Songs Of Leonard Cohen

It was good. Fav song So Long Marianne

A story teller first, this wasn't my cup of tea

Seeds of greater songs, albums to come. Still a worthy listen in its own right.

i'm not really in to the whole adoration of lenny thing. his voice is incredibly boring. maybe he's a good songwriter, his songs have sounded decent when sung by someone else. but not sung by him.

The Songs of Leonard Cohen are one of life's most important works of art. The first time I listened to this record was the first time I ever felt love. It nurtured me and made me feel safe and happy. I've never questioned why. It's just something organic. Thank you Leonard. I'll do a little wank to the thought of you this evening.

#pogback

Was not a huge fan, too slow and warbly, can appreciate production was very clean and stripped back, however was not enjoyable to listen

Timeless classic, emotionally charged poetry accompanied by haunting beautiful backing instrumentation.

Boring Adam Sandler talk-singing to acoustic guitar.

Not really my cup o’ tea. The spoken word aspect was mostly what I’m not into. If Mr Cohen’s tunes came up in a shuffle with the rest of my library, I wouldn’t skip it but I didn’t really enjoy the whole album in a sitting.

Ein schönes Album, klingt gemütlich und werde ich mir speichern, um es noch öfter zu hören.

A good album. I liked it.

The opening track of this album almost lulled me to sleep. The strings and organs on Master Song hint at a more engaging sound but then just fade back away. So many of these songs feel like lullabies. The Stranger Song has such gentle guitar picking and Leo's soft voice barely getting above a whisper. Aside from the accompanying instruments and the occasional guest voice, these songs kind of blend together. The lyrics are poetic and emotionally complex, but Leonard's voice is taking me out of the beauty.

Loneliness you can feel. A beautiful album

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.

Soft religious metaphors for days.

Leonard's lyricisim is on full display here. Suzanne is such a wonderful track. Super mellow, very engaging, his voice really brings you in to listen to the lyricism. Easy 5.

Спокойно, мелодично, но не запоминается.

I know I'll be going back to this album a lot.

A fantastic debut with some incredible songs, but track for track I don’t think it quite holds up with Songs of Love and Hate or New Skin for the Old Ceremony

ok

This might be one of the most boring albums I've ever heard in my life. Leonard Cohen just drones on while he plays minimalistic nothing on his guitar which the mix burries in the background to the point you can barely hear it. A couple songs kind of up the tempo but even they do who cares? This album is a snoozer.

Mellow, chill singer / songwriter guitar music. Nothing I recognized. 2.5 stars

Good lord what in the Sam hell is this guy talking about. You will need a copy of the lyrics, google, and an hour to break down each song. Not for this kid.

Not particularly my cup of tea

Sad as fuck w

Not really my style, old-fashioned slow music

When Suzanne started, all I could think was I hope this picks up because Mr. Cohen is going to put me to sleep. From the gentle guitar strumming to Leonard’s monotone voice, this is very mellow music. And that’s pretty much the entire album. It feels like I went to a poetry reading that was accompanied by someone playing acoustic guitar. So Long Marianne gave us some background vocals to contrast with Leonard’s monotone, so that was a somewhat upbeat break. In all, not bad if you want something mellow to listen to. I often enjoy mellow music. However, these songs start sounding very similar. Some of the guitar strumming is quicker on some of the tracks, but for the most part, this entire album is Mr. Cohen speak-singing poetic stories over quiet, peaceful guitar.

Fell asleep listening to this. Not in a bad way though.

boringggggg

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.

Far too melancholy for my liking. Songs well written and composed, but not feeling the mood with this album.

ahhh, this did not disappoint me in the least. i listened to "you want it darker" prior to this, and it was great, so an album right at the start of his career peaked my interest and it's even better! "suzanne", "master song", "so long, marianne", and lest we forget "one of us cannot be wrong"! very excellent, my opinion of this might rise over time but for here it'll get a 4/5.

Liked the instrumentation, but I just don't like his voice, I put him in the same basket as Bob Dylan, more droning than the US Military. Didn't save any for a playlist.

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

I had never listened to Leonard Cohen until previously on this journey, I received "You Want It Darker," an album that I don't think should have been my first foray into Cohen's work. Now this, this is the exact kind of album I think should have been my first foray. I have listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen's contemporaries and loved them, and this definitely feels along the same lines as a work of Bob Dylan or Paul Simon. The album feels so familiar, and I was not surprised to find it was produced by John Simon, who had a hand in Simon and Garfunkel's "Bookends" which I adore, and think feels pretty similar to this album in some respects. He also produced many albums by The Band, so now it's all starting to come full circle. This album is soft, pensive, dark. Something that maybe does not feel monumental in a contemporary sense, but at the time definitely had to have been. This is an album I think I will come back to, something about it feels so familiar and lovely and I would love to get lost in it again.

I really don't understand who this music is for. It's awful. There are no redeeming qualities. It isn't even short

Beautiful Music, supporting beautiful lyrics

very pretty. he looks exactly like young al pacino holy fucking shittttt. fav songs: suzanne, sisters of mercy, hey thats no way to say goodbye.

