Songs Of Leonard Cohen

One of the greatest folk albums ever. Absolutely beautiful. Suzanne is one of my favorite songs ever. 9/10 1. Suzanne 2. Sisters of Mercy 3. Master Song

Beautiful, haunting, above my mental pay grade

Mijn moeder draaide dit plaatje altijd grijs. Ik had vooral een hekel aan Suzanne. Blijkt nu toch best een goed nummer en een leuk plaatje. Jezus, wat worden we oud!

Mooi, mooi, mooi.

Great storytelling and captivating melodies

Nice chill folk with great lyrics and occasional instrumental flourishes that really bring it together. Another one I should probably pick up on wax.

Great lyrics and storytelling, fantastic vocals, deep and personal, introspective yet inviting

nice guitar stuff

Classic Cohen, Master Song has mesmerizing guitar and Hey, that's no way to say goodbye is one that makes it in my Cohen favorites.

7/10

I’m the same as he was when this came out, his debut album. Wild. Obviously, he’s a great songwriter. Not the best singer, but his voice works well for his music. This album kinda seems perfect for a wistful, sunny summer day.

Great lyricist

I have listened to this album many, many times and it's one of my favorites.

I really only knew Cohen for Hallelujah which is a bit genre-less in it's ubiquity but really enjoyed this album! I like his story telling melodies and voice. Would like to learn and listen more.

A really really pleasant surprise - great lyrics and melody that sticks - will explore more - could see this getting a better rating after more listens

Laughing Len's debut. Classic. Best Tracks: Suzanne, So Long Marianne, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Love early Leonard Cohen

amazing

Het is Cohen dus je weet wat je kan verwachten! Ik vind het wel de moeite waard

It’s good. There are some really beautiful songs on here especially in the second half but as an album it didn’t really hold my attention. 3.5

Apparently I should listen to more Leonard Cohen. I liked the album as a whole, and So Long, Marianne really got me. 4+

nice album, i dont know why but i really like this album and i cant really tell why. bit of the same each song but still weirdly good

Enjoyed this. A lot simpler than his later work and it benefits because of it. Suzanne and So long Marianne are stone cold classics. Poetic rather than melodic but that his style and it works. 4/5

Jamás un disco que escucharía por iniciativa propia, pero me gustó. Tiene una vibra melancolía-wholesome. Creo que la canción que más me gustó fue Master Song, desde la tensión que crea la guitarra hasta lo bien que queda el canto con ello, es hasta un poco dark digamos; me pareció la más interesante del disco en cuestión acústica. En cuanto a letras, no tengo idea. Mood: Sadness trascendental folk

Nice. Very cute beautiful nice well made little songs. It's not something I would listen to but if you consider when it was made, it's realllly good. Great debut by Leonard Cohen.

Cohen's quiet intensity, expressed forcefully through his poetic lyrics, clear baritone, simple flamenco-esque fingerpicking guitar, spare production. Beautiful.

Still Leonard Cohen, still good. I like his voice more here but the production quality is obviously lower. He's got some strange lyrics too but that's just Leonard Cohen.

Senación tranquila.

Leonard Cohen también me intimida porque mucha gente dice que ufff, que wow y no sé qué más, pero a mí nunca me ha llamado mucho. El disco está lindo, me gusta su voz, eso sí y muy buen letrista. Las canciones que me gustaron fueron "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne", "Teachers" y "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong". 7.5/10

He calms me I like him

Liked it more than I thought I would, had a very cohesive feel to the album as a whole

Flott album! Litt synd at favorittlåt av Cohen everybody knows ikke er med her. Og avslutningen på sistelåt høres ut som noen fulle sjømenn på nachspiel.

Not bad. I didn't know that "The Stranger Song" was by Cohen, I only knew the version by Guilt Machine.

So this is what singer songwriters are aiming for

A bit hard to get into it but then : oh baby what a smooth ride.

Enjoyed the intimate aesthetic of the album, the storytelling was brilliant.

Phenomenal, definitely will come back and listen to. His story telling is great especially with his voice that almost is drained of care

Very similar to the Randy Newman I had a couple days prior. Strong lyrics and melodies, singular voice.

Less is more

This is one melancholy dude

Fenomenalan. Stari lisac razbija

I like him, a bit slow, but it's good imo

+

sad, but i do like sad.

Weird.

Great lyrics, a little repetitive, 3.5/5

Great collection of his songs!

Well worth a relisten

8/10 FT: The Stranger Song

Closer to 3.5-3.7

a lot of bible references? master song and the stranger song i like the style and lyrics are very curious

A pleasant singer songwrighter album. Well written and a soothing listen. 3.4/5.

Can't explain it, but i feel like I joined a cult

Great and legendary songwriter. These songs are more like poems set to music. They’re all good, but after a whole album, they start to sound the same. A 3.

This isn't bad music, but just doesn't resonate with me it's unremarkable in the background and is ok but not great.

