Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Subtle songs with calm arrangements, always a pleasure to listen to.

When I was 18 I'd have given this 5 stars easy. It's nice but melancholy doesn't seem to have as much range or depth now that I'm getting old. I've always liked the Stranger Song. In retrospect it seems like one of few times Lenny tries to do a human woman's perspective, not some mythologized muse thing - best he can do is a song about either being used as a mythologized muse or a reprieve from chasing muses though. "he'll say one day you caused his will to weaken with your love, and warmth, and shelter", because of course he will, this dude who thought "I told you when I came I was a stranger" passes for emotional awareness. very evocative of relationship dynamics everybody knows in some fashion music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

I don’t have much to say about Leonard Cohen except for that I more or less like it all. These first ones are a trip, it’s almost impossible for me to imagine him as a youngish man, but there he is. Good good good.

Loved

He grows on me with everything I listen too.

some very beautiful music, could be a bit more up tempo

Hey not bad!

Decent listen.

you hate him or you love him. I personally like him

Love this album.

I liked this more than I thought I would.

Lovely stuff.

This is like a book of poetry that you have to judge on a first read. I knew Susannah, and the last song was lovely. The rest deserves more consideration. But I want to read it more than I want to hear it.

Amazing voice

I really liked this album. It feels very cozy. Like sitting by a fireside on Christmas Eve when everyone else is asleep. I think my favorite was The Stranger Song because of the guitar. I’ll be real, I did not know what a single song on this album was about. I feel like the need for Genius might be part of what makes people like this album.

Solid sad Leonard

My first time listening to this guy. The lyrics are amazing but the music is kind of repetitive and Cohens singing doesn’t do it for me, he sounds like such a drag, but I guess it’s the writing thats the attraction here

icon

While I prefer the albums he produced later (when he lived in the bass range much more than he does here), this one still has some of the same lyrical power and a couple really, really good songs.

Case study in quality songwriting. One doesn’t need to be a great vocalist, although it helps. Cohen is emotional without being whiny, dark(ish) in a matter-of-fact way, and an overall treat to listen to.

I'm a fan. It does take a little priming to get me into the mood for LC and I think I enjoyed You Want it Darker better, but I did really enjoy listening to his debut album, and it got even better on a second listen. Wow, his young voice is so different.

Wonderful

Great voice

I feel like I should find this boring given previous reviews, but Cohen's voice has something magical that makes it wonderful.

Rustig maar mooi

4-

It's brilliant, but I was already depressed before I put it on. What a lyricist.

Haunted and haunting. My theory is that, as much as the lyrics, it’s the production that makes these records. Specifically, the choice of instrumental flourishes plus the lyrics plus LC’s distinctive voice that add up to such affecting and memorable work.

I really enjoyed the first to listen. Plan to listen to it many more times. I can't believe I missed this album more than 50 years ago.

Songs of Leonard Cohen is a beautifully cohesive debut. It creates a haunting, poetic atmosphere from the very first track and never really breaks that spell. The songwriting is the real strength here. Suzanne and Master Song are genuine masterpieces, lyrically rich and emotionally weighty. There is a quiet intensity to the whole album. It does not shout for attention. It draws you in slowly and rewards patience. So Long, Marianne is my personal highlight. Heartfelt, melodic and timeless. It carries warmth alongside the melancholy and feels like one of those songs that only grows stronger with age. There is not a bad moment on the record, although Sisters of Mercy is probably the one that resonated with me the least. Even then, it still fits the overall mood perfectly. Favourite song: So Long, Marianne Least favourite song: Sisters of Mercy Album artwork: Iconic and understated. It perfectly captures the introspective and enigmatic feel of the music within A powerful debut and a defining early statement from one of the great songwriters

Really enjoyed this album! Especially loved the guitar throughout the entire thing. Honorable mentions: Suzanne, Stranger Song, Stories of the Street

8/10 Excellent. Lovely songs, great delivery Voice reminds me of Lou Reed Mostly sparse production, love the songs that have hints of instrumentation Best: Master Song

Great, but short

Leonard Cohen excels at writing songs about women, and as that’s most of what this album was I had a blast. Favourite track: Winter Lady.

This is great, very melancholy, easy to listen to. Only gripe would be the weird screaming on the last song. Every other song had a clear message, easy to listen, and was calm easy and relaxing, whilst hitting some rough topics.

