful obviously very poetic. Found myself pretty bored with the listen however. I think this is one I’d need to have on vinyl to really appreciate a full listen through again. But I’m proud of this good ole Canadian boy even if he’s a habs fan (probably) -B
I’m just not into it
2nd Leonard Cohen album. I liked You Want it Darker better but this was good too
Favorite Song: So Long, Marianne Leonard Cohen tells an incredible story with each song on this album. It is no wonder he is praised as a lyrical genius. I give this album a 3.0/5.0. My favorite songs on this album were "So Long, Marianne" and "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong"
At first I was enjoying it a lot more than I thought and then I was waiting for it to be over. 3 because of that
Sisters of Mercy, and So long Marriane are favourites. Bonus points for Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye as couldn’t remember it.
Ok, maybe I am not a fan of cohen. The lyics must be good.. 2.5
3,5
Don’t really have that much to say. It’s pleasant music with good lyrics but doesn’t really get me going
I had never heard this album before and it sounds like a much darker Paul Simon to me. Of the three Leonard Cohen albums we’ve heard this was the one I’d most likely listen to again. “So Long Marianne” was a highlight for me. Would do a 3.5 if possibles
Very chill listen. I like the vibes a lot. The stories that each song bring are very nice as well as the stripped back instrumentation. Musically compared to others I've listened to, it's a respectable 3
Bit boring. Might not have been in the right mood to listen to it. Going to give it a re-listen
Very nice
I suppose I get why LC is heralded among Dylan, Paul Simon, and Townes Van Zandt as the great lyricists. He leaves a little to be desired on the vocal delivery. Still an enjoyable listen.
все таки либо его надо слушать еще и еще либо это слабее чем поздние его работы, тексту много внимания не уделял, музыкальная часть местами скучная. но хороший материал есть, это появление леонарда коена, это хорошая лирика, некоторые песни действительно оригинальны, так что ясно, почему альбом в списке. 5 из десяти
Just a wordy man with slow(?) TLOU playing
I love Leonard Cohen, but man his music improved when he discovered his basso profundo. This had some fun layers but overall is not my favourite.
Good voice. Not really my style of music though. Not bad though.
Pretty slow but peaceful for the first few songs. So long Marianne was a nice little pickup that song was catchy. Kind of all sounded like one song with the quiet guitar and his singing. The album ended with him screaming faintly and I was listening to it on a plane and I was concerned that someone on my plane was screaming.
3rd Leonard Cohen album. Gave the first two 3's so lets get it Lenny. Really enjoying Master Song. The rest was on in the background but still enjoyable. This must've been before his voice got gnarly. Leonard "3" Cohen.
Cohens voice is much better in this album than some of his later ones. The song writing is good but doesn't hold up to what i know he's capable of. It's a good album, I'm tempted to go up to 4 but I dont think I can. Repeats: Suzanne, master song, so long marianne Skips: stranger song
Leonard Cohen is undeniably an incredible songwriter but this album is not the height of his abilities. Loved a few tracks but it drones on with little variation. It'd be great for a dinner party but I can see why this album didn't make a large splash when it was released.
Easy listening, Suzanne is a standout track. I'd be okay if i never heard this album again though
This album is mostly a bunch of folk acoustic arrangements. It’s meh, it’s been done way better. The songs are rather bland, as is the whole album. It kind of picks up by the end though
Love me some Leonard Cohen. But I found over the years, that you have to be in the mood for him. Yesterday was not it.
The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, and So Long, Marianne were instant favorites. The rest of the album is good and every song has something that makes it worth a listen, but he keeps going back to this one cadence that irked me. I get the feeling I'm going to revisit this at some point and rate it higher.
One of my favorite artists from the 60s. I love much of his music. I will say that this album isn’t the best for everyday use, but an excellent add for intimate dinner nights and a relaxing cleaning Sunday. Parents used to sing me some lines off this album growing up. Album isn’t as good as some of his stand alone songs so leaving at 3
Definitely not my kind of music but it wasn’t bad, very slow but nice background music I could understand vibing to this. 2-3
I've always heard good things about Leonard Cohen's music but I was a bit disappointed by this album. His songwriting is good, don't get me wrong, but some of the tracks seemed kind of... bland? Some of the extra instrumentation didn't help in my opinion. I wish he went for an old-school folk sound with just his voice and a guitar.
This album is lyrically dense. It’s almost aggressively poetic in how I felt it demanded me to pay attention to the details packed into these songs, and yet, try as I might, I couldn’t keep up. I could instantly see that the stories this album tells and the pictures this album paints are rich, vivid, and layered with meaning, and yet after the songs ended, I was left with only vague impressions. This is the kind of album I would rather read as a collection of poems than listen to — I can properly sink my teeth into it that way. The instrumentation in several of these songs doesn’t offer much to elevate these lyrics, and even though Cohen’s velvety voice is pleasing to the ear, I’d still rather hear him read these lyrics than sing them so I could pay more attention to his storytelling. The album begins to soar around the midpoint, though, where the lyrics and the instrumentals seem to be working in harmony, and it left me wondering why the rest wasn’t like those songs. The orchestral flourishes, background vocals, and subtle electronic touches do a lot to add to the bittersweet atmosphere on the best tracks, so why weren’t they applied to the rest? Fav tracks: Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, “So Long, Marianne,” Stories of the Street
Nice and mellow. a good debut although the last track is weird
Chill
I'm more a "music vs lyrics" listener so this album didn't really hit me. I have to Gove LC a closer listen/lyrics analysis in the future because I think that os why he is so revered
This album is ok. Nothing amazing. Nothing terrible. Very solid 3 out of 5.
