Reviews (page 5 of 8)
The lyrics are often compelling, I do not mind the sparse arrangements, but as usual with Cohen, for me, the execution becomes tedious.
it's really deppresing
I mostly know Leonard Cohen from his performance or Hallelujah. I don't think his voice comes through in the same way here but there's definitely lots of deep songwriting to delve into
A fine Leonard cohen album (of which there are many)
6/10…singer-songwriter
Good singer-songwriter folk, Cohen's voice is great but I liked 'Songs of Leonard Cohen' off this list much more. Standouts: 'Avalanche' stood out the most, pretty consistent album though, no really good or bad ones
i liked the instrumentals…. probably need to relisten in the future to focus on lyrics. 3.5
I found the whole album a bit too slow and dreary for me, listening to one song from it would probably be fine, I don't think it's bad, just not keen on the whole album in one sitting.
Very somber. Not something I'll repeat over and over but very outside my preferred genre of music. Was present and did enjoy it however.
1. avalanche - 3 2. man - 3 3. drezz - 2 4. diamondz - 1 5. love - 2 6. blue - 4 7. boyz - 1.5 8. joan - 3
By the third song in, I had entered a deep and instrospective state, only to be jolted out of it by Diamonds in the Mine - wtf? I do love Last Year's Man and Famous Blue Raincoat, but this is not my favourite Cohen album.
Soothing, but a bit boring.
Very uplifting.
good but who tf signed off on this kids' choir
Dramatic. Only for a particular emotion.
This was an Avalanche of emotions. Truly Songs of Love and Hate.
Songs of Love and Hate is Leonard Cohen at his most intense—raw, poetic, and utterly unflinching. His voice is darker and deeper here, wrapped around stark arrangements that give the lyrics room to breathe, or in some cases, quietly devastate. Tracks like Famous Blue Raincoat and Avalanche are masterclasses in emotional storytelling, full of regret, longing, and hard-earned wisdom. There’s a bleak beauty running through the entire album, and even in its quietest moments, it commands attention. It’s not always an easy listen—there’s very little light to balance the shadow—but that’s part of what makes it so compelling. Cohen’s songwriting is as sharp as ever, and the stripped-down production only makes it feel more intimate and confessional. If you’re in the right mood, it’s one of his most rewarding works, but it doesn’t quite have the accessibility or variety to make it a top-tier entry for every listener. Still, it’s a powerful, haunting album that leaves a lasting impression
A bit sleepy, but it was a nice listen. There’s depths to the songwriting that are hard to grasp as a new listener. My sense is Cohen would grow on me.
Love it.
I'm sure this is incredible but I still really struggle to pay attention to lyrics. Cool haunting type sound though
Interesting and melodic.
Raspy, folky, bluesy
eh, another Cohen album.. sounds like a the others... the talent is there but if its 1971 or 2011, can hardly tell
Leonard Cohen writes some interesting song poems. I think this is a good album for Leonard Cohen fans but overall it's kind of boring. It's one of his earlier albums (3rd I think). It has all of the elements of Leonard Cohen but it doesn't quite cook up into some fun quirky song writing like his later album, (I'm Your Man - 1988). I appreciate the artistry but I'd like to hear more of his later stuff.
YAAAWWWWWNNN! Diamonds In The Mine was interesting. Otherwise, no.
Ekki minn uppáhalds Cohen. Flottir textar. Leiður Cohen. Frekar pirrandi söngur í nokkrum lögunum (sorry).
I think I need to be in a specific mood to really appreciate the poetry and considering how things have been going for me lately, I'm not likely to be in that mood anytime soon. That's not to say I disliked this, I just couldn't really get into it. It felt like it was asking a little more of me than I can give right now.
It's nice and emotional, but it's not for me.
i give this album a 6. the lyrics were great but the one that kinda ruined it for me was almost every song on that album had a same vibe. i did love some songs on that album. but i feel bad for saying it, that album did not age that well
Je sais qu'y'a un genre de non-dit comme quoi faudrait vénérer Cohen comme s'il avait inventé le velcro mais pour moi c'est comme un déménagement. Lourd et tout le temps un peu pareil. Si quelqu'un me demande de donner un coup de main pour passer à travers, ouin ok. Mais de mon plein gré, c'est rare. C'est loin d'être mauvais, mais j'ai pas mal tout le temps mieux à faire. Last Year's Man ressemble beaucoup à Rock 'n' Roll Suicide de Bowie qui paraît 2 ans plus tard. Les dernières notes de Joan of Arc m'ont fait penser au phoque en alaska qui paraît 3 ans plus tard.
Leonard Cohen is nice but most of his songs sound the same to me (at least today)
7/10 Favorite Tracks: Sing Another Song, Joan of Arc Least Favorite Tracks: Love Calls You By Your Name, Famous Blue Raincoat, Avalanche
A little sad and dreary 😞- but good.
I love Leonard Cohen. I fell in love with him primarily after he died. A few years before he passed I listened to his debut album and quite liked it, but after he died I listened to his final album You Want It Darker, which is an absolute masterpiece as far as I’m concerned. In fact his last three albums are all tremendous, as is his Live In Dublin. I think he had a fantastic creative output in his final years. Songs Of Love And Hate is always mentioned alongside his debut as his best album. To be honest, I think it’s okay. His lyrics, as per usual, are the main attraction. Having listened to this several times, I just always come away thinking the music doesn’t support the lyrics well enough to command my attention. Leonard, perhaps even more so than his lyrical wizard cousin Bob Dylan, isn’t exactly known for his beautiful singing voice, but on his debut there is a youthfulness in his voice that is appealing and in his final albums he has an otherworldly baritone that sounds like it’s coming from the great beyond. On SOLAH it’s somewhere in between, and not in a good way. There are songs to love here, particularly the bookends of the album Avalanche and Joan of Arc. Diamonds in the Mind is a song that I bet was good live, but in this recorded version Cohen’s insane delivery is more distracting than it is appealing to me. A solid album from an artist I greatly respect, but my current opinion is that it’s overrated. Perhaps it will click with me one day.
Diamonds is mine - очень смешной трек и довольно показательный. Обычная бардская музыка и когда Леонард пытается сделать что-то больше, то выходит очень глупо
It's so frustrating to see the same male artists pop up multiple times during this challenge. No one needs to hear 4+ albums from crusty old white dudes. This is my biggest gripe about doing this - there are so many unique artists that should be on this list, but they're not. It's a real damn shame. With that said, I give this album 3 stars. I seriously doubt I'll ever intentionally listen to Leonard Cohen again.