Cohen is one of those artists often mentioned but rarely encountered directly. His debut album reveals impressive singer-storyteller talent. The songs are lyrically dense and sophisticated. Yet, the music seems more a mere vehicle to showcase Cohen's poetic chops and ability as a writer. In fact, the arrangements on the album feel over-produced with the folksy fashions of the time it was released when a one-man-with-a-guitar treatment would likely be more powerful for Cohen's elaborate, winding, narrative style. The fact that this Canadian treasure is often mentioned along with Bob Dylan is revealing and reasonable, albeit a stretch as Cohen's body of work never reached the peaks, proportion, or preeminence.

Amused by some of the reviews in this section--weird takes such as "How do people even pretend to like this? He's the music version of Shakespeare: people only say they like him because it makes them feel smart," bla bla bla... Are some folks so insecure in their lives that they let their inferiority complex ruin all sense of measure and caution in their judgments? Can't they just explain what they personally don't like in Cohen's songs and music, and then move on? No, they can't, and that's interesting. Pretty sure such a bitter stance would have amused the misanthropic-yet-tender "dissectionist" of human passions that Cohen was himself. Oh, the irony. I could also take a page out of those disgruntled listeners' book and venture to say that they are the ones at fault here, *objectively* speaking. One can indeed wonder if they're not a little disturbed by the somewhat radical nature of Cohen's debut album--ascetic and dry for sure, yet also hypnotic on a musical level ; a treasure trove when it comes to the lyrics ; and, most of all, a record that leaves you no choice but to actively give your time and attention to it. This record has very few "spectacular" elements in its contents (a voice and an acoustic guitar, basically), and yet in spite of that, it dares you to stop and listen. Which is always a little disturbing at first, and maybe explains why quite a few reviewers are "disturbed" by it. In the end, some of those naysayers just can't help themselves: if they don't get it, that only means that people who do are *lying*. How amusing, as I said. The irony is that it takes no effort to love this record if you're a Leonard Cohen fan. Because loving this album has nothing do with intellectual shenanigans or the utterance of thesis statements, contrary to what those misguided takes say. Loving this album is a matter of emotion--of how you can respond to the traditional-folk-like purity of the music, here set against the lyrics' modern sophistication (and sometimes wry undertones), along with Cohen's sullen voice being a mock-neutral referee between the two. A perfect balance for many, and one you don't necessarily need to overanalyze, in spite of what I've just written (words are always feeble to describe such masterpieces. aren't they?). After all, some people with a very flimsy grasp of the English language have "gotten" Leonard Cohen for decades (I know that for sure, I don't llive in an English-speaking country), and he's not exclusively popular in 'intellectual" circles either. Which kinda proves all the naysayers wrong all by itself, no matter what it is that they subjectively "feel". No harm in disliking Cohen if it's not your thing--just don't overplay your hand by yucking on other people's yum through the bad faith stance of judging fans' character or their honesty, instead of telling us about your own impressions. It's not graceful at all, to say the least. Not that those naysayers are anything new. A lot of people are unaware of this today, but when *Songs Of Leonard Cohen* was released, its reception by critics was a bit lukewarm, actually. The partly-hidden rationale was mostly that Cohen came from literary and poetry circles: he was an outsider and no "real" musician--and most specifically, he was no real "singer" (odd how snubbery can take many forms!). Yet those critics were at fault too, because they didn't "feel" the most important aspects to take away from *Songs Of Leonard Cohen*: its earnestness ; its blunt honesty ; its raw nature. Because whatever technical abilities Cohen lacked as a vocal performer, he made up for them tenfold through the authenticity, earnestness, and unassuming manners in his performance. Fortunately, general audiences were quick to understand the gem that he was, and you can bet your boots that next generations will, too, just as the ones before. Another layer of irony is that those suspicious critics actually did a huge favour for the Canadian folkster. Rejecting him, they unwittingly underlined his status as a constant underdog--a status he would keep on drawing inspiration from during his long career. The typical Leonard Cohen stance is that he watches the world--and even his own romantic escapades!--from the sidelines with a unassuming, stoic air. And his music gracefully underlines this stance, whether it is wisdom or self-delusion. Such hardcore stoicism is still what makes Leonard Cohen unpalatable for some listeners today, I guess... Those more recent naysayers should at least be aware that things could have turned out worse for them. Had Cohen fully had his way with this debut, there would for instance be far less orchestral arrangements in it, and even less female background vocals. We can all be glad that producer John Simon stood his ground, because the compromise the two men eventually found works beautifully here. Later, for other albums, Cohen would oscillate from a "less is more" philosophy for his subsequent LPs during the seventies, to some sort of maximalist layering in the eighties--one that was maybe partly ironic. But it's here, for this debut, that the perfect matrix has been set for the Canadian songwriter. Those women singing background vocals would for instance never really leave him--it's a marital "arrangement" between lush voices and Cohen's own somber timber that started with this album, and made a lasting impression to the world of music at large. See the sheer amount of cover versions of Cohen's songs if you ever doubt about that. As for the orchestral arrangements, listen carefully to "Master Song" and tell me that its minimalistic production values are not one of the most insanely subtle and yet most gorgeous things that has ever graced human ears--each short inflexion of the small orchestra underlining the lyrical proceedings in the exact way it should--whether through strings or a trumpet--and also enhancing the wonderful chords Cohen found for his tune. So called "deep cuts" like that ("Master Song", "The Stranger Song", "Stories Of The Streets", "Teachers"...) all have those sorts of endearing or enlightening details, and as a consequence, they becone immensely pleasurable if you take the time to sit down and listen. And if you add that string of iconic songs to those less famous tunes--"Suzanne", "So Long, Marianne", "Sisters of Mercy"--of which I don't have much to say given how they have seeped through popular consciousness for decades now--what you get is a perfect, perfect record, without a single dud in it. Running out of time to finish this review, so I'm gonna end it here. If you don't know the wonderful works of Leonard Cohen, don't listen to the naysayers. Have an honest go at it. Maybe you are like "Joseph looking for a manger", and you don't know it yet. Rest assured that once you heart finds shelter in those songs, it is just impossible to forget them. Five stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: 447 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 257 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 132 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 167

