Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Very beautiful, pensive, poetic. good for the winter months but not something i constantly want to listen to

Dad- 7 Mom- 8 Mike- NA Lori- 7 Michael- 8 Miles- 7 Cole- NA Avg- 7.4

Better than I remembered it. It felt underwhelming when I listened to it as a teen, but his world makes more sense to me now. There are some really good songs, although the arrangements are dated, and it conveys a poetic imagination that forces me to think about what he is saying

De superbes chansons à texte. Je connaissais déjà bien, mais une énième me fait réaliser 2 choses. 1) le hand picking style flamenco de Cohen. Très joli. 2) la monotonie de l'album. D'où le 4 étoiles. Dans le style chansons à texte, je préfère Dylan.

Du bon Leonard! Malheureusement je trouve l’instrumentation un peu simple sur certaines pièces. Ça donne toute la place à sa poésie, mais c’est moins pour moi. La meilleure clairement: So Long, Marianne. Aussi bien aimé Stories of the Street.

Muy agradable, es un género musical para mí delicado porque muchas veces me cuesta y se me llega a hacer aburrido, pero sin duda, Leonard Cohen era un genio y es una pasada de álbum

Suzanne

Total classic. Beautiful music and words

Cohen has always felt slow to me. Recently, I’ve been feeling slower than ever before. I enjoyed this a lot more this time around, but not sure I’ll revisit very often.

it's raining out and this album is perfect

Han er meget ikonisk for at have stille og rolig klavespil og guitar for at fremhæve hans stemme. Minder mig meget om Nick Drake. Han skriver meget emotionelle sange med stor følelsesmæssig dybde som man stadig kan resonere med i dag. Han har inspireret mange store artister bla bob dylan. også på tværs af genre. Jeg synes egentlig det er meget godt og rigtig hyggeligt at lytte til.

Not Bad. Most of his songs are mood songs for me, meaning I have to be in the right mindset to listen. But I do appreciate his poetry. Once in a while it is good for a listen.

Such a wild era of songwriting. Cohen is up there with the best

Poetry, yes. Music? Barely. Poetry to music? Yes.

Didn't enjoy at first, but after a few songs it set in. Gives Bob Dylan, saved a few songs, really made me realize how complicated music has become where this was just very simple with a nice emphasis on the lyrics.

I liked it! Had a “gather ‘round for story time with peepaw” vibe that I dig.

This is what I feel like people think Bob Dylan is. Yeah he's not the greatest vocalist, but the lyrics and atmosphere are amazing.

What if every Beatles song was Eleanor Rigby? Introducing: Leonard Cohen. He’s spinning yarns. The Stranger Song slaps. He’s getting some good lines in, surprising rhymes (often all I need to be impressed, because we’ve been rhyming in English so long now). Is every song about a woman he feels bad for? Bc if so fair play. A wet Bob Dylan? Stories of the Street is excellent, as is One of Us Cannot Be Wrong. GOD, do I like Leonard Cohen? I think I might you know.

I can be quite binary with my choices, I’m Sopranos over the Wire. Simpsons over Futurama. Beatles over Beach Boys. So out of the two verbose (Jewish) folk men of the 60s, I’m pure Dylan and so have just had no interest really in Cohen. That’s quite a surface comparison really, they’re very very different, but I’m quite surface subconsciously so here we are. I thought this was a Great album. The male companion piece to Joni Mitchell’s Blue (I’d say Mitchell is a better surface companion to Cohen. Canadian. Steeped in literary tradition. Stripped back.) This is a definite re-listen. It’s simple, it’s pure, it’s full of Longing oh my god. Maybe a better comparison is the musical Phillip Roth? This is deeply up my street. Will it stick due to my unconscious bias? Hard to tell. I don’t want to give it a 5. Maybe because it’s the hottest day of the year. One of Us Must Be Wrong is beautiful though.

Лиричный фолк под гитару

Masters Song is so good. I never really gave LC a chance before but this is a great debut for a poet.

Another one that reminds me of car journeys with my family. I know people sometimes struggle with his voice but I like it and I really enjoy the style of these songs. On the first listen I did feel like a whole album of music in that style is too much for me, but on a relisten I didn’t feel that at all - maybe one I just have to be in the right mood for. Fav song: So Long, Marianne - this is winning due to nostalgia, one we would sing along to in the car. I also liked Suzanne and The Stranger Song Least fav: Winter Lady

I really like Leonard Cohen, and this album was no exception. I love what he does with the harmony in his songs -- lots of unexpected chord changes and lots of spooky, cool-sounding atmospheres and stories told with music. I wish he was a more talented vocalist, but he is a brilliant poet, so that helps to make up for it. I listened to it twice. Four stars.

Loved this album from the Get Go! Funky bass and percussion will always win me over. A jet service straight to the 1970’s. Elements of the Caribbean mingle in the streets of Latina America and the American Ghettoes. The perfect combination for an all round sound of funky soulful reggaeish beats x

i was worried about this because i didn’t like the other two albums of his that we’ve had on this list. but this was great.

Great Songwriting

Some great poetry put into songs on this album by the wordsmith.

Tenk at så mange av de klassiske Cohen-sangan va å finne allerede på debutalbumet. Også litt overraska over at æ aldri har hørt på det her før, all den tid æ elska første Tom Waits-albumet og va svak for tidlig Dylan. Æ likte det godt nok til at det ikke e utenkelig at æ høre på det av fri vilje ved en seinere anledning.

Suzanne one of the best songs ever

Great shit

Really good

Pretty good. Makes me want to listen to more Cohen

folksy, old school, lots of dad songs

Great Leonard Cohen

Great collection of songs with brilliant lyrics.

Дебютний та перший у, так званій, трилогії «Songs…». Альбом що став взірцем мінімалістичної естетики. У його піснях - майже нічого, окрім голосу та гітари Коена, що змушує зосередитися на грі слів та його «гірко-солодкій» подачі. Співи Леонарда просякнуті тривожністю та меланхолією, а мінорна гітара тільки додає смутку. Це зовсім не той альбом який слухаєш «через музику», бо в цьому сенсі він є занадто стриманим. Головна його сила це звісно ж вірші Коена. В них ви знайдете образи розбитого серця, самотності, та купу релігійного символізму. Звісно, що найбільш «тріумфальним» серед трилогії є Songs Of Love and Hate, але саме дебютний альбом вважається найвпливовішим. Їм здебільшого надихались, та на нього орієнтувались такі зірки як Ренді Ньюман та Джеф Баклі. Ньюман навіть пародіював трек Suzanne, який також перероблювали R.E.M., а величний готичний гурт - Sisters Of Mercy назвалися так на честь 5-го треку цього альбому.