3 - decent

Sleepy folk music that is perfect for a Sunday morning. Some of the songs are monotonous but the album contains a few of the best songs he has ever written - "Suzanne" and "So Long Marianne", in particular. Solid, but not spectacular...perhaps something you hear before you die.

Good but boring (to me)

fue relajante

Good, but a little too sad for me right now. I appreciate the lyricism, but after about 4 songs or so I'm pretty bored with it.

I enjoyed this a lot more than the 80s Cohen album I previously encountered from the list. If I had discovered this around the time I discovered Dylan in high school, I would be more attached to it.

Decent but don’t think I’ll revisit really

A tough one to rate, as Leonard Cohen’s music seems to really polarise opinion. I liked some of the music - Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Suzanne - and his early career voice was certainly also much better than I’ve heard on other later songs. However, as an album it can drag a bit in places and . So a low 3 overall.

Leonard Cohen's voice certainly did not improve with age, in this album his voice is still young and fresh, a big plus. He certainly could wright some song lyrics. The overall sound is not something I'm completely in love with, although I've heard the album before, as one of my sons has it on vinyl.

Eh

Fairly ok, excellent voice!

i feel like i’m disrespecting Piero Scaruffi

One of the most normal Cohen albums. Wasn’t bad. Very relaxing.

It's a bit repetitive after a while. 2.5

He's very good at what he is doing but thoses songs aren't really my thing.

Amazing how high his vocal range is here compared to future songs. So Long Marianne a standout track. Always loved the folksy dream-like qualities of these earlier recordings. Like hearing classic literature as music

This is better than a lot of the "guy with a guitar" from this era, but I prefer his later work. 3.5 rounded down.

If you like your songs to be filled with religious motifs and to not vary in tone, then boy, is this the album for you! 2.5 stars rounding up.

I know the famous Hallelujah and You Want it Darker, so was expecting the gravelly voice, and disappointed he didn't always sound like that. However the guitar playing is extremely cool and the songs do sound good. Teachers is probably my favourite 3 stars

Sometimes his voice creates a great atmosphere (telling stories at the campfire) and other times it distracts—some of his songs seem to want a more melodic voice. Would happily listen to again but wouldn’t go out of my way for. Some tracks overstay their welcome and not a lot stands out, but So Long, Marianne was delightful. Rating: 3

Theoretically I should love Leonard Cohen. But his voice bugs me, and I don’t find most of the music interesting. I think if he had confined himself to writing lyrics and left the music and singing to other people I would probably be a fan. I can’t really see myself choosing to listen this again.

A bit miserable but lovely lyrics

Not bad just kinda boring

A classical album featuring two classics, in my opinion, and otherwise more of the same. It’s lovely music, so I’m giving it 3 stars…

Leonard Cohen is a source of pride for Canadians and Montrealers, and I can see why after listening to his debut album here. I don't have the best education on his music, and I was more familiar with his later, raspy years. Sidenote - at first glance, I thought the album of the day was songs by Leonard Nemoy. I'm so glad I read it wrong.

good folk music! it's not really the type of stuff i listen to, but the storytelling is really good. definitely a great album within the genre

Bro IS by the campfire and telling stories.

Okay, 4 Cohen album are pretty excessive ...

This was not bad for a debut album. Cohen tends to ramble a bit in these songs. Don't go into this expecting typical song structure or rhyme scheme. Some songs are catchy, but this album mostly shows the potential for the songwriter.

So much done with so little. As for the music, I like the production ideas often more than the actual execution of them. Sometimes it works, and there’s some very original ideas there, other times it just sounds cheesy or dated. As for the lyrics, woah. It’s hard giving this 3 stars because the poetry is, well it’s often great. But as an all around album it’s an experiment that doesn’t fully work. There are major tracks on here though, stories that one could spend a long time exploring, and my interest in Cohen is massively peaked

Some really nice songs in here that I already knew, and some other ones that are quite good, butttt some others that sound really similar that aren't as good

Decent. Enjoyed this more than usual for a Cohen album

Again, I think I prefer Cohen's songwriting to his performance; there always seems to be a version of one of his songs that I greatly prefer - in this case it's Courtney Barnett's cover of So Long Marianne, which is great.

I'm not really interested in scrutinizing the lyrics, might be higher or lower

Creo que cumple con un buen álbum de folk, este genero no es totalmente mi fuerte, pero siempre se puede apreciar, creo que es un buen álbum.

I guess it was nice to listen to, and his lyrics are very poetic, but it's just not my cup of tea. All of the songs were very similar in tempo, tone and subject matter and none were particularly interesting musically

A lot different than I was expecting. A calmer voice in his earlier days and folksier. Great songwriting. Highlights: "The Stranger Song" and "Stores of the Street"

First Listen; 3.5; While this is a little slow and not terribly diverse, what is here and what is done is done really well. I really enjoy the lyrics/storytelling. I don't know exactly how, but it is a very affecting album. Very intimate. An album that I am glad is on this like and one I will probably listen to again. Favorite Track: Suzanne

not my style but its good, reminds me of childhood for some reason.