Eins og ég var með mikið ógeð á Cohen vegna Hallelujah þá hefur hann fengið uppreisn æru í gegnum þessa síðu. Mér finnst hann bara mjög skemmtilegur. Þessi plata er ekki eins góð og You want it darker en samt gef ég henni jafnmargar stjörnur af því að ég get ekki gefið hálfar stjörnur.

Dig Cohen over acoustic guitar. Suzanne is maybe his best song

So torn between 4 and 5

Listened before and love

Great listen. 2x at night, 3x total. 4.1

My cat really loved this album. It’s excellent.

Most of the album was familiar sounding to me. Although not too in depth, I found the songs to be easy listening and enjoyable. I recall his name from many years ago, that was a nice blast from the past.

Great songs... awful production

Great lyricist and songwriter but can't sing for shit.

classic Canadiana, what's not to like? So Long Marianne a beautiful track with the female singers.

LC has a very unique poetic delivery, but I find it to be too samey at points on this album. Quite a few songs feel like they are diet versions of Suzanne. Tracks like Sisters of Mercy with its Christmassy foley sounds are more engaging to me. Fave Tracks: Suzanne, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong 3.5/5

Eine gutes Album - wenn man in der passenden Stimmung ist.

Reminds me of Montreal

I like this album much more today than I did 20 years ago, perhaps its gloomy tones more reflect my mental attitude today. it sounds like a complete album from start to finish and not something that has been put together patchily. I think I need to listen to it again.

Classic

Very haunting and nostalgic of a quieter time. Classic folk singing.

Poetry!

GRAVELY LIKE MY PEE HOLE

I liked it, it was mellow, 4 stars

Not for me, but I respect the talent.

Loved it - sounds like it could have been released today. Will definitely relisten in the future.

Leonard Cohen has a one-of-a-kind voice and sound that really makes his music stand out from similar artists. It's a classic sound that defines that genre.

Love this album. Poetry in melodic motion.

Ich mag die Stimme und die relaxte Stimmung.

Cohen is great

I really didn't like the other Cohen album I listened to on this list, I'm Your Man, but this was a pleasant surprise. The clever uses of instruments and backing vocals, the mixing and production, the songwriting, all if it just clicks here. It's like Cohen is staring into my soul and my soul is listening. Really Enjoyable.

Album 280 of 1001 Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Suzanne I've gotten really enjoy some Leonard Cohen. Awesome songwriter, interesting guy, wonderful recordings. He has became a favorite.

Early Leonard Cohen lyrics are cryptic and sometimes inexplicable ("an ape with angel glands"), but this shambling debut has a magic charm. Despite its easy pace and gentle existence, there is an arresting, almost dangerous and indoctrinating quality all over this album that will hook and hypnotize the right type of listener into the cult of Cohen. Best tracks: 'Suzanne' and 'One of Us Cannot Be Wrong'

No. 82/1001 Suzanne 5/5 Master Song 4/5 Winter Lady 4/5 The Stranger Song 4/5 Sisters of Mercy 4/5 So Long, Marianne 4/5 Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye 3/5 Stories Of The Street 3/5 Teachers 3/5 One of Us Cannot Be Wrong 4/5 Average: 3,8 Mostly liked the toned-down and melancholic sound Cohen creates with this album. Lacks some musical diversity to become one of my all-time favorites.

I don’t really get down with Cohen too much. I just never seem to be in the mood for it. But this album is pretty astonishing considering the year it came out. Reflective and personal lyrics that really make a lasting statement.

Lovely stuff.

So again, another singer/ songwriter that I like more than Dylan, which is cool. His style is kind of rambling, lots of sentences and statements that continue on and on, but it kind of has a charm that I like. I'm ready for something different though, feel like I've gotten a lot of these singers from 1968-1972 in the last 2 weeks.

Classic

Really love the guitar work on this one.

Best Song: Suzanne. Iconic, pleading, romantic. His best early-career song. Worst Song: Teachers. Has a kind of repetitive droning that Cohen already has a negative tendency towards. Overall: I always love Cohen's lyricism, and I've listened to him enough that I've come to appreciate his no-frills style of delivery. The songs here have a youthfulness to them, and although I prefer his work from later in his life, this is still an excellent offering.

Lovely. 4 stars.