One of Cohens best, and that's a high bar

I've said it before, I'm not a big fan of Leonard Cohen, I appreciate his early work for what it was, but I found his talking poetry set to music tedious at times. The sparseness and lyrical genius of, Songs Of Leonard Cohen gave Cohen the showcase to show poetry set to music can be great and it's influence and classic songs makes this essential. A Canadian treasure!

not bad added to the Sunday playlist

Prachtig

Nice to see that Leonard Cohen's style didn't change throughout the years. Once a contemporary artist, always a contemporary artist. Is debut album definitely set the tone for his entire career, however with this album I can see why people may have liked this album. His voice is markedly different as well, it hasn't yet taken on that gravelly tone that he became well known for, which to be honest I think I prefer the voice on this album. Best: Suzanne Worst: One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

4.5/5

Not a fan of his music. No snap.

Cohen sings well and puts a lot of complex metaphors in his songs; therefore, I can't follow what I'm listening to.

Just too boring for me to appreciate any kind of musical genius that might be happening here. 2.5 stars

talking over slow music: the album

Leonard Cohen is an original in style and sound.

Some excellent songwriting and storytelling. Not my usual cup of tea but I can appreciate the craft

65/100 Started strong but got preachy and samey

Apart from the legendary track "Suzanne", this is an album for fans of Leonard Cohen. I never understood why he was so popular because he sounded so depressing - it must have been a 1960's thing.

Boring hippie shit

Belles mélodies. Je devrais vraiment écouter plus les paroles lors d'une seconde écoute et ça améliorerait probablement ma note.

Not for me

He literally sounds like he's bored while he's singing, how do people even pretend to like this. He's the music version of Shakespeare: people only say they like him because it makes them feel smart

Fabulous, but not his best.

much better than Songs from a Room and I really liked that one... it's a 5

I still don't really know what to make of the near monotone quality to Cohen's voice. There's something fitting about it, like it's the final piece of the puzzle that comprises this album of slow, pared down instrumentals, and lyricism that's sometimes dour and referential to religious text. It is fucking hypnotic and I genuinely don't know *why*. But hypnotic isn't exactly synonymous with pleasurable, and fascination isn't the same as love. Suzanne is a stellar opener, but Master Song drags and drags. Moving on to Winter Lady and, yeah, I really do think his voice is the problem that's holding me back. It's like, I'm hearing what you're laying down, but am I listening? I dunno, I just keep thinking that this would be better off as a poetry collection than a musical album! It's something I can't shake the feeling of, even halfway through. A lot of these songs have moments I like, but the full picture is quite lacking. In the latter half of the album, So Long, Marianne is the only real standout. The length of the album is the main thing keeping this score from going any lower tbh. It comes close to dragging at times, but not so close that it is impossible for me to say "well, this wasn't for me, but at least it was something different!"

Not a fan. A bit depressing

Strange music. Don’t know if I like it or not. Storytelling/lyrics is good, but just weird to listen to. Probably wouldn’t choose this to listen to.

A sheer master class in songwriting from a lyrical stance, as well as one of beautiful instrumental work that keep you in tranced in Cohen’s world of love for each of its 10 memorable tracks.

Like a poetic internal monologue of a dull mans mundane day. Even Leonard sounds pretty apathetic about the whole thing. Could have done with a bit of Chelsea Hotel to spice things up a bit. Nonetheless, I myself am also boring so enjoyed it.

I'm really glad I listened to "You Want It Darker" before listening to this one. That album was much more akin to my taste, and made me go into this one with a much more open mind. Cohen's always been a brilliant poet and lyricist, and that's something I probably would've skimmed over for this album had I not been introduced to his last work.

I can't believe we were given the Prodigy, then this album! someone up there wants to give me all the albums I like early! Sisters of Mercy is beautiful, and this album is a near perfect nostalgia hit. I just wish I could give it six stars.