I wanna smoke cigarettes and read Leonard Cohen poetry please

What a debut. A total vibe. Utterly transportative. The music is kinda secondary to the lyrical narrative and that is a-ok to me....(And it heavily influenced Andrew Eldritch's The Sisters of Mercy, so....)

Good album, loved the voice and the guitar

I'm surprised it's taken 366 albums to get to Leonard Cohen. Hope we get some of his later stuff down the road, but this is a great album.

First time listening, quite a treat, Ingenious fascinating lyrics

Kinda samey.

A gorgeous debut by one of the great singer-songwriters of Canada, and the world!

This was very good for the time it was released. Love the triplet picking songs (The Stranger Song particularly) and the lyrics just seem more weighty than other late 60s artists. He has a deepish voice but nothing compared to his later stuff so I don't think Leonard quite has the same presence here as he'd develop in future albums. Would be happy to listen again but it's not a style I listen to a lot of, 3.5.

Thought this was pretty great. Cohen is one of the artists from this list that was a complete blind spot for me prior to starting this. I'll be back to this to listen properly but it's at least a 4

Classic but not my favorite album of his

such a beautiful mind

listened to again still brilliant poetry

4- Stars (10/15)

Glad to finally dig in to the Cohen catalogue. The lyrics are exceptional but I can’t imagine I’ll be adding it to my workout playlist.

Порой немного заунывно, но в целом можно включать изредка под грустное романтическое настроение. 6,5 из 10.

dylan of the darkness

I wasn't really impressed by this on immediate first impression, but it's really grown on my very fast. I originally thought this might have made this list just as a precursor to what Leonard Cohen would eventually release, but this does absolutely stand on its own! I do really love an acoustic guitar and vocal heavy folk album. Keeping it simple really lets small things be major highlights to an album, like his guitar plucking skills or lyricism (both of which are very good). The album never really blows me away though, which is something that I was really hoping and *wanting* it to do. It's incredibly consistent, with only the final couple moments of the final song really being noticeably not good. It also helps this style is in my comfort zone; my wheelhouse, so it's really easy for me to listen to. Favorite Song(s): Winter Lady, Stories of the Street

OVERALL: The lyrics are basically the only reason I'm rating it as high as I am. I don't really know what I was expecting, but I was a lot more bored than I was hoping. The songs are very beautiful, but a lot of them suffer from being very boring. Cohen also isn't the best at singing. Some of these songs took way too long, even though the album is only around 42 minutes long. The instrumentals were usually fine, but they were usually pretty boring. This album really shines in the lyrics, which are always good, and are usually great. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to carry the entire album to be perfect. They are enough to bring it from a 3 to a 4, so that's good I guess. SONG AVG: 7.45 PERSONAL RATING: 7/10 Suzanne: Very beautiful, and the lyrics are pretty good. It is kinda boring, and Cohen sounds very tired, but everything else is too good for me to give it anything lower. 9.25/10 Master Song: I feel like all of the songs are gonna be like this, objectively good but boring. Very good lyrics, and the guitar is kinda basic, but it also sounds okay and gives it a very eerie atmosphere. I also don't really like Cohen's singing that much, and it kinda drags on for too long. 7.75/10 Winter Lady: The instrumental is so far the best by far, but the lyrics are much more simple. It feels like an interlude, but is still pretty beautiful. 7/10 The Stranger Song: I don't know how I feel about this song. I like the instrumental, but it's very repetitive and becomes pretty boring after a minute. The lyrics are very good, but I feel like they didn't need to be stretched to be 5 minutes long. Other than that, I feel the same about this one as I do about the previous songs. 7.5/10 Sisters of Mercy: It's good. Really nice instruments, and the lyrics are obviously great. I feel like his voice gets covered by the instrumentals, but that's not too much of a problem. It also doesn't drag on for too long 9.5/10 So Long, Marianne: I haven't heard much of Leonard Cohen's music before, so I think this is what I was expecting. Really good overall, his singing is actually not that bad. Great backing vocals, great instrumental, great lyrics. It kinda drags on, but it doesn't really harm the song at all. 10/10 Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye: Okay, this is kinda mid. I like some parts of the instrumental, especially when it does the thing at around 1:50, but it's pretty boring otherwise. I just really don't like his singing here. I also feel like the lyrics are a bit worse and more simple than before. I guess it sounds good? 5/10 Stories of the Street: The last song but better. His singing is pretty bad, but the instrumental is better and the lyrics are really good. It's also kinda boring, but that's to be expected at this point. 7/10 Teachers: Good I think? The instruments bring a small level of intensity, but this feels so much like a filler song. I feel like he took a few leftover lyrics, slightly modified them, and tried to make them relate. The lyrics are pretty good, but everything is just kinda decent. 6.25/10 One of Us Cannot Be Wrong: What is happening after the last verse. Other than that, it's fine. Kinda boring. The one part where someone is moaning semi-melodically seriously brings the song down. 5.25/10

Fint å gjøre lineær algrbra til :)

classic album. suzanne is just too good

Hey thats no way to say goodbye is a special one to me. This album has good stories in it - much more meditative/meanery and is lyrically great! Yay

Gotta listen to this by a river ASAP

Sometimes I doubt this guy but this album ..... undoubted ever again

Really enjoyed this all around. Apparently I'm a fan now.

this is a great album. the sparseness of the arrangements is great in imparting a real clarity to things. probably not an album that I'm going to revisit a ton as I'm just personally a little less interested in this sort of folk thing, but a great listen for this project.

Didn’t finish but great lyrics from the ones I did. Marianne is a bop.

Definitely a Leonard Cohen album. I'm a fan. So long, Marianne was my favourite

Ethan has loved this album for as long as I can remember. Every time I hear "Suzanne," I think of him. Like the rest of the album, this song embodies a beautifully sad feeling. It is full of love but a touch of somberness, almost like the feeling you get when you remember you will never get a moment again, or a sort of nostalgia. That feeling is evoked for me time and time again throughout the album. It is the combination of humble instrumentation, his soft voice, beautiful lyrics, and fluttery backing vocals. Although I am not a fan of folk/spoken word adjacent music, I really appreciate this album. My favorite track was "So Long, Marianne".

Wonderful album

Somber and poetic. Melancholy, but so good, able to tap into something special.

Some very subtle, but complex instrumentation on this album. Dark, beautiful songs. A classic folk album without doubt. Favourite tracks: Master Song; So Long, Marianne; Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye; Teachers; One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Subtle, poetic and engaging. Brilliant as a debut album. Undoubtedly influenced generations to come.