Nostalgic and very nice

Great storytelling. All his lyrics draw me into a world that he is creating. This is one you have to sit and really pay attention to. Everything seems purposeful from the subtle instrumentation to the use of background vocals.

inherentemente humano

Yeah this was cool definitely makes sense to compare it to Tom waits. Really pretty playing

Sad but beautiful

Surprisingly really good. Wouldn’t think I’d actually like a Leonard Cohen album. Not many songs I can pick out as being the best, they’re mostly equally good. 7.5/10 Top 3: 1. Master Song 2. Suzanne 3. Sisters of Mercy

I ended up liking this album more than I expected! Leonard Cohen is like a better sounding Bob Dylan and the songs were like poetry set to acoustic guitar. "So Long, Marianne" was the stand-out hit, but the overall vibe of the album was just cool and folksy. There was a certain zen to listening to this on a cloudy day, driving down the highway. There is a bit of a same-ness to these songs but in the end I think it was just the right length too, and if there was even just one more song it would have started to get grating.

Really really liked this album. I feel like this is a very accessible Cohen album and the production of lightly strummed kind of lo-fi guitars really pairs well with his voice and poetic verses.

LC is growing on me a bit. As the title suggests this isn’t really an album - every song ends pretty abruptly before going onto something new. But The Stranger Song; So Long, Marianne; and One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong were all really strong and the rest was good enough if a bit, as Josh would say, samey. Cohen’s talent is clearly as a lyricist and when that coincides with good music I love the result.

Really lovely stuff. The music and delivery really forces you to focus on the content of lyrics, which is luckily very good. Very poetic. 8/10

Some good songs. Very mysterious

like talking to a calm, sensible, serious and not flashy person, who also happens to be a poet. loved taking subway with Cohen

This one isn't about the music, which goes from from clumsy to perfunctory. It's about the lyrics and the mood. This one feels like an old friend, who you invite over to share a beer and life's troubles. The Stranger Song stands above the rest.

Some fine tracks. Enjoyed it.

Cd

Calm chill music

There's something so distinct and profound sounding in the late 1960's folk scene. Maybe it was that life was different and people were living out the songs they were writing. Maybe the lack of existing content allowed for more simplistic freedom of expression. Either way, an excellent debut from Leonard Cohen

Listened Before? Yes Album Art: 4 / 5 (I love the apparent lack of effort here. Some lazy word art style lettering with a sadboi portrait) This album was actually recommended to Mehie and I at our baby shower for Desmond as good music for naptime. I can't say it was bad advice, but at the time I think we were both confused. I didn't listen terribly closely, but this was an extremely solid folk album with Leonard Cohen sounding the cleanest I've ever heard from him. Often erring on the melancholy in tone, I suspect that if I gave a close listen to the lyrics I would be rewarded. Ultimately though a lot of this kind of ran together for me so I can't go stronger than a 4. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists:

So I'd already heard this one. Very much like it, strong 4 (8.5 out of 10 type shi). So Long, Marianne got stuck in my head for ages. The album is a little depressing sounding, rainy day type one.

First song, by all takes, this is hauntingly beautiful. Why have I never sat down and listened to Leonard Cohen with good headphones? This is everything I want Simon and Garfunkel to be. The backing vocals don't distract. Almost a 5/5. Not sure what doesn't make it total banger. Maybe it's the lyrics. They're petty sappy. Talked about this later and the story telling I also didn't really like.

I liked most of the song and I enjoy the style but his storytelling songs feel a bit like diluted Bob Dylan attempts that didn’t quite hit the mark of good rhythm

It's pretty good but not his best album by a long way...

Heard it beofre. RIP, Bard.

Tvö klassísk lög og mörg önnur góð. Lágstemmdur en hæfilega fjölbreyttur hljóðheimur, og röddin ekki enn orðin hrjúf. Afskaplega áheyrilegt, en ekki eins áhrifamikil og lokaplatan.

Really good one to close your eyes and relax to. The only parts I didn't enjoy were when it was less musical and more spoken poetry with guitar plucking, although he kind of rode that line throughout.

Dette likte jeg! Eventyrlig historiefortelling. Albumet som en helhet er også tydelig planlagt, som var gøy å oppleve. Det er definitivt en "aktiv" lytteropplevelse, hvor man må leve seg inn i teksten for at alt virkelig skal puste. Favorittlåt: Master Song

Classic

wow, his poetry is incredible

Great lyricist

I find Cohen's voice quite haunting, especially Suzanne,Overall very mellow & enjoyable album

Very good album. Made me think of things like Tom Waits but played more straight. 4/5

I have a hot take about Leonard Cohen that I’ll save for another day. I do really like his music for the most part, and this has some incredible material. More lyrical than musical, but there are some killer harmonies and his voice leaves such an impact that it’s hard to deny. I can see a case made for this being his strongest LP. B+

I’ve really enjoyed getting into Leonard Cohen off this thing. Hope there’s some more.

