Songs From A Room

okay not his best

It was fine

2,5/5

Unexpected jaw harp album

703/1001 2026.09.16 😴😴🌑🌑🌑

Nope.

Beautiful, as usual with Leonard

It's been a while since I listened to this record. It seems like this one is a bit divisive. I've always really liked Cohen's voice and approach to songwriting. I also tend to like the material from the sixties to the mid seventies the best of that material. This record obviously falls into that period. The song arrangements tend to be a bit stark and minimal, emphasizing Cohen's voice and lyrics. There's a lack of interest in virtuosity that aligns this record interestingly with the later indie trend of bedroom recordings and conscious embrace of the amateur. The comparison some make the Dylan isn't too surprising and makes a bit of sense in that the rhythm of the songs is driven by the flow of the lyrics. Cohen is obviously a bit more gloomy, but there is a playful element to the lyrics that they both hold. It feels a lot less guarded than Dylan's work though. Looking forward to revisiting more of this work.

If you like melancholy this one is for you, otherwise give it a miss

I respect him so much. I just did not jive with this.

Давно уже хотел послушать этого мужчину с грустными глазами, но все ждал когда он мне выпадет. Штош.. альбом намеренно написан максимально минималистично, поскольку Леонарду не понравилось то, как звучала его предыдущая пластинка (по видимому, НЕ МИНИМАЛИСТИЧНО) И это как бэ, камень предткновения, и причина по которой он вам либо понравится, либо нет. Здесь есть характер и стиль, есть интересная лирика и песни, но как мне кажется, у Коэна есть более интересно звучащие вещи (надеюсь я не ошибаюсь лол) которые я ещё послухаю, учитывая что составитель списка оч любит Коэна, судя по количеству его альбомов здесь.

Probably his better album on here, I mean he nearly sang in tune on a couple of tracks. I have fond memories that go along with The Butcher so wasnt all bad. Never been a fan though.

What is with the author of the book licking this miserable bastard's arse? They're all the same - shite. Reminds me of the guy who brings a guitar to a party in an attempt to impress girls, but they all think he's a loser instead. One of two albums out of 600 odd that I've turned off, it was that bad. Made me irrationally angry. Please let this be the last one. I'd rather listen to someone being disemboweled.

I was not vibing at first and then like ever cohen it just made sense by song 3. Such a solid storyteller and in such an interesting way. Love every second of it, love every cohen of it. Top mouth harp user all time.

Wonderful album in particular the Partisan. He loves his poetry/lyrics more than his music.

So, I really like Leonard Cohen but I feel like including five albums is just lazy. Pick one from his early acoustic folk albums and one after his shift in sound. Anyway, sometimes I’m not in the mood for gloomy folk but when I am, this is great. If you are looking for more like this, check out Pearls Before Swine which came out a couple years before this. Good stuff!

So mellow and pretty. Always enjoyed Leonard Cohen and this album was no exception.

Nice!

Ik vind Leonard Cohen een lastige artiest. In zijn latere albums draagt hij zware materie bijna voor en is het meer poëzie dan muziek. Dit is zijn tweede album, en eerlijk? Dat merk je. Waar zijn stijl zich steeds verder door ontwikkeld vind ik dat hier nog echt een beetje in de kinderschoenen staan. Zijn stem is duidelijk nog niet doodop zoals op "You Want it Darker" en ook zijn pen is nog niet zo sterk als later. De hoogtepunten zijn wel vet hoor, dat Franse koor bij The Partisan en You Know Who I Am, maar merk dat ik wel echt wat minder enthousiast ben dan over You Want it darker. Alles bij elkaar? Interessant om te zien waar Leonard vandaan komt, maar niet perse een album wat ik vaak ga herluisteren. Ook geen banaan op cover, extra minpuntje. FAVO: The Partisan, You Know Who I Am

not crazy for this guy in the first place. just don't enjoy singer song writer. it's okay, but i am never going out of my way to put it on Would I listen again: NO Deserves to be on this list: he's got like 3 albums here, no 2.2

Somehow tougher for me to get into than Songs of Leonard Cohen.

THANK YOU, my Leonard Cohen hyperfixation lives to see another day! Since my last album, I have purchased a book of poems, built a playlist around him and “my guys with shitty voices💛” and asked approx 20 people “do you like Leonard Cohen?” and learned Allison and her aunt do… anyway. Pumped to listen. // Absolutely loved this one. Poet/freak (complimentary). Devastating at times, hilarious at other times, profound and raw and silly and beautiful and vaguely unhinged at times. “A bunch of lonesome and very quarrelsome heroes Were smoking out along the open road…”

*Much more listenable than his later stuff *Less depressing and good storytelling, just not for me

Man I can’t with Leonard Cohen. Not sure why. I love Dylan, he’s clearly a good lyricist, and it seems like something I should be into. But I just can’t. His voice is bad songs all drawn on and are just kinda… Boring I’m here to tell you about the best cover of one of these songs, though there’s a bluegrass band called Mighty Poplar, who did the cut of Story of Isaac to close their self titled record. It is absolutely amazing one of the best recordings of all time. You should definitely check it out because that song is amazing, but to hear it given more life without Cohen, as the one singing is definitely how it should be experienced!

No no, honey, we have Bob Dylan at home. Cohen is a legend and his songwriting is great, but this early folk acoustic stuff just doesn’t grab me.

50/50

Go to your room

diagrama de venn: de un lado poetas tristes, del otro aficionadxs del arpa de boca, al centro songs from a room de leonard cohen

It's alright, singer songwriter

Easy listening

Bit dreary

It’s just a bit boring really

This reminds me so of early Dylan that I warmed to it immediately. And some of the lyrics reallhy touched my heart. yeah, this is pretty good. 3.5/5

that's not entertanining enough for me

this is like sitting through a bob dylan album

🫤 meh

Ok, so this is a bit patchy but I’m a sucker for Cohen’s poetry and plaintive vocals so it still ranks highly for me.

*sad,depressing album

Many of them are.

Well known. Not a big fan as I find his singing very draggy and whinny. An OK album.

picks: bird on a wire, story of isaac, the partisan

Ok he can write, but he can't sing!!

A subdued Bob Dylan, in a good way. This is one of those records where the lyrics prove more important than the music itself

First time listening to a Cohen album all the way through. Enjoyed it, but nothing stood out.

Atonal, didn't get it

A little less intense than other LC, still lovely

Shit

I wanted to get into this one but it's just bleak. The vocals are bland. The tempo is slow. The vibes are bad.

I do not understand why people like him; he is talentless and low effort

Not my favourite of his but still very good moments. 3/5

Early Cohen I’ve never heard. Well, well well, this should either be wonderful or horrible. Yeah. It’s good. I do like his later stuff, his development. But this is very nice. Clean. 4 Boolean: True

cozy

Leonard

I think this is a very nice record, and I didn’t find Cohen’s voice unpleasant sounding. I did take a couple pauses listening to it but overall quite a nice body of work

Not as good as his first album, too much like spoken-word poetry.