Buen álbum, ni excelente ni malo. Sorprende y se sostiene durante toda su extensión por su variación de arpegios, aún así carece de matices en las voz. La ausencia de percusiones y batería mimetiza todo y le contrarresta. Conjunto de canciones que individualmente funcionan muy bien y generan lo que desea, pero en conjunto cansan el oído. Hitazo: Suzanne Canción favorita: Winter lady Sorpresa: So long, Marianne
I almost really liked this. When it was wasn’t sounding like most other 60’s psychedelic singer/songwriters, it had some really interesting moments. Crazy to hear his voice as a young man too, since I mostly only know of his work from the 90’s on. 3.4/5
If I could give 3 and a half stars I would. Really like ‘So long Marianne’ but some others are a bit meh
Incredible melancholy songwriting. Such a raw, distilled sound. As an album though it begins it suffers from a lack of variety in my opinion.
Oops all my notes are gone. TL;DR The album is good, but boring by the end. Lyrically there's a lot going on, sonicly it can be very interesting, but man are there some stinkers in there.
Classic album but not quite worth a reputation it has.
one thing it's got going for it, is that it's on the shorter side
Not my style but i aprecciate the penmanship, because the lyrics are beautiful. I never got into Leonard Cohen voice so maybe thats way i wasn't too keen on this album. 6.8/10
So long, Marianne One of us cannot be wrong
Has a haunting quality to it. His voice leans a bit monotone. I liked the more melodic tracks, ex: The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street.
Спокойно, мелодично, но не запоминается.
ok
Fell asleep listening to this. Not in a bad way though.
Listening to this after another day of pining over someone whom I know doesn't share my feelings has something rather poignant to it. The lyrics are not necessarily relevant to any experience u may have, but the stories they tell resonated with me on a level I can't quite describe. Suzanne particularly touched me. Cohen's slow, steady, but at the same time melancholy delivery is something I have discovered I quite enjoy.
done it
Had an appreciation for the lyricism of the songs and themes on this album. However, felt the album was a little monotonous and therefore wasn't as moving or provoking as I had expected at the beginning.
gentle and clean, just not my favorite
Cohen sings well and puts a lot of complex metaphors in his songs; therefore, I can't follow what I'm listening to.
Leonard Cohen is an original in style and sound.
65/100 Started strong but got preachy and samey
Belles mélodies. Je devrais vraiment écouter plus les paroles lors d'une seconde écoute et ça améliorerait probablement ma note.
Not too bad.
I quite liked a few of these tracks but the overall effect was a bit... dreary?
So long, Marianne is the easy standout, the rest blurs together a bit
While it still isn't quite as good as You Want It Darker, I liked this one much more than the last album of Cohen's I got. It's more interesting that his songwriting talent never got stale or deteriorated over half a century than anything else. Definition of a generational talent even if I'm not an avid fan. I especially liked So Long, Marianne.
Rich lovely voice but a bit slow
Very strange album. The lyrics are the main selling point here I think, because there are a ton of lyrics and you really have to pay attention to even start understanding what is happening. I do enjoy when the guitar is being plucked at about 600 mph. You kind of have to really get into the mood for this one. It's like a fever dream while adam sandler stares at you on the cover. Score: 70 Art: 100 adam sandler moment
Good songwriting and good nap time vibes.
suzanne didnt feel like a good opener really liked master song winter lady was similar but just passed by marianna very good closing three tracks possibly my favourite
This album had a strange problem for me. When it was at its most masterful lyrically, it had its most boring melodies and arrangements. When the songs themselves were more interesting, the lyrics weren't up to the bar I'm used to for Lenny boy. I still liked it for sure, but I know he grows leaps and bounds from here.
LOVED the poetry. The guitar playing was a really nice surprise. Overall the foundational songwriting is pretty awesome really. Overall this music is too glum and repetitive for me to give a really great review. So Long, Marianne is the big outlier for me - that is a legit fantastic song and something I plan to pop into many playlists. The rest of the music is good but not great enough to make a 4 for me. Close though.
Good listen. Probably wouldn’t play again.
calm and nice tunes but give it an OK overall
first time giving Leonard Cohen a listen. Only ever heard his most popular song before. Something about his voice doesn't resonate with me. Musically, the songs are cool, got a bit of a Simon & Garfunkel / Bob Dylan vibe to them. Don't know that I would revisit this album. Winter Lady was probably my favorite on this album.
Leonard Cohen doing Leonard Cohen You’ll either love it, like it, tolerate it or hate it. I rather enjoyed it, but it’s not a must have in my opinion.
first song: sounds folky and slow. voice sounds like a cleaner bob dylan; lyrics are reminiscent of a joan baez mixed with laura marling. quite chill, but maybe a little too much for me right now. Meh. I have to be in the right mood for this. Def saving some songs onto my "folk" playlist tho!
Great songwriting but many of the songs are similar
My verdict near the beginning was correct - this isn't my favorite, but I'm not offended by any of it. It's simple and pleasant, it does what it does well. I don't think it's outstanding but I can see why some people do. One complaint I have is that it's a little repetitive, The Stranger Song and Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (along with another song I can't remember; Master Song, maybe?) have similar vocal melodies. It's very easy to notice similarities because it's so sparse. It also gets more boring in the last few tracks. But it's nice!