Een rustige plaat die wel eens opstond in mijn studententijd. Fijne soundtrack bij enkele mooie momenten. Poëtisch, zou Schlangenmann zeggen. Hier staan veel pareltjes op die in een arthouse cinema soundtrack horen te pronken. Ooit One of Us Cannot Be Wrong nog ‘gecoverd’ met een gelegenheidsbandje. Een mooie herinnering hoe we dat toen min of meer verbasterd hebben tot een heel ander beest. Was Leonard Cohen 1 van de Groten der Aarde? Waarschijnlijk wel, maar ik ben nooit dieper in zijn poëtische wereld gedoken dan een paar platen. Op muzikaal vlak wordt alles ondersteunend, folky en sober gehouden, alle aandacht naar die verhalende teksten. Als ik hem nu nog eens opzet heb ik wel meteen zin om met een zwarte coltrui aan en een verfijnd brilletje op mijn neus wat zinloos te gaan discussiëren over ‘t leven in een ouderwetse koffiebar. Maar om dieper in zijn oeuvre te duiken dan zijn eerste 3 platen… het zal nog niet voor morgen zijn. Ik heb met die eerste platen wel genoeg meesterpoëet Cohen denk ik. Misschien is Songs Of Love and Hate wel meer op zijn plek in de 1001 before you die lijst. Ik vrees dat Cohen meer en meer alleen gekend zal staan als ‘die van het originele Hallelujah’, en dat zou jammer zijn, maar eerlijk: een gigantische muzikale navolging heeft hij niet gehad. De maatschappij is hier te hard voor versneld. Misschien zingt die van Warhaus nog geheel op zijn Cohens, maar Maarten Devoldere is wel een betere zanger. Ik besluit met eeuwig respect voor de poëet, en een adequate hoeveelheid respect voor de muziek die de poëzie draagt, met een 4 voor deze plaat. Zonder die mooie herinneringen weet ik niet goed welke score ik er zou aan gegeven hebben. Ik zou dit mss best even nalezen voor coherentie, maar hey er is weer een album te reviewen. Ain’t nobody got time fo that!

Vind ik wel eens leuk. Alles in detail bespreken hebben er al genoeg eens gedaan he, laat ons eerlijk zijn. Kom.

Regroupe certains des meilleurs textes de Cohen (Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne). Si les arrangements musicaux sont simples, ils ne détonnent pas par rapport à l'époque, et les mélodies mettent bien les paroles en valeur. Je pense que cet album résiste bien aux critiques habituelles de Cohen. Par contre: certaines pièces se ressemblent beaucoup.

Haunting and beautiful.

I love the idea of Leonard Cohen of singing in a Renaissance court or something, just strummin his little mandolin.

Absolutely beautiful, Suzzane just fills me with longing and melancholy it's crazy

It was good. Fav song So Long Marianne

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

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

A good album. I liked it.

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

Sad as fuck w

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.

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.

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!

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

Fabulous, but not his best.

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.

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.

I love Leonard Cohen

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.

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

Good.

Suzanne and Marianne are pantheon songs

love is tone of voice, very soothing

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

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

Beautifully haunted

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

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.

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

Very nice and relaxing music, with fantastic lyrics.

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.

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.

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.

Top 3 LC albums.

Lovely, wholesome album. Favourite song: Suzanne

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

Worthy of more listens. Dug it

Classic

8/10

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

A lovely album, so pleasant to listen and enjoy

Sad and intimate banger after banger

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

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

Amazing debut album.

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.

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.

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.

Well that was lovely

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

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.

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

Très Leaonard Cohen. Très bon!

Listen to lyrics more

Enjoyable album with a chill, afternoon evening vibe.

nice instrumentals

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.

Old guy singing. It's good though.

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

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

So beautiful, so sad, so romantic

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.

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.

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.

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

Poetic

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.

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

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

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

Sombre, powerful baritone voice

A lot better than I expected, I’m not normally a fan of just a guy and his guitar, but this was really cool.

super

Teachers is a smart and strong song. That one song proves Leonard is the real deal. Strong album, but not a strong as you "want it darker" by him before he died.