Canadian Bob Dylan? Maybe Bob Dylan is the American Leonard Cohen

Mies ja kitara toimi hyvin. On sillä vaan upea ääni. Tykkäsin!

Tiettyyn fiilikseen oikein sopiva. Muutamassa kappaleessa pientä paikallaan junnaamista, mutta oikein hyvä. 4

Hieno albumi! Miellyttävä ääni ja kappaleet ovat tarinanomaisia kertomuksia. Huomaa että Cohen oli alunperin kirjailija.

Excellent debut. Leonard Cohen got wiser, and more haunting, with age but that doesn't mean he was a fool to start. I'm sure he'd call himself a fool to the end, though

Not as good grizzled end of his life Cohen, but I settled into it. He started his career in one style and never differentiated from it. And I like it. This really feels like a man telling the story of beginning of a lifetime, a lot of songs have the religious imagery he’s known for but there’s a lot of mentions of “you” or a woman, like a young man whos thoughts are always undercut by love or relations. Strengthened by his later works like You Want It Darker which is clearly the end of one. I may not know Leonard Cohens whole life story, but I understand it.

He’s alive this time! This is good. Goat lyricist, instrumentals ranging from bad to sick. This album started really sleepy and boring but it really picked up for me at Stranger song. That and sisters of mercy were so good. Everything after those two held my attention. Maybe I just need to warm up to Leonard when I listen to him, idk, the first three were better on the run back than I remembered. I like the death album more but this is great. I love the random instruments he sneaks in. It’s a high 4, I might need to re rate the death album a 5 and make this a 5 too. TBD.

I need to listen to Leonard more, this album was great and set a great mood.

Like a tamer, less experimental Simon and Garfunkel. Decent album but it didnt really stand out compared to others I’ve heard in the same “genre”

Not as good I as I used to think it was.

4/5, 2nd half of album was better me thinks

Very surprised by this! I’ve heard about Cohen for years, but was never interested in his music. This album is so nice and folksy, with deep and interesting lyrics. Some unique sound choices.

Fantastic record

Very good

Hypnotic album, flied by really fast

4/5. The highlight is clearly the lyrics, imagery is vivid and his voice feels young and naive yet experienced. The main issue is that Leonard kind of sticks with the same way of saying things which although can have a certain energy to it, it ends just being monotone. I respect the music arrangements, with some backing vocals or unique instrument. I think it's almost perfect but the vocals are not doing it for me. Best Song: So Long Marianne, Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy

Красиво, поэтично, вдумчиво.

-1 point for using my vocals at the end of One of Us Cannot Be Wrong without my permission??? His rotting corpse can talk to my fuckin lawyer.

Nice

Amazing album with consistency. Every song was at leats good and the lyrics are just on very high level. About 8.5-9/10.

Chill

æi, hata að ég elskaði þessa plötu. á samt skilið 4.

Beautiful, mournful songs, Cohen has a great voice. It's a petty quibble, but the songs are so consistently bleak... other singer-song writers can be more fun to sing along with.

4.2 As I read through the wikipedia write up there was this review "There are three brilliant songs, one good one, three qualified bummers, and three flaming shits." I think you could say that about a lot of the albums we review in this exercise. But I would disagree with that sentiment for this album, the bottom-end stuff I still think is fairly interesting and unique on their own.

a man that sing about life 8 out of ten

Instrumentals are simple but great. The singing is also good and not too obstructive. Favourite songs: Suzanne, master song, winter lady, sisters of mercy, so long, Marianne, hey, that's no way to say goodbye, stories of the street, teachers, one of us cannot be wrong. Goblins type music exactly. Overall around 8/10

An absolute masterclass in lyrical and musical excellence. But imagine the hubris required to think HE was the best person to sing his songs. Fantastic songwriting, suboptimal execution.

This is good, but I’m not sure if I like it. It’s depressing and I’m in the mood for depressing currently. Winter lady was very enjoyable towards the end of the song. Sisters of mercy is great. I’m definitely taking a journey with this album. I feel like I need to explore more to really get it. Now I’m on “hey that’s no way….” And I’m noticing a trend that a lot of times I don’t enjoy the first couple tracks on an album, but towards the end I’m all in. That’s happening here. I’m not sure if I require a warm up period or if that’s how the albums were designed? And just like that stories of the street lost me. 🤣

very much enjoyed

Can't go wrong with Leonard Cohen's songwriting

Cohen said about Dylan’s Nobel literature award:“To me, it is like pinning a medal on Mount Everest for being the highest mountain” Cohen can be second highest.

A solid folk album. I already knew "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne" and love both of them. They're still far and away the two highlights for me, but the other songs by and large didn't disappoint. That said, "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" sounds much too similar to "Suzanne". I know Cohen is more of a poet than a musician, but I'll be honest, I didn't dissect the lyrics of every song. I might explore them in more detail in the future. Fav tracks: Suzanne, Master Song, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne

Great!

I really like Leonard Cohen and this was one of the better of his albums.

Terrific record. Another reason to love 1967!

A great debut album from a songwriting legend. A couple of duds but all in all an impressive album.

Excellent. Very good songwriting. The music is a bit the same. But overall very nice.

Absolute poetry set to pleasant music. One of Canada's finest. My only EXTREMELY MINOR gripe is the songs all sound about the same. But it's a nice sound.

Had heard the name but never any of his music. Highly enjoyable

Pretty great. Gets a little boring after a few songs especially since I wasn’t paying close enough attention to the lyrics. But he has a such a vibe

This gets a 4 because of So Long, Marianne. The rest are ok

Glad I gave it 2 listens, appreciated it more the 2nd time. Solid 4 stars nice slow sad stuff.

Good stuff, I like this Cohen geezer.

Ja mooi

I really liked this. The sparse arrangements really give his voice that much more impact. A lot of the lyrics seem a bit cryptic - I'd like to spin it again and listen more intently.....but didn't have the desire to replay immediately. 4.5 stars.

The deep voice and the gentle guitar mar for a nostalgic and tranquil album.overall,a very cohesive album but one major element I disliked would be the boatload of relegious references.

I loved this album and I love how Leonard Cohen has a very distinctive sound from any other artist who sings and plays an acoustic guitar. I feel that this album is not as eerie as 'Songs of Love and Hate', but it does present more of the beautiful melodies while having the same type of obscure lyrics (from what I could understand) Really good album

I’m more familiar with Songs From A Room, but this album’s really got the songs. I don’t know how anyone could write anything as good as Stranger Song. We truly didn’t deserve Leonard Cohen.