Great vocals and a great lyricist. Definitely has some of that 60s folk vibe as well, which I definitely appreciate and those bands were such an influence in rock, it's just something I usually don’t listen to. It was still a good album though.

во-первых 67) во-вторых скучненько, реально как сегодня в обсуждении было сказано музыка для вязания но не так плохо как вчера

A little too dark and melody-less for my tastes

The faint screams from One of Us Cannot Be Wrong really hit.

There are some bangers on there I must say, such as So, Long, Marianne. But prob not really my vibe

Probably better if you take the time to fully listen to the lyrics and stuff. I listened to it while cooking dinner so couldn't do that and then found it just got kind of samey after a while

He may be a genius but he does go on a bit. Good vocals, average songs, weak arrangements.

Reminded me of Dylan in some ways. Lyrics were good throughout. Musically bland at times and decent at others.

High number of unique words, interesting story telling. Just a hair pretentious. Well produced but his voice is just a little grating.

I managed to listen through and like a couple of songs were quite catchy, but I didn't overly like the lyrics or the way they didn't really fit.

Such a gorgeous album. Leonard Cohen is so lovely to listen to. Fav song is ‘Winter Lady’.

- That guitar and how Leonard is playing it while singing just sounds really lovely. - I really liked Suzanne’s and Masters song accompanying instruments - Bible references in some songs - Songs so narrative I’m daydreaming animated music videos

Not for me but not bad

The man is a gifted storyteller and musician and every song is like hearing someone sing a tale to you. But I had a hard time relating emotionally to his lyrics, so I can appreciate his artistry and also say that this album is not for me.

Leonard Cohen is a storyteller and a poet, but he'd not a great singer and he's not a great musician. This album is something you should read, not something you should listen to. Ive got two of his albums this week and I figured out I don't have to take Ambien, I can just let Leonard put me to sleep with bedtime stories. Im rating this one a 3 and the other one a 2, because this one seems better even though they're pretty much identical. The 3 is for the lyrics alone, but musically it is dull.

I like the overall vibes.

This was my second listen to this one and I didn't rate it very high the first time. I think I was busy and not paying much attention on that listen. This time I focused on the music and it was much better than I gave it credit for, Cohen is a good songwriter and his voice is warm. There are a handful of really good songs, with Teachers being phenomenal. It is still a bit too slow paced for me to sit through the whole 41 minutes, but I will be adding a few of these songs to my streaming playlist.

Suzanne // 3.5/5

Too religiousy for me

3,5

Good and pleasant album with few hiccups. Solid 3/5.

Sad. Beautiful acoustic guitar depresses me infinitely. Top song: hey no that’s no way to say goodbye. Good album wouldn’t listen again in full unless feeling very melancholy.

En av vår tids mest överskattade. Ett barn jämfört med Bob Dylans alster. Hursomhelst trallvänligt i moll.

Svag trea

Basic nice

pretty

Loved the Gothic sound style, guitar felt kinda meh. First half of album was ok, really loved 'So long, Marianne,' 'Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye,' 'Stories of the Street,' and 'One of Us Cannot Be Wrong.'

Sleepy good

There is something endearing about Cohen with his haunting vocals and tight songwriting. I spent most of my time listening to this thinking I recognise the songs but don’t know where from. I guess he is often imitated? Ultimately the songs and album don’t really get going and have limited appeal.

Nothing objectionable. Boring in general.

Se siente como un recuerdo.

It's nice...

mme, ni fu ni fa

-the songs are nice.. i could feel my attention wandering away from it at times. not sure if it was because of me or the album. i love cohen's lyrics, and i like his minimalist approach to music, but sometimes it doesn't quite land for me.

Like

Han lyder godt i sine unge dage! Stemmen er mere min stil end det heeeelt bassede i moderne tid, og albummet lød bare rigtig fedt. En stor stor 3'er, lige på nippet, 3.5

This is so much better than Songs of Love and Hate, what the heck?! I took my time getting to this one because I didn't want to deal with it after how much I disliked the last album I got by him, but this is actually pretty good! It's 3.5, I'll probably round down because I don't think I'll come back to it much, but I could just as easily go up to 4. Also, what's up with the Adam Sandler picture on the cover, am I right?

3/5 It has some raw moments where his voice can expand or twitch and it really reflects authenticity. It has thoughtful songwriting that I might have not been able to appreciate in just a day. This album might grow on me as I age. Simple, thoughtful. I really liked that song about Marianne.

I can hear poetry in the lyrics here, but the voice and arrangements are so sparse it’s almost cold. I suspect I’d like it more if I listened a few more times

The music is fine, with moments of brilliance here and there. Cohen's vocals are a little underwhelming for me. "So Long, Marianne" is the best song by a good bit. "Teachers" is the worst. I enjoyed the music well enough, but Cohen is a bit boring for me. It was alright, but certainly not enough to convert me.

Pretty great songwriting- not a whole lot melodically so I am kind of uninterested overall, but you'd be a fool to deny he was a talented lyricist and guitarist.