Very compelling and I don't know why. I guess it's just good to go along for the ride.

enjoyed it although some songs were slower than others but it was still good almost have like a Lou Reed vibe which I liked

Nice

Some fab songs on here. Not enough to push it to a 5.

Прослушано! Спокойный мужской вокал, есть несколько композиций. любопытным звучанием.

My third Leonard Cohen album that I'm rating through this challenge now. As a fan of his music, I definitely liked it. Heart wrenching lyrics in some, all delivered in the signature voice. Good stuff Saved tracks: 'Suzanne', 'Sisters of Mercy', 'So Long, Marianne', 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye', 'Stories of the Street', 'One of Us Cannot Be Wrong'

would be good in bed caresses and cigarettes very open heart

Sparsely ornate, quasi-flamenco folk songs populated by literary landscapes which revel in existential reflection. This is a stunning debut album, quite unlike any other in the contemporary western canon. Leonard Cohen’s music definitely demands a deliberate listener, there’s nothing here which is melodically accessible. Yet the production manages to elevate the barebones musical approach with some incredible flourishes of punchy acoustic guitar lines (on “Teachers”). If the yardstick of a perfect album is the manner in which it achieves what it sets out to do, then this would be a 5/5. But that’s not the basis of my ratings, but rather the impression it leaves on me subjectively. And in this regard, a few songs on this album are frankly less engaging. Favourite tracks: “Teachers”, “Stories of the Street”, “The Stranger Song”

I’ve loved the song “Suzanne” for many years and it remains a favorite of mine. The rest of these songs are also starkly beautiful. It is easy to see why LC was so immediately compared to Bob Dylan. Leonard Cohen seems to be so comfortable speaking to others about uncomfortable things, about his feelings and his vulnerabilities, and he is so charming in the way he does it. This first album has a fairly low production value; it seems like many tracks could have been takes on the first attempt. But the depth and the beauty of the songs are both so great that they need little embellishment.

Super calm great songwriting

This debut album certainly sounds just like Leonard Cohen, and I've discovered, thanks to the three Leonard Cohen albums the generator has already given me, that I like Leonard Cohen. Cohen's voice and the sparse arrangements pretty much guarantee the songs are all beautiful. The lyrical content is, of course, lovely, haunting, sad. But to me this album doesn't quite pull all those elements together as perfectly as later albums will. Favorites So Long, Marianne, Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye, and Teachers.

Mooie zwijmel-liedjes, rustig

Awesome lyricist, the delivery is a bit of an acquired taste but at least it's not nasal and there's no harmonica

He does his thing very well. I'm not always in the mood for it, but it's objectively good.

Haven't really listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen. This was a chill listen that was pretty enjoyable. So Long, Marianne is great. Great guitar work and emotion throughout.

There are 5 Leonard Cohen albums on this list and none of them have Hallelujah

Neat

There are some classic Cohen songs on here and others that deserve to be regarded as such.

Beautiful, elegant. Sweet little songs.

you don't get much better songwriting than this. deducting a star for that shriekfest at the end of the album

Beyond the imagistic lyrics, what makes these records are the subtle touches – strings, backing vocals, the odd guitar riff or drumming. Listen to the end of Suzanne” you barely notice the ethereal strings and backing vocals coming back in in which elevates the haunting. The electric guitar flourishes on “Master Song” and is that a harpsichord on “Winter Lady” along with the plucked guitar. The accordion (I think) and piercing backing vocals on “So Long Marianne,” which is a real highlight, the drums and accordion (again) on “Sisters of Mercy,” and the whistling outro on “Both of Us Cannot Be Wrong,” a most fitting bookend to “Suzanne.” “No Way to Say Goodbye” is also classic. The quieter and more controlled singing here is more effective than the gruff and growling than “Love and Hate.” The knocks (fair) are that's it's a bit samey in tempo and style across songs and yes, a bit wallow-y, downgrading melancholy into something like entropy. Still, it's LC, so 4.

I already enjoy this album - so many faves on there. So Long Marianne is my all time and always makes me want to cry for some reason. LC is a gritty poet more than anything, unbelievable lyrics

Great stuff from Leonard

Beautiful tunes, and so different that what I'm used to with Leonard Cohen (Hallelujah).

Beautiful, nostalgic, poetic melancholy. I listened to this endlessly when I lived with Jen. We'd study and write term papers to the slow songs and dance around the house together to "So Long, Marianne". I've wanted to learn "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" on the guitar for about 20 years.