It’s nice, but I think I like Leonard Cohen in smaller doses.
I do like a decent amount of this. I really like the interesting layers of guitars, and the quite complex picking that serves as an undercurrent for most of this album. It's just very dense. There's lots of storytelling and lots and lots of lyrical content, and after a while it gets a bit samey. The standout for me is 'So Long, Marianne' (which I'd already had as a favourite before listening to this album). It's got a really nice driving rhythm to it, but most importantly it's just way more direct in terms of the song writing and message. It's feels more heartfelt and is just a really well written pop song.
I had first heard Cohen play "Suzanne" on the Isle of Wight Festival recording I have. That performance was 1970. I felt the solo performance was even more haunting than the original here. The other songs are just as eerie to me with the sparse instrumentation. The lyrics are pretty morose and introspective, but they're supposed to be. It's a quiet album, something to play late and night and have a cup of tea with right before you go to bed. Not exactly the best bedtime album, but there you go. I don't know if I would listen to it (except for maybe "Suzanne") because it does get rather depressing.
Doesn't have Jazz Police on this record, so that is a minus. Overall sounds like so much else that I have heard from the 60's, good stuff, but definitely not nearly as interesting as his later stuff. Quite a change of an artist to hear his songs across his career, respect that.
This is giving some Dylan vibes, so far (am up to 'So Long, Marianne') Of the two Cohen albums we have listened to in the group, I much prefer the other one - 'You Want It Darker', and yes I do, darker Leonard, much, much darker! I've heard 'Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye' before, and 'Suzanne' rang a bell. Hmm, I don't feel that it ever really got going. Still a decent listen though. 3 / 5 stars.
Okay. Half of the songs sound the same to me.
Such a good storyteller while creating vivid imagery. I had only heard one of his songs (The Partisan) which is a great song.
Nice calm album. I have heard some of the songs before. I will explore Leonard Cohen more after this album.
Not familiar with this album. I've heard other songs by Cohen, and I'm pretty sure we studied one of his poems in high school. I generally focus on the music rather than the words, but that doesn't work here. The lyrics do all of the heavy lifting, the music is like a cushion they're casually resting on… but that cushion is comfy. Cohen's voice is more musical and lighter than I was anticipating. I guess he wasn't always quite so gruff as he is on his later recordings. Some moments here sound almost like Syd Barrett but with less idiosyncratic time shifts. Standout tracks: Master Song, Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye 3.25/5
Three stars. An enjoyable enough listen, and many of the songs are standards. But I'm not that sold on Laughing Len.
okay but boring
It was good, a bit weird. I have no clue what he was singing about in half the songs, but it felt pretty passionate. 6/10.
Nice songs
love the guitars on this, probably won't listen to it again after today but thank you for sharing
Not my favorite. I understand why it is acclaimed, the instrumentation is smooth and easy to listen to, and cohens voice is great. Maybe I’m just not in the right mood for it today, but not my favorite album. Favorite song: the stranger song
Pretty good and chill.
This entire album definitely made me think of Bob Dylan, but sooo much more tolerable. While Bob and Leonard have similar singing styles, and this album is also folk like Bob was putting out during the time, Leonard's somehow just seems more serious. Maybe it's the significant lack of harmonica and nasal voice, but the general sound here is more pleasant to my ear. If this album shows one thing, it's that Leonard Cohen's songwriting was a tour de force from this first album. He's telling folk stories with deep, passionate, masterful, and poetic lyrics. Also, Leonard wasn't as dark and gruff out of the gate, but you get that glimpse of that future dark lean nonetheless; there is a layer of melancholy across the album and his voice is not "velvety" by any means. Ultimately, The music and lyrics are just "chill" enough to invite you to slow down and listen more closely and to be actively engaged. Therein lies the Cohen darkness in its infancy. All in all, I liked this more than I though I would. It darkens the doorstep of a decade that was kind of known more for its happy counterculture music. While I'm not really what I would call a Leonard Cohen "fan", there is just something about his darkness that draws me in.
bra men tråkig
Every time I hear more Leonard Cohen, I realize he is more amazing than I imagined. 3.5 stars
Songs of Leonard Cohen: The Soundtrack to the Color Beige.
3.5
I've liked Leonard Cohen's albums so far. This, his debut, however, did not grab me. It's decent enough, but lacks a consistent style and seems a little Cohen-by-numbers. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Suzanne Date listened: 10/02/23
Never listened to Leonard Cohen before but I know he’s a big deal to many people. Think this album needs more than one listen - got Dylan vibes from it. Probably sacrilege to say this isn’t it? 3 stars and will do a second listen at some point
This paints a sepia mood. The constant barrage of words blends pleasantly into nostalgic reverie. It’s nice.
A very good singer-songwriter album - the lyrics are great, the arrangement and production are also great, only the music is subpar sometimes. A remarkable debut by Leonard Cohen.
Good stuff, it's a lot to listen to all at once but I often find that true of his albums.
While I do like several Cohen songs, I’m not usually a fan of listening to an entire Cohen album. But I enjoyed this more than I thought expected. 3.5/5
Teachers
Very lovely and compelling poetry, guitar picking and deep morbid vocals. Good and the 10 songs don't overstay their welcome, even if a few begin to sound samey. High 3.