One of my favorite recent developments are women singers making fun of dudes for like Leonard Cohen.

It's not Leonard Cohen's fault I haven't been able to like his early albums, y'know. Matter of fact, it's never been the fault of **any** 60's or 70's singer-songwriter. Never has been. The issue, as it often can be, has been with me. To begin with, I've never been a lyrics person. This isn't a new revelation or anything; the people in my listening group know dang well I've always given more weight to the soundscapes and vibes I get from music. But it's never been a hard rule, of course. There are plenty of albums where I **can** appreciate the words an artist has penned. The thing is, I often do that because of the **story** I'm able to pull from them. Any story, really, even if it's not what the artist intended. Given what I've been listening to recently, "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" comes to mind immediately. Brian Wilson wrote it as a song against enviromental pollution, but I don't find it hard it all to interpret it as a piece of autobiography — and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me like the song just that much more. I mean, this is just how people interact with art in general, whether they're concsious of it or not. So what's my issue with singer-songwriters, then? Simply put, I can't pull any story from their words. I'm sure it's there; it **has** to be. So many other people have been able to. And after I came out of this album not feeling much of anything about it, I came to realize that my problem is that I went into it without an interpretation in mind. I mean, that interpretation "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" I hold? I'd read someone else give that, and then I relistened to the track and went, "Yeah, I see." Same thing ended up happening with "A Band Of Lonsome Heroes", when one of my groupmates told me it was about a soldier stuck in his own PTSD: I went back to it and appreciated it a lot more. What's that mean, then? Am I just too dumb to interpret these songs on my own? Do I need someone else to spoonfeed a meaning to me before I'll get it? For my sake, I don't think so (I **hope** so, at any rate). More, I think I just... A starting point. Some sort of frame to interpret the art through. One I might end up agreeing with, one I might not... But I need **something**; some kind of context. Otherwise, I'm presenting myself with words and imagery and just expecting myself to "get it." And when I inevitably **don't**, I push the blame off on the artists for writing poetic gobbldygook. With some, that can absolutely be the case. However, with most of the artists on this list, I think I've just been blaming them for my own inability to interpret words all by themselves. I'm sure that for a lot of the albums I've blasted in the past, if I'd just looked up some interpretations beforehand and viewed them through that lens, I would've been a **lot** kinder to them. I'm lookin' at Joni Mitchell in particular. All this to say, however: it's still not the kind of music I like to listen to on my own time. As I said, I'm **not** a lyrics. I don't typically listen to music because I wanna think poetic and deep thoughts about PTSD or other big topics. Sometimes, sure, of course; I'm not always **that** shallow. But above all else, I value the **sound** of music. Why else come to music, after all? Unless I'm able to connect a song to one of my OCs, or unless there's something particularly egregious, the words don't matter to me very often in my casual listening. If I wanted to have a big think about poetry, I'd go read poetry. And this album, like the one before it and the one after, just doesn't pass my sniff test. Like with all of these albums, the instrumentation takes a backseat to the words, so the vibes just aren't terribly interesting. Sure, sure: I think there's more going on here than his debut. For one, there's a lot more Jew harp than on most albums by anyone. And besides that, I think it's generally a little more varied? But then he pulls that endless loop of a guitar noodle on one track and, goodness me, it's his debut all over again. I'm not gonna blame 'em for not letting the music overpower their words, but sometimes you wish, right? I will highlight a few tracks I got something out of. There's "A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes", as mentioned. There's also the opener and what I believe is this album's best-known song, "Bird Of A Wire". If you asked me what it meant, I'd just stare at you — but I **was** able to pull a **feeling** from it. And trust me, in these circumstances, that means a **lot**. I don't think it's a **happy** song, necessairly, but it **is** a very **nice** song. And then there's also the closer, "Tonight Will Be Fine", which was probably the most straightforward to understand, and I appreciated that. And just to say, it's not as if I've enjoyed giving Mr Cohen's early albums such low scores. Never a 1, but I've given both 'Songs Of Leonard Cohen' and 'Songs Of Love And Hate' 2's. He's a Canadian treasure; I wanna give him the benefit for that. And yet, I've only given positive scores to the one slathered in 80's synth cheese and the one I could tie into his death. And what does that say about me? True, I'm the only one here thinking this hard about my reviews; I don't hafta worry about anyone else judging me for this. But I don't like what **I** might overthink about **myself**, y'know? All the same, I refuse to lie about my feelings. So while I am willing to grant this album a lot of slack and benefit 'coz it's where I realized it's often my fault I don't like singer-songwriter music, I'm not gonna go too positive with my score. Either way, it's still not music I enjoy listening to terribly often, regardless of whose fault it is. And that's just the fact of the matter. Still, I wanna apologize to Mr Cohen, Ms Mitchell, and every singer-songwriter I've been hard on in the past. It's not you; it's me — and I mean that sincerily.

Standard Leonard Cohen fare. Solid 4 Stars.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. It’s the fifth time we’ve gotten Leonard Cohen, and also our last. At this point, it’s pretty clear what to expect from the guy: a bit of flowery purple prose musing about morality, the military, religion, romance, and more with a penmanship that has the ability to zoom in & out like a pair of high-powered binoculars. There’s a little more of an instrumental lift here than on his debut album, but it largely reverts back to some of its more minimal guitar tones by the back half of the album, which is most of the reason I’m at a 4.5. However, his songwriting really is just that good here, & thankfully, a bit more straightforward throughout. Yes, a few tracks are still harder to parse (namely “Lady Midnight”), but stuff like “Story of Isaac”, “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes”, “Seems So Long Ago, Nancy” & “Tonight Will Be Fine” are probably among the most digestible tracks he’s put to tape on the list. Occasionally, his lyrics meet the moment at times when his vocal delivery & instrumentation don’t (namely on “The Old Revolution”), but for the most part, I’d say Leonard Cohen genuinely does meet the moment here. He doesn’t have a big lift to his voice, but he knows when to push it for the moments that call for it, and his held notes do carry well. Overall, it’s practically more of the same when it comes to Leonard Cohen. If you like him, you’ll like this. If you don’t, you probably won’t. There’s a nuance in there about how much the instrumentation needs to have a presence to really pull listeners to be more interested past just the allure of his storytelling, and I do think this slacks on it enough to be at a 4.5. For other people, that slack will lead much lower. However, I just happen to think his songwriting is that damn good & I’m not as bothered by the muted tones of this album, hence a bump up to a 5. As far as Leonard Cohen himself goes, it’s 4.5 or 5’s across the board for me on all 5 of his albums here. “You Want It Darker” is still probably my favorite / most impactful here, but I think ranking his albums in any capacity is a bit of a fool’s errand, as they’re just not meant to be digested in that way. These are poetry books, chronicling life through the eyes of Mr. Cohen. Volume to volume, they’re all different, yet they share a worldview expressed in different ways, occasionally evolving the backing track that underlines the writing. You can rank the poems, yes, but the books themselves are just individual chapters of a man’s perspective all the way through his death. Yes, even that slightly weird ‘80s chapter where he got a bit horny. I don’t think you can rank them like that, but you can measure the impact of their totality. I think it’s a hell of a body of work to leave behind, and I certainly think I’ll be looking back at a lot of these tracks with an appreciation for his penmanship. Rest in peace, Leonard.