It must be Canadia week here at the 1001 Albums Generator. I got Alanis Morissette and Leonard Cohen twice this week alone. I liked this album a lot more than Songs From a Room. This guy gets the folk thing down pat. Not much to say, other than I wish he sang with more emotion like fellow Canadian folk singer/songwrite Joni Mitchell. 3.5/5 which means 4/5

Beautiful poetry after beautiful poetry. I don’t know why I had never really checked out Leonard Cohen before today but it was absolutely worth it. The Stranger Song and Teachers were absolutely beautiful compositions of dancing guitars and Leonard’s fantastic story telling.

Ok

goeie

Topp

Surprised that l liked this and would listen again, apparently i love weird melancholy. Low 4. Faves: the stranger song, sisters of mercy, one of us cannot be wrong.

I have other Leonard Cohen albums but not this one. I really like it! Will be adding it to my library.

7,58

Thoroughly enjoyed and will be listening again

Might like Cohen eventually ! I enjoyed this one, nice songs, lyrics and ballads

I love the melancholy of Leonard Cohen, always gives me such a sweet sad atmosphere to listen to :)

Initially it was all a bit too "samey-samey", however as the album progressed, the tracks started to differentiate themselves. Definitely a mood. I enjoyed the listen and would go back to the well again. Maybe I should start smoking… Highlight: Teachers Lowlight: The Stranger Song

Beautiful. Makes me feel things. Maybe too many things. That rare album that gets better and more engaging as it goes on too.

Nigdy nie posądzałem się o to, że męskie singer-songwriter mogą mi się podobać. Nie jest to gatunek, którego słucham. A tu nagle świetne noty dla Casha, Springsteena, a teraz dla Cohena. Słuchałem tego kilka razy i nie ukrywam, że cała płyta trochę się dla mnie zlewa, przez to, że utwory brzmią bardzo podobnie do siebie, niemal w pełni skupione na głosie Cohena (choć nie brakuje ładnych instrumentali, jak chociażby "Winter Lady", które akurat teraz leci, kiedy to piszę). A mimo to jest to album, do którego będę wracał. Nie tak często, jak do moich ulubionych odkryć z tej listy, ale na pewno raz na jakiś czas przypomnę sobie o piosenkach Leonarda Cohena i puszczę sobie w spokojny, ciepły wieczór taki, jak dzisiaj.

Classic album by the Canadian songwriting storyteller. Highlight song: Suzanne.

The Songs of Leonard Cohen is Cohen's debut, which lead to his remarkably fast path to stardom. He was a well established, famous novelist and poet before he stepped into music, and his poetic talents were central element of his successful musical career. Cohen's songs are somber, introspective stories, delivered in Cohen's deep monotone. The album opens with "Suzanne," one of the songs that helped make Cohen famous. Judy Collins included the song on her album, My Life, and encouraged Cohen to start performing.

Mesmerizing lyrics, stripped down production. I liked it a lot but a little too heady for me personally.

Gostei, uma vibe boa e um folk divertido

This album had most of the songs I liked from the best of Leonard Cohen. It can be a bit samey and the religious imagery is overdone, but I liked it.

Honestly kind of loved it. It was lovely.

Love this looooove it

He is the man of the power spoken word album.

A lot of song writers are called poets, and Leonard Cohen might be the most deserving of that title.

3/1089 - Voice is nice, not a fan of the lip smacking though. The yelling on the final song at the end was bizarre. Other than that, very nice guitar playing with tasteful orchestration sketches throughout. Overall an enjoyable experience.

Plaintive soundtrack.... early gold

Leonard Cohen is like is Bob Dylan was actually good. “So Long, Marianne” is one of my all time favorite songs, but there’s some other good stuff here.

Haven't listened to this whole album in a few years. "Suzanne", "Sisters of Mercy", "So Long, Marianne" are classics. Appreciated "The Stranger Song" and "Teachers" this go around. Listening to these songs back to back in an album does make them sound "samey" although that is a great sound- of Leonard Cohen's poetry and acoustic guitar. Just wished there was a little more instrumental variation throughout.

Bob Dylan but better

Beautiful album with songs that I don’t know that I could listen to often. The instrumentals were absolutely lovely.

Lenny always was a sad and old huh. This has all the charm of Dylan, with none of the nasally voice, so he's good in my books.

Mellan 4 och 5.

He’s good at what he does and lyrics etc just not my thing

Reminds animals

beautiful, poetic music. very country ish

Great songwriting and storytelling

Even when you don’t feel like it, you can’t help but be moved by the words and different chords

I love Leonard Cohen. He's like Dylan's less sophisticated uncle who may just be holding back to spare you some additional angst. I could listen to him for hours.

Just a great voice and sound. Didn't have as much time as I would've liked to give it a second listen.

Ahh I lost my review. It was some thing like this. His voice cuts through much like his piercing stare on the cover. This is a debut album?! Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - this track has great melodies. The production isn't polish perfect but I kind of like that. Pretty close to a 5

Great list of songs by a classic word smith

Morose, but beautiful.

Calm; great lyrics; beautiful but not really my style. 4/5

Imperecedero, odiado según los años y las circunstancias. Fundamental

The kind of album I’d want to read the lyrics along to while drinking a beer on my porch on a rainy day.

I loved this album. Admittedly, it can get exhausting to hold the emotional space it demands, but when it hits… it hits. Simple, pretentious, heartfelt, cold, poetic, lonely and celebratory.

Started well. Good background music. Became a little samey after a few songs melody-wise. SOme songs were good though

The beauty of this one is in the lyrics. The arrangements are simple, intrumentally there is not much going on. But Cohen has a way with words that even if you don't understand them, they take you by the hand and drag you along.

goated stuff

Listened to before, a bit too quiet but the texts are beautiful

Less is more would have this album under it, it's very simple guitar and vocals with some extra accompaniments here and there but what really sells this album for me is just how well Leonard can carry a song simply through its narrative. I think that's what makes his albums so especial

Cohen is always enjoyable. His songs can sound very same-y sometimes, but it's more about the lyrics with him than the tunes.