Highlight: Avalanche In a nutshell: same, but different More of the same (using "and" as a sentence starter, reliance on one instrument to set the mood) but it’s not insufferable. Diamonds in the Mine was unexpected - we hear a different emotion vocally expressed from Mr Cohen, hallelujah! Overall: 5/10
Powerful stuff. Dark. Honestly, kind of creepy. I think I've only heard greatest hits collections, before this. And I never caught the scientology references in Famous Blue Raincoat, which adds to the feeling that you've wandered into the wrong club.
Have always preferred Cohen's songs when they are sang by/with other people (particularly the webb sisters towards the end of his career). Famous blue raincoat stands out in this album. 3.5/5 really
I tried so hard to connect with this but it's just not for me.
I really liked the opening track "Avalanche", almost immediately. The anticipation of the guitar and Cohen's vocals are great. "Famous Blue Raincoat" was also pleasant. Overall, I enjoyed it but don't think I'll be going back for much more.
Moments I enjoyed but overall I just felt a bit suffocated.
Teniendo en cuenta que es el vigésimoquinto disco de Leonard Cohen que me sale ya soy bastante familiar con su juego, por lo que no me sorprende mucho este álbum. Sin embargo, me sigue pareciendo bueno y entretenido, solo que no tiene nada muy destacable. Canción destacada: Joan of Arc
It was okay, not super notable for me, probably won't relisten
You can tell he started out as a poet. The Joan of Arc song was super weird but interesting
I liked this a lot. Reminded me of Lou Reed. Worth a relisten but not ready to elevate it to 4 status yet
What!?
I think if I took the time to process all the lyrics, I might appreciate this more. It was find, but it clearly wasn't written to be musically impressive.
I saw the glimmers of potential of why Leonard Cohen is such a touted artist, but I don't think this album was his finest work. Hopefully there's another album of his in this project to showcase his songs.
Melancholy singing
Ok I get why Leonard Cohen was such a beloved singer and songwriter, but sometimes his voice really pisses me off.
tried listening to this in the afternoon when i was suicidally depressed then at night when i no longer felt that way. this album only really clicked when i was suicidally depressed. checks out
Weirdly not bad at all - felt a bit bob dylan, and like a slight fever dream but a good album
"Avalanche" is an easy 5/5, but the problem is that every other song just sounds like a sort of bad version of it. leonard!!! cmon!!
this album answers the question no one was asking, "what if bob dylan were emo?" favorites: avalanche, famous blue raincoat
The joy decimator.
Kein großer Mehrwert zu "Songs of Leonard Cohen". 3-4
Singing is still as bad as the first two albums, but I enjoyed this one much more. It's a big step up songwriting wise - especially on Avalanche, Diamonds, Famous Blue Raincoat, and Joan of Arc. Really liked a lot of the guitar work and his use of strings.
It was ok, I guess. I find a lot of Leonard Cohen to sound kinda same-y. But I really liked avalanche.
Mixed feelings about this one. Some songs are interesting, others sounded just like mumbling
Crazy that Leonard Cohen has gotten away with making the same album over and over again for over 40 years. Although I will say this is probably my favorite incarnation of his one album.
This was decent. No strong opinions either way.
Nice album, though there is a lot of Cohen in this list.
Mostly depressing and minimal, I was glad for the few upbeat moments. Stand-out: Sing Another Song, Boys
Diamonds in the mine probably should single-handedly bring down the rating of this album. Overall it’s not bad but not the best Cohen album I’ve heard on here.
He has a unique guitar style, very arpeggiated, which is… something While I like the quality of his voice, the timbre and the depth, I don’t think he is a great singer
Dude got away with a lot, didn’t he?
Not my thing, but not bad.
Slow and dark singer songwriter stuff. Quite similar sounding tracks. Good lyrics. A bit boring.
I like Leonard Cohem but this particular album is not my favorite of his. Might listen again but probably not.
Fine. Not my favorite genre at all but great song writing.
Pretty great but docking points because when tf am I supposed to listen to this
This was the best Cohen record I have listened to, I have heard plenty of his stuff but only listened to the complete records on this list. The music on this one fits his vocal delivery the best, a little more folksy while still being pretty dark and gloomy. His other albums I listened to seemed mismatched with his vocal style and the backing music.
I’m not sure how I feel about Leonard shouting at me about my mail. And that was my favorite song on the album after my first listen.
yk the beginning of this album is absolute dog shit. But the second half is good. so i legitimately don't know what to rate it. I'll give it a 3 i guess because i'd rather it end well. 1.) famous blue rain coat 2.) sing another song, boys 3.) diamonds in the mine (i know this is kind of awful but it was somewhat different and i kind of appreciated it)
A bit less powerful than the other Cohen albums we had on here
Je suis pas assez déprimé pour apprécier pleinement l'infinie tristesse qui se cache au fond de la gorge de Cohen, mais je peux en distinguer les contours
Raincoat is a pretty good song but the rest of the album didn’t grab me.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I find Cohen to be a very good songwriter but the sameness of the arrangements began to grate on me and the songs drug a bit. Still pretty good but not great.
As I have mentioned in my other two reviews of the Leonard Cohen albums, I am not the biggest Leonard Cohen fan. I enjoyed "You Want it Darker" and "Songs from a Room" was acceptable, but this album tends to really focus on the parts of Cohen's music I don't love. Very little instrumentation and the songs are all really long. Even the shortest song, "Diamonds in the Mine" features Cohen seemingly screeching into the microphone, so while I liked everything else around the song I did not enjoy that part. Maybe I haven't heard the right Leonard Cohen album, though I am three albums in his discography and these are supposed to be his best, but he is still very hit or miss for me. It's like Tom Waits in that I just can't enjoy the music as much as I am told I should.
Len is the GOAT.