Content d’écouter un album de Cohen C’est bien mais ça me retourne pas

It was alright. There was a couple good songs I forgot the names of. Overall, I would give it a 3.5/5!

Pretty, calm, a bit pretentious. Still, nice to have on in the background while working. Rating: 6/10 Favorite Song: Suzanne

I did think it this was pretty dull, as with all the cohen we've had so far - perhaps with the exception of that synth album a while back - but his voice was the strongest i think its been on any of the albums. So while not on the pony express, I was pleasantly impressed here. So long marianne was my highlight track

3/5

unfortunate reality is I constantly confuse this man with Lynard Skynyrd Went in only knowing Suzanne. I’m enjoying this, mellow easy, likely never to be listened to again 😂 Oh he's canadian! Omg he went to McGill 💀 Okay English major poet king becoming a musician in his 30s! I was handsome l was strong I knew the words of every song "Did my singing please you?" "No, the words you sang were wrong" HA folk music is funny Listening to some later songs and sir where did this deep af voice come from

Favorite songs: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long, Marianne, Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye, Stories of the Street, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong Like Dylan I think sometimes I prefer other people's versions of his songs.

Equal parts haunting and pleasant, oddly enough. Definitely unique but not sure I would revisit.

I generally don't listen to too much singer/songwriter stuff. I generally appreciated the songs with a bit more instrumentation. So Long, Marianne was my favorite.

Mooie vertelling, wel iets te christelijk

I am afraid I just don't get the paroxysms of fervour the Leonard Cohen seems to inspire. Certainly some great lyrical twists and turns and the melancholy sound and delivery is always entertaining. So Long, Marianne and That's No Way to Say Goodbye are standouts for me, but I can't get all hot under the collar about the album.

Not my type of music, but is good.

It's okay. I don't think I was feeling it. There's a lot of emotion in it but it felt too tame for me.

His voice is so calming, and feels almost nostalgic?

Pas désagréable mais assez osef, hormis "So Long, Marianne" qui sort un peu du lot. Sûrement une tuerie pour qui aime la poésie anglophone (pas moi).

For me, when his songs are satisfying musically as well as lyrically they're mind-blowing, but when they're just streams of poetry backed by guitar, not so much so. Pretty impressive for a debut album though.

only got halfway through. great music but it is not happy. 3/5 cause that's all the effort i'm putting in this. i may relisten to the whole thing later

On another of his albums in the 1001 I referred to him as being obviously an acquired taste. This album reinforces that opinion.

isnt my type

I’m not really into fault but it was OK I’ll give it like a three.

3.5

7.5/10

pior que o vozerão nem tinha se formado como uma característica dele ainda nesse né mas eh decente. folkzim, os instrumento tranquilim e o mano soltando as letra mais baixo astral do mundo. apesar de não ser mto minha pira, eu achei bacana até

He sure says a lot of words. And plays a lot of guitar. The Canadian Bob Dylan. But not as good. To be a fair judge, I'd have to stop everything else and sit and listen to all those words, which I'm not inclined to do. I didn't hate this, not at all. Between a 3 and a 4. "Suzanne" I already knew, and it's a good one. I'd do a 3.5, but I'm struggling to give it a 4. So, 3 it is. Sorry, Leonard. I'm not your best audience.

Someone called Leonard Cohen the Shakespeare of pop music, and at first glance that sounds fitting. However, I’m not aware of whether Shakespeare himself always played the leading roles in his plays. On his debut album *Songs of...*, Leonard Cohen focused almost exclusively on writing the lyrics. Those lyrics, however, actually deserved better music—and that music, in turn, deserved a better voice. Unfortunately, this is a phenomenon I’ve observed in many singer-songwriters in this project. It’s a shame—there could be so many better albums out there.

An enjoyable folky album that goes to capture depth of human feeling rather than make political statements and such. Cohen can paint a picture with his words and round out the vibe with the vocal sound and music. Every song probably has something worthwhile in it, though this is an album I think needs to grow on someone. Stuck between a 3 and 4, my initial listen seemed a clear 3 but my appreciation had grown by the end of the day. I’ll still stay there for now, but could revisit.

the guitar was tranquil, the lyrics were lovely, no complaints, def not a 4 though

It was fine Fav song: Teachers

no hallelujah 0/10

album #19 I like Leonard Cohen:) ꩜ average track rating: 0.0/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): ꩜ least favourite track(s): ꩜ album rating: ★★★☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,070 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 9 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 3 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 14

Enjoyable and very peaceful, solid listen but would not sought it out.

Leonard Cohen's debut features the trademarks that would be common on this albums. The music is minimal, with repeated melodies backing the songs with little interruption. The trumpet on "Master Song" is subtle but stands out due to the lack of such flourishes on other songs. The lyrics are detailed and evocative, coming across as poetry set over music. That density makes me feel this would work better as poetry than music. The lyrics are great, but so complex that digesting everything while listening is difficult; I'd rather read these words and have time to let them sink in. "Suzanne," especially the second verse, is beautiful, and the backing vocals on "So Long, Marianne" are also a highlight. But too much of the rest sounds too similar and slight.