Only ever heard the hits here before, he has a command of language unseen in music, with such vivid imagery and apt metaphors. This is the second album I've heard of his, after the ill fated Spector album, and it's clear he's at the strength of his powers here.

Not too bad.

Top, top album

4.5

Heel ingetogen, zonder overdreven melig te zijn. Kende niets van Cohens eerdere werk, maar dit kon ik wel smaken

Cohen is often put on the same shelf as Dylan. Although I hear the resemblance, I think Cohen is much more poetic than Dylan. And I like that.

Sorry Leonard but every song sounded the same

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.

Es uno de mis discos favoritos. Me acuerdo que lo escuché por primera vez porque quería ver qué onda Leonard Cohen, a quien había conocido por una canción de Nirvana, y me gustó tanto que este casi un año hasta escuchar el segundo disco de él, porque siempre que me daban ganas de escucharlo quería volver a poner este disco

On ne s'en lasse pas

fenetre sens de la marche …

I love Leonard Cohen

"I greet you at the beginning of a great career, which yet must have had a long foreground somewhere, for such a start."

These songs are devastating in the best way. He has such command of language, I am in awe. Hell of a debut.

An amazingly powerful debut. Undoubtedly a gifted songwriter. The only thing preventing this from being a 5 for me is that the heavy, somber tone remains fairly constant throughout. Song for song it is brilliant, but as an album it comes across as somewhat overbearing, and not something I'd return to often, unless in the absolute proper mood.

I first heard this about 6 years ago in the Winter which felt right. I was just thinking that Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen are two sides of the same coin: Waits shows the sacred in the vulgar and Cohen brings the vulgar into the sacred. I’m a fan of Cohen but most of his albums are a mixed bag. “Suzanne”, “So Long, Marianne”, “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”, and “One of Us Cannot Be Wrong” are great. The rest of the tracks are just “fine” for me. I’d almost wish this was an EP of those 4 songs alone and this would be a straight 5. Unfortunately due to those duds, for me it’s a 4. Definitely 5 for legacy though and a great introduction for Leonard Cohen.

What poetry! So Long, Marianne and Suzanne are standouts for me.

Great poet and songwriter. Not a great singer. Understand why his songs are so often covered. RIP.

Вот! Вот это - прям 1 в 1 бардовская песня. Жанр написан - современный фолк, значит вот так и будем определять бардов. Блин, я не знаю почему, но мне так зашла эта музыка! Может быть, действительно влияет как-то место прослушивания (слушал альбом, пока шёл к его могиле в Монреале). Но она так подходит тому, что я наблюдал вокруг: маленькие 2-3 этажные кирпичные домики, небольшие скверы с прудами, планировка улиц "сеточкой", брутальные тротуары из бетона и огромные автомобили. И эта музыка прям попала в контекст, ей богу! So Long, Marianne и Stories of the Street - любимые

Идеально на фон. Настолько, что вообще нечего выделить :(

Good.

Slow and dull

Rich lovely voice but a bit slow

Please no more Leonard cohen

# 22 : More music to fall asleep by. Don't listen and drive! Hahaha. Very slow and mellow, but clear and crisp. I found myself skipping tracks to get through this.

Ok, going by the rule of 3 to 4 classics and no filler in the deep cuts, this album is a definite 5.

Suzanne and Marianne are pantheon songs

My God this is a boring record. 40 minutes felt like 4 hours. I think it's because of Leonard Cohen's delivery of "spoken word" music. I feel if you are going to be a vocalist, you should do two things: 1) be excited to perform, and 2) fucking SING!! Cohen sounds almost bored to be performing, which leads to a super boring album. Cohen sounds like a Dollarama brand of Bob Dylan, and (on the album cover) looks like an unimpressed Adam Sandler. Even in his photo shoots, Leonard looks bored and unimpressed. The musical accompaniment is super minimal (almost non-existent), which doesn't help the nature of this record. Overall, not great. Lyrics made no sense, and Leonard sounded like he didn't want to be there. This music would be the type of irritating drivel enjoyed by hipsters in artsy coffee shops. Certainly not my type of music at all. I like folk, but I also like it to be delivered in a way that is less boring. This was 40 minutes of waiting for something to happen, and nothing did. Favourite songs: Suzanne, I guess? Not great, but less annoying than the rest of the record. Least favourite songs: One of Us Cannot Be Wrong (what's with the random moaning at the end of the song? Sounds like someone inhaled a kazoo and is trying to free it from their windpipe), "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" and others... I was so bored, I zoned out several times, so I don't know their names, and I'm not relistening to find out. 2/5

Not for me

love is tone of voice, very soothing

I did not need the depression, but this one's good

Didn't listen, skipped through - not my vibe at allll

Boring, monotone, no beat, slow.

I love this album. McCabe and Mrs. Miller introduced to me to how beautiful Leonard Cohen's songs are. This album is fantastic

A great listen. One of the debut albums on this list that truly belongs.

