Songs From A Room

Honestly a bit sad for me.

Simple and basic easy listening. Kind of campfire song feel fine for the right setting. 2.5/5

Seems to be somewhat of a continuation in feel from his first album, although more stark and stripped down. A perfectly fine listen with some interesting production choices. Jew’s harp anyone?

I liked/respect parts of this, but man a lot was quite dull.

After an album or two of his, this was very meh for me. 2.5

Totally fine. Easy listen. Nothing great. 2.75/5

Wow. Didn't expect to like folk album like this. But his songs and voice are so good

"Songs From A Room" marks my first full introduction into Leonard Cohen's catalogue. I found it a stark album, with stripped-back production, placing the emphasis squarely on his voice, or, more precisely, his lyrics. The vocal delivery will undoubtedly be the defining characteristic for most listeners; it's unconventional and far from 'pretty,' which perfectly mirrors the sparse musical arrangements. Personally, I liked the vocals. Despite the minimalism, the songs successfully command attention. I classify "Songs From A Room" as a "Listening Album," one that demands multiple spins for its full qualities to emerge. I enjoyed "Songs From A Room", and would certainly revisit it. Its inclusion on this list is clearly down to Cohen's massive influence as a songwriter, which is evident in tracks that foreshadow artists like Nick Cave. However, I felt the overall quality was inconsistent. Ultimately, it was a good listen, well worth repeat plays, which in time might improve its overall rating, but for now it rates at (3/5). My last point would be on the album artwork, it tries to mirror the starkness of the contents within and I understand that, but it is truly awful. Side one 1 "Bird on the Wire" (4/5) 2 "Story Of Isaac" (3/5) 3 "A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes" (4/5) 4 "The Partisan" (3/5) 5 "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" (4/5) Side two 6 "The Old Revolution" (3/5) 7 "The Butcher" (4/5) 8 "You Know Who I Am" (3/5) 9 "Lady Midnight" (3/5) 10 "Tonight Will Be Fine" (3/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.4 156/1001 85/156 albums reviewed were new to me.

для любителей леонарда коэна.

I wouldn't exactly recommend this if you're wanting something uplifting. Leonard Cohen can certainly write a song, that's for sure. I think this particular record is a little too Dylan-esque for me though. I would take Leonard Cohen over Bob Dylan any day but it's still not something I would really like to listen to with any regularity. I feel like Leonard Cohen got better as he aged and I much prefer his music from when he was more of an old man. This album is fine but it's not anything I'll come back to. 3/5

Good. Understandably considered excellent for those who may listen closely to lyrics - but I'm not one of those so not sure.

Bit pandering, meh

This is not my favorite Cohen album.

Amazing. Sadly its available as mono mix on spotify

Super slow - a particular vibe

A bit bland

Great songwriting the singing is meh more like spoken word lind of country but good prose poetry. Similar to bob dylan and indie stuff thats not my preference but still really good objectively

Leonard Cohen is a poet. No other way to describe him. While unconventional, the tone of his voice is so moving and rich. But it’s undeveloped on this early record. I’ve listened to plenty of Cohen’s music, but I wasn’t familiar with this album. You can hear the potential with the benefit of hindsight. His voice hasn’t quite developed the signature quality it eventually does on his later records. Still a good album that I liked. The sparse musical arrangements and moodiness create a sonic space to get lost in. But this is a far cry from Cohen at his best.

I’ve never been a huge Leonard Cohen fan, aside from You Want It Darker, which actually hit me pretty hard. Songs From a Room is fine, just not something I’d ever go out of my way to listen to again. It’s quiet, sparse, and poetic in that Cohen kind of way, but it drags in spots. There’s no denying the man could write. The lyrics are strong, and you can tell every word was chosen carefully. The problem is, the delivery is so subdued that it starts to feel sleepy after a while. It’s the kind of album that’s easy to respect but hard to stay engaged with. So yeah, three stars. I get why people love it, but it’s just not my thing. If I want Cohen, I’ll stick with You Want It Darker and skip the rest.

Sparse, somewhat rambling second track, singing doesn't follow the song's melody. Voice is open, honest and raw. Important album, but unenjoyable.