Honestly barely listened to this but I know I wouldnt have loved it. This list has given me worse so it gets a 2.

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This one was tough for me. Coming into this, "Bird on the Wire" felt almost abrasive, and it takes a couple of songs to settle into the tone and style of the album. Once I got into it, it wasn't bad. I can appreciate the songwriting and the stripped-down approach, but early Leonard Cohen just isn't really my cup of tea.

lurv this sm

Es Leonard Cohen y tiene sus momentos y personas con las que escuchar. no es su mejor album.

He’s just not for me

I can get past the voice (which is not exactly strong) and did like some of the tracks musically, but it didn’t really match up to his first album for me. It’s ok.

This was bareable, I enjoyed the odd track.

Good

Grateful for the opportunity to experience more this great artist who influenced many others. Upon first listen Story of Isaac and The Partisan were the standouts - the later being one I will probably revisit often. In all, I really enjoyed this album and the poetic storytelling throughout.

This is definitely one of his slightly lesser albums, but Leonard Cohen still always delivers some of the most atmospheric and mellow folk music out there. For someone who isn't a very technically talented vocalist, he uses his voice incredibly well and that's a huge part of what makes this album almost haunting. He just sounds like he is in pain, and in both his lyrics and his vocals is definitely comes through.

Snaps for the slam poetry session ✨

Quite enjoyed this one about as much as his other from 1967

ну прям тягостно как-то

Tumbleweed

This isn't my favourite Leonard Cohen album but it's still a doozy!

this one doesn't do so much to me. he can do better

Leonard is just beginning to assemble his world-class catalogue here. The keepers are Bird on a Wire and The Partisan. The rest of the songs are good (a lot of people like Story of Isaac best, but my favorite is Nancy). The sound of a genius getting started.

they could never make me hate you leonard

Wow. I'd never knowingly listened more than about 2 Leonard Cohen songs in a row. I'm thankful to this list for bringing this album to my attention. I'm going to have to listen to it again in the future as I've been making bread while listening. It really is good...

This is a great Leonard Cohen album. I feel like I've heard it at least once before, but I've never really delved into his discography. Lonesome Heroes is pretty good and The Partisan is awesome. You Know Who I Am is a great one, great lyrics. Overall pretty solid Cohen album.

Another Cohen album that should’ve been recorded as a spoken word album instead of adding lackluster melodies to these incredible lyrics. And what’s up with the mouth harp on most of these songs? It doesn't add anything and is quite distracting. I really can’t rate this any higher than 2 stars.

Has great merit.

Leonard Cohen, good as usual, but fewer songs to remember than the Last one

Liked this much better than the last Leonard Cohen album I listened to. It was much more melodic.

Well this was a fine turd bow to cap off my 1001-th album. I can't believe there's even one of Cohen's albums on this list let alone multiple entries. This was a downer and perfectly represents the mediocre to total crap albums that populate about half of this list.

Every song is beautiful, but as an album it does drag a little.

Ok 92 albums in and 3 or them have been LC now. Again, seems like with Cohen the poetry of it all comes first, and the musicality is an afterthought. Not offensive to the ears. Probably a 2.5 rounded up because Canada.

The songwriting here is really great as expected, but did we really need the Jaw Harp in every song? Overall I think this is weaker than his first album. Favorites were Bird On The Wire, A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes, The Partisan, and The Butcher.

I didn't expect to enjoy this after the first minute or so, but the gentleness grew on me. Will explore more of his material.

nah

It was decent actually Will I listen to again: 40%

A tension exists here, between some interestingly introspective writing, low-key and largely inoffensive (if very limited) music, and the absolutely bloody dismal feeling that pervades. I don't dislike it but it's a somewhat challenging thing to sit through.

I didn't realize how much quality music Leonard Cohen had in his discography, but my oh my does Songs from a Room have some gems on it. This album is nowhere near Songs of Leonard Cohen, but it is a nice piece It continues the Folk sound Leonard established on his debut album and for the most part sticks to that same formula without much variety or change, but occasionally does do something a bit odd and different with the compositions before returning back to a sense of normalcy. I found just about every element here I thought I would enjoy turned out to be a watered down version of Songs of Leonard Cohen. It very much tries to distinguish itself and make a new sound to mess around with but fails miserably and somehow comes off as a much more safe and scared second outing from Mr. Cohen. Wish I had more to say about Songs From a Room but this was all in all a bit of a let down.

Love this guy

Shocked to find I gave another album by Cohen 3 stars, because these vocals were unlistenable.

Third favourite of his so far but still plenty there

Always liked Leonard Cohen love his lyrics and this album is no exception it was really enjoyable

8 / 10

Kaum Arrangement, viel Atmosphäre, reine Sprache. Bird on the Wire ist ein leiser Klassiker, The Partisan trägt eine unerwartete Schwere, und Cohens Stimme wirkt hier noch unmittelbarer als auf dem Debüt. Das Album ist weniger abwechslungsreich, aber dafür intimer, fokussierter und poetisch sehr stark.

A very nice album indeed. The songwriting and lyrics really take you on a journey, it feels like a great story being told. Really beautiful. Favourites: Story of Isaac The Partisan Tonight Will Be Fine

An acquired taste that I haven’t acquired

Another wonderful collection of songs. The Partisan is amazing.

Beautiful and heartbreaking

Need to give this another listen but for now 3 stars

Generator random strikes again! Two Cohen albums in 3 days. But yeah. A slight improvement in basically every way compared to Songs of Leonard Cohen. The music is better, less boring, and a little more catchy. The vocals/lyrics stood out more for me. And he excised the psychedelic elements I didn't like. Decent album.

170626 17:13 4

Again, sung poems and stories. Not much of a voice, the music is somehow fitting, but quite simple.

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🎩⬛⬜ Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🥀🫶🎼 Rating: 🐦🐦🐦/5

Great lyrics, simple instrumentation

Another Leonard Cohen album - and to be honest, it doesn't sound exactly like the others. On “Songs From A Room,” too, he recites his poems to accompanying music, but here, at least, it seems as though the lyrics and music were conceived together to some extent. Still, this album, too, shows first and foremost that Leonard Cohen wasn't a particularly good singer. And I still don't understand why so many of his albums are on the list.