Love AND hate?? Jeez I like hate music but I don’t know about love. Let’s see what ol Lenny gives us here. Ah I feel like if this album is good, songwriting will be the reason as the vocals are what I can only assume are an acquired taste. This is cool. Feels tense and on edge and the lyrics are interesting and dark. Good stuff. More of a poetry experience with accompanying guitar which works for me. That man is SO last year. If you have read any of my reviews you will know that I am, in fact, an idiot, so as I grapple with the complexity of certain pro wrestling storylines, I am really scratching my head at what the crayon and harp mean with regard to last years man. Then Joan of Arc shows up. I didn’t like the feel of the poetry as much here and the music was far more boring. Less impressive. Wait, is last years man a writer of former renown with writers block??? Damn Lenny is dead. I’ll tweet his estate. Is this back to the hate portion? Sombre Canadian Bob Dylan. Not a bad combination of things to be. I like the poetic portions with the aggressive acoustic. Whoa. This one is up. I like it. The aggressive vocals in 1971 is pretty ahead of its time. I still have no idea what the point is that he’s driving at (if there is one), but the lines are great. Thought provoking at the very least and probably filled with rich meaning that I’m just not grasping on first listen. Alright. Back to calm. This one is pretty boring. I’ve found it fading into the background. And then the vocal melody/rhyme scheme is actually really annoying pAIN, agAIN, nAME, mAIN. lAME. Ah man this one is nice. Beautiful. The singing works, the lyrics are interesting and sad, the songwriting is excellent. Big highlight. This is the kind of song I would’ve never found without the list. Is that greatest genre of songs the ones that make references/great appeals to “the boys”? Whether the boys are back in town or providing the beat that frees one’s soul, it’s usually a winner. So they’re singing another song now. I mean this one is fine. Buddy loves Joan of Arc eh? We all love 14 year old war generals who claim to be vehicles of god. I am so averse to la la las. They are almost never good. Especially when it’s not a chorus. He’s so loud in the mix and let’s be honest, he’s not a technical vocalist. That works most of the time but Jesus not with loud la la las. Not a huge fan of this one as the verses are great, but the chorus is painful. This album was gentle yet rough. A poetic trip through melancholic expression accompanied by music varying from run of the mill to fascinating. This scratched some pseudo-intellectual itch for me and felt like an enriching experience. Not every song was a hit (I mean that would be a 5) and some songs were even a little obnoxious, but the highlights are strong enough to create an album that grabbed and held my interest throughout. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Avalanche, Diamonds in the Mine, Famous Blue Raincoat
Usually if I hear a Leonard Cohen song, I will generally like it. I'm really into his sound and there are times where his lyrics completely floor me. This one is a little more scathing, angry, standoffish, and hard to approach. I like that kind of music, usually it's often one of my favorite amalgams of emotion that people express in music and art. Here it feels a little too overbearing though. We don't get much of a reprieve until a few select parts of "Famous Blue Raincoat", which itself is even a bit harsh, describing distance in a relationship along with a cold winter. "It's four in the morning, the end of December I'm writing you now just to see if you're better New York is cold, but I like where I'm living There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record" I find that funny that where this one song is that has some brief moments where the album gets a little bit lighter, as soon as it ends it goes right back to lyrics that sting: "Let's sing another song boys this one has grown old and bitter" I love this album cover, it's so bold and to the point. I'm rating this one a 3 because it's mostly hard to listen to. There's a lot of hurt in this record, but I can't help but embrace it. Too many popular artists steer away from the emotion "overtly angry" in their music.
Another Leonard Cohen? Wow
Interesting lyrics, decent voice. I can see why so many people cover him.
Definitely enjoyed this one more than "Songs of Leonard Cohen". I'm still not in love with the music, but it hits me more this album. There are tracks I don't really love on here, but my favorite is "Avalanche". None of the rest quite come close to that for me but I like some of the others. Of course his lyrics are beautiful on all of them, but mostly sad.
Not his best but still good.
This is fine, I like when people cover his songs more than his versions and it was fun to hear his 'youthful' voice which makes the later droning warble understandable. Sort of like Dylan without the hooks or choruses.
It's alright
Calm and a little sad. It's nice to listen to, but not very uplifting.
Plötur frá Leonard Cohen sem ég hef hlustað á hingað til hafa komið mér á óvart og ég hef fílað þær afskaplega. Þessi var aftur á móti bara allt í lagi. Alls ekki leiðinleg en ég er bara orðinn svo vanur góðu stöffi frá honum að þetta dettur í millistétt
Rant Time: In the past 30 days I've had 18 albums from the 70's (that's 60%) and I feel like a good chunk of those, especially recently, have all been folk/country/singer songwriter. There is only so many ways I can say I don't have much of an opinion on this genre. To me a lot of these songs all sound the same and I don't get much out of them. I get that this album are important and people who like folk love these albums, but man there are just too many. Did we need 5 Leonard Cohen albums, 5 The Byrds albums, or 8 albums that have Neil Young on them. All of these artist deserve to be on this list and have some good albums (maybe not The Byrds), but there are so many better and more interesting album that got excluded from this list. The best thing I can say about these early folk albums is that they tend to be short and don't overstay their welcome. Back to this album: I am indifferent on his voice here, I see why people don't like it, but it is the only thing really going for this album. I like the artsy elements here, but still it is a little bland and could have been taken farther. I think Diamonds in the Mine was the most interesting song here, but I wish it wasn't so twangy. The rest of the album is fine, and has some good moments, but I am just tired of 70's folk right now.
Don’t really know how I feel about this album. I feel like I had an earlier album of his or a different one earlier in the mix that I liked, but this one is just really 50-50 for me.
As someone who was more familiar with later Leonard Cohen stuff, it was interesting to hear him sing with his younger voice! Still an old soul, though. Wasn't really for me I guess but you've gotta respect the craft.
Better than the other Cohen albums so far
The songwriting on here must be good because this guy is not the best singer. He’s not bad, but he has a unique voice. It works really well for his slower songs but was a bit rough on the faster ones. I might come back to this because I wasn’t able to focus on the lyrics as much as I wanted to. I’m sure these are interesting songs but I do get bored when it’s just a singer and a guitar which is most of these songs. Again, I have a feeling these are really good songs that need a little work to really appreciate.
Guy knew two things: how to write lyrics and be sad
I’m still learning how to love Leonard Cohen. This one may connect with me more if/whenever I get more into him. I can tell how good the writing is, and certain songs resonate with me. I’m just not all the way there with it. 3.5/5
As others have said, you need to be in a certain mood when listening to this. Present mood would be 2-3. Right mood 3-4.
Very high 3
I have a soft spot for Leonard Cohen, stemming from a perhaps unhealthy childhood fascination with "Suzanne." But in general his lyrics are a bit too abstruse for me, and he really can't sing.
Folk just isn't my thing, but this had some bright spots primarily due to the lyrics. Joan of Arc talking to the fire that burns her? Yes.
Definitely has bob dylan vibes but I like cohen a lot more. Some of the guitar playing in certain songs is amazing. I also could actually understand what he was saying (as opposed to bob) and thus actually enjoyed some of the stories he tells. All that being said, I can’t give this really higher than a three because there is pretty much no relistenability to this album. I enjoyed it but probs not gonna come back to it.
I would consider this album the most similar to a Tom Waits album so far. I think the songwriting isn’t as good, but it’s more accessible. Famous blue raincoat and avalanche were the most memorable to me (I think famous blue raincoat is sampled somewhere…) but songs like love calls you by your name just didn’t land for me. I would rate this slightly lower than Tom Waits, but rounds up to a 3.