I've never understood the hype for Leonard Cohen, so this one surprised me a little in its consistency. The closest approximation I can think of is that it sounds like Simon & Garfunkel, though the lyrics are more rooted in "the real world" rather than literature and art. Sometimes if you close your eyes his voice has a Lou Reed quality to it, though maybe that's some of the lyrical content. A couple of interesting tracks ("Sisters of Mercy", "Stories of the Street") but the rest isn't really my cup of tea. I have to grade on a curve though as I have with other "influential" records on this list that I don't find all that appealing myself.
Just OK. It has a very 60's sound, exactly what I would expect from this type of artist.
A little slow for my tastes, but cute and folksy. Leonard Cohen looks kinda like Adam Sandler; makes it more fun to pretend it him singing.
Had a bit of an uncanny valley effect for me. There's a lot of music contemporary to this album that I love and have listened to it a lot and so I could hear the influence this had on those or vice versa. But there was a darkness and intentional dissonance to this album that threw me off a bit.
I can appreciate why this album was picked and it was pleasant to listen to for ~10 minutes, but it is a little too peace-lovey for my tastes. I'd say this isn't something I could just pick up and enjoy at any given time; a very specific setting and mood would be required to make it through much of this.
I listened to it.
I feel like I've head this album before. It's the 3rd Leonard Cohen album on my list. It was ok.
I like some of his music but not all, this album wouldn’t be one I would listen to a lot.
The 4th (!!!) Leonard Cohen album I've gotten. It's fine. Like all the others. Maybe slightly better than average but there's nothing else to say after 4 of his albums. 3.5/5
Good but not great. There are some interesting songs and ideas but won't keep my attention for the 41 min of runtime.
Det är ganska bra men många av låtarna låter likadant.
This genre of music is pretty much completely foreign to me, so any rating I give is relative to the other albums that this project has given out so far. Having said that, this might be the best one out of the folksy, moody, white guy guitar albums I've gotten over the last three months. Makes total sense, as it is Leonard Cohen after all. There's more character here. He sings his songs as if he's been weathered by life, and just telling stories on a front porch or by the campfire. It's sad but also serene. It's still not fully my style, but I can certainly appreciate what was done here. Standout tracks are Stories of the Street and One of Us Cannot Be Wrong.
This whole album sounds like the ending of an intellectual independent drama movie. While not especially a bad thing, it also failed to give me any emotion that didn't require some cerebral processing. I understand it's an album any "serious" music fan should revere, but it was just not entertaining enough for me. Everything is "nice" about this album. The lyrics are outstanding, the guitar is beautiful, even Cohen's often criticised voice fits nicely, but is it really music or a dark bohemian intellectual masturbation to listen to when you're cold or canadian or christian?
Wow his voice was so different in the 60’s. I definitely liked “you want it darker better”. I wanted more from the vocals and melodys in most of the tunes “Thats no way to say goodbye” is a good song I didn’t realize he wrote it. I first heard the Lianne La Havas version. Lyrics were interesting I would’ve wanted more
Loved the guitar in some of the songs. Doesn’t quite hit 4 stars for me, but certainly 3.5.
In his very first album, Cohen crafts a remarkable set of poems and a slightly less remarkable set of songs, but there are still plenty of high points to be enjoyed over the course of its runtime. Cohen, 33 years old in 1967, already comes across world-weary and disillusioned next to his boyish contemporaries, as he sings of heartbreak, abandonment, sex, death. Biblical allusions abound: these are songs haunted by prisoners and masters, a sinking Jesus, Joseph looking for a manger, lambs at the slaughterhouse, overflowing with apple cores, skeletons and decay. There’s also a tendency to return to a theme of travel and wandering, with rogue and merciful characters alike roaming through the verses looking for a home. Instrumentally, it’s sparse, cold and wintry. Many songs are just accompanied by delicate fingerpicked nylon guitar, but occasionally backing vocals, strings or accordion swell underneath (see “Suzanne” for a particularly successful example of this). Cohen’s voice is a long way off the gravelly depths he’d arrive at in the 80s, and there’s a little more of an attempt to ride the melodies in earnest participation (“So Long Marianne” is positively soaring by his standards). “Suzanne” and “So Long, Marianne” are the career-defining works here, and they’re both stand-outs on the album. In particular, “…Marianne” is the peak, chock full of heartbreaking lines. My personal favourite: “we forget to pray for the angels; and then the angels forget to pray for us”. A lovely, succinct depiction of a relationship sliding into oblivion. It’s difficult to know how to rate this one: I think one can get almost as much from it just by reading the lyrics, as they’re so vivid and accomplished. The music is not to the same standard, and starts to drag a little by the last couple of tracks. Cohen would go on to greater works, but this is a great introduction to his singular, iconic voice. I plan on spending more time with it, and suspect it will take time to reveal itself.
When the first time I listened to Cohen, it impressed me very much as it's such a unique style.
LC is cool. This isn't my favorite album of his, but it's still solid.
Some very nice tracks on here, and a few less interesting ones.
¿Qué está haciendo Michael Corleone en esa portada? Nunca he tenido una relación con Leonard Cohen. Conozco su nombre vagamente, pero su obra se me escapa. Entiendo que su fuerte son las letras, pero no son las letras las que me interesan. En todo caso, este disco se deja escuchar y puedo reconocer que hay varias canciones que se pueden encontrar en esas recopilaciones de grandes éxitos.
Großartiger Lyricist. Entspannter Singer-Songwriter Musik. Teilweise etwas starr.