Beautifully haunted

I've been stuck on this one a while, time to finally bite the bullet and review it so I can un-pause! I understand why people like Leonard Coen, but this album does very little for me. The first song is a strong start, but after that it just becomes a dull slog; so many repetitive and dreary melodies. "So Long, Marianne" has to be one of my least favourite, the halting melody in the chorus makes me grimace, even though it is quite catchy. His singing really leaves a lot to be desired too. Although there are some nice guitar parts in places. I know he is supposed to be renowned for his lyrics primarily, but I find it hard to sit down and unwrap them from such a boring package. I'd much rather read them in a poetry book than listen to this album again. I do like Bob Dylan, which makes me feel a bit hypocritical, but at least Dylan has a bit of variation throughout his albums, and is a quite good songwriter musically to boot. In addition to being a great lyricist!

lapsenkirkuna...nuorimies kuvassa, suulievet mutrussa (he knows what is about to happen) horrifying eyes... ei osaa vielä laulaa kuin tupakanveto kilpailija konsanaan. albumin nimi huono, voisi olla esim. harrows in the heart of god.. ehkä lenniltäkin tulisi hymyhuulet esiin. hyvä että genreissä laulaja kynänsauhuttaja stories of the street

This made me cry, it's a beautiful album

heart emoji

Some of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard from one of the greatest songwriters of all time Favourite tracks: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, Sisters Of Mercy, One Of Us..

Love the guitar but its a little slow for me

I need to listen to this one more closely. It’s poetry with a little musical backing.

2/5 Best: Suzanne Worst: Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye

Beautiful debut by te late and great Leonard Cothen. The lyrics are striking and musical playing not overstated and supporting the story like telling vocals. I do need to be in the mood for this since it’s so somber and morose. But I do find it worth listening from time to time! 8 out of 10

Idk how TF Leonard Cohen has 4 albums on this list but they all sound the same to me and it's just plain boring

I loved you in the morning

Very nice and relaxing music, with fantastic lyrics.

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

Disappointing. Not as good as I'm Your Man

Really enjoyed this... delicately sung and played. Cohen's voice carries a certain cadence that leaves you waiting for the next line with interest. Best demonstrated on Suzanne which was my highlight of the record.

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.

A fabulous debut Leonard, no notes. Cool to hear a large portion of your discog in almost reverse order too.

beautiful !!

Like a poor man's Bob Dylan. More spoken word poetry over a guitar than anything else.

Leonard Cohen is a gift.

I really love Leonard Cohen's writing, his lyrics are really captivating, though a lot of his early songwriting feels like it follows the same meter and has a similar picking style. That may be because he was becoming a more experienced guitar player and this was his debut album but either way this album is still full of good songs. My only critique would be that it starts to feel a little repetitive after a while because of the instrumentation. Standout Tracks: Suzanne, Winter Lady, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

All the classics very charmingly arranged, morose and uplifting, occasionally dour but satisfyingly burnished.

otrolig. helt enkelt 5+

Very samey, and sound similar but not as good as Hallelujah

I wish this had come up before now, as I feel I have slightly overlooked and under-scored the other Cohen albums offered up so far. He certainly has a way with words.

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.

Meh, not my thing

calm and nice tunes but give it an OK overall

Don’t listen to this album if you are drowsy, or before a strong cup of coffee. His voice is like a bedtime story. 2.8/5

Divisive genius performs the occasional pearl. Suzanne is a five star song, but Stories of the Street is not.

I appreciate the poetry, and I like the vocals. I’m into the dark vibes. But usually I need it paired with upbeat Production. Or at least more production than this. Very subdued/minimal which is fine, just need to be in the mood for it.

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.

Not my style, kinda all sounds the same throughout but meaningful work.

Top 3 LC albums.

Lovely, wholesome album. Favourite song: Suzanne

Sobre tones, influenced by Spanish guitar.

The song was really good but not the best i have heard as a rookie i would say it is pretty good.

Ok but very simple and kinda draggy.

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!

I didn’t care for this but I see why people like it. I didn’t listen too closely to the lyrics but he sounds like a good poet. Dylan definitely influenced him

Worthy of more listens. Dug it

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!

Lika osvag jag är för de senare albumen, lika svag är jag för de tidigaste.

Please no more of him.

It’s nice, but I think I like Leonard Cohen in smaller doses.

not my cup of tea

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 didn’t particularly like this one. To me Leonard Cohen always just devolves more into a poetry reading rather than music. The backing music can often be completely forgettable. I was most intrigued by Suzanne, but more because I had heard Tales of Brave Ulysses by Cream previously and that song rips the music from Suzanne and some of the themes. Otherwise I don’t really like it.

The songwriting on this album is just amazing, with nice acoustic instruments to go along with it. His voice was a lot less gravelly then, too, which makes the vocals better to listen to. Definitely a great album, even if just for the lyrics alone.

Classic

8/10

My first reaction was fuck no, not you again Leonard. And by the end of it I thought thank fuck. Sorry Leonard you just do not do it for me

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.