Strong 3,5

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, this album sucks. Leonard Cohen is revered by many for his lyrical talent, often considered one of the best song writers of his generation. This album showcases this fact clearly with songs such as “Bird on a wire” being masterfully written. So why then do I say this album sucks? Well the reason is simple, the music itself is just boring. Throughout this album, Cohen sings in the same monotone style every song, almost exclusively backed by a quiet guitar playing mindless bland 3 chord melodies. If I had to describe this album, it feels like Leonard Cohen went to a poetry recital and some guy happened to be playing guitar outside. It’s a completely passionless project, and honestly it gives off the impression that Cohen only chose to become a musician because it was more profitable to be one instead of just writing solo poetry. Best Song: The Old Revolution (this is the only track I can remembering having any instrument besides a bland backing guitar) Worst Song: A bunch of lonesome heroes

Some Cohen songs are okey but the first song really show he can't really sing and he is more of a story teller than a singer. So the question is, Is lyrics more important than the voice. i would say it don't matter if the music is interesting and the singer knows his limits. Cohen tries to sing out of his range and the music is only background chords. If you like everything Cohen makes, ask yourself this truthfully: If you heard a guy singing like this and he was not famous, would you be as impressed? or would you leave?

Liked it

Only interesting thing I learned while listening to this album was that Leonard was Canadian. I always thought he was British

More like a 3.5. I appreciate the lyrics but the execution leaves something to be desired. Realistically, I wouldn’t revisit this unless I was interested in this time period/Cohen’s career.

280/1089 - Didn't like or hate this. Not a very musical album.

Amazing this came out in 1969. His voice is definitely his voice. Bird On A Wire was almost chilling. Not exactly for me but glad I gave it a listen.

I think I like this one better than Songs of Leonard Cohen, but maybe not as much as Songs of Love and Hate. I'm an edgelord, what can I say? Yea, I mean ultimately I don't think it's as good as Madvillainy.

Another classic from the master poet

It was decent. Don't really have a lot to say about it. 6/10

deep lyrics

Cohen's voice is beautiful but I'm not totally into it. Same thing with the songwriting. I like the sparseness. It gives each element room to breathe. Favorite song: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes.

Songs From a Room if the room in question was hermetically sealed from anything approaching listenable music. 0.5/5.0: Unlistenable

this album is the logical stepping stone between the funeral dirge that was his debut album and the more haunting poems of his third. unfortunately its more like the former. id probably enjoy the songs performed by another artist.

A much more tolerable Leonard Cohen album than either of the other two I’ve had. Good length and there were touches of Guthrie and so on on here that I quite enjoyed at times. Didn’t love it, but a 3 is an improvement on either of the other two. I’m still dreading the two to come mind you.

Bird on a wire

Leonard Cohen is someone I should like a lot more than I do. I *appreciate* him more than like him. He was a brilliant lyricist and by rights should have won the Nobel Prize over Dylan if they had to award it to a musician. I just find his actual music to be so dour and repetitive, I feel I’d have a better experience just reading his lyrics as a form of poetry rather than listening to a man struggle to perform them.

I know people don’t like his voice but I find it almost comforting - it might just be a familiarity thing? I like the style of these songs, they feel warm but not too complicated. Wouldn’t be my go to album of his, but I did enjoy it. Fav song: The Partisan Least fav: Seems So Long Ago, Nancy

This guy actually loves to drone on doesn’t he. Nice guitar but some of the worst vocals I’ve heard. Get someone else on it. Realised halfway through that Demetri Martin kind of parodied it in one of his songs so kept waiting for there to be jokes in the lyrics but there wasn’t so that made me double disappointed. Specific rating - 1.5 Fav song- lash midnight Least fav- bird on the wire

I find his voice so calming and peaceful. Taught me a new musical instrument (the jews harp) and that I like it a lot less than Leonard Cohen does. Not my favourite of his albums that I've heard but I still enjoyed it. Favourite song: The Partisan Least: The Butcher

Such an important artist, I find his younger self unlistenable. See you in 20 years or so, Leonard's amazing.