This just didn't really make me feel much of anything

A really decent album. Nice debut. Decent 3

Some fab chord progressions but overall not my favorite.

I've only heard his later stuff, so I found it interesting how his voice has changed over the years and how he built his music around the sound of his voice.

Otro álbum para pasarla chill

Obviously a very talented storyteller and lyricist, but musically this puts me to sleep. I can respect the talent but I won't be putting this on again.

Songs seem strong, but vocal range is small and difference between songs appears minimal. Suzanne will always remind me of Plan B.

I love Leonard, but I’ve never been able to get into this album. Not sure why. Too folky? Too quiet? It’s missing a gravitas i expect. I know that’s because this is his debut and rarely does any artist arrive fully formed. I can hear what I love about latter Leonard Cohen forming in these tracks, but I can’t give full marks. 3.5/5

actually kinda beautiful....not sure why my other thoughts didn't save but liked the one w strangers in the title :)

nice sound, songs kinda got repetitive by the end lyrics were kinda odd/didn’t melodies for me

Je ne savais pas que je connaissais déjà cet album... il me rappelle mon amoureux

3.5/5 don't think I get it

Not my favourite Leonard Cohen album, but still pretty good - and an interesting glimpse at the birth of an artist in the process of inventing himself. I’ve always loved Cohen’s sullen, flat delivery. I totally understand how it would sound like spoken word to some people ; but for me, it lends an almost ceremonial dimension to his music. He’s also one of the only lyricists I can tolerate in the “singer-songwriter” genre, with his wonderfully dark and soulful tone. His debut album is certainly not without flaws – Leonard Cohen didn’t know he was Leonard Cohen yet, and his voice hadn’t fully matured. He was still working under the shadow of the 60s folk revival, trying to be some kind of biblical version of Bob Dylan. The instrumental parts are a bit basic, with very average guitar work. But Cohen is already starting to introduce the quasi-religious choruses, violins and keyboards that will later define his best creations, and his themes of predilection are already well fleshed-out. The sombre and haunting mood he’s trying to convey is still hit-or-miss - but when it succeeds, it cuts deep. 5/10

Leonard Cohen is a classic, and compared to the album from this weekend it suddenly feels deep and dark, miles away from yesterday’s squirrels. I don’t know Cohen’s work that well, but this is basically what I hope to hear when I put on one of his records.

3.9

I like this album so far

Dropping this in the late 60s just adds another layer to that folk sound of the day. I'm not certain it was his intention but So Long, Marianne is catchy as any pop jam at that time. This is as strong a debut as any artist can get.

esta bueno,muy tranquilo

Have I ever heard this before? - it sounds sort of familiar, and yet not at the same time Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, Goodbye - wow! I'll take this over Bob Dylan and Paul Simon when I need some 60's folk guitar And not as gloomy as some of his later stuff

60s folk rock. Debut. Gentle folk album, nice voice. A bit one-note.

It's more like spoken word poetry than music at times. Gonna need a few more listens to appreciate the lyrics and the allusions but dig it

The album is a bit sleepy, But you got to respect the songwriting and lyricism here. It's a chill and peaceful listen that is good for certain moods and weather.

I can’t shake the sense that he’s making each lyric up on the spot. It’s fine but once was enough

good background listening

The Stranger Song

Fav is “So long, Marianne”

Such a cornerstone.

Kreeg een beetje Boudewijn de Groot vibes van, af en toe worden er een beetje cheesy achtige geluiden gebruikt, stijkers, hoge stemmetjes. Maar hier kan Bruce Springsteen nog een puntje aan zuigen, de liedjes hebben duidelijk meer inhoud, t gitaarspel klinkt ook fijn. prima plaat 3 sterren.

Nice. Languid. 3 stars

Really nice lyrics. Melodic folk sad boy vibes. Lamented, danced, pranced, sat, and swayed to this in my backyard. "But the room just filled up with mosquitoes / They heard that my body was free"

OK

It just sounds a lot like bob dylan, unfortunately. It isn't bad! But his later stuff sounds much more unique.

Not for me

Very similar to Bob Dylan but less whiny. I suppose I need to read the lyrics. Nothing outstanding musically on first two listens.

very pretty, story telling, although I do sometimes think of a newer version of story telling (Taylor Swift) with a similar style of singing perhaps

Music when we were young. So many memories of a time we crew up.

Sad man in a cliff vibes

Very cohen but nothing on the album that grabs you by the short and curlies

In my last review I said that I find folk pretty dull and repetitive but this is an exception in my opinion. It feels pretty sincere and I felt like there is definitely more to it than most contemporary folk albums.

I've heard Suzanne covered by someone. Lyrics are amazing in all the songs. It's really well done, but I'd prefer the songs interspersed with something more upbeat. Reminiscent of Bob Dylan.