I don't know what's so worth listening to about Leonard Cohen's albums.
There’s some cool classical influence and religious language in here which I think is really cool. The music creates a good context for the poetry, and artistry which is the obvious focus. It is a little weird and crazy at times, but I feel like all of these late 60s singer songewriters had a little bit of that (some more than others). But I understand it more than the other ones. Poetically, it works more than it does musically. The album seems like he wrote the music and poetry separately. And I think this because every line sounds like a response to the chord changes instead of something that was written as a whole song. His voice isn’t my favorite, it’s super nasally. He’s like a more classically influenced bob dylan in terms of sound. He’s less singing and more speaking at a pitch. Diamonds in the mine sounds like he thought it was gonna be a big hit. The song is my favorite and least favorite. It sounds so evil. The album works to create a mood and a context for the poetry, there is really nothing to focus on but the words. However, I tend to think that usually poetry is better communicated in music with a catchy melody. Like I don’t think I would ever be able to memorize a song from this album. That being said, I’ll take this over any modern pop album any day. B teir.
Leonard Cohen's works (this one included) strike me as acquired tastes that are perhaps too intense or foreboding for some palates, but for those willing to let the flavor linger, there are rewards of emotional catharsis and poetic resonance to be revealed.
Cohen er fantastisk når han er dyster som på åbneren Avalanche. Desværre afviger albummet fra denne stemning og roder lidt rundt i genre og lydbillede.
Nie jestem fanem cohena. Wszędzie taki sam. 3/5
Good album. This is my 2nd Cohen album on the 1001. The lyrics, as expected, are great, and the songs are solid for the most part. Musically, it starts to feel a little one-note with the arrangements. ***
Decent collection of songs as usual, but when you’ve already got Cohen’s first two albums on the list I don’t think including his third as well adds anything. The main styles have already been covered: the minor key fingerpickers like Avalanche, the major key waltzes like Last Year’s Man and Joan of Arc. Maybe this record introduces a more raucous, ramshackle style on tunes like Diamonds in the Mine, but by and large it’s a continuation of the debut album - but without as many classics.
Great voice as always, quite boring album, as always. Nice to listen to, nice to move on.
ну для Коэна пиздато, в целом не сильно понял, хоть и проникся на паре песен
Базовый коэн Алкоальбом: портвейн
Avalanche Diamonds In The Mine Famous Blue Raincoat
When I first heard Cohen's music, I thought it was great, but for some reason I've never really felt the need to re-listen to the albums I have in my library. This album has some great moments for sure, but there is also some stuff that is like, what? Why? Also, I'm here for the music and don't particularly care about the "poetry."
Sad folk but good folk
Old laughing Len.... more misery from the poet of pain. The words are art. The delivery is dreary. Some people like this stuff.
Pretty depressing stuff. Poor Mr Cohen. He's clearly been through it - maybe even more so than Bob Dylan. Now, a day after listening to the album, I can confidently say that it was good but pretty unmemorable. And my policy is, if an album ain't catchy, it ain't getting a 5. I'll admit, though, that the lyrics intrigued me. Mournful, reflective, and oddly poetic in a kind of old-fashioned, rambly way. The instrumental backing for every individual song is great, though I wish there'd been more variation in energy throughout the album. (Nearly every track is a slow meandering tempo with cut-back textures. The best of these is, no question, Famous Blue Raincoat.) Cool voice - better than most who are dubbed "singer-songwriters" - but the real sonic strength is in the guitars here. The plucking is done delicately and thoughtfully, and I really dig it. 3/5 Key tracks: Avalanche, Famous Blue Raincoat, Diamonds in the Mine
He's a poet but man I dislike his voice.
I do like me some Leonard Cohen. I think the face on the cover looks like Jack Nicholson.
OK album.
I quite like Famous Blue Raincoat. Never knew that was the title, so that's a win. I appreciate that most of his vocals are sung rather than spoken word. I still think he's a better song writer than singer though.
I liked this but didn’t love it.
It was good. You need to be in the mood for it, however
Nice
Leonard Cohen is such an incredible song writer. Some of his songs cut me so deep. This particular album, did not quite do that for me. Its probably one you need to spend more time with. Out of the Leonard Cohen albums I've listened to, this was the most mundane. Which, I know is kind of part of his thing, but it didn't really draw me in like others. Joan of Arc was the winner on this one.
Lyrical poetry about love and hate... and not a harmonica in sight!
Contrary to its name, Songs Of Love And Hate is an album i neither love nor hate. It is an okay album that does what it sets out to do well enough. The long length of the songs does get a bit tiring but overall i don't think it hurts the album too much. Also, Diamonds In the Mine was a bit off-putting at first but i began to appreciate it as it went on. The album is fine and was a rather harmless listen for me. Best Song: Avalanche Worst Song: Love Calls You By Your Name
I like his voice particularly. The album over all wasn't matching my mood today, maybe some other day it would have been higher, because I understand the appeal
I feel like I enjoyed this more because my dad used to listen to Leonard Cohen. If I wasn’t familiar with him, I think I would have been more bored. But I did enjoy.
An acquired taste is Leonard. Although too often, unfairly, dismissed as a miserable git there is nevertheless a (to me, welcome) seriousness about Cohen’s work and although the voice may be lacking in range, his lyrics (frequently Dylanesque) and themes more than compensate. “Diamonds in the Mine” is lively and enjoyable; “Love Calls You..” is vintage Cohen and “Famous Blue Raincoat” is a classic. Also, the girlie singers and the childrens’ choir, in particular, work well. And I bet this record is in The National’s Matt Berninger’s collection.
I like Leonard Cohen but I wasn't feeling half these songs.
If clinical depression had a voice,lyrics may well be poetry but christ the man was a miserable sod.
Quite enjoyed this one, would probably rate it higher on another listen. One or two songs I didn't care for but overall a decent album.
I really enjoyed this album, but honestly Leonard cohen's voice could make anything sound good. It was almost a 4 but there were too many songs that didn't quite stick out to me. My favourite song is Diamonds in the mine, I love the rasp and the anger in his voice. I've never heard Cohen like that before, it was everything I wanted from this album.
Not my favorite folk album I’ve heard here. More of a poet than songwriter it seemed to me at first listen. Not coming back.
Favorite Tracks: Famous Blue Raincoat Avalanche Dress Rehearsal Rag
I can certainly feel the hate on Diamonds in the Mine. I liked this a little less than his self-titled. Favorites were Sing Another Song Boys and Last Years Man
Wonderful simple guitar melodies with almost spoken word from Cohen. Famous Blue Raincoat is quite nice. Some of the tunes are really just poetry over music -- which is interesting, but I think it takes away from the musicality of it all. Joan of Arc was also quite nice. Overall a good listen, but not really my cup of tea. Three stars.