I just could not connect with this album. I don’t hate Leonard Cohen’s voice but I do find it underwhelming. I just think the appeal of this album is how quaint and serene it is. But it just didn’t click with me, and I didn’t relate or feel any of the lyrics rocking my world so to speak. If you paid me to explain why I didn’t like this and why I did like all 3 nick drake albums, I don’t know what I’d say outside of creative and interesting guitar playing. And maybe that’s the biggest problem for me is the music isn’t trying to outshine Leonard. But I just couldn’t help but find this to be one of the most boring albums I’ve gotten so far.

I'm sure this is deeper than I give it credit, just lacking for me

Leonard cohen is back with his early "Evil Bob Dylan" persona. Evil may not be the right word, but he certainly takes singer-songwriter music somewhere dark and strange and biblical. I will admit that of Cohen's sublime first 3 albums, Songs From A Room is definitely the worst, but it isn't *much* worse. His striking poetry is still in full force, that's for certain. And there are some of his absolute best songs here. Bird on the Wire, Story of Isaac, The Partisan, and The Butcher in particular. Bird on the Wire is and indisputably classic, with evocative mouth harp playing. Story of Isaac is the peak of Cohen's biblical references. The Partisan (to me) conjures the sadness that I get from accounts of World War 1, I don't know why, but it just makes sense to me. And The Butcher is minimalistic in composition and burning with an undeniable fury. On some level, these songs are all jaw droppingly gorgeous, even if in a dark way. And honestly, much of the album follows. I will say that I don't like Lady Midnight all that much though, and A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes comes together a little awkwardly, although I like it more than a lot of people. Also, after seeing another review mention it, I noticed that there are a *couple* moments here where Cohen's lyrical meter slots pretty awkwardly into the songs here. While not quite on the level of Songs Of Leonard Cohen, or Songs of Love and Hate, Songs From A Room is a great album in it's own right, and a worthwhile badge on a fantastic discography.

meh

Not my favorite.

Great album.

Simply love Mr Cohen. 4.5*

I like Leonard Cohen and Bird on a wire is a classic, but musically this doesn’t really stretch out beyond the acoustic guitar and Jews harp for accompaniment. Occasionally a little flash of organ or electric guitar offers something different but generally as much as I love his voice and words that’s what you’re left with

Misleading album title. I was expecting “You Are My Rose”. Y’know, the kind of song to play while making passionate love to a woman’s belly button with your sinewy ass exposed for all to see.

This is an early release from Leonard Cohen, and it’s his third entry on the list. He’s got a bunch of albums - how many more will there be? The list makers must like him. The music is ok, but simple. His lyrics always are interesting, and something about some of these tracks reminds me of Bob Dylan. Overall not my favorite genre but ok.

Most songs are probably from a room, if you think about it. 'Bird on the Wire' is the only song from this one I knew, although apparently I had one of the lyrics wrong: "Like a baby, stillborn" does make more sense than "like a baby, still born", but I stand by my incorrect parse. Unfortunately, a little too sparse for my preference.

Bird on a Wire is a great song, one of my favorites. His lyrics are wonderful as always. I just didn’t like the overall sound as well as his previous, debut album.

Another Leonard Cohen? I don't get it, man. I really did try to listen carefully--I listened to it twice through. Not a single song was something I would want to put on again, even putting aside that voice.

1/5

"Like a bird on a wire / Like a drunk in a midnight choir / I have tried in my way to be free" "When it all comes down to dust / I will kill you if I must / I will help you if I can / When it all comes down to dust / I will help you if I must / I will kill you if I can" "I'd like to tell my story / Before I turn into gold" "I have changed my name so often / I have lost my wife and children / But I have many friends / And some of them are with me" "We told her she was beautiful / We told her she was free / But none of us would meet her in / The House of Mystery" "Into this furnace I ask you now to venture / You who I cannot betray" "I found a silver needle / Put it in my arm / It did some good / It did some harm" "I cannot follow you, my love / You cannot follow me / I am the distance you put between / All the moments that we will be" "Don't try to use me or slyly refuse me / Just win me or lose me, it is this that the darkness is for" "But I know from your eyes / And I know from your smile / That tonight will be fine ... for a while"

I hate leonard cojones Se parece a adam sandalias

Es verdad se parece a Adam Sandler Bob dylann't

My dad used to play this album in the car a lot when my brother and I were kids, despite us asking him not to. Maybe he did it so we'd grow up knowing life wasn't all sunshine and lollipops - as a child, I didn't fully understand what The Partisan was about, but I knew it sounded bleak. Or maybe he just knew that eventually we would come to appreciate it, because now I really do enjoy Songs from a Room. And while I do think eight-year-old me had a point about Cohen sounding like Elmer Fudd when he goes for the higher notes on Bird on the Wire, I now find that charming.

Unremarkable... This dreary album has no redeeming qualities.

3/1001 Cada letra desse álbum é um soco no estômago diferente(I need you to carry my children in/And I need you to kill a child) Bird on the Wire - 80 Story Of Isaac - 75 A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes - 75 The Partisan - 80 Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - 75 The Old Revolution - 75 The Butcher - 70 You Know Who I Am - 80 Lady Midnight - 80 Tonight Will Be Fine - 75 Media: 76.5

I find him musically boring. I know he’s supposed to be a great lyricist but I don’t want to listen to his words because of the way they’re delivered.

Boring, but not as boring as the other Cohen Album I got before. Still boring, though.

“What? Another Leonard Cohen album? This is exactly what we need!” - said nobody. Seriously. We don’t need a 5th Leonard Cohen album here. This sounds like the last albums, which also had a few good songs but could be combined with this one and the previous to that into a ‘Best of…”. The only two songs that jumped at me were Bunch of Lonely Hero’s and Lady Midnight because those two sounded distinct from the other eight, and I don’t know if I will remember to come back to them. Please, no more Cohen. My ears can’t take any more poetic dirges.

Random thoughts: * Leonard Cohen is like a port wine. It has its time and place but you probably don’t want it every minute of every day. * don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of Leonard. But you definitely got to be in the right mood. He probably pairs pretty well with port wine. * I did like the partisan especially the French chorus/choir. * I’ll probably just stick to the greatest hits.

Excited for this! I really like folk! I really liked the first Cohen album this thing generated! So yeah! Man Leonard Cohen sure knows how to make a good song despite not being that good a singer. Bob Dylan, sit your ass down and learn. All that just to say that Bird on The Wire is lovely. Story of Isaac was nice. The next song too. As much as I like his slower songs, a change of pace is also welcome. Despite my hatred for the french people and their language, I was able to enjoy The Partisan. Goes to show Cohen's power. Lady Midnight is nice. And good. Tonight Will Be Fine includes the mention of fanfiction trope "there's only one bad". For that alone it is great. It's also good for everything else. I like it when he gets sexy, in his own way. I never have much to say about the albums I like. That may be unfortunate. As expected from a Leonard Cohen album, there were no bad tracks, but there were some that were less good than others. Still a great effort though, and very much worth my time. Lovely stuff!