Sounds like a dull Bob Dylan

Decent work, like most Cohen

The type of music one writes for oneself, not necessarily to sell records I guess… Not really my thing, pretty bland and predictable.

It was alright, very calm

A pretty mid album from Mr. Cohen. At least the vocals get a little more tolerable from the opening number.

Bird on a wire The partisan

More of a Leonard Cohen song person than a Leonard Cohen album person…

I didn’t really enjoy this

The first song of the album is one of the worst I have ever heard. The rest are only a little better. I'm sure the lyrics are brilliant but the music is not. Sorry to the city of Montréal, the big Leonard Cohen mural is still cool.

This is a beautiful album and his voice and style do move you somewhere else. Not his finest album but it is great and worth listening. The feeling of The Partisan is the best on the album.

This was what I needed today. After a string of stuff more on the experimental side. He uses his voice well. Love The Partisan. Some of the bass lines remind me of l Hank Williams or The Carter Family like Tonight Will Be Fine. If there were fractional scores this as an album would be just under a 5 so I'm rounding up.

Schön und ruhig

Okay

I don't really like the music of Leonard Cohen and similar artists. It's too pretentious for me. Surprisingly, I quite liked the album. Although it's too melancholic for me to want to listen to it again, I still enjoyed listening to it. 3/5

So, I'm in the business of recognizing patterns, and based on just two albums from Mr. Cohen, I'd hypothesize he misapplied his talents. He should have been a poet (or perhaps a lyricist); but he had zero business attempting to be a performing musician. Still, I don't blame him for this abysmal repeat experience today. Instead, I have greater contempt for Robert Dimery for leading us to believe that listening to more than one album by Leonard Cohen was a mandatory life experience. At best, this lazy decision was a shameful way to pad out his list of 1,001 albums so he could sell a book. Disappointing.

I gave this a few listens. I don’t think it was worth the extra time, but I tried.

Sad, folksy tunes for me just don't work with a full album. It's hard to keep your attention for such a slow crawl of songs that make you feel like such a bummer man. Props for infecting me at least with a sense of ennui.

As a storytime this is fine but musically it is rather uninteresting and the performance lacklustre. Not something you can put on in the background as the lyrics carry everything on this record.

If you’re into Dylan, you dig this. Folksy singer, Dylan-esque. Not the best singer but his lyrics are probably more what he’s about. Not my favorite Folk artist, but my folk music doesn't stray far from Nick Drake and Sufjan Stevens. Album was par for someone who isn’t all into this type of genre. If you like Dylan, you’ll definitely want to listen.

You know that fart noise you can make with your tongue and lips and teeth, you know that thing? Yep. That's where I'm at.

A disappointment compared to "Killing Joke". The songs on "Songs From a Room" are a bit boring. I think there are too many Leonard Cohen albums on the list. There's no doubt that Cohen was a great songwriter. At least this album's not an '80s pop record. 3 stars for "Songs From a Room".

Definitely a poet, less of a writer of melodies. I generally like Leonard Cohen but this isn't necessarily his best album. My favourite from the album is probably Bird on the Wire. I also like jaw harp, but it usually shines as a unique texture used sparingly. Not as enjoyable when it's just constantly going on in the background.

Honestly I haven’t had the same ability to really focus on what’s been playing in the past few days so I think this was good

Another Lenard Cohen album! Quite different from the You Want it Darker album. This paired well with the rainy weather outside. I do like it darker personally. But this was a moody vibe for a gloomy fall Sunday morning.

This was a pretty cool album. I didn't find his voice overbearing and the instrumentation was quite nice. Very chill folky album

Really enjoyed this! Listened to it on a rainy drive home from Gimli. With the autumn colours, rainy skies, and chilly winds hitting the car, this album was the cherry on top for the vibe. Really loved the added elements such as the Jaw harp, and strings throughout. Such a huge difference between this albums sound vs. You want it darker (The other Leonard Cohen album we've listened to thus far). Really interesting juxtaposition to have listened to his last album, and then his 2nd ever album next up, sounds like 2 completely separate artists. Favorite Song: The Old Revolution, Bird on a Wire 8/10

love

This album seems like a book that you need to re-read several times to really understand. Not perfect musically, but that's not the point. Hugely influential, not hard to see why.