Really good stuff, chill, relaxing, can easily work while listening.
The lyrics and the atmosphere are as strong as ever but I don’t think this is his best set of songs
morose
This album made me want to end it all, but in a good way somehow.
I listened to this when I was really tired and feeling kinda down. Nice and cathartic, got all the negative vibes out. Great songwriter, less great singer but that honestly doesn’t bother me all too much.
Definitely Leonard Cohen. Still fine; still not totally my thing.
Love Cohen, but some of these songs are a bit too strange for me. But it’s a very good album.
Leonard Cohen is an original with music unlike others.
I don't know. I wanted to like it. I think I prefer other people singing Leonard Cohen songs. For instance, with Avalanche, I love the propulsive rythmic guitar in the original, but I like Aimee Mann's version a lot more. Her voice is more dynamic and the arrangement just feels both more lyrical and rich and... urgent? imparative? something more. Another example is Famous Blue Raincoat. I'll take Tori Amos' version. Or Joan Baez, although that opening has a tinge of sad lounge singer to it. Actually, I like the version on The Best of Leonard Cohen better than this version. IDK. I just don't know.
Did not attract my attention
Ik was zeer enthousiast over het vorige Leonard Cohen album omdat hij niet zingt. Leo draagt voor en je gaat verdomme luisteren. Dat is nu dus weer precies hetzelfde, ik ga gewoon best wel lekker op zijn stem! Ik moet wel zeggen dat deze nummers me iets minder pakken dan het vorige album, het is nog meer minimaal qua muziek, waar het vorige album voor mij echt gered werd door de moody sfeer van het hele album. Ook staat Leo hier niet met een half opgegeten banaan op de cover, het zijn de details waarop ik je pak vriend! Diamonds in the mine vind ik echt slecht. Het doet me pijn om het te zeggen omdat ik best wel fan was van album 1, maar Diamonds in the mine is gewoon niet goed. Dit is niet eens meer "Ha wat grappig, hij zignt niet hij draagt voor" maar meer "Leo neemt me nu gewoon echt in de zeik, en ik vind het niet grappig. " En toch, en toch... Uiteindelijk pakt hij me met nummers als Famous Blue Raincoat en Love Calls you by your name. Dat is voor mij Leonard Cohen zoals ik hem het liefste hoor, bijna fluisterend met die leip diepe stem. De lows zijn insanely low op dit album en ik vind het zeker niet net zo goed als het vorige album. Misschien is het toch de banaan op de cover... FAVO: Avalanche, Love Calls You By Your Name, Famous Blue Raincoat
Songs of Love and Hate is right. So much emotion behind this, even though it's maybe not my favorite Leonard Cohen.
Famous Blue Raincoat usa la misma secuencia del soundtrack de Spider - Man. WTF? Un buen álbum, aunque creo que la gracia también está en las letras (que todavía no lei) así que por eso le doy 3 estrellas.
Not my favorite Cohen album, but I still enjoyed it. It was a bit more of that talk singing that a lot of people don't like him for. I enjoy that side of him for the most part. Good listen just doesn't stand out in his discography.
Great voice, but I just don't listen to music to feel negativity. 3.5/5
Fine enough, but not something I will look for again.
WTF is going on with "Diamonds in the Mine"? Avalanche is the best song on here, but maybe that's because I'm familiar with Aimee Mann's version (which I prefer). Still prefer his later stuff. Low 3.
Was fine, might have liked it more if I engaged with the lyrics more
I like Leonard Cohen and enjoyed the album. But to be consistent with other reviews - 3 star
Notable tracks: Dress Rehearsal Rag, Famous Blue Raincoat
I can tell that this is good music. But I don't like it. I don't hate it either. I can't see a day where I'll think, "Man, I sure could listen to some Leonard Cohen! How about Songs of Love and Hate?!" People view and use music for different ends. I don't see myself ever wanting to use music for whatever you use Leonard Cohen for.
Wasnok
Didn’t like this music style
Un bello disco de canciones lentas, enfocadas en más en la poesía que en el sonido. Al igual que otros trabajos de Leonard Cohen, es bastante intenso y atrapante. Sin embargo, entiendo por qué quizá no es del agrado de todos. Una pista que destaco del LP es "Famous Blue Raincoat".
This album feels like poetry, for the most part. I'm not going to act like nothing went over my head or that I'm the biggest fan of Cohen's voice, but for a few songs it definitely works. It feels like the kind of album that is to be listened to very intently, and while I don't want to say that doesn't have its place, it's not my prerogative most of the time. Still, I cannot deny the masterful lyrical weaving that Leonard Cohen can accomplish.
Liked the first 2 songs but the next 2 we’re not for me. Vocals were a bit grating. Overall solid albeit underwhelming project. Pretty minimalistic with only vocals and a guitar for the most part. Very poetic lyrics. Would listen again 6.5/10
Alright stuff, also not fully my tempo but I did enjoy some of the songs on here. Will I listen to again: 20%
I have a lot of affection for Cohen. My mum was a big fan and though as a child I couldn't quite see the point I listened enough to have absorbed it into my musical heritage. This is a good reflection of his work - lyrically brilliant, musically average. That's the point I guess. He is his own genre.
Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, the three "troubadours" is what I call them. I think Leonard is my favorite of the three, and this album is pretty good. But it feels like all of their songs go like this: (end of verse, deep voice) "I watched your husband shake hands with the senator / he couldn't wash the blood off his hand if he tried" (chorus) "and there's no more clementines in the pantry...." Nevertheless, a couple tracks on here that I dug, especially "Avalanche." I think by now we've had enough of Leonard for a good sample size. Favorite tracks: Avalanche, Love Calls You By Your Name. Album art: Black background, bold white font, and a black and white picture of Leonard's head. For some reason at first glance I think it's Dustin Hoffman, but it's definitely not. 3.5/5
Probably one you need to sit down and examine the lyrics of
Music to listen to while curled up in the fetal position in that closet under the stairs, rocking back and forth...
The raincoat song was really good. This album is good for a rainy day and a sad mood. Musically it was bare and uninteresting. 3/5
once again mostly just very averagely nice music. i liked most of the songs although many were perhaps a bit longer than they needed to be. diamonds in the mine was by FAR my favourite. it's a shame that one line kind of sounds anti-abortion (although when i looked it up it seems that he was maybe talking about something else? idk it's musically still a very good song). least favourite was love calls you by your name. not sure i have anything else to say.
a bit too slowly paced for me but it was beautiful nonetheless. not a fan of Cohen's vocals at times, but his songwriting is divine throughout the entire album. favourite track : 'Avalanche'
3/5. A sad and tragic album (save a few songs) about a man who has given up on life, despite only being a young man writing this. It all flows together, as in I can't remember which song is which, but the lyrics are beautiful. A full monotone voice along with the same guitar picking can get old quick but you can't deny those word pictures.