This has to be the most visually uninviting album I've seen in a while. Cohen's trademark impression of the neutral face emoji in a black rectangle on an album with a title like "Songs From a Room" just doesn't do it for me. Not "Songs From an Old Room," or "Songs From a Dark Room," or literally anything that describes the room he recorded this in, or maybe wrote the songs in, it's just a room. The music itself is much better. Between the two Cohen albums I've heard, I prefer this one to Songs of Love and Hate, although the name is much better. Nice, emotional storytelling with some interesting instrumentation in some parts. I like the little whistle solo in the last song and the jaw harp throughout the album. The man needs to learn how to title his damn albums, though.

Very good album, as usual. 3,5

Comes off trying to be to experimental. Not an easy listen.

A bit too samey overall, but I didn't hate it.

Poetry!

This sounded like dollar store Bob Dylan. I'm not the biggest fan of folky, singer songwriter music, and I found the songs not very interesting and just kind of a slog to get through.

Did you even try to be happy

It’s sad bastard music bordering on parody, but I’ll be damned if it not good

Leonard cohen, we meet again…. Tbh I’m not the biggest fun of spoken word, or folk, or Leonard Cohen's music... it's just not my cup of tea

Holy smokes, this is a pretty darn good album, eh? I was a bit worried there after the first track. I thought for sure it’d be another Neil Young situation; real beauties on the instruments, but you gotta suffer through a bit of a rough-sounding singer, you know? But unlike ole' Neil, Leonard's voice actually pairs up real nice with most of the fireside songs on this album. The subject matter is top-tier stuff too, buddy. The storytelling is great, and the lyrics are just pure poetry, plain and simple. This one gets a solid 7 out of 10 don' cha know.

Standouts Tonight Will Be Fine

You don't know what you've got until it's gone. Sometimes my view of an album is influenced by what I've listend to before. Yesterday it was SZA: an album of pasteurised vocals. smoothed and sanitised by pitch correction and autotune. Although I'm not a great fan of this collection of 'music to slit your wrists by' songs, I respect Leonard Cohen's voice, the imperfections in pitch, the way notes trail away at the end of a phrase — these are the very things that make it human. And they are something that would be scrubbed away by modern producer's compulsion to polish every vocal until all character and emotion have been battered to death. That said, this isn't an album I'll be returning to often. But fuck-you auto-tune - this is the way music should be recorded. 2. + 1 for being real.

Wunderbares Album, sein zweites.

I feel like I should have saved this album for later in the week when it's raining. Rainy Day music if I've ever heard it.

Not for me.

A man who cannot sing. Would give only 1 star but I already got worse on this list. 2/5

LC demos..... super lo-fi recording, with very simple instrumentation. It's definitely a vibe. I'm not sure these songs are winning me over though. They're pretty basic and repetitive musically. And I know, I know - you're supposed to be listening to the words! Anyways. LC was clearly still heavily inspired by Dylan at this point. A couple of these songs sound like they're going venturing into that territory but they stop just shy of crossing the border. It isn't bad, I don't love it, I can tell it will be great for someone else, therefore - THREE STARS

What an absolutely stellar run of albums it is for Lovely Leonard from 67 to 71 with the three Songs of... records. I think this is slightly below the other two, and especially the unparalleled Songs of Leonard Cohen, but it's still really great. His voice, a velvet fist in a steel glove, is really at its peak, and there are several really lovely songs in here. It peaks early, with Bird On The Wire one of the most enduring songs of all time, and while it can't hope to keep that momentum, is nevertheless very good throughout.

Bonito

Although I'm not a fan of how Cohen sings -- the man simply can't hold a note -- I still enjoy his simple melodies and contemplative lyrics. Sometimes, though, I find that the music is too toned down and sedate for my tastes.

Bird on the wire - 4/5 Story of Isaac - 2/5 A bunch of lonesome heroes - 4/5 The partisan - 3/5 Seems so long ago, Nancy - 1/5 The old revolution - 2/5 The butcher - 2/5 You know who I am - 1/5 Lady midnight - 3/5 Tonight will be fine - 4/5

Great song writer.

Before i review this one, i noticed my last review on Iggy Pop’s the idiot got bugged and copied a previous review i did on Funkedelic, so im just gonna briefly say its an ok album but pales in comparison to lust for life. Now this Cohen album still has his strong story-telling to a tee, but i’m still just not blown away by it like i was with his first album, i can’t even really put why, some of the minor instrumentation like the flute in the last song is a bit choppy. Standouts are A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes and The Butcher.

I like this but can be a bit repetitive and boring

Fuck sake. ANOTHER fucking Leonard Cohen album and I've still not had all of them. DULL. AS. SHIT!

Leonard Cohen is like broccoli to me. I don't love it. I don't hate it. It's probably good for me, but it doesn't taste very good. I dunno. I can give or take it.

I don't really care for folk music, but this album was very pleasant.

I would barely call this music

The term "Songs" is used very loosely here, seeing as it feels more like poetry being read while an acoustic guitar is played haphazardly in the background. Easily the most boring album I've hit so far, neither the vocals nor the instruments are particularly good. The few times other sounds and instruments show up it Somehow makes it worse.

Sometimes one must listen to an album like this, among one thousand other albums, to be reminded that the great spectrum of music includes work that is objectively bad. Cohen's music is the turd in the egg salad of musical art, and establishes a datum of low quality. The poor lyrical writing, the annoying jaw harp in every song, and the utter lack of vocal effort remind the listener for 36 minutes that there is music in the world worse than most other music, which really makes all other music more impressive by comparison. This realization is the only reason to listen to Cohen's music before death.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Very Good - Bird On A Wire is a very good song. Story Of Isaac sounds more like his debut: a bit more subdued and sombre. A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes is good but unfortunately I think The Partisan isn't quite the same level. I like The Butcher a lot and You Know Who I Am is great too. I think it weaker than the preceding and following albums but this is still a very good record.

pretty alright

Love his voice and storytelling but the music feels repetitive sometimes. Favorite is “You know who I am.”

Beautiful poetry, miserable singing.

Better than i thought. Good listen

fine

I’m being a little generous here but I really am starting to get a bit sick of this guy. How many more of him are on the list again

I lived in Montreal for a couple of years and had a great view from the office window of one of the two the giant Leonard Cohen murals painted on a building (the one in Le Plateau). It was much more appealing a sight than his records are to my ears.