Never listened to Leonard Cohen before aside from Hallelujah. This is a first listen Suzanne is fuckin beautiful. Beautiful lyrics and beautiful arrangement with strings and backing vocals Master song is alright. Nice upright bass, brass, and some electric guitar. Lyrics are pretty cryptic. Is it about an ex lover? Also it’s a bit too long Winter Lady is also pretty good. Nice flutes. Also pretty good lyrics. The Stranger Song is also alright. Seems like it’s about a relationship and it compares the guy to a card dealer in a poker game. I thought it was a reference to a drug dealer at first. I like that lyric about “some Joseph looking for a manger”. Kinda funny cuz it’s almost Christmas now. Sisters of Mercy is next. Very beautiful with accordion in the background. I’d say it sounds like a good band name but then I found out apparently a goth band from the 80s took it lmao. I like it a lot! Now here’s So Long Marriane. Another highlight of the album. This one has a full rock band backing him. Seems like he knew this was gonna be the big hit of the album. It’s real catchy. Reminds me of Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. Or In the Airplane Over the Sea by Neutral Mill Hotel. Next is Hey That No Way to Say Goodbye. Another good song! Also I think there’s some weird middle eastern instrument or a Jaw Harp in the background. And there’s the female backing vocalist again! She has a pretty voice Stories of the Street is next, and it’s about living in New York City. He doesn’t seem to like it that much. “Take me to the slaughterhouse, I’ll wait there with the lamb” Next is Teachers. It’s pretty good, has an oud in it and I think some tabla. Leonard Cohen is pretty angry in this song Finally is One of Us Cannot be Wrong. The guitar reminds me of Rainbow Connection. Again, amazing lyrics. Has whistling too. And some guy in the background drunkenly singing “LAA LAA DAA DAAAA” Pretty good!

Powerful lyricism that allows the listener to peer into Cohen's soul. "Suzanne" is beautiful. Fast and impressive guitar-picking (e.g. "The Stranger Song").

On the slower side but still quite good, on the second song atm and I'm liking it so far.

Suzanne Winter Lady The Stranger Song Sisters of Mercy So Long, Marianne Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Lyrics that are fun to think about, even if inscrutable at times. Been thinking about death a lot lately, for no particular reason other than getting older, and for some reason this album made me feel better about it - which I think is one of the best side effects of any kind of art. ‘Suzanne’ and ‘so long Marianne’ are highlights, but I like all of it and will be listening all day.

Really enjoyed this. My best take is that this will grow on me as I revisit Cohen is definitely a poet. The music seemed secondary, but not neglected. I felt relationships to The Velvet Underground (Nico’s vocal delivery is incredibly similar) and Paul Simons music here. So many love songs So long Mariane was my favorite tune.

Going from Van Halen to this was like I exited the freeway and my foot wanted to keep driving 80 through the suburbs. I tried to crack into this over the weekend and was viscerally bored. I finally found the space to get out for an evening walk (with the stroller and a beer of course) and this all made a little more sense. I won’t go as far as to say I “get” this, that would be annoying, but I appreciate it and I want to listen to this album and learn about it more.

A lyrically beautiful and complex album of well crafted songs. A bit samey sounding, but undeniably emotional.

The first Leonard Cohen album that I listened to was You Want It Darker?, his last LP before he died. The second album of his that I listened to was this one, his debut. Cohen died around the same time David Bowie did, and just like Bowie with Blackstar Cohens finale is a masterpiece. Several artists of this generation (Cohen, Bowie, Crosby, Dylan, Bob Weir, John Cale, Rolling Stones, just to name a few) have released some absolutely killer late career albums. Cohen’s voice in his debut is a lifetime away from the gravely, otherworldly baritone of his later years. Songs of Leonard Cohen is a relaxing, easy listen if you don’t take in the lyrics in. If you choose to focus on the lyrics, you could spend days or weeks analyzing each word and phrase. I’ve listened to this album 10 or more times in my life I think, and I’m not even close to absorbing the lyrics completely. He covers religion, sex, and probably some other subjects throughout. Suzanne is a great opener. So Long Marianne is another highlight. Musically and lyrically I prefer late period Cohen, but this is a fine debut from one of America's greatest songwriters.

The vibes are immaculate. I love the blend between singing and storytelling, and how everything feels uncomplicated.

Great album. I love him. 4

This was better than I thought it would be, but also put me to sleep while driving.

Nicht das beste Album von Cohen, aber trotzdem hörenswert

The big time songs on this are all-timers. The deep cuts are still pleasant, but they don't hit quite the same. Happy to return to this any time.

Hypnotic and tenaciously consistent, this was my first Cohen album and I disliked it for those exact reasons. But something just clicked this time around - listening to this in my room on this gloomy Saturday morning probably had something to do with it. I loved it all...the raspy, brooding vocal delivery, the flamenco-inspired, crisp guitar arpeggios that are nothing short of ominous, the enigmatic songwriting peering into the worlds of love and religion - everything about this album screams authenticity and all its elements feel soulfully weighty. I gave up trying to dig into the meanings of these songs relatively early on...if there's anything I've learned from listening to Cohen's albums, for me at least, it's that its alliteration-heavy and non-linear nature is best absorbed emotionally rather than cerebrally, on the first go-around at least. Y'know with an emphasis on how each song and its corresponding imagery makes you feel. I could've paused the album between each song and tried to dig into some of its meanings by running back through the lyrics, but the vividness of the ideas and almost dreamlike images were effective enough so that I didn't need to do that. And I think that's the mark of truly incredible songwriting. The song 'Master Song' especially felt like being dragged through some intangible dream state while a song like 'So Long, Marianne' has its meaning painted on its face which makes sense given it's the catchiest thing here. Instrumentally, it's all very consistent with every song being acoustic guitar-driven and fiery without a single drum in sight - my favorite being the playing on 'Teachers'. This is the musical equivalent of sitting in a dimly lit inn, with a single candle casting a faint light from across the room. It's so meditative and warm, yet undeniably unsettling and evocative.

A bit like Dylan, but with better instrumentation and lyrics.

Kaunis levy mestarilliselta lauluntekijältä. 4/5

I don't love his voice, but the melodies and songwriting are obviously great...even if I don't completely get the meaning of every song lol. 4/5

I wasn’t expecting this album. It was better than I thought.

Some classic songs on here and he was a legend :)

It has its moments, as all Cohen does. But this one feels a little stiff to me. Still a cromulent listen.

Hmmm yeah I get it

This is an undeniable classic, although I'm sure it's too solemn and meditative for a lot of folks. I'm kinda there too tbh, but I still appreciate the artistry even if I'm rarely going to be in the mood to listen to it front to back. It's unique and poetic for sure, just not exactly "my thing" I suppose. A 4 it is.

This is a pretty impressive piece of work. It's hard to classify, but it's remarkable how an almost poetry session with background ambiance music catches me so much.

I largely enjoyed this. On a different day I can easily imagine myself thinking "this was dull" and giving it a 2, but it worked pretty well for me today (although it was a bit dull). 3.6

There's is a time and a place for this record and a random assignment is neither. This is a mood record through and through.