I can recognise his ability but I find his songs a bit slow for me.

This was ok got a bit meh at the end

Its been a few years since I've heard this one. I find him to be much more of a poet than a musician. That is still true but I certainly appreciated this much more this time around.

BEST SONGS: - So Long, Marianne - Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbay

precisely okay. mostly i think this is not something that overly interested me, or perhaps i was just not in the mood for it, as i can see why someone would enjoy this a lot. cohen has a nice calming voice over top very relaxing instrument. his lyricism and general style to me feels more evocative of poetry than traditional songwriting, such is how folk often leans. all of these broadly blur together in a way that makes me want to sleep, but it's Nice to listen to at least.

My favorite Cohen is You Want it Darker, I wouldn't say this is the kinda music I would listen to on a regular basis though. I certainly don't hate it, but its not exactly the most exciting album I've ever heard. Depending on the day I imagine this'd either be contemplative or downright boring, but today I do feel more the former. I've seen some people in the reviews on the site say "just write poetry", which is a common thing levied at spoken word folk, but to me this really does blur the lines between being a music album and a poetry reading with musical accompaniment. I think if you're open minded to the idea of that, which tbh its understandable why many people aren't, there's at least something to find here. My favorite two songs is probably "the stranger song", which I interpret as a sad look at the cycle of women who are used in relationships by men and "hey, that's no way to say goodbye" which I think is complemented by the backing singing pretty well. It isn't incredible, it kind of dragged for me and if someone hated it I'd be like "that tracks" but I thought it was fine.

Cool

The songwriting is good. The stories are great. Musically, I appreciate the haunting, beautiful sad vibe, but at other times bored. Perhaps this record asks for your full attention, which I am unable to give today, only picking some of the pieces of the puzzle. There's no doubt that the ceiling of this album is higher than I am giving it credit for, but this is my first listen. There is a type of record, which I find difficult to rate, which I describe as a masterpiece in which I don't yet love. This project is exposing my bi-polar relationship with rating music.

Totally agree with ksigz about the songs - great poet, great songwriter, but 60's Leonard singing is torture to me. Love 80's Leonard once the ciggies and whiskies did their work. (it's fun to search just about any song on this album on Spotify and hear better singers bring game to what great songs they are)

They kind of all sound the same, don’t they?

I felt this one was really mid. I'm learning that I just don't love his music

Not my favorite of Leonards albums thus far. Felt like the other albums we've had thus far just had more to offer. To be fair I wasn't paying all that close attention to the lyrics on this one, which I think is important with his music, as storytelling is a key factor. But one mustn't forget about the instrumentation and I felt as though it took more of a backseat on this one aside from So Long, Marianne, which was by far my favorite on the album. Also, the wailing on the last song was unnecessary Leonard... whatever that was... Idk...

I thought I liked Cohen for a bit when I was 17, but it wore off quite quickly. I do enjoy his final album, but also feel he has a lot to answer for in influencing Nick Cave's overly melodramatic oeuvre.

not bad for Leonard

1,001 albums and I get three Leonard Cohen in a week. Not bad, but not his best.

I guess it’s ok , but a little boring for me

Alright singer songwriter. I think I liked a different album from this list better. This one sets a certain mood and vibe that I wasn't in the mood for but it wasn't a bad album

I couldn't listen to the entire album, but I really liked what I heard. nothing out of this world but some very special lyrics and rhythms, I had never heard them before, and some very catchy ones.

Fint

Double feature?! Lät bättre än det förra.

Trevligt, men mindre trevligt direkt efter hans andra album.

Hade det inte varit dubbel-Cohen hade jag kanske satt högre. Det är fint, men det är också sömnigt i längden.

Leonard Cohen is so damn cool. It’s interesting to start on this and then listen to how his voice has changed over the years. But it’s also interesting to hear how the Leonard Cohen vibe doesn’t change much from record to record. This guy writes some sad, tortured bastard music, but I’m into it. 3.5/5

Ok

Nagyon nyugis vibe, jo dallamok, a mai kornak kicsit lassú, meglepően popos

This one is a project. Good though

Re chill. Me gustó. Lo volvería a escuchar.

+ Kul stemme, fin gitar, tror det er mye å hente i lyricsa. - Veldig repetativt, ikke så spennende, connecter ikke gelt med plata. 3/5 would buy the record on sale

3.3 I'm torn on this. Previously had a huge aversion to Leonard Cohen, felt like old sad bastard music. However, his first release I can see in a new light, it's less old, but still very much sad bastard. On the one hand it invites the listener in to read what are effectively his poetry. Reminds me a bit of the Freewheelin in that way. On the other hand, unlike the Freewheelin, none of the songs actually make me happy, make me enjoy the musicianship, make me laugh etc. If I'm going to listen to music when I'm feeling like wallowing in pity, there's a 1,001 albums ahead of this in the queue so I don't know where it fits in. I can appreciate the artistry, but it's just not doing too much for me.