Best song was So long, Marianne. It was fun to listen to but it was a bit droany for my tastes. Love Leonard Cohen though.

Beautiful 8/10

Better than I expected. Poetry read over acoustic guitar, but nice.

Easy listening. I'm definitely more captivated by its poetry than the music. I would listen to it again, maybe not first thing in the morning like I did now, but on a rainy evening. 4/5 No songs were highlights for me. All of them kind of felt like pieces of a whole.

Fun listen easy going

I appreciated it, but need to be in the right mood. Certain sections of songs were great, though others felt repetitive

Cohen is a true bard. He writes poetry, sings them tender, and leaves you longing for more. He does so much with his acoustic guitar, I'm often in awe at how precise each song is. This may be Canada's greatest offering to the world.

ALBUM RATING: 3.6 ALBUM GRADE: B- TRACK RATINGS: 1. Suzanne - 3.5 2. Master Song - 4.0 3. Winter Lady - 3.5 4. The Stranger Song - 4.0 5. Sisters of Mercy - 3.5 6. So Long, Marianne - 3.0 7. Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye - 3.5 8. Stories of the Street - 3.5 9. Teachers - 4.0 10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 3.5

Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye's chorus is one I find myself singing randomly. I first listened to this album when I was 17 and my parent's were going through a divorce. I think that is why I remember all of them so well. I love this album. There is some repetition, but I like that its intentional and a mood.

Nice and smooth sailing

Somewhat haunting at times, I was captivated by this. I hesitate to give 5 stars because I didn't fully digest the lyrics, but this is something I will revisit soon!

Much better than the later albums I have heard. Enjoyable in the right mood and setting. Lovely words.

Pretty good for a first album. But Cohen was, largely, a one trick pony, wasn't he? (A fair-to-good trick, to be fair. And in any case, I'm playing the man not the ball. And there is, too, Manhattan.)

Swaaaaagggggg

A stellar debut, superbly balancing minimal instrumentation with Cohen’s cryptic writings

Bongs of Leonard Smokin!!

The best lyricist to date on the album list. I was so drawn to the words. However, the albums is lacking musically with the guitar and vocal tracks missing something more to differentiate each recording.

"Suzanne" might be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. In my opinion it is his best song very closely followed by if not tied with "Hallelujah". The rest of the album is beautiful, albeit not nearly as special as the the first. While the second most popular song on the album, "So Long, Marianne" just didn't do it for me. It would have been strange buying "Suzanne" as a single and then experiencing that on the B-side. A beautiful album by an amazing songwriter.

+So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, Teachers -The Stranger Song Did I say all singer-songwriters sound pretty much the same? Well, I stand by that, but that's not a bad thing, either. Leonard Cohen takes his expertly-crafted poetry, and wraps it with a loving blanket of audio that effectively conjures up imagery of the story he's telling. So Long Marianne has that psychedelic, folksy, hippy-dippy feel that was prevalent of the era, but none of what's here is that. It's all very melodic and engaging; You can't help but to listen to Cohen's tale.

Wait... Is every Leonard Cohen song the same? Fast triplets on a classical guitar or slow strumming and one of the most monotome voices in the world. 4, for suzanne though And I'm sure it grows on me

Cette version vivante de Leonard Cohen est bien plus convaincante que celle en décomposition entrevue sur l'album You Want It Darker. Un point à prendre en compte pour les futurs artistes décédés.

The voice and the tunes, always a great listen

Importante para conhecer melhor a obra, e não fica apenas nos hits.

Ovi tekstovi jaoo. Suzanne mi je jako lijepa pjesma. I da stvarno izgleda ko Adam Sandler.

Opuštajući, lagan album od Leonarda poete. ALbum koji više paše na tmurno/kišovito pa čak i noćno vrijeme nego obrnuto (jesenska aura). I da, na coveru izgleda kao Adam Sendler.

Very good album

Nice, prefer his voice here to his later stuff that I’ve heard, though admittedly I haven’t paid much attention to that yet.

Very simple yet beautiful my fav track was Suzanne

The voice & soul of Hallelujah.

That brilliantly miserable bastard.

More lovely acoustic singer-songwriter ish stuff. A big gap between the great songs and the good ones though.