Poetic af. Nick drake better tho

Lyrically, it’s a 5. Musically, it’s a 3. We’ll split the difference at 4.

This is poetry, really good.

Relaxed pretty music

I only really know Leonard Cohen for "Hallelujah", and then again, I don't know if I'd really listened closely to his version. At least I thought he looked like Leonard Nimoy so I thought his voice would be deeper. I don't have much more to say except I enjoyed this album. I like the softer, solo acoustic stuff. The standup for me was Marianne, and I don't know what happened there at the end when he just started wailing. In the rotation for soft quiet morning music with sad lyrics.

4/5

Pretty good. I haven't been super high on the other Cohen albums on the list but I found myself enjoying this one more than I anticipated.

Brilliant poetical songwriting. Everytime I get a Leonard Cohen album I always think, “He’s just better Bob Dylan”. 7/10

Simple music made to compliment beautiful lyrics - like sung poetry.

What a beatiful voice and beautiful album too. *Suzanne* and *Hey, That's no way to say goodbye* were already favorites and the whole album is in that same pleasant tone. The reason only reason that this album didn't get a 5-star rating form me is it can get a bit too sleepy for my taste.

I hadn't heard much Leonard Cohen before but this is a really solid debut album. Singing-songwriting at its finest. Simplicity reigns in it with masterful lyrics and chilled landscapes. I have the feeling I will come back to this at some point. I can't decide if I should give this a 3 or a 4.

I can't say anything bad about a man with such big sad brown eyes.

3.5

fikret kızılok bunu dinlemiş

Never heard anything from him besides Hallelujah, this album was gorgeous although the lyrics were a little dense.

It was pretty sweet and soothing

Outright incredible storytelling. Leonard Cohen, one of the few exceptions to the rule I want to impose on this list of only 2 albums per artist. This album proves that this guy should’ve got the spot the Bob Dylan took in the pop culture lexicon

delicate and powerful

This album was really nice to listen to. "Suzanne" is the best song. Cohen had a lot of talents, singing and songwriting are two of them. The album could've done with a bit of variety. That, along with being a bit boring, is what prevents this album from being legendary. 4 stars for "songs of Leonard Cohen".

Great album, anything he sings sounds intruinging. It's a bit back heavy, but man once you get to "So long marianne" it's bliss the entire way through.

suzanne isch meeeega schön. super simple song aber passt irgendwie. master song baut huuere guet uuf d e-gitarre isch geeil wo ine chunt und d striicher au. winter lady au cute, aber nöd so guet wie die zwei vorher. stranger song sehr coole gitarre part. wenner lüter singt compressts irgendwie? uuh sisters of mercy? sehr cool produziert mit glockenspiel und so. so lang marian (reimt sich uf dütsch). seeehr geil do heter zum erste mol background sängerinne. huuere geile bass au. seeehr geile song. hey thats no way to say goodbye isch cool, stories if the street nochli besser, lieb wies uf moll abegheit und wieder vo vorne afangt. teachers meega dramatisch. meadgitarre suuuper.

Leonard Cohen my love einehalb jahr ide uk charts isch insane de hindergrundgsang isch huere schön vo suzanne find die recht reduzierte string super, tünd die ganz atmosphäre mega guet untermale winter lady isch jz nöd gad en banger d lieder sind echlii z lang minere meinig na sisters of mercy hani sehr cool gfunde aber was au immer das gloggespiel oder so isch findi chli ass hhahha d handorgle on se oser händ sehr cool so long marianne isch doch recht so es LIED sehr coole refrain und ah er isch eifach so cute stories of the street findi sticht wieder chli meh usse wieso? kei ahnig was frögsch mich teachers findi d gitarre mega, ich chegg nöd waser speziell macht aber egal WOW one of us cannot be wrong isch unglaublich schön de schluss tönt mite flöte zwar schräg aber poah isch das schön schwanke scho fest zwüsche 4 und 5

Love Leonard. So simple. Feels pure. He gets you on his wavelength.

Really good. This one grew on me and won me over by the end of the album. So stripped back and free of embellishment. If I imagined adding high flying harmony or additional textured background music, it morphs and shifts into other folk and folk-adjacent music I've enjoyed.

ok I'm getting worried about giving too many albums in a row 4 stars now

Some of these get just too far into singsongy folk for a 5 but it's a high 4 love my weird little guys

Hipnótico, pero me gusta aún más su trabajo posterior.

Fav: So Long, Marianne Least Fav: Master Song Some nice easy listening songs, enjoyed this more than I expected

An incredible collection of consistently emotive and intimate songwriting, bolstered by commanding instrumentation. It’s one of the most sacred and heralded singer-songwriter albums, and for good reason. It is one of a special select few albums where its lyrics can genuinely be held as poetry in themselves. A truly timeless piece.

Not exactly my bag, but you can tell the Cohen is firing on all cylinders. The production is well done, the composition is well done. He's not a strong singer, but it does not make much of a difference!

poetic masterpiece that is very pleasant to listen to. High 4* from me.

Very nice, much better than expected and easier on the ear than Dylan.

This is not a folk album. It's it's own thing.

A good album, I liked Master Song and One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong the most.

I was expecting a much more depressing listen but either my preconception of Leonard Cohen is off, or it's based on later work once he's become old and sadder. Either way, I really enjoyed this; his songwriting and delivery are both excellent, understated but also grandiose. I'm looking forward to listening to more of his work and seeing how wrong I was to expect the worst.

Ik heb hier geen anekdotes bij. Dit is gewoon mooie luistermuziek. Heerlijke composities die gemaakt zijn om lekker in het gehoor te liggen met een zangstem die er eigenlijk perfect bij aansluit. Waarschijnlijk vertelt 'ie nog goede verhalen ook maar als holbewoner is dat niet aan mij besteed. Mooie geluidjes klinken mooi, ooga booga. Ik zie in de reviews veel mensen dat het saai is, maar ik ervaar het eerder als comfortabel. Misschien staan er wat nummers op die iets teveel op elkaar lijken of gaat het album een track of 2 te lang door, vooruit, maar wat maakt het allemaal uit.

Some instrumentation choices were... interesting, so not as refined as his later work. But his songs still cut.

I was wondering if and when Leonard Cohen would appear on this list given the bias towards British pop. Glad to see him here. His lyrics are poetry set to music. Album features "Suzanne" and other notable songs include "Sisters of Mercy" and 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye".