You can't expect less or more from Cohen. Poetic masterpiece with a side of slow ballads. Like I said, pure Cohen. 3.5/5.
Someone gave the guy mumbling at the back of the bus a classical guitar. Turns out he can play a bit and has a lot to say. It's bitter, glum and acrimonious in an undirected kind of way - lot's of ambiguous 'yous' have wronged him. The country-rock adjacent Diamonds in the Mine is a bit of surprise but works really well - soaring lap steel sounds against the dark brooding strum.
I was excited to see this one pop up, as I'm a fan of his later gruffier albums. Haven't listened too much to his early stuff. The songwriting/poetry is definitely there, but all in all this one comes off as pretentious and a little boring.
Nickcavemainen, tai diis Nick Cave kuulostaa tältä. Yllättävän räkäinen. Hyvällä tavalla kuitenkin, vaikka vähän pohditutti. Vangitsee - mutta ei täysin lumoa, epäilyttää.
Dylanismia mutta hitaampaa ja siksi raskaampaa. Toisaalta musiikki on myös poikkeuksellisen tunnelmallista ja keskimäärin laadukasta. Ehkä olen jossain vaiheessa jopa valmis kuuntelemaan tätä viihdyttävänä runoutena.
This record didn't do much for me. I haven't really listened to Leonard Cohen before, and I see there are some other records by him on the list, so I guess we'll see if I develop a taste for it.
This man is drunk 100% of the time. He sings in slow motion. The background singers were really good in “Famous Blue Raincoat”. Another song named “Joan of Arc”. So many religious tones in the 70s. That’s all I got. 5/10
it's not bad, its got some lyrics that made me raise my eyebrows but i generally like the music. a couple songs a like, a lot of average stuff
Oh wow. Was not expecting this at all. Really cool that this sound came out of the 70s. Second and third songs were kind of overstaying their welcome with that sound. 4th song is basically the same…. With a slightly upbeat attitude. A little annoying, I would have liked to hear more of a variety of the sound of the first track. It really set the stage and the album never really capitalized on it. I’ll give it a 3 since I like the sound, I just didn’t like the lack of variety
This album title is fitting because I am beginning to love and hate having to listen to more Leonard cohen albums. As I've said in previous cohen reviews, I prefer his newer, gravellier, sadder music and I'm sticking to that for this album because this once again just sounds like if early Bob Dylan used more than one guitar and had a less nasally voice. It's not bad by any means but it sounds just like the other three and it doesn't do much for me. I did like diamonds in the mine though.
Heureusement qu'il fait très froid cette semaine parce qu'il aurait été hors de question que j'écoute ça par plus de 15 degrés. Pour info, le cadavre de Cohen est conservé entre 5 et 7 degrés afin de limiter la prolifération de la flore bactérienne.
La version vivante de Leonard Cohen est bien plus agréable.
the songs were good but they all blended into each other
Todo un crooner, a ratos melancólico, en otras más contador de historias. Voz profunda. Poca instrumentalización. Con su voz basta.
Hyvä tunnelma! 3.5/5
He knows how to create a mood, and there are some beautiful lines in this album
Avalanche is an all timer, but that put the rest of the album in the shade.
As simple and intricate and delicate and lovely as a spider's web. A bit terse and rough at points as well, but overall enchanting. Definitely much more accessible than most of Cohen's albums.
Not a great work listen
Neutral: I didn't love it and neither did I hate it. It feels totally inoffensive to say that as well, just a mid album. None of the tacks jump out to me as being anything special but neither are they rubbish. Overall I just don't have much to say other that it's plain mid.
Going in, I can say, whether I get into this album or not, I can safely remark that it has a strong identity. Cohen has vocals that fit the spare acoustics and empty spaces. This music is the personification of a cabin in winter, as boldly stated when he opens with an Avalanche of a song. This sort of music is something I must be in a mood for, but I appreciate the vivid picture this paints regardless of how I end up feeling after this album. His voice takes some getting used to, as someone who doesn't particularly vibe with different vocal styles. As I mentioned before, it is fitting for this sort of music, perhaps scarily so. Something to be respected, even if it doesn't always jive with my ears. But sometimes, oh, it really hits, such as in Last Year's Man and Famous Blue Raincoat. I do feel like this album or at least the individual tracks it contains. At times, there's something dour, plodding, like a dying dog limping and waiting to be bled out. Cohen's voice is slow and deliberate and measured, perhaps to a fault. This is yet another of those albums where my feelings are a bit 50/50. One of those that I won't revisit the whole picture, but definitely will check out some of the individual tracks in my future. The use of Joan of Arc as a bit of a framing device was neat though!
It's nice. I like Leonard's voice. My issues are my own. As a prolific non lyrics guy this is missing a huge piece. It's all on me obviously. With songs this skeletal its hard when that peice isn't my cup of tea. Good stuff spock, who I may have thought this man was as a child lol. 3*
OK background music. Interesting lyrics. More interesting for the story and emotion than the music.
Love the lyrics, poetry and heart. But musically, just one lane. Would not listen to an album through.
I would like to give this 3.5
3.4 Good but its no songs of Leonard Cohen faves: avalanche
Pretty slow but I did really like a deep cut on the album
- Only ever listened to his first album before - Appreciate how good the songwriting is, just don't think it's for me - Not sure but Cohen just doesn't seem to click in the same way as others do - Still enjoyed some of the tracks - Fav songs: Diamonds in the Mine, Famous Blue Raincoat; Sing Another Song, Boys
soothing vocals, smooth delivery. would be nice background music. highlights: “last year’s man”, “diamonds in the mine”.
Good slow folksy vibe and really like the parts where he really shouts. More in the mood for something upbeat so could see myself enjoying this more in the future. Rating: 2.8
Liked it no finish so i’ll come back
good, but a bit downy for my vibe
MMM
Avalanche (listen to the Nick Cave cover!) and Diamonds In the Mine are unbelievable. The rest is forgettable. So 3 stars. Like his last album the best.
the Joan of Arc song was pretty nice, the rest was not bad nor good
Favorite Song(s): Idk, they all blended together for me This album had a very rainy day feel. It would go well with a cup of tea, a good book, and a cozy blanket. I also like how Cohen used the theme of Joan of Arc throughout the album. I feel like if I had paid closer attention to the album, I would have found a story, but I didn't (the long songs lost me haha).
