Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Not for me. Felt like he was holding back vocally. Wish the female harmonies were on more tracks

This was a good album. Cohen's songs have such a story-telling kind of feel to them.

Those vocal stylings get a little irritating after a while don't they?

It got better as the album went on

Good, but not my style. It was a little too sleepy for my liking.

Some songs were alright but they all sounded a little too similar to each other

Better than I thought it was gonna be

Wonderful singing, with a mood somewhere between plaintive and pensive and positive. Enjoyed the collaborative songs. Overall not my cup of tea but the entire album is a nice listen.

It's OK. Light folk-y songs that easily slip into the background. I'll give it a couple of more listens

Love the mood but it can get tiring. I couldn't listen to the whole album in one sitting. It made me think of Soledad Bravo and other latin american singer-songwriters of that nature.

Great song writing, if just as stereotypically depressing as you’d expect.

It's a fairly boring album. The first few songs are dull, Cohen isn't really singing. There's more melodies in the back half. "Sister of Mercy" is a great song, which saved this album from getting a 2.

Rating: 2.9

Smooth asf but it's too slow. Only 41mins but feels like each song is an hr.

While I enjoyed most of the album, his voice and singing is way too monotone for me to listen in one sitting. That alone makes me wonder how this album is on here.

Leonard Cohen had wat moeite om een glimlachje in zijn mondhoeken te toveren voor de shoot van de albumcover. De mugshot op de verder zwarte plaat doet dan ook geen gezellige plaat verwachten. En dat is het dan ook niet. Leonard is zijn hele leven de koning geweest van de moody songs met zwarte teksten uit het geloof. Niet iets waar je als simpele ziel zomaar even bij resoneert. En toch zet Cohen een paar bijzondere arrangementen neer op deze debuut plaat. De oneindige zin in het refrein van So Long, Marianne is een onwijs hoogtepunt. De vibe zorgt er voor dat dit de rest van de dag in je hoofd blijft plakken. Uiteraard staan er nog wat meer pareltjes op het album. En ook al zijn de nummers niet allemaal even uniek, is dit een goeie plaat. 7,5/10 Highlights Suzanne The Stranger Song So Long, Marianne

Good album

This would be a good live concert to go to, but to listen to at home 60 years later brings down the rating.

This wasn't bad, but nothing outstanding.

There are many good songs on this album, but as an album it is just too monotonous to be a great album. Only So Long, Marianne breaks up the constant ballader with a nice pace and a variety of instruments. I also enjoy the few times a female vocal appears, but it is not often enough.

Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye was my fav on this album. Overall it’s a good album but I like it less than I want to if that makes sense… it’s a bit one note but there’s no denying it’s great songwriting and imagery. Glad I listened but feels kinda meh.

I liked the album, funny when this came out I was barely in high school. This many years later, I finally listen to the whole album. This what makes this little project fun.

This is my second Leonard Cohen album to review, after You Want it Darker. I listened to You Want It Darker before starting this project, but I’m unfamiliar with any of Leonard Cohen’s other albums. This album was fine overall. It definitely felt like it was written and performed by a poet. They lyrics were deep and well written, and the musical arrangements were simple and melodic. The lead-off track, “Suzanne,” was one of my favorite songs on the album. It had some great additional strings to accompany the guitar playing, and I enjoyed the yearning heartbreak of the lyrics. “Sisters of Mercy” also had some really nice arrangements of other instruments, which gave the song a nice depth of sound. “So Long, Marianne” was really nice too, and I enjoyed the backing vocals that were present on the chorus. Cohen’s vocals aren’t anything remarkable, but it works really well, as his voice fits well with the overall tone of the album. Overall, this album was fine. The lyrics are far and away the star of the show, but the music is pleasant and accompanies the lyrics well. I think my biggest complaint about this album is that a majority of it just wasn’t very memorable, and some of the songs felt like they dragged on.

Ah yes, Leonard Cohen, the Canadian who composed "Hallelujah," which was later famously covered by Jeff Buckley. "Songs Of Leonard Cohen" is a super chill and sparse album — I understand that his songs may be overtly dull or underwhelming for some, but personally, they were alright to me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Will I return to visit his works in the future? lol no.

Not bad!

I'm a very instrumentation-forward listener. I can recognize that this album is great, but I have a lot of trouble processing the lyrics in real-time when it comes to great artists like Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan. That said, the instrumentation is very nice and cozy, but this is a very lyrics-forward album, which isn't my cup of tea, per se. I would be very fine with this as background music, but I'm not getting a ton out of it. Favorite tracks: - Suzanne - The Stranger Song - So Long, Marianne

Great guitar. English troubadour

“Teachers” I enjoyed. Background of chaos. Not the most musical album, but great lyrics

Really haunting and very sad

Don't really dig Leonard's jam. Seems talented, but it's just not my flavor.