He’s really good as usual

Sounding like a man whose lived and then some, there is an appealing simplicity to the music and a frustrating complexity to the lyrics which renders Cohen a little elusive at times. For a musician where the poetry really matters, there is also something to be said for letting the music wash over you in a mood, although, in truth, if you do this, you may commit the heresy of thinking all the tracks sound alike.

I listened to this a few times before.

Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen (1967) Now this is a fine anti-pop record. Leonard Cohen’s debut album contains the mesmerizing “Suzanne” and several other top quality tracks. And there’s nothing here that is uninteresting. It’s helpful to be aware when approaching this album that Cohen was a recognized (if only modestly successful) poet and novelist before he was a singer/songwriter. In fact, he had already been featured on Six Montreal Poets (1957), a spoken word album with Cohen reciting his poetry on eight of the forty-three tracks. And it’s also helpful to keep in mind that Cohen is consciously and unapologetically Jewish, unafraid of expressing both his faith and his doubt in a predominantly Christian environment—he draws freely, imaginatively, and sometimes critically from images in the gospels. So in Songs of Leonard Cohen, the poet picks up the guitar and gives the listener compositions with well-matched chord progressions and near perfect poetic cadences. The album was recorded and released with the encouragement of Judy Collins during a period when Cohen was hanging out with Andy Warhol/Nico/Velvet Underground crowd. So one should be neither surprised nor put off by the surrealism of his songs (although it’s ironic that such an ‘anti-pop’ album would emerge from a community known for ‘pop art’). He is supported by delicate backing vocals (sometimes, as in “So Long, Marianne”, very 60s-ish) and sensitive if sometimes idiosyncratic instrumentals. The opening track “Suzanne” features haunting if perplexing sentiments of the listener’s need for trust, longing for love, and being commensurate with nature. The mysterious, “half crazy”, and entrancing Suzanne is juxtaposed with reflections on the “almost human” Jesus, who “sinks beneath your wisdom like a stone”. Beware of over-confident declarations of the symbolic meanings. It is deliberately opaque and provocatively obscure, but vivid nonetheless. Cohen’s voice provides a soft, pulsing dynamism to his words, but lacks tonal precision. Melodies are a conventional and unenigmatic mismatch with his most enigmatic lyrics. His guitar stylings are unexceptional, and lacking in variety. But these musical weakness serve to drive the listener to the lyrics, always delivered with understated power and authority. These tracks beg for a slow listen, without distraction, perhaps while feeding on “tea and oranges that come all the way from China”. Highly recommended. 4/5

Pleasant, good words, half-decent melodies; I liked it.

I don't think any of the songs on this qualify as "flaming shits" as the original Rolling Stone review reportedly said 3 did. Several I think qualify for Chris Knox's lyrical dig at Cohen's tendency to "try to make a song out of speech". The big songs on the album sre of course among the best in any league. Extra star for a debut with such an absolutely distinctive voice.

nem comecei e já suspeito que vou gostar... veremos! É bom, não pirei mas gostei

Very nice :)

First time listen - loved the stripped back simplicity of the folk. Will be listening again to really dig deeper into the lyrical content

4/5

Seriously strong songwriting let down by dull delivery.

This is just the same song ten times and I love it.

I have definitely become more familiar with Leonard Cohen through this 1001 project. I had never listened to this album, although I was familiar with a couple of the songs. I like the album fine, but I found that the tracks lack variety...maybe even hearing similar musical themes on later albums. So, I tended not to love the album.

Interesting to listen to Cohen's first album not long after listening to his last. Not a lot of variety in this one --- most of the songs are easy to mistake for Suzanne. But Suzanne is a lovely song so not much harm in that.

I started this album with trepidation because I absolutely loved the album YOU WANT IT DARKER from but really didn’t connect with SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE from 1971. I wasn’t sure where I might fall on an album from 1967… “Suzanne” started and I immediately recognized it. I was familiar with the cover version by Judy Collins. I love this song, and the instrumentation and backup vocals were good. I really liked this song. "Master Song" followed up with a really interesting song that I also liked pretty well. Again it had arrangements that kept the interest level up for me. Great lyrics on this too, as on all the songs on this album. As the album continued it was clear this fell somewhere between the two previous Cohen albums I listened to. Parts of it were a little repetitive, but after listening to the album several times I started to pick up more of the lyrics and that made the repetitive parts more interesting. My favorite song was "So Long, Marianne" but other standouts were "Sisters of Mercy," "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye," and "Stories of the Street." Cohen's delivery of these songs appealed to me much more than "Songs of Love and Hate." Still not quite "You Want It Darker," but I enjoyed this album.