No doubt Cohen is a masterful poet, full of wordplay, accompanied by those bittersweet melancholic chords. Not something I'd listen to regularly, but the appreciation is there. ...on a sidenote, who signed off on the typography on the artwork, it's dreadful. Would have been a stronger design without it, just have the photo of Cohen.
Kinda annoyed at work, Bub and Pops lunch, knee hurty run, Zac Efron party, out, bike home, cat time
Like finding this on vinyl in a house you've rented in the country, in a valley, with lots of dark wood and 70s furniture, listening to it while it's rainy outside, and you're flipping through old magazines.
I have a list of songwriters who should have others sing their songs. Cohen is one of them. He's in good company in a list that also contains Bob Dylan and Neil Young. These songs are undeniable though, and despite the performance, which does not work for me, the songs do!
Leonard Cohen is a good lyricist and songwriter. I wouldn’t say he’s the best singer but his tone is unique yet monotonous and given the songs it works decently. He seems to me to be a less enjoyable Lou reed/velvet underground. The music is decent and there are a few songs worth revisiting given the right mood. 5.8/10
Slightly boring.
not really my preference in style. 3/5
This is really good - it's Cohen's first album and his voice hasn't developed the gratingness that makes his later stuff harder to listen to. The songwriting is great, and it's very relaxing to listen to. The album fits together well - a little too well, to be honest, it's all a little bit the same, and that knocks it down from a 4 to a high three.
Mostly just sad, chill guitar songs about a dude who has no bitches. Not terrible.
Definitely lots of quality here. The songwriting reminds me of Bob a little bit, with songs that just gooooo and plenty of cryptic lyrics. Leonard’s voice is really beautiful throughout as well. 6/10
OK. Didn't grab me
Tough one to rate (especially being Canadian). I feel one cannot ignore the sort of legendary statuses of Leonard Cohen and some of his songs (a few of which appear in this album), but if I'm honest, the talk-singing style is sort of difficult to listen to after a few tracks, and many of them have a very similar sound. Still, if I were to rate individual songs (assuming a nice peppering throughout a more dynamic playlist), I would probably go higher. The sound is icon, and I feel most musicians would have difficulty copying it well.
Love later Leondard Cohen. You can see the hints of what's to come, but this was a little too coffee house for me.
Folk. Lento.
Dark mood and sound. Nice 70’s indie pop style. Long songs with many verses that tell stories. Interesting chord progressions that meander in and out of different keys in an unpredictable way. Calming and soothing like Sufjan’s acoustic tunes.
Not my kind of music. Kinda boring. Not bad to put on in the background if you are working or something like that. Kind of has a spoken lyrical sound with and acoustical guitar, similar to Bob Dylan type music. Not as bad as Simon and Garfunkel, but kind of rough that these albums came up back to back.
Great lyrics, fun chorus'
is ok
I listened to this high and all the songs kind of blended together for me. mid album
I listened, but mostly just for continuity. It was pretty low key and chill, which was nice, but I probably wouldn't listen again.
Like a darker version of Bob Dylan. I'm familiar with Leonard Cohen but taking the time to listen let me appreciate the creativity in his lyrics. Similar to other albums so far, not too many songs I added to my spotify but I understand why people love him. To me, he's essentially a poet who can also sing, which doesn't really make me want to listen to the music on a regular basis, but I did enjoy revisiting the songs.
más enfocado en la letra y la voz relajante del señor, que en el instrumental. me recuerda mucho a Bon Dylan, tengo que prestar más atención a la letra o de plano leerla. por ahora le pongo 3 pero leyendo la letra puede cambiar la cosa.
Decent without being spectacular
3.5
Like best når han synge kjempemørkt
Very much in the tradition of Simon and Garfunkel or Bob Dylan. But unfortunately there isn’t a lot of variety in his sound on this album, so I like it less than those other artists
For some reason, Leonard Cohen and Anthony Bourdain are the same person in my head. 3.75 stars: impressive songwriting, but a lot of the songs just kinda blend together. Suzanne a banger tho
Some well crafted songs, but I can't fully connect with LC as it feels like he's holding back as he sings/talk sings.
Rating: 6/10
Nice sounding album however I found most of the songs to be rather similar/monotonous and paired with the very minimalist background music, it failed to leave a lasting impression
Любопытно было послушать раннюю работу Леонарда Коэна. Совершенно иное звучание нежели в современных работах. Даже работа с собственным голосом совсем другая. Master Song понравилась. В остальном, не могу сказать, что что-то зацепило. Но могу понять, кому альбом может понравится и показаться близким. Для меня это 5 из 10.
C'est à croire que Leonard Cohen était déjà mort bien avant de devenir son fructueux cadavre tant l'album est dépourvu d'énergie.
Not bad. Music is nice and mellow. Lyrical structure is quite formulaic throughout, rso can be a little repetitive, but it’s ok overall.
Eh
A pretty nice listen. However, it seemed like he was singing the same tune every song, but with different music in the background.
I like Leonard Cohen's later stuff, but this was a little tough to listen to.
The old school singer songwriter. Unobtrusive but lyrically challenging
Måste nog vara rätt mood för denna, en tråkigare Simon & Garfunkel
inte hans starkaste
Leonard Cohen is a poet, not a musician. It's interesting to pair this against his later work. This album is like the naive, dough-eyed kid who's finally set foot outside his boyhood home alone for the first time. Whereas, The Future (1992), sounds closer to a Bukowski book, reflecting a jaded folk singer with crushed dreams and regret. This album, SoLC is a wholesome coming-of-age listen on par with a Simon / Garfunkel album. I especially enjoyed So Long, Marrianne, which carries the S&G feel all the way through.