Ok album

Calming peaceful

Glad I listened to this, my only exposure to him prior was Hallelujah, which his rendition did NOT do justice (though he conceptualized it) this album is a lot more coherent and nice. 3.0

It’s like one really long good song, but it’s also just the same song

Dudes a poet and he knows it. Enjoyable listen but not something I'd revisit I think. Might throw on if I host brunch and want to sound sophisticated

Mostly enjoyed this look inside the mind of Lucy Dacus

Store brand Bob Dylan

Nicer dan ik dacht maar niet echt mijn ding . Te veel hetzelfde ook

There is folk, and then there is sweet poetry readings to slow plucked guitar. If the latter is for you, then you've come to the right place.

Old one

Classic yet not my fav

Interesting album. Good lyrics Standout songs - Suzanne, so long ng marianne Teachers

A decent listen to help you relax.

I can appreciate not for everyone and I'm too basic to get the 'poetry' but I like the mellow. Would be good on a Sunday morning. Lol at the final wail though

Look, I like Leonard Cohen - but he’s not a full album guy to me. Some of these are great songs and some are just okay.

This was good. Think I like it slightly better than Songs from a Room, but it still doesn't wow me

Great but too depressing for me!

Schöne, einfache Melodien. Zunächste angenehmere Stimme als Dylan. Nach einiger Zeit aber dünn.

too qwiet

Respetable

I do want to like this, but lyrics alone just doesn't cut it for me. I would have bought a novel written by Cohen, but I wouldn't buy this album. It isn't particularily bad, just not something that excites me.

Thoughts before listening: I like Leonard Cohen for the most part. His best known songs are very powerful, but his slow, almost talking, baritone singing can be a bit of an acquired taste. Review: This album starts out with its best song in "Suzanne" which is a great slow burn of a song that subtly builds throughout its runtime. The rest of the album is similar in style, and while I certainly know it is all high quality music, its just not really my style. 3-stars.

Certainly an exceptional poet with incredible song writing talent. The music is presented at face value, which is not a bad thing, it just means that some songs shine through with their beauty and the others are just thin singer-songwriter experiences.

So long, Marianne!

Am I wrong to wish he had a better singing voice? The lyrics are masterful and the accompanying instrumental tracks are lovely. But his vocal melodies are almost monotone. I would love to hear this entire album done by Jeff Buckley (RIP). 3.4

Hmmm. Is Leonard cohen a lyrical and musical genius? Or is he a failed poet who lucked into music? I still don’t know. There are some gems on this. But am I - are we? - being hoodwinked? 2.5, so zero if it’s a con, 5 if it’s what its fans claim it to be. Rounded up

Guy singing and a guitar

So many great songs but I don’t think i like listening to the whole album in one sitting.

He’s very talented with song writing

Respect....but I was more into Stones,Animals, "real"Fleetwood Mac and Steve Miller than poetry.He was better when he got older....much older.

I've heard about this guy for a long time. Super chill music, better than I thought it would be.

Highlights: The Stranger Song, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye, So Long Marianne. In a nutshell: wry heartbreak poetry set to stripped down music. This is where it all began for Cohen, a Canadian poet who became a singer-songwriter. No baritone singing here, more folk standard singing voice akin to Donovan. The overuse of "and" as a sentence starter was irritating. Some songs were longer than necessary. BUT, there are fantastic lines within ("you held onto me like I was a crucifix" from So Long, Marianne). It's a decent debut, but not spectacular album for me. Overall: 7/10

Enjoyed the lyrics more than the voice or the music.

for me, folk is one of those genres that’s nice to have on, but not something I reach for nor a genre that particularly moves me… hopefully I’ll find an album in this journey that changes that. I unfortunately don’t think it’s this one.

Many of the songs sound the same. Not going to lie

Poetic and interesting lyrics but have to listen again sometime, as we fell asleep. After the album was over my 10 month old immediately woke up. Will remember this album when he needs to sleep

Not my type of music. A little boring, but I respect what it is.

Apart from a couple of decent tracks I found this quite forgettable. Don't think I can see myself forcing a relisten or anything along those lines. I do have to say it's on the better side of music but I wasn't particularly blown away and thought it was amazing.

A very heavy handed and thought provoking album. Very warm melodically, with plenty of open space for each individual instrument help improve emotional response I presume Cohen was going for. This album is incredible, I often never reach for it but this excercise allowed to me reminisce.

Leonard Cohen I want to like him but each song is a hit or miss.

Great lyricist, deserves a second listen. Overall a beautiful album, though I might prefer the other album of his on this list. 3.5

It was fine. Not something I am going to go out of my way to listen to again. Decent background music

Before I was really got into music, it was OK, hubbies did not care for it.

Decent, he has some pretty classic stuff, but not exactly my favorite type. Better than most modern country by a hundred miles, still. 3.5.

The entire album felt like an extension of the holdovers soundtrack.

Ugh. This is the first album I couldn’t finish. Beautiful, poetic lyrics. Accessible, everyman voice. Incredible songwriter. But just too depressing for me right now.

Like one song. Not a big Leonard Cohen fan at this time.

It was OK. Just not a fan of his voice

Not for me

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