An old favourite - sparse and intimate. Maybe not as strong as the first album, but plenty to enjoy. Favourite track: Tonight Will Be Fine

- This album feels like a giant fever dream that I cant say that im in love with... its just a guy saying sad nostalgic things on a guitar beat. - Maybe if I was on the verge of suicide I would love this album but day to day I'm just not really feeling this one. - It would be better if sean was singing it to me at night before bed lwk. - So found out that he was a French - Canadian musician that lived in Vancouver, and he liked to play chess in the park and stuff with the bums instead of living the life of a star. This is kind of weird but chill, he was a poet as well. - I like this dude but would I ever listen to this album again, prob not it was weird and quiet and all sounded like the same tone. I'm the kind of person that doesn't look too deep into lyrics unless I really love the album, so first you got to catch me with a good sounding song then I will hear you out with the lyrics. Much like Pink Floyd, Dark Side Of The Moon. Where every time I listen I hear a lyric and interpret it in a different way. - Basically what I'm saying is that this album is just not interesting enough o get me hooked. I feel that there is something there with the lyrics, however I just don't feel bothered enough to check them. - Therefore this album will be given a 1 star. This is the first 1 star album I have given, just because its not for me. I feel that some people may love this kind of music however for me this is just fricked. If I could it would be a 1.9 stars, closer to a 2 but its definitely not a 2.

such great storytelling gives the vibe of an father singing his children to sleep (also because he really isn't a good singer

Lyrically interesting but ultimately boring to actually listen to.

Pretty record, but also feels a bit mild for Cohen. The lyrics are great as always, the music is quite good, but the wow factor is missing.

Brilliant. Superb songs. Mibbie the voice is a little weak at times, but still a far better singer than Dylan.

Noooo not another mopey cohen album. This one even includes shitty flute playing. I really really don't like his music, and hearing the 20th album of his on this list will not change my opinion. 1*

I ❤️ LC

Oof, just ok. was praying I'd love it.

Did not enjoy this one bit, very slow, weird lyrics and weird jaw harp in the background.

I really liked the sparse instrumentation on this album, which allowed Cohen's somewhat mournful declamation to come through. Benefitted the quality of the lyrics

Sparse folk and singer-songwriter minimalism built from fragile acoustic guitar, understated arrangements, and deeply resonant baritone vocals feels like sitting in an almost empty chapel where every whispered word echoes far longer than expected—quiet, severe, and for some it might feels emotionally inescapable while for me its restraint tips into austerity leaving bored.

Leonard Cohen is one my favorite recording artists and I think he’s brilliant and that my life is considerably improved by having listened to his music. I feel the same way about the Smiths. But for both of those artists, I think their greatest hits compilations are preferable to their albums. This album has some great songs on it but it has some clunkers too. But “Bird on the Wire” “The Partisan” and “Lady Midnight” are great and they are on his first greatest hits comp. You listen to that and you’ve got all the good songs from his early albums and none of the not so great songs that are on this and his other records. I’ve always explained why I feel the way I do about the Smiths based on their not putting their singles on their albums but that doesn’t apply to Leonard Cohen. I think for both him and the Smiths, I had two of their greatest hits CDs when I was a teen and played them a million times and didn’t get their albums until I was an adult. The first cut is the deepest I suppose. But albums versus comps aside, God how I love Leonard Cohen. And not just as a songwriter. I like his voice, I like his arrangements. His songs are often funny and he performs them exactly right cause he knows where the jokes are. I love the mix of spirituality and sensuality that he hung in between his entire career. I just love him. I don’t think this is an all time great album - the overused jaw harp alone would disqualify it - but some of these are all time great songs and he is absolutely one of the all time greats of 20th century popular music. And to everyone leaving this album bad reviews, you are fools and you need to seriously reevaluate your life choices. Leonard Cohen is a treasure his music makes life better.

Should probably treat this one like a podcast. But it's tough to find the time when I could also listen to Anna Faris choosing whether to have bread or poppadoms.

Gorgeous, sparse, beautiful haunting lyrics. And what's that springing sound that he's making? Commercially not a great success, but he's persevered and became one of the greats. Never seen him live unfortunately.

I was pretty excited for this album considering how much other artists have referenced him in their musical career. I may have to do a Cohen deep dive because I didn't fully get it with this record. Hopeful this was just a miss for me and not a full dissolution of music history.

75

ich mag die stimme, das album ist dann aber eher eintönig.

EDie Lieder gefallen, später wurde seine Stimme noch einziger

Pretty flawless

Leonard Cohen is a captivating songwriter that follows the ancient songwriting tradition of the nice Jewish boy + acoustic guitar. Between Dylan and Simon, Cohen is more baritone voice and his songwriting would imply it fits the tone but tends to be lighter for the most part. Not as cryptic as Bob, not as childish nativity as Paul. Special shoutout to Phil Ochs who is not on this list but fits that category. Songs From A Room is more stripped down from his first album, kind of more of a Nick Drake setting with minimal but not missing nor empty backing music. Charlie Daniels, of Devil Went Down to Georgia and the beloved "BENGHAZI AIN'T GOING AWAY!!" meme played on this record as a session musician. I had to tell you that the moment I learned that when I finished playing the album. Never forget. I will admit as a nice (I think) Jewish boy that the white boy playing acoustic guitar phenomenon is not my favorite kind of music. I like Dylan and Simon because they tend to have really great backing talent that makes their songs more engaging as someone that's more rhythm than lyric oriented. But I find Cohen's voice very gravitating in a way that it does command the room. The pinch of reverb on the room tone helps give a great moody atmosphere for the album. The only other Leonard Cohen album I've heard was You Want It Darker from the list. I'll await the other Leonard Cohen albums to come. This one helped me understand a bit more about the man other than his epilogue album. May his memory be a blessing.

I love the intimacy and sparseness of this, but it's a more homogenous listen than it's predecessor

Towns van zandt vibes

eh

I know this artist. Very legendary just a bit too slow for me but I respect what he does

Not for me - don't listen if depressed.

A couple are really good, the rest might put you to sleep. All are extremely depressing. Low 3

On a bleak rainy day, thus the was a good listen.

Siento que no aprecié la totalidad de Leonardo Cohen. Debo escuchar con más atención a este disco. Lamentablemente, no puedo volver a scorear esto... Pero igual volveré.

Tää oli aika huono levy mun makuuni. Liikaa jollotusta. En tykännyt.

I think there’s something deeper here, but hasn’t quite grabbed me after two listens.

Enough of Leonard Cohen. Why on earth would he need to be in this list more than once, much less four times (so far??)??? Same story: great lyrics; terrible singer / performer

It didn't land as well as the brilliant _You Want It Darker_ or _Songs of Love and Hate_ which I own and know quite well, but having said that, it was enjoyable... as much as a LC album can be.. and knowing the quality he has, i'd return to it just to see if it grows on me. _The Partisan_ evoked the collab between **Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan**, particularly their debut _Ballad of the Broken Seas_.

I have a weird love hate thing with Leonard Cohen.

Оппозиция бобу дилану

This guy can really drone on. Who told blud he could sing or play guitar

So, that's gonna be a no from me Dawg. Stay in your room and maybe invite a partner over to cheer you up.