Was okay. Liked the beginning of Sing Another Song, Boys. Depressing. But I kinda like his voice. + Last Year's Man + Dress Rehearsal Rag
Love the lyrics, just can't listen to him for very long
Very beautiful songs
Folk. Muy muy aburrido.
Enjoyed, especially Famous Blue Raincoat. 3.5 stars.
Early Cohen hints at the powerhouse he would become.
Leonard is a very specific vibe and I wasn’t feeling that vibe today, but it wasn’t terrible. I just wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it fully.
Ik zit wat tussen liefde en haat voor dit album. Beetje saai met momenten
Very sparse, skeletal album, where the focus is on the flamenco-esque guitar playing and Cohen's voice and lyrics. Nice, but didn't really wow me too much. Favorite tracks: "Avalanche", "Famous Blue Raincoat"
rustig ochtendalbum
Goeie sesh
This didn’t much grab me even though I like Cohen. Diamonds in the Mine was a standout. I liked side B more than side A.
I like it but it's pretty much the same thing as 'Songs of' which I liked even more but there not really any variation here unless it's purely about the words and the pretense of guitar and singing is a sham. Get some more variation Leonard!
Great guitar playing. Depressing as fuck though, I mean this guys makes Johnny Cash sound like S Club 7.
Really didn't like the first two LC albums I got, but this one was surprisingly not that bad. The band in particular were very solid. Unfortunately the quality of the recording left a lot to be desired. 3 stakes ablaze out of 5 🔥🔥🔥
Hard listen at times
Interesting. The vocals left a lot to be desired, but the poetry was really good.
very nice leonard. truly lives up to the name; songs about love and hate (but it seems mostly songs about how love is hate) best tracks: avalanche, famous blue raincoat, sing another song boys.
Good
1001 Leonard cohen albums. I like you want it darker better, this one was okay. Favorite song was famous blue raincoat. I like how he brings back the triplet guitar thing like a theme. Good lyrics I guess? Idk this record didn’t do much to me.
Melancholy, classical-guitar based poetry
Really nice. Lyrical depth. Emotional, brooding. Nice acoustic guitar.
Lyrically and thematically, yes, Leonard Cohen is excellent. He started off as a poet after all, but man, his voice, and arrangements, they can be so dour and monotonous. And it’s no exception here. Listening to ‘Songs Of Love And Hate’ is often as enjoyable as a trip to the dentist to get a root canal. However, ‘Dress Rehearsal Rag’, ‘Diamonds In The Mine’, ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ and ‘Sing Another Song, Boys’, just about make this album worthwhile.
Still had the gravelliest voice of them all back in the day, enjoyed avalanche and some others but preferred you want it darker.
lyrically a wonderful album. Leonard Cohen is a master of songwriting. However, he is definitely not the master of vocals, or interesting arrangement. His vocal delivery honestly detracts from the quality of the lyricism for me.
Pretty eh. Didn't love his voice but the album is cool in the sense that you can tell which are songs of love and which are songs of hate. Tells a decent story.
I love Leonard Cohen's voice. It's not really an album you listen to while doing something else. It requires focus and attention which I unfortunately didn't give the album. If I get an itch for more folk music I would certainly go back to this and maybe do a deeper dive in Leonard Cohen's discography.
This is weirdly enjoyable and weirdly grating at the same time...
Beautiful and dark. This was perfect to listen to on a rainy day! A few songs dragged on a bit too long and I was kinda ready to move on. Also his voice was straining so hard in some songs, but i felt like it lacked a real power behind it - favorites: avalanche, diamonds in the mine
in his early career, leonard cohen created music very folk-y; his sound reminds me a lot of bob dylan. i don't care very much for dylan, but i do enjoy cohen's later music that contains more than just the folk element. i suppose that's why i'm in the middle with my vote. folk does allow the songwriting focus, which is where cohen always excelled. his music style changed over the years, but his songwriting has the same quality. it's just as raw and evocative here. i suppose the best example of that is "famous blue raincoat," and it's no wonder it became so legendary. but also worthy of mention is "avalanche": it has the most beautiful violin in the background that adds perfectly to his voice and acoustic guitar. "diamonds in the mine" might be the most unusual one here; i'm not sure i've heard a cohen song where his voice is so gritty. but his tendency to use backup women singers to contrast with his voice began in the beginning of his career! but, throughout it all, cohen uses his storytelling skill to create great lyrics.
To quote Holden McNeil - Well look at this morose motherfucker right here. Some artists will lift your spirits. Leonard Cohen will not. He will make you wallow in misery, with - to be fair to him - the occasional glimmers of hope scattered about the place. But while this is not at all my bag, I didn't actually object to listening to it. Not the best, but also not the worst.
Uvijek sam ga poštovao, međutim nikad mi nije bio neki onako top - da mi ima izvrsne albume. Ne znam, dakle ima dobrih stvari na ovom albumu, čak malo varira u nekim pjesmama što se tiče iskakanja iz svog običnog žanra, ništa strašno. Sve u svemu, lagan kontemporarni folk - klasični Leonard.
Not for me, but its really like the titlle says, songs of love and hate.
Actually liked this more than the newer first one I listened to
Cohen is more poetry than music. I've never really learn to fully enjoy his albums and at this point I don't think I really ever will. It's not bad but not great either.
For me it’s a matter of finding the gems with Cohen. A lot of it is just too… poetic? I appreciate much of it on that level, but I just tire of it. Couple of 4’s, couple of 2’s. Average it out. Highlight: Diamonds in the Mine
kinda mixed on it. Took me awhile to get used to his voice.
I have a weird relationship with Leonard Cohen's music. He's clearly an amazing songwriter with a style all his own, but I get tired of his vocals. I think of him as more of a poet than a singer, so I can't bring myself to give this a super high rating even though I love the lyrics
Not gunna lie the Leonard Cohen/Nick Cave double up got pretty tough. Important for both to focus attention more on the story being told than the music being played.
I like this, it's a really good moody mix. I guess it's just as well it's not too long, because it is a bit hard-going in one sitting, especially the bits where he's singing with a kind of mania. I love the first track in particular. What a voice.
Love LC but this should not be on the list.
Nice guitar play style.
I think I really like how distinctive Cohen’s voice is, but that alone didn’t really sell me on this. Honestly has me reconsidering the reasons I like Tom Waits so much, like it’s clearly not just about being won over by interesting vocals. The music backing Cohen’s voice was just kind of boring to me
On reconnait son style qui met les paroles à l'avant, mais il n'y avait pas tant de mélodies accrocheuses. Je connaissais l'une des chansons, mais on dirait que les 3-4 dernières ont toutes le même air.