You’re not going to get me to say anything bad about the national treasure that is Leonard Cohen. First and foremost he is a poet and this is not an album of songs but of poems set to an acoustic guitar. He is a wordsmith and is obsessed with heartache and drugs. The melancholia is almost palpable and will sit with one for days. There are huge amounts of beauty in there, often there is with sadness. He’s amazing, and the prose is very good if his gift is not yet fully explored. Nothing sounds anything like the compositions of his older gravelly years, but on ‘So long Marianne’ you can hear the seeds that will blossom later on. I couldn’t listen to this daily but once every couple months it would be a great reset.

Man, this album was great. I enjoyed every song, not a single miss on this album. It really reminds me of a mix of Bob Dylan meets Townes Van Zandt. The vibes were sombre, and I actually really enjoyed how almost nothing rhymed. I was so close to giving this a 5, but for me, it just is missing /something/ that I can't put my finger on. It's not a 'perfect' album. I am definitely keen to listen to some more Leonard Cohen, and hopefully a future album is deserving of a perfect score.

This was a nice listen. I found some of the lyrics just ok but the general vibe of the album is very cosy, good for headphones. Saved So Long, Marianne to my playlist.

Live this record although it’s a bit depressing. Love him. Love his guitar playing and lyrics

This was a nice album. It was very peaceful and pleasant to listen to. I think my favorite songs were the same ones as everyone else, "Hey that's no way to say goodbye" and "Suzanne". It was very samey by the end, but the 41 minute run-time made that OK. It felt like a combination of Simon&Garfunkel and Jeff Buckley? 7/10

I think I picked the perfect times to listen to this, first in the afternoon after work, then on a slow Friday. These songs were very easy to mellow out with, and I got to appreciate the lyricism here (the real highlight of the album) since I didn't need to focus as much on other things at the time. I am conflicted on how to score this though, these really only just pass as music, rather than poetry readings on audible. Cohen's voice is not unpleasant but you can tell he is not exactly trying to wow anyone with his singing and is letting the writing do the work for him. The only songs where I find he comes to closest to really singing are Teachers and So Long, Marianne (coincidentally, two of the better songs on here 😲) Similarly, the instrumentals are very basic and feel like they are only there to justify all of this being an album. But these simple tunes work because they don't overshadow the draw of the album, Cohen's writing. Highlights Master Song, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne

I'm familiar with Leonard Cohen as a poet turned folk singer-songwriter, having heard "Hallelujah" before. This is his debut album, and I must remind myself of that because it's impressive how good he was at this early stage. There's something magical about Leonard's soulful low-register delivery, as he croons his way through songs of yearning not for love but friendship or fond memories. Likewise, his acoustic guitar work is spectacular, like on "The Stranger Song" where he pulls off some nifty tremolos. There is a contentious point with Leonard Cohen's early work in that they tend to consist of minimalist compositions. That is why his debut album is largely him with his guitar save for a few tracks with drum, bass, and background vocals. Could there be more involved to engage the listener more? Perhaps. But that said, this is still impressive with just his presence alone. If you are curious, give it a chance.

Strange Coincidence I literally listened to this album for the first time on my own a couple days ago. An album where every Second Song is a Masterpiece and every third song is just alright or just good. Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marriane, and Teachers are insane. 8/10 Fav tracks - Suzanne, Master Song, The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy; So Long, Marianne; Stories of The Street, Teachers, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong Least Fav - Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye

One of those albums you gotta listen to and not just toss on in the background. And I gotta say its a good one, Kinda sad too but also happy and some moments, this emotional roller-coaster hit me something different given I found out a friend of mine passed too. So overall this came at the right time for me. 4/5

Lyrics are top-notch, he was a poet first and foremost. Musically not very interesting.

LP

I am a big fan of Leonard Cohen. This is not the first time I've listened to this album. 'Suzanne', and 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye' are my favourites. It's not for everyone, and I could see how people could consider this generic 60s folk, but I like it, and I just think his lyricism is beautiful

He sounds like what a kiss on the cheek from your grandma feels like. If I’m ever listening to this album randomly someone needs to check on me. It was v good though

must it come so cruel, must it be so brave?

This album is so chill it got me through a white knuckle driving experience without losing my shit. Good stuff.

very good

Je crois qu'il serait très honnête de dire que cet album est un classique de la folk mais qu'il doit prendre toute sa saveur grâce à une bonne compréhension des textes. C'est certainement les mots du poète qui me manquent le plus pour saisir la qualité d'écriture de Cohen. Il n'empêche que je ne boude pas mon plaisir à l'écouter !

I really liked this album. Specific tracks I liked: "Suzanne", "Hey, that's no way to say goodbye", "Stories of the street".

So much better than the last one of his we listened to. Genuinely very strong album. Enjoyed it a lot.

An album my mum had that sort of sat there without me playing it for years until I slowly decided to explore some of the back catalogue. It's sort of brilliant, whilst also only understandable if you get that he's a poet not a musician and he's got his own kind of style.

Not his greatest album but contains o9ne of his greatest songs, Marianne

Pretty good.

I like this one a lot but it’s still probably a 4/5 for me as much as I respect Leonard Cohen. The lyrics are great but it’s lacking something for me.

¿Qué decir de Leonard Cohen? Un romántico melancólico empedernido. No porque todas sus canciones sean sobre parejas sino por el amor con el que le cantaba al desamor, a la frustración, al dolor de vivir en éste mundo. En éste disco está en una línea vocal similar a la de Dylan pero más cálida. Menos nasal y más triste, evocativa, que nos mece y nos relaja, dejándonos en trance. Ideal para escuchar de mañana. Puede ser para un paseo en una mañana fría, nublada, con una garúa ínfima o una mañana de otoño o primavera, fresca y con calidez: éste disco abarca todos esos estados. Ponemos en pausa el reto porque mañana entro en vacaciones. Nos vemos a la vuelta del viaje.

Young(er) Cohen rulz. It’s interesting how one world-famous song (not on this album) can overshadow a life-work. I was genuinely surprised, and had the same feeling with Urban Hymns earlier.

Enjoyed this one. Cohen has written some truly timeless music, and this album is no different. 4/5 Will listen again

Excellent song writer

Lyrically unsurpassed.

Grande disco de folk. Lembrou-me bastante a sonoridade do "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan", mas talvez com uma abordagem lírica mais cotidiana. Muito louco pensar a diversidade de ramificações da música popular em 1968: era esse disco na praça ao lado de um “Eletric Ladyland” ou o próprio álbum branco auto-intitulado dos Beatles. Destaco “The Stranger Song” e “Stories of the Street”, sonoridade me confortou no recorte dessas duas canções.

Cool lyrics, well writte, a bit sad

Wonderful storytelling + reminds me of my dad

One of the great songwriters in history.