Was in an upbeat mood… and now I feel like a slug. It’s not bad… just blah-ish. 2.5

This might be good as a series of lullabies 🥱 Not without beauty. Probably important. Pretty boring. 4/10 Acceptable

I was a bit shocked by how bad this album was. I'm a fan of much of Cohen's later output. This early album, though, was a rough listen. Poor production, and surprisingly bad vocals from Cohen. And did he need a mouth harp on nearly every track? It's hard to sound sincere with some guy going "boing boing boing" behind you.

Well it was much better than Ice Cube.

2nd album this week by Cohen and I want to die. These songs work much better as covers because Leonard Cohen's lyrics are ok but he is just bland. Perhaps if I just heard 1 or 2 songs, I'd be ok, but 2 albums is too much for me. Now, on to the other 2 albums I put off this week: Jimi Hendrix and Zepplin. What a diverse Sunday!

very good

Nett anzuhören, paar echt gute Songs, the partisan zB

Not his best but really good

Just not for me, had it on in the car, couldn’t focus on it. Dreary background music

Too sad

Ikle hans beste.

The boring room

I didn’t realize Leonard Cohen actually sang. Most of the songs I’d heard from him are his talk/sing poetry. But he’s just singing here, and it was quite nice. “Story of Isaac” was far and away my favorite song, but “You Know Who I Am” was quite good too. Still a bit ambivalent on Leonard Cohen in general, but I understand why this album made the list.

Hermoso me encantó desde que lo escuché

I am sitting in a room.

Apparently I’m a pretty big Leonard Cohen fan.

More upbeat than some others of his.

Love Cohen the songwriter, hate Cohen the singer

kinda intressting but not much variance

Great songwriting, no question about it, but it is just sooo slooooowww....

Possibly his best album

Album #90, Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room, ⭐⭐⭐ The slightly ugly middle child in Leonard Cohen’s pretty legendary opening three album run. Though, as an aside, my personal favourite Cohen album is New Skin for the Old Ceremony, which came directly afterwards. This is still a good album because it’s still Cohen, but it’s kind of undefined compared to the records around it. I don’t really know how to define this album, to be honest. When I think of his debut, I think of something lush and beautiful and genuinely pretty. When I think of Songs of Love and Hate, I think of one of the bleakest albums ever made. Songs from a Room just kind of feels like one of the albums ever made, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t really have one defining characteristic outside of being very sparse. It only really has a handful of truly great songs on it for me, namely “Bird on the Wire”, “The Partisan” and “Seems So Long Ago, Nancy”. The rest range from decent to forgettable. I’ve probably listened to this album about fifty times in my life, and I still look at the tracklist sometimes and have absolutely no memory of what “The Butcher” sounds like. One other negative is that I think this is probably one Cohen’s weakest album’s vocally. His voice just isn’t great on some of these tracks. He comes across as a bit too dour and emotionless at times, and I honestly think if this was someone’s introduction to Leonard Cohen, they’d probably be put off exploring the rest of his music. I think it’s far from his most accessible album. That being said, it’s still Cohen. He’s a lyrical genius, and to use a Silver Jews lyric, “all my favourite singers couldn’t sing”. I love Cohen’s voice regardless. I love his guitar playing, and I love the atmosphere he creates more than anything else. He’s one of the great kings of atmospheric music making. A dark, candlelit kind of record. And while I definitely think it deserves to be on the list because it forms part of such a stellar trilogy of albums, its the weakest of the three for me.

Placed between two juggernauts of his discography. Not as good as them, but has "Bird on a Wire" tho

I like Leonard Cohen. But I do not like this. I'd never listened songs from a room before and I'm just glad that Cohens voice became listenable later in his career. The out of tune and out of time pan pipe and whistling duelling solo on the last track is one of the worst album endings I have ever heard. I actually started laughing. These songs should have stayed within the room where they were written.

Compared to the other work of Cohen that I'm more familiar with, this was a bit bland. Almost forgettable.

I like where Leonard is coming from and he can turn a phrase but this album was one song over and over.

It’s not as good as his other albums. Sort boring and that silly jaw harp really…sucks lol. Less poetic more stories but they’re stories I can’t really relate to

Leonard Cohen with another fantastic performance on Songs From A Room. He makes songwriting seem effortless, as if he’s simply opening a tap, and out of that tap, fantastic imagery and poetic storytelling. He’s very good at sparse songs but I really do enjoy when things get a bit more energetic, A Bunch of Lonesome Heros is a great representation of that, such a cool guitar sequence on that track. Then he follows that up with the hauntingly beautiful, The Partisan, just so good, the strumming, the vocals, the arrangement, it’s a masterpiece. The rest of this record superb as well. Put your headphones on for this and give it the attention it deserves. 4 stars

Poems set to music

The lyrics here are much more the focus than the music, but despite the music being very simple and sparse it’s still enjoyable. To me, the lyrics are up there with Bob Dylan’s for effective imagery and emotional impact. A great album that I have to be in the right mood for.

Loved it, listened to a bunch more Leonard Cohen the same day.

Another chill album, though I'll have to listen to more of his stuff to really understand the hype.

What if Bob Dylan spoke like a normal person?

Eh. Was looking forward to this album cause I've heard he was a music revolutionart but it fell short for me.

3.5

I prefer Leonard Cohens later work.

This was just kind of fine. A little boring at times, but I did appreciate the song writing. 2/5

I don’t think I’ve listened to this Leonard Cohen album much if it all. But it’s very good just like basically everything he’s done

álbum médio do cohen né, é isso ai

é o esperado dele, eu acho. bem soturno, violãozinho, meio melancólico não eh ruim não. nao eh minha pira, mas não me incomodou nem um pouco. é bacaninha

Even the description of this album under Cohen's own streaming page call this a disappointment. I tend to have next to no love for most Folk music, but the weird thing is Leonard Cohen squeaks past my critique of the genre somehow, especially as every time I expect to dislike him as much as my distain for Bob Dylan, but something sounds slightly better.

Peak

Not bad. Just not for me.

That bloke you dont want to get stuck talking to at a.party has brought a guitar.

3/5

We've had so many Leonard Cohen albums now that sounds EXACTLY like this so I don't feel like I have much left to say. Defeinitely doesn't need to be on this list with that in mind. Still, it was a nice sit-through that I nodded along to occasionally. Weak 3.

Look, I really like Leonard Cohen, but this is the fifth album we’ve covered from him, and most of them come from his early period. They tend to sound very similar, often feeling more like poems set to music than fully developed songs. After listening to several of these early records, you more or less know what you’re going to get. The standout tracks here are “Bird on the Wire” and “The Partisan,” the latter of which closely resembles his song “Avalanche.” Strong 3.

this middle chapter of Leonard Cohen's "Songs" albums isn't quite as beloved as the other two, mainly owing to the persistent presence of the Jew's harp on so many of its songs. in all honesty, I didn't really find it all that obtrusive. and, hey, that A-side is truly something special. the cover of "The Partisan", an anti-fascist French tune, is easily the highlight; but "Bird on the Wire" does a tremendous job of setting the very somber mood that the rest of the songs follow. the stripped-down sound (compared to Songs of Leonard Cohen, anyway) does wonders in terms of capturing the gravitas of Cohen's material. it's been quite some time since I revisited his work, but if this already-very-strong offering is considered the weakest of his first three albums, I can only imagine the other two are that much better. strong 7/10.