The best Leonard Cohen album on the list. Vibes are more Simon and Garfunkel than Nick Cave which explains why its my highest rated of the LC albums. Guess he should have stopped at 1.
I'll be terribly honest, but Leonard Cohens old music never did it for me. And I've given this album another 4 listens and tried. But even though I really enjoy his poetry/lyrics and know how good of a songwriter he is, most of the songs just leave me feeling... nothing. I know I'm probably alone in this, but I like his later work better
p136. 1968. 3.5 stars Lyrically light years ahead of the competition. Stripped down, sparse sound that still sounds fresh. Overwhelming sense of melancholy though, and if you're not prepared to listen to the lyrics a lot of the tracks can sound the same. You have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate this, and if you're not it can sound like self pitying meandering.
Appreciate, goodbye Maryanne 🥰
An ok album pretty chill but no real stand out songs just an ok average album
Not too sure... not very into the melody but at least it's folk.
Suzanne and So Long Marianne are good songs, but the rest are to samey and to depressing
Alrighty, cant say I know much about this guy other than hallelugia. Master Song is kinda trippy and intriguing. This album was pleasant, but not really my thing.
My concentration wavered towards the end. Cohen’s lyrics and narratives are brilliant, but the arrangements end up feeling and sounding repetitive, detracting from what is a worthy record overall.
Leonard makes church, gospel music. Idk why but that’s what comes to mind. But, like unorthodox. His lyrics, guitar, even his voice is really beautiful on this album. I like the moments with the female background singers too. My favorites were Suzanne and Master Song. Great album, but I wished I liked it more.
Can see why this is on the list great song writing, a few great songs, Suzanne, so long Marianne, but found the rest a bit dull though.
Pleasant tales of love and love lost to beautiful acoustic and Spanish guitar. Raw, reflective lyrics throughout but limited vocal range or variety.
3.5/5 Some good songs on the album. Easy to listen to, but not something special Favourite songs: - Suzanne - Master song - So long, Marianne
"Songs of Leonard Cohen", guess whose debut album is this. A clue: he was actually a published poet and novelist. So, while his album titles are too generic for a poet (his second album, which I already heard, was titled "Songs from a Room"), his songwriting is unsurprisingly awesome. Folk, acoustic mellow albums are never my thing, even after listening to this undeniably fine record. It came two years before the personally boring "Songs from a Room", but I enjoyed this one more. Perhaps because it's more raw and sparse sounding than "Songs from a Room". I like the guitars and I felt the emotions in his voice most of the time. It has decent love songs, but still too mellow for my taste. The less "acoustic"/stripped-down tracks such as "So Long, Marianne" are personal highlights. Overall, just another acoustic moody album. Not my vibe, even during a chill, rainy day. Decent, but not for me.
444
This is basically a darker, more melancholic Bob Dylan. It's very poetic, definitely a lyric-focused record. You will get more out of this record if you pay attention to it, otherwise it will likely bore you. The guitar playing is great, too. I enjoyed the B-Side more than the A-Side.
6/10
I have never been able to stand the constant drone of leonard cohen - I guess I didn't smoke enough weed in college.
Some good lyrics
Good ol Cohen. Always nice for an early morning listen. Every song felt like you were driving/walking through a dusty old town long forgotten by time. Apple says this sounded like nothing else at the time so that's pretty cool since it kind of sounds basic now. But for a debut album that is really impressive.
Folksy Cohen. Fun to go from him much older to this younger version, which definitely does sound '60s. I like a lot of the style here though, it didn't really blow me away or anything but it makes sense that he grew into the legendary singer-songwriter that he was. A very consistent level of craftsmanship. Favorite tracks: Master Song, Stranger Song, Teachers, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. Album art: Al Pacino. 3.5/5
Somber
Pretty upbeat by cohens standards
Lotta white dudes on this list
7/10
I can see the appeal a bit more now. Poetic, melancholy folk. Still not a fan though.
12/14/21 - Pleasant, a little unnerving
I'm gonna be honest: I like Cohen but i'm kinda bored of american folk songs
A little bit slow and boring. Some nice songs. Very gentle. 'songwriter' songs
Decent talk-y folk music. Last song was the worst, bad one to end on
So Leonard Cohen is an great songwriter and a phenomenal poet. But for me, it kinda stops there. His singing doesn't do anything for me, and the overall instrumentation and innovation on his tracks leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. Lyrically he can stand toe to toe with anyone, but when you compare his songs to other musician-singer-songwriter-poets like Bob Dylan or Nick Drake especially, I think he gets left in the dust. With the exception of You Want it Darker, which is excellent. But yeah, this album just blurred into the one Leonard Cohen-ism for me. I respect his abilities massively - but I also think the sameyness and forgettability of a lot of this album probably goes under the radar a lot of the time
Just ok. Never really got into Leo, and more familiar with his work via covers. This one's a bit too heavy for workday listening, so I'll have to give it another shot. And he does go by "Leo," right?
Not bad Mr Cohen. Not bad at all
Poet first, musician second. Quite monotonous as it's focus was on lyrics way more than on melodies. Worth a listen but I won't be coming back to this one, Leonard Cohen has made some better material later on.