I liked some of the songs here a decent amount, like Suzanne or The Stranger Song. But something about Leonard Cohen just makes me feel like I’m in church. The instrumental of Sisters of Mercy was probably the most interesting part.

You can definitely hear that Cohen has the same folk songwriting sensibilities that his contemporaries like Bob Dylan or Paul Simon. Once again though, I struggle with the disconnect of trying to have meaningful poetic lyrics juxtaposed against incredibly frantic instrumentals. They are often so fast and intricate that I would get distracted focusing on them, and realize I hadn’t been listening to the lyrics for some time. Maybe this is an album I need to give another listen to really digest, but for now it was fine.

Not my era but beautiful lyrics

The way Cohen is more a story-teller than a songwriter brings on a different listening experience that I wasn't used to. There's an ambiance that your brain isn't sure if it should focus on or not. I love the classical-inspired nylon guitar used in many of the songs. Like a mix of a bolero and corrido, I can't help but feel there's a lot of Spanish and Latin influence behind these songs, despite their distinctly western folk feel. "Sisters of Mercy" even utilizes some European folk instruments, indicative of the Renaissance fad of the 60s. Ultimately, what makes this album great is Cohen's song writing. At the end of the day, he's a poet and this album is pure poetry. "So Long, Marianne" was a favorite off this one. The lyric "You held onto me like I was a crucifix," sticks with me.

Leonard Cohen was a writer (poet if you must) - not a musician. That alone is not disqualifying for me, it could even bolster his place on the list. The problem for me is that rather than producing what may have been the first audiobook of Cohen poetry, we're given what everyone claims is a music album. If I review it as a music album, it is unadulterated trash. As a novel poetry concept, not for me, but actually fairly brilliant. Influence 4. Quality 3. Intangibles 3. Hits 3. No thanks, I choose life 1.

Maybe it was being in nature while listening to this album, but for a singer-songwriter album, I felt it was quite a pleasant listen. His voice is a lot nicer than it was in his recent few albums.

Liked the guitar but what was he talking about?

J'ai aimé ! Mais pas son meilleur album :)

This genre just wasn’t really for me. It was a nice album though.

Another Leonard Cohen album and better than the last, more recent one but still didn’t convert me. Just don’t like the vocal style and too many songs in 3/4 time!!

Yeah it was nice. Fairly one note but I appreciated the song writing. Never been too into him so it was good to listen to a full selection.

Very chill, melancholy vibes

6.5/10

enjoyed this much more than the other cohen one we listened too but still not my favorite

Good vibe, wish I had listened more closely

Leonard Cohen is a great songwriter but his music just doesn't move the needle for me

classic and calming

Mjög þægileg hlustun

A Street (2014) Alexandra Leaving (2001) Almost Like The Blues (2014) Amen (2012) Anthem (1992) Anyhow (2012) Ballad Of The Absent Mare (1979) Banjo (2012) Bird On The Wire (1969) Born In Chains (2014) Chelsea Hotel #2 (1974) Closing Time (1992) Come Healing (2012) Crazy To Love You (2012) Dance Me to the End of Love (1984) Darkness (2012) Different Sides (2012) Everybody Knows (1988) Famous Blue Raincoat (1971) Field Commander Cohen (1974) First We Take Manhattan (1988) Going Home (2012) Hallelujah (1984) Happens To The Heart (2019) I'm Your Man (1988) It Seemed the Better Way (2016) Joan Of Arc (1971) Listen To The Hummingbird (2019) Lullaby (2012) Master Song (1967) Moving On (2019) Nevermind (2014) Puppets (2019) Seems So Long Ago, Nancy (1969) Show Me The Place (2012) Sisters of Mercy (1967) Slow (2014) So Long, Marianne (1967) Suzanne (1967) Take This Longing (1974) The Future (1994) The Goal (2019) The Night of Santiago (2019) The Smokey Life (1979) The Stranger Song (1967) Tower of Song (1988) Traveling Light (2016) Treaty (2016) Waiting For The Miracle (1992) Winter Lady (1967) You Got Me Singing (2014) You Want It Darker (2016)

Middagsmusikk

Bon, Mr Cohen, c’est un incontournable effectivement, des pièces très belles et envolées poétiques et tout le tralala… certe, mais là, je vais reveal mon 1000e albums, pis j’le trouve un peu plate le Léonard, donc j’ai juste envie de générer le prochain album

Suzanne - Slow, melodic and vaguely religious. Master Song - Wistful and eerie. Feels like an adventure story told from an outsider's perspective. Gets dark towards the end. Winter Lady - Classic sad song. A bit generic The Stranger Song - Odd mixture of Bob Dylan and Jose Gonzalez vibes Sisters of Mercy - Nice use of bells and ratchets. Feels a bit like a RenFaire song So Long, Marianne - Sad love song about an Ex. Not bad in its own right. I really like the chorus. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - Lots of generic love songs. Stories of the Street - Fun little Western tune Teachers - Oddly dark song, a little disappointed it wasn't actually about teachers. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - Sad old man song

Naja. Verstehe warum Mans gehört haben muss, aber mit zu depri

I liked this album but I think I would prefer a greatest hits Leonard Cohen album better

Decent, a bit depressing

Very calming.

not really my cup of tea but iconic

I like the vibe, but I think Leonard Cohen just isn't for me.