I didn't mind this. It was a good listen. There were some lyrics that were incredible. I've listened to some Leonard before and not loved this voice, but I found this one to be great to have on in the background and just tune in here and there.

3/5 Bob Dylan like

Good folk music. Not as gruff as later Cohen I was familiar with, not overly interesting.

There was a moment when Cohen was somewhat obscure, and then a few brave souls I knew lauded his directness, his simplicity, his poetry. And I was on board with the resurrection effort. Now after he seems to be an American Idol staple I am more, justified or not, critical. I still like the directness and poetic effort sometime, but it can wear pretty thin. He seems sometimes to be shocking for shocking's sake and his lyrics can border on cliche. There is something there, and I would like a little more of it.

This may not be his best album but I’m a devotee and Leonard Cohen can’t really put a foot wrong. I’d listen to this until the end of time. And yes I would whistle that end song too.

I wavered between a 3 and 4 on this one, but in the end, I very much enjoyed my time with the album, so it gets the grace. There's a certain magic going on with this man. In lesser hands, the individual elements wouldn't add up to anything quite so special, but Cohen has a gift for lyrics that match the music that get elevated by his limited vocal capacity—somehow he makes that work to his advantage.

I haven't been able to listen to much music this week, so this is based on a brief perusal of the album. I'm not sure about the arrangements. I didn't hate them but I'm not sure they really played to the songs' strengths. His vocals don't bother me, and I enjoyed the lyrics, such as I could pay attention to them. but overall, I'm not sure this is one I'd reach for again. Then again, if y'all were going gaga over it, I'd reconsider.

NO - Why is everyone of his albums on this list? He is monotone and just not fun to listen to either. -100 stars but alas only a 1 star is available.

It's fine. Leonard Cohen isn't growing on me but I certainly don't hate this album. Should it be on the list? Maybe. I'll give it three stars and then nobody will ever read this review again. Favorite track: "The Partisan"

Listening to many of these albums at work is probably skewing my scores. I didn't mink this one too much but mostly because it was good background music. Other than that I thought it was boring musically to annoying with the jaw harp haha. Reading about it, people say that Leanard Cohen is a great lyricist but not a great musician and singer. I agree that his singing isn't very good. Another thing about my music taste is that the melody and musicality or whatever you call it is what is most important to me, especially on the first listen of a song or album. It typically takes me multiple listens for me to appreciate lyrics, so that puts musicians like Leonard Cohen at a disadvantage if their primary strength is their lyrics. Anyways, wasn't a huge fan, but I recognized The Partisan from the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople and enjoyed that. Standouts: The Partisan Rating: 2.5/5

Favorite: The Old Revolution

As unremarkable as youd assume Does what it says on the tin, does it to an average level. Its short so that's a positive. Nothing really sticks out.

So boring

Leonard Cohen really was a master with words. The songs are simple yet they’re so emotive. He’s not the greatest singer (and in the same vein of Bob Dylan, often covers of his songs are better) but honestly his voice works for what this is. He’s not singing as much as speaking over words but it sounds lovely

cool but not rly my thing

Good, I guess

Found this a bit dull to listen to. Probably need to listen to the lyrics more.

Pretty much in line with his first album in my opinion. Clearly a transcendent songwriter but his style puts me to sleep.

4.1. I will rate it in-line with the other Cohen entries we have had. Looking back at my reviews, Im your man, should have been a 5 starer

This one isn’t for me. It’s decent, but his voice isn’t there yet. 3 stars

Lovely. Really like him a lot 4*

Mostly nice, but I don't find it particularly special. Fave Tracks: The Old Revolution 3.3/5

Beautiful stuff! What room did these come from?

i wouldnt mind being in that room!