刚听别人推荐今天就刷到了，可惜不怎么听得懂

Characteristically excellent and iconic work from Cohen. Just noticed how "Mama's and the Papa's" sounding the backup vocals are for "So Long, Marianne". Everything I want from Cohen is here, dark and romantic, poetic and soul-stirring. He strikes me as a man that is far too aware of the psychology of human behavior and the fleeting beauty of living in the present moment for his own good. Clearly we are the benefactors of his past reflections, however. These songs are beautiful and give meaning and drama to our own reflections.

I am no longer a pearl jam hater

Launch of the more Canadian, hornier Bob Dylan

This album has the sound of a chill friday night pub where some bloke is playing excellent music in a corner but noone is paying attention. I might put this on on a slightly hungover sunday brunch. So Long, Marianne is my favourite track of the album. 4/5

It sounds very French:)

Great album. This album has excellent songwriting and storytelling dealing with the typical personal themes (e.g., love, desire, anger, etc.) but with a maturity and tactfulness only a 30-something poet-turned-musician could do. The music itself won't necessarily knock you out, but the arrangements are crisp and understated in a way that both serves and complements the themes/lyricism. There's an enjoyable, mellow, trance-like quality that allows you to follow the stories and lyrics. This challenge will activate my deep dive into Leonard Cohen, whose music, up to this point, I have had minimal interaction with. ****

Wat hier ongelooflijk knap aan is, is dat met minimale middelen een maximaal effect bereikt wordt. Het eerste nummer is direct het beste en het zet geniaal een tegelijkertijd beklemmende en betoverende sfeer neer. En dat met hoofdzakelijk een akoestische gitaar met af en toe wat kleine tierelantijntjes. Op een of andere manier krijgt Cohen het hier voor elkaar, dat iedereen in een overvolle kroeg van het ene op het andere moment stil is, wanneer hij begint met spelen. Of in moderne termen: dat iedereen opkijkt van zijn smartphone. Het was dat ik aan het werk was, maar eigenlijk wil je even stoppen met wat je op dat moment aan het doen was en alleen maar luisteren. Naar hoe de beste man een soort van verhaal praatzingt met zijn zoetgevooisde stem. Op een gegeven moment weet je zijn trucje wel een beetje en wordt de betovering wat verbroken (eigenlijk vanaf So Long, Marianne), al gaat het nog een paar nummers door. Maar het goede gevoel overheerst toch wel. Prima 4 sterren.

What I think should be categorized as “emo folk”, haunting, cryptic lyrics over often a lone, plucking acoustic guitar. The language is evocative, which is good because the lyrics are the main draw. Excited to dive in further.

If you know, you know.

A classic of melancholy folk. The music is sparse, despite frequent arguments with producers who wanted a larger sound. It's hard to blame them. Before hearing a complete Leonard Cohen album, it might have been difficult to imagine his iconic sound compared what else was available in the mid 60s. This debut has some perfect moments. Even if it's a bit rough around the edges, the complete album still works well as whole. It marks Cohen's first steps into music making that would influence people across genres. In some ways, the music is less than important than the tone and the feeling of the songs. Describing it as mere folk music doesn't do justice to the beautiful bleakness of Cohen's voice. Time has been a lot kinder to this album than the contemporary reviews would have you imagine. But if the reviews on this site are anything to go by, it remains a controversial record for many.

His voice isn’t as gravely as on later recordings. The lyrics are great.

what a voice, and obviously incredible lyricism. deeply deeply moving. sometimes a little samey though

The poet laureate of popular music

So much good. I wish Leo would take more chances musically and vocally but it’s beautiful.

I used to listen to this album during my uni years to look more sophisticated. Very samey but So Long Marianne is an amazing song.

Great. Just great.

Beautiful poetic imagery and a hell of a mood, but rather musically limited at this point in his career.

Maybe a bit too depressing, but nice voice

Gefällt mir sehr gut, sollte ich in meinen Katalog für ruhige Musik geben

This was very low key. If it has some magic I'm not sure I unlocked it off one listen - would need to really pay attention to the lyrics I think. It was pleasant though.

2024-04-28...

this guy is always nothing but hauntingly beautiful

romântico bom pra sexo caminho al pacino Saul sério

Pretty slow and dreary. I like You Want it Darker better. Good canadiana tho. Remarkable talent.

Really hard to rate this fairly as it's one of my first listens as a boy and I loved it immediately.

Love leonard

I feel a smidgen depressed after listening to that. Still I think Leonard Cohen is rather brilliant.

Beautiful and poetic, what a wonderful lyricist

Un debut antológico de uno de los personajes más brillantes de la historia del Rock. Su voz aún no es tan cálida y grave como adquirirá con el paso de los años, pero temazos hay para aburrir: Suzanne, So long -Marianne, Sisters of Mercy, Master song... es obligatorio escuchar a Leonard Cohen al menos una vez en la vida. Este disco puede servir de perfecta excusa ; en realidad cualquier disco suyo (el del 77 también). Otros excelentes debuts de ese mismo año fueron Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, Scott Walker, Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground, y también aunque menores los de Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Bowie o First Edition. Otrs discos fundamentales del 67 fueron: Sgt. Peppers y Magical Mistery Tour, Forever Changes y Da Capo, Surrealistic Pillow, Axis:Bold as Love, The Who Sell Out, Days of Future Passed, Disraelí Gears, Bee Gees´ First (en realidad el segundo), Younger Than Yesterday, Evolution y Butterfly, I never loved a man the way i love you y Arrives, Something Else, Wild Honey o Happy Together...

Not my favorite album of his, but this is definitely a strong contender.

Went into this expecting to dish out another steady 3 star rating, like I gave Songs From A Room. Like Songs From A Room, SOLC’s sparse charms grew on me the more I listened. Unlike Songs From A Room, this album is chock full of great songs - musically, as well as lyrically - there aren’t any skips on here. I’ll dock half a star because, despite this, I wouldn’t say I personally *love* any of the tracks, as much as I respect the songcraft, and I think that should probably be a requirement for a 5 star album. Still, a masterful debut. 4.5

Music to reflect to. I don't think it's perfect lyrically, but I do think it's compelling. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne"

Liked this a surprising amount. Easy listening, smooth, rolling, interesting lyrics from what little I caught. A clear influence on Danny Schmidt, who I've listened to in the past.

This was really good. Quite a unique sound. never listened to much leonard Cohen for some reason. Will dive into more!

Poems sung in wonderful melodies.

Good music, even if it's nothing flashy. Favorite track: "So Long, Marianne."