I really only know Hallelujah by Cohen, which means I know him as EXTREMELY lyrically gifted but vocally pained. But wow, this album is beautiful and I think I need to go know him better. His vocals weren't even that bad. But his lyrics, damn. I know everyone loves Dylan and think he's the best poet, but I think Cohen has him beat. And the soft musical accompaniment was just perfect. I thought his best were Suzanne, Master Song, So Long Marianne (maybe his most accessible?), Teachers (love his picking and plucking and the Middle Eastern sounding instruments), and One of Us Cannot Be Wrong (masterful lyrics). I enjoyed the others quite a bit too. I was definitely reaching for 4 stars and decided to bump it up.

It's not bad, but the songs on this album all sound mostly the same and they have a bit of an easy-listening / adult contemporary sound. You may love Leonard, but what I just said isn't wrong.

I was vibbing

Leonard cohen is not the best singer or anything but just like bob dylan he’s got such a warmth and his song lyrics are so moving :) so long marianne a banger

Poetry to music. Not into it. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: Worst Song: I

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.

A lovely album, so pleasant to listen and enjoy

Sad and intimate banger after banger

Mon cœur s'est brisé une fois de plus ....

PREFS : Suzanne, Master Song, The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, So Long, Marianne, Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye, Stories of the Street, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong MOINS PREF : Winter Lady

Loved the folk-y vibes of this album. The lyrics, Cohen’s voice, and the minimal instrumentation with just an acoustic guitar created a nice, mellow vibe. Favorite songs: Suzanne, Winter Lady, So Long, Marianne, and Stories of the Street.

Good

Rough, boring, samey.

This was a beautiful album. The songwriting is absolutely phenomenal, the tone of melancholy is palpable, and it just is pleasant to listen to on both and active and passive scale. Suzanne is one of the most gorgeous songs I've ever heard—the use of the female voice as a sort of distant descant which is used throughout the album is such an amazing touch and something I'm surprised I don't hear more in other music just from how beautiful the effect is. Some of the songs blend together slightly as there is little musical variety on the album, which keeps it from being a 5 star, but the writing keeps it heavily in the conversation, and it is easily one of my favorite albums in the singer-songwriter tradition.

Why did nobody tell me Leonard cohen could write god damn. Tempted to give it a 5 but I don’t know it like that yet

One thing I'm learning about myself doing this project. The Singer-Songwriter genre is not my thing.

Amazing debut album.

A sublime album from my favourite artist of all time.

I liked it! It felt kinda monotonous at times but the songwriting is really good and the music itself is sick. the vocals get boring BUT the songwriting slaps. the religious stuff was super interesting bc iirc he wasn’t religious??

honestly it's a comforting vibe, I love how he sounds like my great uncle and all the songs sound similar and random lines are just described so unabashedly, but other ones tell a story that's just so. entrancing. definitely got lost a couple times in it. but things that feel semi-infinite get a special place in my heart, for certain.

A poor man’s Paul Simon.

So interesting. The lyrics are amazing; complex and poetic . The singing makes me feel like I could be a singer. :) A blast from the past that was worth revisiting.

I enjoyed maybe 3 out of 10 songs. I'm just not into the droning storyteller vibe. If this was a book of poetry it'd be fine, but no, he had to pick up a guitar.

Pretty enjoyable, I like Leonard Cohen. I like his older sounding voice better than the younger version, but let's face it it's still Leonard Cohen.

Gentle, folky singer-songwriter

Lyrically stunning, and love the delicate instrumentation that feeds on the cadence of the lyrics. Didn't know until reading the wiki on it today that David Lindley was one of the musicians on the album.

Debut records don't get much better. Stunning lyrics. Great accompaniment and a singular voice.

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.

I had a friend who was attracted to crazy girls, and I never understood that. Why would a man want to borrow that kind of trouble? Was there such a lack of interest in his own life that he had to manufacture it? Maybe he just wanted to look in the crazy mirror. Like Cohen, he failed at relationships again and again. Was it all an unconscious self-sabotage? Knowing it wouldn’t work out, and being able to blame it on the craziness of the girl?

Beautiful songs, dated well. Would struggle to get a record deal nowadays with songs like this, which I guess is pretty sad. Classics on here (Suzanne/so long Marianne), but a couple that just don't resonate, a couple have the same lyrical structure up as limericks, which is odd.

Great album when listened to in full. Separate numbers were kind of hard for me to get into the vibe.

Leonard Cohen is obviously a terrific lyricist/poet but what really stands out alongside that is his strength as a songwriter. Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Sisters of Mercy, Hey That’s No Way are just great songs

It’s good, but it seems the music is primarily just an accompaniment for Cohen’s poetry.

Never been a massive fan as u found him too dour however my son loved him and he has now passed away. On reflection it has a lot of soul. He weaves stories of mystery and yearning with sparse beautiful arrangements.

A very eloquent and skillful writer and storyteller.

Love the songs. Not so much the performance.

To me most of the songs feel like they are poems with random music behind them. The music seems disassociated from the lyrics. I liked the first and last songs though.

2.5 - some amazing lyrics here, probably a friday night album with wine...

Enjoyed some of the guitar playing, but overall not really my style so hard to judge. Not worth really keeping any

Okay. Half of the songs sound the same to me.

Well that was lovely

Absolutely fantastic. Poetry set to music. Also love the subtle backing female vocals that add a little punch to some of the lyrics.