Ah Leonard Cohen is such a funny one as to me his music is either fully amazing or I find it just dreary and slow and depressing. But I know that is the appeal to some people. I get that some of it the emphasis is on lyrics not the music. So I found this album more mixed. Sing another song boy was fully amazing, but then some of the others to me sound like 30 other LC songs. Obviously deep respect though
As always, pleasant listen from Cohen. Great poetry, finger picking, and interesting vocal delivery. It’s just hard for his albums and songs from that era to stand out from each other.
not a huge fan of the vocals but it’s still pretty good
It was alright. Happened to fit my vibes today.
I enjoyed it a bit more than the other Leonard Cohen albums I’ve had. Each song feels like it has its own style and uniqueness, which is what I was missing from his other works where everything kinda meshes together. Some strange lyrics imagery contained therein, but pretty interesting as well. 6/10
I get the draw of Leonard Cohen, for sure, but I thought the instrumentation was lacking. Lyricism was on point, though. His voice is veerryyy folksy. What is it with folk artists and that nasally semi-mono-tone?
not my jam but artful
This project really introduced me to Cohen. I found myself liking You Like It Darker when it came up earlier, but this is not as appealing to me. He seems a better lyricist than a musician here. Not exactly terrible, but these 8 songs felt much longer than they really were. Unenthusiastic 3. A couple good songs but not too much that really got me. The lyrics would be something I'd pay more attention to if I ever revisited this album.
Started out ok, got real tedious real fast
Cool concept. Acoustic guitar had good range
Such a unique musician
The album gets off to a great start. Moody, dramatic and perfect for a drizzly September day. A couple of clunkers on the back half, but Joan of Arc is a good closer.
Wasn't too bad, to my surprise, I liked more of it than not, and the not wasn't offensive, it was just there in the background. Not gonna relisten to anything any time soon but was better than a lot of stuff we've had.
This was exactly as I expected it - something that really needs a proper listen to and tough to appreciate on the first way through. It's slow, emotive, and often pretty miserable, but his voice just makes you need to listen and the lyrics make it worthwhile. It's a tough listen, and probably not something I'll be revisiting regularly (it's not good background music at all!). A comfortable 3.
The iconoic voice of Cohen is grating, but the message is powerful. Amazing poetry but musically I prefer it in small doses.
Not 100% my thing, a bit too much lalalalalalaaaa at one point...
Good songs for sad people
Ni bien ni mal
Liked the finger picking, had intriguing vocals, but was pretty sombre and not in a good way. Good thing I'm not depressed because that would either be too hurtful to bare, or become the only music that will be listened
Ga ik op een later moment nog eens luisteren want het is volgens mij een mooi album. Het pas alleen totaal niet in de zonnige vakantiesfeer waarin we ons momenteel bevinden.
a mournful, lyrical, and dreary album with some nice gems and some weirdly upbeat tracks that feel completely out of place 3.5/5
Listened Before? N I liked this! Im not high enough to enjoy it fully but I might try later! The lyrics range from serious to silly, and the music has good range. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Avalanche
Slow, acoustic, reminiscent of Bob Dylan. Overall ok.
Fine and delicious Cohen's disk. "Famous Blue Raincoat" is the song I liked most.
the songs are great, the voice is fine. Just 70s singer-songwriter is not my vibe.
With his earlier work I felt that it was balanced, and his later work the instrumentation was so funny that it lifted the mood. This is just aggressively depressing. Even the little interlude hints at him revelling in the bitterness. Seems a bit forced.
Only learned of Leonard Cohen after being in Canada for some time. I get that he is respected and considered great but this didn’t really do a whole lot for me.
The first song was interesting and then it faded into the background.
Not my favourite Leonard Cohen album. Didn't have any songs that really stood out to me. He's done better.
It was fine
Very early Leonard Cohen, few times he's cropped up on the list now but this one you can really hear how young he is. Very poetic acoustic album, reminiscent of Dylan's writing style but with a nicer voice. Overall not my sort of thing, but I can appreciate the artistry.
Not good, not terrible.
Leonard Cohen is pretty strange to listen to. Some parts of his music can be fantastic when you're in the right mood. But it's all very 'meh' when the mood is even a bit off. We've had two other albums of his so far. I gave one of them 5 and the other 3 stars. While The opening track was strong, I lost attention very soon after. Making this a very forgettable but not unpleasant 3 for me.
The folk Tom Waits.
As with many albums I seem to be rating, it was OK, nothing more
More of what you expect from Leonard Cohen - songs of thwarted love and philosophy. When it is hard to differentiate between each album does it matter?
better than at least one of his others
Quelle voix. Je peux pas croire que c'est mon premier Cohen que j'écoute d'un bout à l'autre. Avalanche est vraiment superbe. Le jeu de guitare de cette pièce et de plusieurs autres sur l'album n'est vraiment pas plate. La fin de Diamonds in the Mine est un peu intense 🤣. Ce n'est pas mon style de prédilection, mais c'est un album intéressant que je vais sûrement réécouter.
К сожалению, альбом совершенно не зацепил, хотя я прекрасно понимаю, насколько важны стихи в творчестве Леонарда Коэна.
Honestly, I wished I liked it more. I’m usually so into this sound, but there’s something keeping me from really sinking into this one. Still, worth a listen if you’re into folk of any kind.
Love the feel, love the poetic verse and voice, but can’t do more than 3 stars because I was very ready for it to end by the time it did.
The first song way AWESOME! But the rest of the album wasn’t as amazing. I actually enjoyed most of it and considered giving it a 4.
Thoroughly belongs on this list. I love his lyrics and never would have made it through an album without this list. But it's all so morose all at once! I think it's really only morose at a certain depth. It makes me aspire to sit down and pay attention to something for more than 140 characters at a time so I can appreciate it at that deeper level. Aspire, but not succeed today.
It's not too diverse of a record, especially when compared to his previous efforts, but it solidified his niche as the dark folk artist and the emotional focus on the record proved to make it powerful. Many critics claim it is one of the darkest records you may ever hear, and that may very well be true.
"Oh, not this asshole's voice again..." This one hit me better than most of his albums. I actually could listen to this again. Must be the mindset that I've been in lately. LC played really well in the '90's when everyone was depressed and phama didn't have the market share it does today. This is good for a moody gray spring showers when you've forgotten to take your meds. I love Spotify for the play count. It's always great to check out what song on the album has been played the most. For this album, it's Blue Raincoat which must've been used in a movie, or a tide commercial. It doesn't compare to the first track Avalanche IMO and is actually really boring. Just noticing the sun poking through the clouds and now I"m consumed with finding something more fun to listen to. Okay find...I'll tuck this away for another gloomy day.