Got a little dull after a while but I do like Cohen's voice and the overall atmosphere he creates.
deep voice. weird lyrics
This is a beautiful album. It is very much a mood though. Not as dark as some of his later work, but like a walk on a grey fall day, beautiful but sad. Gorgeous lyrics, spare compositions. Some lovely guitar work on "The Stranger Song" and "Teachers." I dislike the use of the female backup singers. It makes things weirdly bright where they shouldn't be. Fave Songs: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne
Very easy listening
This is much better than the last Cohen album on this list (Songs Of Love And Hate). More upbeat. I enjoyed most of these ballads quite a bit! I still have not heard much from Cohen that beats Hallelujah. One hit wonder? I remain unconvinced otherwise.
definitely some highlights here, other than that it is alright
Heb niet zoveel aan de 3 sterren toe te voegen: mooi album.
Classic Leonard. But... I prefer the more developed voice, varied music. This feels like a preview of the main show.
Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen for Leonard Cohen or BLCFLC!
Can't tell when one song ends and the next starts. It's lovely, but it's repetitive.
very folky
classics
Not my favorite style of folk but still an enjoyable album. The often almost spoken word story telling Cohen deploys isn't nearly as effective or engaging to me as his more melodic contemporaries (Nick Drake, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, etc.). That being said he still has some beautiful arrangements throughout and the lyrics can often be really interesting even if their density can make it challenging for me to stayed personally engaged.
A bit samey, not really my thing
very nice!
Beloved on RYM. Its too soft and samesy for my tastes. I like the brill building backup vocals on So Long Marianne.
false
"Suzanne" et "So long, Marianne" sont des classiques à juste titre mais je trouve le reste de l'album peu intéressant
Good ol' Folk music from Canada! Leonard Cohen's voice is so soothing to listen to and it blends perfectly with his music.
I read somewhere once that Leonard Cohen was essentially a poet and the music was just a way of releasing his poems. This albums fits with that theory. It's very lyrically dense and musically pared back. It was a decent listen, but not really my kind of thing.
Its nice is what I can say about it. I appreciate leonard is weaving these fantastic stories and I love the atmosphere they create, but the whole album being the same tempo is just a bit too meh. I still enjoyed it, but I felt like the album was just coasting really, I got very few emotional or energetic highs or lows. All that said so long marianne is fantastic i love it
I enjoyed this a lot but it didn't really grab me. If I could I'd give it 3.5 stars because it's not wowaweewa to get 4 stars but it's not so average that it deserves only 3.
pretty good chill folk album, I am not a huge fan, but decent.
It was really good, but not my favorite. He does really interesting things with singing past when a measure or instrument stops it’s primary attack, and that just lends to totally cool vibes. I got bored after a bit, but my attention span also isn’t the best.
I love the vibes of the 60s. In general, from the point of view of the lyrics, the songs are beautiful. 6-above average (you can listen to).
Not my favorite of the artist, but very solid.
'Suzanne' and 'So long, Marianne' are great. Some songs has beautiful storytelling with understated music. The rest of it is boring.
Amazing song writer. Folksy with deep lyrics ala Dylan. Grew on me as the album progressed. A lot of slow, beautiful finger picking songs. Music that makes you think/feel. 3/5
Eu gostei mais quando terminou o album e tocou outras musicas dele
Some classic Lenny songs
.
- [ ] Production: 9/20 - [ ] Songwriting: 16/20 - [ ] Innovation: 11/20 - [ ] Bangers: 5/20 - [ ] Emotional response: 13/20 - [ ] =54 Lovely stuff
This feels old school, but somehow not in a way that makes me feel nostalgic. I found the recording quality to be a tad bit distracting, and although I don't feel particularly strongly towards the music, I wouldn't mind listening to this again.
Leonard Cohen and his music are a national treasure. Unfortunately, you need to dig through some dirt muck to get to the gold, and this is it. I was bored, but was also listening through a lame car stereo which probably lost the finer dust of this album. 2.5 stars and rounding up based on the catalog to come. ### side note - I was introduced to Leonard Cohen from the Movie “Pump up the Volume” - when Christian Slater dropped the needle on LEonard’s “Everybody Know” I was hooked for life. Surprisingly, his version doesn’t make the soundtrack, but a solid Concrete Blonde cover does. The soundtrack also has another LC cut - “If it be Your Will” among many other nuggets - I encourage you to listen. This is the second time I’ve referenced it since we started the 1001…
Yawn!
lots of weird storys but just background folk works too
por ahí no ma
Very pleasant but probably wouldn't go back to it. 3 stand out tracks
Ich hör ihn ja immer wieder gern und auch hier wertet dass Herz höher als das Ohr. 2.8
Da schweben alle möglichen flüchtigen Aromen vorbei, und keines von denen kann ich so richtig fassen. Ich erinnere Anklänge von/Assoziationen an Reinhard Mey, ABBA, Serge Gainsbourg, Johnny Cash, Tony Marschall. Das bescheuerte ist, ich kann überhaupt nicht einordnen ob ich glaube dass er sich irgendwo in diesen Universen bedient hat, oder die sich in seinem, oder ob das sowieso alles in der allgemein geatmeten Luft lag. Irgendwie ist das Kirmesmusik, dann aber auch wieder hochseriös, und siehe auch sein gottgleicher Status. Man merkt: ich bin verwirrt und mir fehlt der Kompass. Keine Ahnung wonach ich da die Note gebe - gefällt mir supergut? Nein, sicher nicht besser als 3,5. Superschlecht? Auch nicht schlechter als 2. Ok, dann ... 2,8? 2,9? Hm. Na gut: Diese Platte bekommt von mir eine 2,85. Hier und jetzt und for the Ladies.