Definite shades of 60s folk which made it sound derivative but lyrics and complexity made up for it

Dude looks like Adam Sandler. I wonder who pulls more strange.

Leonard Cohen is the man. One of the best songwriters who ever lived, and this might be his best album.

he is an acquired taste that took me decades to acquire. his songs are still done better by other artists.

Canada’s Bob Dylan. National Treasure. Icon. This is a wonderful debut album, it’s emotionally driven and poignant music.

Great artist. Very compromised with his epoch

A warm autumn's afternoon of a listen

pretty good. I can see where a lot of the stuff from bob Dylan comes from

I had never heard this before. Very nice work

That's more like it

Very graceful/ quaint album. First time hearing his stuff. I did appreciate it, as I found it comforting and definitely peaceful for the ears. Describe him as a combination of Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond. No tracks, I can say, stood out. As they flow fluently amongst each other. Suzana although, sets the mood well. Only issue with this is, it ain't that experimental. All the tracks sound the say, stylistically. Country. Country. Country. Just wish it would've tried something different in terms of instrumentals, as all Cohen uses is a guitar. Still reccomend tho, for those gentle souls out there.

un álbum muy bueno en general. tiene una vibra particular que llega muy profundo, y sus letras son completas obras maestras. a pesar de que las canciones pueden llegar a sonar repetitivas, creo que cada una tiene su toque especial y en conjunto conforman un muy buen trabajo.

Debut album of Leonard Cohen. Melancholic 1967 folk. The album was more popular in Europe. It spent over a year on the UK album charts.

cohen was one hell of a poet. i've always thought so but it's been a while since i sat and listened to this cover to cover and it's kind of devastating to be reminded of it

klassisk, har lavet bedre, men dæleme god

I guess I knew of Leonard Cohen, but I never knew anything about him. This album was an enjoyable introduction, but boy did it feel like a lot to deal with. The lyrics are dense and left me with a sense that I barely had a grasp on how to handle the english language. I was impressed with the elaborate storytelling of every song and I defintely couldn't just passively listen. Rather each song pulled me in and nearly forced me to delve into it's narrative. What I felt the music lacked was an emotional connection that existed on an involuntary level. The connection required work.

Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album by Canadian folk singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on December 27, 1967, on Columbia Records. Less successful in the US than in Europe, Songs of Leonard Cohen foreshadowed the kind of chart success Cohen would go on to achieve. Cohen had received positive attention from critics as a poet and novelist but had maintained a keen interest in music, having played guitar in a country and western band called the Buckskin Boys as a teenager. In 1966, Cohen set out for Nashville, where he hoped to become a country songwriter, but instead got caught up in New York City's folk scene. The album received mixed reviews at the time of its release, with Arthur Schmidt of Rolling Stone writing, "There are three brilliant songs, one good one, three qualified bummers, and three flaming shits."

This is the second Leonard Cohen album I've gotten on this list. I will say I have have trouble distinguishing one Cohen album from another, since they tend to have a similar sound. However, I always enjoy the experience. He's both a gifted singer and a gifted songwriter 4/5

So Long, Marianne is too much of a sentimental favorite for me to be in any way objective about this album. He can be pretty rambly and I wonder if he really wanted to be a singer at all. Maybe he really just wanted to write and this is what started paying first. Regardless, he's one of a kind and I can't fault any of this. I like the whole dark vibe even if I don't get into some of the songs themsevles. But also, the way the Master Song ends, just so suddenly... I love all that.

Gimme “The Stranger Song” all day long. Love it. And look at that dude on the cover! He’ll either kill you or sell you a car. Maybe both. Great marketing.

Peak singer-songwriter that could only compete with the likes of Van Morrison or Nick Drake. Storytelling technique is engaging and clear, a very difficult skill to master when it comes to songwriting. The highlights are "Suzanne" (my favorite Cohen song that reminds me of Sufjan) and "So Long Marianne" (the most accessible to audiences, and the deepest display of emotion; I love how he diverges from the chorus). "The Master" is a personal favorite due to how mysterious in nature it is. Every time I listen to it I pick it new details piecing together what the song is really about. No poor songs, just some less interesting ones. Now a compilation of Cohen's best songs would surely deserve a perfect score out of me (except his hit "Hallelujah"; I hate that song).

Not an ideal Tuesday soundtrack but beautiful nonetheless

Gentle and nice