Smooth. Easy listening and very cosy.

Kerronta on kovaa, tarinaa ja kielikuvia eikä tuo Cohen ole mikään huono laulajakaan.

C’est joli

I'm not really familiar with Leonard Cohen.....but he wrote Hallelujah. Yes, THAT Hallelujah......the one literally everyone in the world knows. This is a complete surprise because I thought this was one of those songs that was like hundreds of years old........apparently not. Written in 1984. The "hit" song on this album was Suzanne....which I do not get. I read that the first time he played it, the crowd went crazy. For this? I liked So Long Marianne better. This is as folk as folk can get really because it feels like he wrote poems and then started playing the guitar to it. So if you're into lyrical storytelling, this is probably a great album for you.... I don't know what was going on with One of Us Cannot Be Wrong with the background screaming. It seemed out of place and just weird. This song and Teachers were a weak end to the album. Overall, this album isn't for me, but he's a very poetic songwriter, which i'm sure a lot of people can appreciate.

Leonard's voice is one that can often be found narrating my dreams. Either ghoulish nightmares or an easy breezy afternoon in the shade. Never going out of my way to listen. Wasn't the worst, but still the adoration of this guy at times confuses me.

Debut album. Folk. My second Cohen album in four days. More of the same really. A barely sung poetry recital with good storytelling and simple music. It's a thoughtful journey and well put together.

As a not big Cohen guy this might be my favorite. He's good but maybe its just my style too much. I liked the few songs with the plucky later guitar. Those are good but the rest kinda just washes over me and its gone. If I cared about lyrics im sure id get much more but I don't so I dont think ill ever really get him or those like him. Thats on me for sure but he gets a middling look caur of me.

I have never been so impressed by an opening track to then be so underwhelmed by what follows. There is some lovely lyricism on display here, but musically it’s just quite samey isn’t it.

это почти приятно слушать! он нормально поёт! они не добавили завывания шансона! интересного я тоже не нашла но хотя бы не отвратительно

At first I was like... hm idk, but the album got better with every song. I still think it's a little depressing, so it didn't fit my mood. But that dosen't matters. My favourite Songs are "So long Marianne'' and "The stranger Song"

honestly not a huge fan of leonard cohen. its not bad, and i think i like his earlier work where his voice isn't as gravely. all in all, its a fine album.

Not bad but a lot of the songs sound really similar, especially in the first half of the album. It doesn't help that his singing is very monotone and repetitive. Favorites: Teachers

Droll

Fun to hear where the Leonard Cohen journey started. Great songwriting here, and of course the poetic lyrics and buttery voice the man is famous for. Kind of plays like adult lullabyes to me. Could be easily mistaken for Neil Diamond at times, which isn't a criticism.

Downtempo, evocative story-telling; a good fit for a very specific kind of mood.

This is clearly well written and made but it's all just a bit too drab and feels like a drag to get through.

Beautiful voice, lyrics, and instrumentation Would have to be in specific mood to listen Favorites: Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

Folksy, great lyrics. Each song is like a little story or poem.

Nice album, wouldn’t turn it off but wouldn’t seek to play again

Alot better folk album than the one I was recommended last night 'Bert Jansch'

Pretty much all sounded the same I like his voice so will give a 3

Since I'm not a lyrics-first listener, I probably can't score this one as accurately as I should based off of just one listen.

when a lion whispers, you listen

not anything I'm super crazy about but it had a nice feel to it generally. nice listen overall

The perfect album for when your playing cards with your parents and things are on the precipice of coming to blows

it’s good, but it’s not really my style. i defo like it better than you want it darker, but it’s still not really my thing. but i can respect it.

I wanted to like this, Leonard Cohen being a Canadian icon and all, but this album was way too slow for me.

Leonard Cohen has a very deep and full voice. The instrumentation is subtle but thoughtfull and the album really thrives on his beautifull voice...

I think I understand why this is so popular with depressed people

I wish I liked Leonard cohen more but I just can’t get it

Actually didn’t mind this one as much as I thought I would. Very chilled out background music

Brilliant lyricist. Some great songs. But not a fan of his voice - or the universal melancholy. Not the sort of guy you’d take to the pub for a fun evening….

Although I’m not crazy about his voice, and I think the lyrics are a bit pretentious, I didn’t mind us all together. It’s a low three star rating for me.

Not a bad album! I listened while being out and about in Portland OR in the rain and cold. The atmosphere brought a little moodiness to the music that was fitting for Cohens style.

Really beautiful album. Felt like a lullaby, especially Suzanne. Master song’s guitar feedback sounded great. I felt like it got a bit repetitive after a while though.

The sing songy melody lines, spare arrangements, voice from the grave, and smart writing make Cohen a pretty good hang.