Such a good storyteller while creating vivid imagery. I had only heard one of his songs (The Partisan) which is a great song.

This is very much my speed. Will definitely try to get more into Leonard Cohen soon. Standouts: Suzanne, So Long, Marianne, Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye

Nice calm album. I have heard some of the songs before. I will explore Leonard Cohen more after this album.

Erg fijn album als je in de juiste stemming bent. Het hele album is mooi, met een aantal hoogtepunten erop. Ik geef het 4 sterren.

I never had this album but know all of the songs except two. I’m surprised at how many classic LC songs are in this one. While it changes from time to time, my current favourite of the songs on this LP is One of Us Can’t Be Wrong which is loaded with killer lyrics such as “ . . . and then I confess that I tortured the dress that you wore for the world to look through.” On a live DVD I have he says the song is about a blond woman he met in a nazi poster. Gotta love Leonard.

At times, this album sounds like circa 1963 Bob Dylan. It's easy to imagine Dylan singing Master's Song or The Stranger Song. In addition to those 2, I'd list Susanne and So Long Marianne and Sisters of Mercy as some of Leonard Cohen's greatest compositions. I like the sparse production, complemented by just the right amount of eclectic instruments, strings and a single background vocalist, used sparingly. There's an electric guitar in Masters Song that goes uncredited. The other songs aren't as great, but lyrically LC is still in a category of with very few others in it.

If you're a fan of Dylan and appreciate folksy music accented with heart-felt songwriting and imagery you'll also love this. Thing is though, I hate Dylan and I also don't like Cohen. He's another of those polarizing artists, you either love him or hate him. Someone here also wrote that if you find Dylan too exciting, then Cohen is for you... which I found hilarious. His lyrics may be good, but he's the Dark Prince of Gloom and his maudlin, gloomy voice throughout just makes me want to slice open my veins now.

There isn’t much going on here aside from the lyrics. Guitar stays on the same level of intricacy the whole album. The other instruments aren’t very impressive, either. None of it, including vocals, is bad, but it’s nothing special. What really makes this album are the chords and the way he flows all of those elements together as well as his lyrics. If the album weren’t as repetitive, it may have gotten a perfect score. 4/5

[pppp

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

No strong feelings.

I don't think this is really my thing, but I might try it again down the road and we'll see.

Three stars. An enjoyable enough listen, and many of the songs are standards. But I'm not that sold on Laughing Len.

Overall too ...monotonous for me. It's got a lot of fast paced finger picking with really mellow singing that feels a little exhausting. The lyrics are all written in what feels like a fantasy setting which can be fun, but can make things hard to follow/comprehend. For example, there's a line from "So Long, Marianne" that goes, "We met when we were almost young". Does that mean they were, infants? Toddlers? Does it have some deeper definition that actually means they were just AFTER being young? (just turned 18 or something along those lines) It's not until the middle of the record with songs like "So Long, Marianne" and "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" that we get into stuff that has more of an arrangement to it. The album then goes back to fewer instrumental landscapes. The album rounds out with a whistle solo accompanied by a vocal tracks that feel like their wandering around due to the panning. They also become more and more, intense before the song finally closes. Feels like something Bob Dylan would have made if he was obsessed with The Hobbit. Ultimately not my jam.

Très Leaonard Cohen. Très bon!

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.

Suicide music on a grey Monday morning. Just what I need.

If you’re happy and you know it go elsewhere.

you can really hear the beard

Nice songs

Listen to lyrics more

Not for me

Enjoyable album with a chill, afternoon evening vibe.

nice instrumentals

love the guitars on this, probably won't listen to it again after today but thank you for sharing

Leonard Cohen is a real songwriter’s songwriter, and I feel like a lot of his music requires a much more active listening than I’m often willing to give. Still, very pretty chamber folk with good melodies and the lyricism I did pick up on seems spot on. Like this one more than Songs of Love and Hate, I think.

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

Meh...not my bag. Good lyricist, but the music doesn't do it for me.

Old guy singing. It's good though.

had an out of body experience listening to this. 10/10 thank you leonard cohen

The real port laureate of the boomers. Bob Dylan is good but Mr. Cohen is excellent with a voice that is far better suited than Dylan's nasally whine.

Pretty good and chill.

This was just so....boring

You just had to finish off with the whistling and yelling, didn't you

my fourth leonard cohen album on this list! songs of leonard cohen is his debut album (you can't say the album's title wasn't apt). i am hearing a lot of similarity between bob dylan and leonard cohen here. songs of leonard cohen was released in 1967, arguably in dylan's hay day. this album is straight folk, plain and simple. instead of focusing on the political like dylan, cohen focuses on love and religion. as with other leonard cohen albums, what truly stands out is the songwriting. (of course, that's what just happens in folk music.) throughout his entire life, he was able to use beautiful imagery to create such a lifelike world. it's lovely to see his ability in full force in his debut album. my suspicion is that he was heavy-handed in the lyrics here, especially in comparison to later albums, but i can't fault a debut album. cohen makes for easy listening, in a way. it isn't jarring and is easy on your ears, even if the lyrics are dark and his voice isn't smooth. some of the album is too similar to itself; when i initially listened, i thought the album restarted when i was halfway through. i've said before in my reviews i'm not generally a fan of folk music, but leonard cohen makes folk so bearable. 3.5

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

Not great! Out of tune and talks rather than sings. Not my thing.