Melancólico. Buena voz. Pausado
Muy relajante
Decent album, some forgettable tracks
Mellow and complex. Have to be in the right mood for this. Kind of like how I feel about most Dylan.
Good but a little boring
Tres beaux textes. Mon hit: The stranger song. Sur la désire d'être en relation mais la difficulté d'y être heureux.
Leonard Cohen is so cool, but I think I like his older, more gravelly voice more.
For lite rødvin i arbeidstiden til at dette gir fot
I shockingly was super into it. His voice was so smooth and his lyrics felt like they really told a story. It was hard not to listen to it
It's pretty solid. Definitely a folksy introspective Paul Simon vibe with clearly the focus on deeper than average lyrics. Though good, not something I'm likely to revisit.
Exceedingly pleasant. Classic 60's folk. Nuff said.
Lyrical, but samey sounding as a full album
Some pretty songs
Ok
Melancholic and slow. I love the songs "Suzanne" & "How Long Marianne". Everything blend together otherwise. It made me want to listen to Rodriguez
Didn't like it as much as the other cohen. Still pretty decent tho
The compositions themselves are beautiful, but often last 1 chorus or verse too long. There's an inherent mystery in the progressions, but repetition wrings out any interest before the tracks have ended.
He is quite the mellow singer/songwriter. There is no urgency in his music, just peacefully goes through the words. I know he inspired many cause I’ve enjoyed covers of some of his songs.
I know it’s great songwriting but not really my cup of tea.
3.5 stars. Lyrically awesome album. Unfortunately it's the type of music I have to be in the mood for. Best to listen with head phones while relaxing to hear the lyrics properly
6/10 Not really my style, but very good. He's a brilliant storyteller and it shows.
Leonard Cohen is obviouslly an overlooked song writer. I just don't know if this is the album that needs to be on this list.
Yeah I can appreciate Leonard Cohen as a poet and artist but only in small doses. Once song at a time is probably enough for me. That said he was an inspiration to generations of other artists.
Got distracted by life, should probably give it another chance.
false
It was oke. But will not be my favorite music.
Couple of classics already
Was a bit like listening to some gospel music. Kind of visceral, in a weird way.
Better than other LC album but still only meh
Great chill out and get work done music.
Like the voice
I'd listened to Leonard Cohen before and not really liked it. I enjoyed this album though.
I would prefer his greatest hits.
It's like Bob Dylan with a better voice. I'm not a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but like some of his later work. This album was just ok for me.
Never heard of album or artist, so going in totally fresh. First impressions are that it's ok. Peaceful, emotional, poetic lyrics, lots of religious imagery. Not sure I would ever listen to this again, but it felt worthwhile to experience and I wouldn't be annoyed to hear it again. It fell into the background for me, not really in a good or a bad way. Favorite song: Suzanne 2 Stars: ok, not annoying, wouldn't ever choose to put on again
storytime 2
Minimalist singer/songwriter music. His voice together with the acoustic guitar sounds very calm and delicate. Sisters of Mercy was my favourite on first listen, but it might have also been relief at hearing something other than gentle acoustic guitar and strings.
I like a couple songs, but honestly I eventually get bored of this one :(
I think I rated the first album of his I heard higher our if novelty. Now, I'm over it and not into the poetic slow nature.
I was so tempted to give this my first 1-star as it was unremittingly one paced and felt like one long diatribe with a couple of breaks in. But then we had a couple of “slightly” more upbeat numbers (e.g. So Long, Marianne) which uplifted things slightly. Not one I shall be returning to, however. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be my cup of tea, and so it proved. 2/5 (just).
He can clearly write lyrics. However I don’t think I’d listen to this again.
Who gave this man a record contract? From the album cover to the songs – everything is boring. People with English as mother tongue might hear some interesting lyrics, but for me (who speaks English as second language but hears the daily album at work) the lyrics just blend into the background. With this said, the album has nothing to deliver. 2/5
Only one more Leonard Cohen album to go. This is probably my favourite so far, it's much more musical with Leonard actually almost singing. Still not quite a 3/5 though.
Crystal-shop music at quitting time
I actually think I'd really enjoy a book of poems by Leonard Cohen. The words are very meaningful, very strong, very fun. I do NOT need this shit set to music. It becomes a snoozefest. I just realized that I will have to endure 4 more of these albums to get through this list. Wish me luck! Highlight: So Long, Marianne
nada de otro mundo. muy tranquilo y lindo de escuchar, pero no mucho mas
02/08/2026 I could not back old Lenny for this one, I found it very boring. Spotify listeners: 3.4 million
Couldn't get into this. Just kinda meandering instrumentals and rambling lyrics
On an individual level I enjoyed each song, and think this is a beautiful album. But as a whole album it's a tough listen due to how similar each song sounds
Will caveat that my review here is probably skewed by the fact I’ve had two Cohen records in two days, and I think that’s way too intense for anyone who’s not a massive fan given his style. I can fully appreciate Cohen’s influence, legacy and talent for Songwriting, and how much he’s shaped modern music, but this really was a challenge to get through. It’s not engaging enough, each song feels very samey and when that’s just plodding along with little backing music it proves increasingly challenging as the record goes on. Maybe I need to come back to this in my own time and try and appreciate it in isolation? Not an awful record but just not something I found engaging.
I will forget I even listened this within an hour of finishing the last song. It's not bad, but it's not good
songs are beautiful but kind of boring for my taste