If I wanted to hear some white guy singing over rhythmic music I'd go to my local karaoke night

Whimsical

His voice is so soothing/relaxing that I forgot I was listening half way through. A couple songs stood out, but the album overall lost me

Beautiful and sensitive. Not guarded. He stretches his voice and it makes him feel real. A true poet with sparse instrumentation, save for the mouth harp and whistle.

I prefer actual singing in my songs and actual music in my tunes. I'm sure the lyrics are good and all if you haven't already tied of terminal boredom from this guy's mumbling.

Какой-то типичный американский бард. Я-то и русских не люблю

Just love Leonard Cohen

I think the author is fucking with me now. He can’t possibly think we need to listen to more Leonard Cohen? Is this album number 4? 5? Shit all sounds the same! No need to punish us… or is it just me? Maybe I’m being singled out by the algorithm for my scathing reviews and low ratings? That must be it! The rest of you get 1 album, while I get the entire fucking Cohen catalog! I Blame Obama!

Never listened to Leonard Cohen before this, did not know what to expect. But man I gotta say ‘Songs From A Room’ is terrific. Sure he’s not the most talented ‘musician’ in the world but as a songwriter and overall performer he is spectacular. There is so much honesty and sincerity in his delivery as much is so when the songwriter sings their own song. The production is slightly odd with weird keys and mouth harp sprinkled throughout, which I love. I really liked this record and the first one off this list I’m going to hunt down and pick up at a record store!

Slow and melancholic, love the lyric writing. Reminds me of Claudine Longet

theres not really anything separating it from any other country album

He’s low energy and can’t sing, but man I somehow love his songs.

One of the best album of L. Cohen

Songs I learned when young

Unique voice, and artist. Some decent songs.

In agreement with other reviews, its good but isn't needed in the 1001

Not my jam

Didn’t care for this one at all

Catch up #16 October 23 2026 I’ve talked many times about bands and artists with only one mode. Sometimes it’s hyperbolic, because I wanted or expected more. Other times it’s descriptive- some artists, like punk music and electronic, are genuinely good in their lane and need no departure. Leonard cohen desperately needs a departure. When I say there’s one mode, Holy lord is it just him talking into the microphone. Barely any music to speak of, just Leonard monologues for half an hour. Painfully, excruciatingly boring. The only saving grace is that I could almost forget it was on at times. ⭐️

I’m not certain that I’m familiar with Leonard Cohen. I didn’t like this album.

Endnu et bundsolidt Leonard Cohen album

Jeg har vist undervurderet den her lidt tidligere fordi pladerne der kommer før og efter er så sindssygt god. Men den her er jo også helt magisk. Elsker Leonard Cohen.

Great voice, instrumentation and songs in general.

I think this artist is more focused on lyrics, and I care more about music, so this isn’t for me.

Album 29/1001. Listened 4/20/2026. Loved the lyrics of the songs, but the overall album is kind of a downer. Probably won't listen again.

5/5 absolute cinema

Ugh, what a beautiful way to start an album. Bird on the wire was just fantastic, so pretty. Story of Isaac was great. I’ve said this before, but having that balance in the instrumental so it doesn’t take away from the narrative lyrics really does make a tracks. A bunch of lonesome heroes had such great guitar. The ebb and flow of the piece was almost magical. The French parts in the Partisan were lovely to listen to. Seems so long ago, Nancy, was a delight, and The old revolution was also very interesting. The butcher just exemplified how lovely and narrative these tracks are. You know who I am was also great. Lady Midnight, gorgeous. To close, Tonight will be fine was an apt, very nice way to close the album. 5/5 ⭐️ 104/1089

Not quite as strong as Cohen's debut, and with a few instrument choices that I don't think work all that well. Songwriting is still super strong, but I just think he has better material elsewhere.

I’m hardly saying anything groundbreaking here but incredible lyricist, mid vocalist. I'm giving this a 4 because I can’t in good conscience give such basic singing a perfect score (but everything else on this album is a 5).

Im partial to Partisan. Everything else I’d have been happy to stay in the room.

Dark.

The Good: (spoiler alert) THE LAST LC album I have to listen to on this list!!! The Bad: The fact that I had to listen to THREE of his albums… The Ugly: Mr Dimery’s face all smashed in by my fist—this is my imagination, I don’t condone violence… though at times this journey just pulls the worse out of you… If you own a dusty coffee shop, where 2-3 regulars show up only on rainy Wednesday afternoons, well then this is your album! We all know that LC is a poet… yet, as many have said before me, and I will gladly repeat, he has NO BUSINESS performing his own songs. The only positive thing about this album is that it is now done and I will never have to listen to LC again, unless it is accidentally thrust onto me in a movie or some empty dusty coffee shop on a rainy Wednesday afternoon... 1*

Jedinica iz principa. // Bila bi jedinica jer postanem suicidalna čim moram slušati cohena.

Off key vocals offend the ear, and even the poetry of the lyrics can't compensate.

Me encantó, no conocía ni el artista ni el álbum y me gustó

Cohen's off-key singing is the cherry on the top of this rancid cake of secondhand Dylan-isms, "MacArthur Park"-style earnestness and hook-free rambling.

Leonard Cohen, 3 eme album =>1/5

Excellent storytelling, too bad it was toneless

I am growing to quite like Leonard Cohen. It's my new wave of liking acoustic stuff from artists like Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen. I am even considering making Nick Drake's Pink Moon album one of my 8 5/5 albums on rate your music. It's THAT good

The album opens with 'Bird On A Wire', a brilliant song that Cohen himself wrote off as a simple country song. 'The Partisan' is Cohen's take on a French resistance song from the second world war. With French backing singers and an accordion coming in as the song reaches its conclusion, this might be one of the most bleak songs Cohen ever put out - something that covers a lot of ground! Other great songs include 'Story Of Isaac' and 'Seems So Long Ago, Nancy'. The album is certainly front-loaded, with all the best songs appearing in the first half of the album. The instrumentation is rather stripped back. Cohen's words are the main event here, and they are backed by an acoustic guitar and a Jew's harp giving the record a unique sound. We sometimes get a smattering of strings throughout the record. 'The Butcher' is the most bare-bones song on here and it feels like it is missing something. I've always thought of Leonard Cohen as Bob Dylan for the goths and this dark collection of songs does a lot to make me further believe that! Like Dylan, Cohen doesn't have a pretty singing voice. These men are poets first and foremost.

I heard drunk people with a guitar that sounded better than Leonard Cohen

This must have been a very boring room.