I’d give this album 5 stars for the song Suzanne alone. I enjoyed this very much. It’s musically soft and simple and it’s lyrically a master class in song writing.

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

The first of five albums that are called Songs..., this first one may lay the claim of being the best of the bunch. And why shouldn't it? With this debut, Leonard Cohen opens the door that contains more worlds than there are corners in each room, never letting up with his lyrical tapestry that weaves and woves with a delicate intensity that tells tales of lost love, venomous rage and emotional declarations. Most people would become content after making such masterpieces as this, but not Leonard. He had only just begun.

i love this album, the poetic nature of these songs is something you rarely see

Ihan kaunista, mutta levyllisenä kovin pitkäveteistä vaikka kuuntelin kahdessa osassa. Varmasti aika ja paikka tällekin muttei nyt lähtenyt lentoon.

Ei iskeny. Jaaritteluna jäi mieleen

So beautiful, so sad, so romantic

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

Stranger song is such a good track. I do like Leonard Cohen, been a while since i heard this. Knocking it down to a 4 though because it gave the animal house vibes when Belushi smashes that fellas guitar.

I enjoyed this album. 'Stranger Song', 'Master Song' and 'One of Us Cannot be Wrong' were quality. I also like how he looks a little like a young Dustin Hoffman on the album cover.

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.

So good. Demands close listening.

Everyone knows Leonard Cohen for his song, Hallelejah, which is undoubtably a masterpiece. But I can admit beside that and a couple other songs, I've never given him much of a listen. All the songs on this album were new to me. His voice was so different than I'm used to. The wailing at the end of the album was off-putting. A few of the songs are a little too similar in melody. On first listen I felt it was just ok. However I found myself enjoying it more and more with each additional listen. It is hauntingly beautiful. Sisters of Mercy and So Long, Marriane are the standouts for me. For a debut album, this is a strong start to what will be a great songwriting career.

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

sacred music

That's 3 Leonard Cohen albums I've listened to thanks to this list. Hopefully that's enough... 1 extra star for "So Long, Marianne" - when he's not being so bloody morose, he's not a bad vocalist...

Have never really given this one a fair shot - 4 stars

At its worst Songs is just Dylan: Praise by faint damning and hardly creative. I did appreciate hearing a much, much younger Leonard and think this one deserves more time. Scott Walker lurked within, too.

Rólegheitakósísnilld.

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.

Cohen's storytelling is second to none. This album was my introduction to him, towards the end of high school -- his lyricism is so vivid and cinematic that I couldn't help but love him. Musically, I was initially bored, but there is so much more going on than it may appear at first glance. The horns and strings and guitars that embellish his poetry and guitar playing can be subtle overdubs, but make all the difference. Truly a Canadian legend, and songs like "Suzanne", "Master Song" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" will always hold a place in my heart.

Everything except for So Long, Marianne was pretty dreadful

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.

A little Simon and Garfunkel, a little bit of The Bee-Gees, too. I bet Elliott Smith was really into this record. The music is OK and the vocal performance is a lot better than I was expecting. I don't take too much away from the lyrics at all. In summary, I regard this record in the way I take that one cottage-core Taylor Swift album.

Just OK. It has a very 60's sound, exactly what I would expect from this type of artist.

it is really great. suzanne is an amazing opening track on a debut album

Poetic

This is one of my favorite albums, listened to it 100s of times.

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'm always a little unsure about this period of Leonard Cohen but I think this is still a stellar album. Although I really am not sure what on earth is going on with Jazz Police.

Not my cup of tea. Some of it got better though

Oh gawd, not an album to listen to if you’ve got the January blues.

Ugh. "I won't say anything 'cause no one ever listens to me, anyway. I might as well be a Leonard Cohen album." - The Young Ones 1/5

Reminds me a little of Ct Stevens who was writing and recording at the same time. Maybe the other way round!

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.

My mum has this record from when it came out. I gave it a few spins when I was a kid who’d discovered LC through Buckley’s cover of Hallelujah. Love Suzanne and So Long Marianne but had forgotten the rest. On re listening they stand out but the whole record is strong. What a voice and a truly great songwriter.

This is not for me. All the same tunes for the most part and endless verses. Positives: I did Suzzane and Marianne. The production value is really good.

1st album in this 1001 list. Great album as a whole. My favourite Cohen is you want it darker.

Lyrics are sublime. He wasn’t yet in his experienced voice.

Suzanne-3 (How is this the most popular?) Master song-4 (way better) Winter lady-3 The stranger song-5 Sister's of mercy-5 So long Marianne-4 Hey, that's no way to say goodbye-3 Stories of the street-4 Teachers-3 One of us cannot be wrong-4

Possibly my favourite album of all time

Again. No real theme hear so just feels like all his other albums. But some bangers on here