Music to enjoy while drinking whiskey alone at a dive bar

Folksy! 3.5

I groaned when I saw another Cohen album cause I didn’t really enjoy the last one. I sort of put him in the same category as Bob Dylan. Amazing songwriting and story telling but lousy delivery.. This one was different, I enjoyed the voice and the music. Yeah, pretty good. Would I buy it? No! Would I listen again? Maybe!

boingcore

I've been looking forward to getting another Leonard Cohen album after really enjoying I'm Your Man (despite the super 80s production). It was really interesting to go back in time 6 albums and see where he came from. His voice definitely didn't start off so "golden", and his style was a lot more similar to Bob Dylan at times - I don't feel like he had really found his own style yet. Still, there are some terrific lyrics and I'll definitely be revisiting it.

Mouais chiant

Which room? I’ve liked Leonard Cohen, but I’m starting to feel like one of the people chosen for an episode of “Pimp My Ride.” We heard you LOVE Leonard Cohen, so we’ve SLAMMED your 2001 Pontiac Sunfire and loaded the trunk with his actual ashes. Check em out while you’re watching muted Xzibit videos on the mudflats we installed. Now THAT’S hater vision. I’m not sure if I’ve violated any international copyright policy by referencing “Hater Vision,” but please note I only invoke it with the utmost of reverence and humility. Anyway. What are we doing here? Oh yeah. Canadian poet time. Should be a nice morning. Bird on the Wire - Like a drunk in a midnight choir. You got that part right! Story of Isaac - It’s always tough when your dad says he's had a vision and it ends up being one of those weekends where he takes you to a mountain to sacrifice you to a deity that he just invented. Spend the next week at your Mom’s Lenny boy! A Bunch of Lonsesome Heroes - Wait a second, if there a bunch of them, why are they so lonesome? Really makes you think. The loneliest people are so often surrounded by humanity. What is it about throngs of humans that makes us feel so alone? The Partisan - We’re getting French, so I had to check that I didn’t misread “The Parisian.” Yes, French culture exists outside of France, but I’ve been known to be uhhh stupid. I’m liking this record though. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - Nancy really takes it on the chin in these recordings. Has he sung to Nancy before? Upon further review, no. There is Suzanne and Marianne, but no Nancy at this juncture. Drat. The Old Revolution - They don’t make revolutions like they used to. The Butcher - Almost wrote “The Bitcher” which I believe will be a new game created by the studio that brought you “The Witcher” after one of the devs went through a pretty messy divorce. You Know Who I Am - I do. We’ve listened to you like 6 million times. Lady Midnight - Is this a pageant I wasn’t aware of? Ladies and gentlemen, Lady 4:31 PM! Maybe she is just tired looking. Wearing business clothes that have settled uncomfortably during the long day. This is a good idea. We need more pageants - Leonard Cohen. You heard it here first. Tonight Will Be Fine - What a whistle outro. This was nice. Lenny goes to the hoedown and surprisingly, I’m right there with him. I will always support him with his desire to attend hootenannies. I mean he sits in the corner reciting dark poetry about a woman who left his life and lingered like a scent. He gazes out the barn windows at the alabaster moon holding court in the hall of cosmic discourse while the simpletons dance amongst the horse bedding. I say “Lenny, can we go?” He laughs “Has it come to you or have you found the remnants in this room of a time when we weren’t strangers?” “What?” I’m straining to hear over the strains of “Cotton Eyed Joe.” “Pay it no mind” sighs the exasperated poet. “I’ve heard enough to fill at least one album with some minor country influence.” “And I wish very much to end this horrible review closing anecdote.” Always a charmer that Lenny. On to the next. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Story of Isaac, A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes, The Old Revolution

After four really consistent Leonard Cohen I seem to have hit my limit, as I found this one less memorable and less engaging than the others. The voice is still somewhere between the youthful rawness of his debut and the rich treacle of his later years so it falls a little flat at times and while the songwriting is still very good, it never really stopped me in my tracks the way it has on the other three of his albums.

Very folky, a couple of stand out songs but wouldn't call it a masterpiece exactly. The last track with the flute made me smile a little bit, felt a bit child like.

Me gusta mas Bob Dylan. Estoy sorprendida.

Songs of Leonard Cohen was a hard act to follow. In order for him to somehow top it, he had to conjure it from a room instead. Stripped down to its very essence (voice and guitar), Songs From a Room is austere yet epic in its structure, with Leonard's songwriting being given the space it needed to get the point across and the stories within some gravitas. Not the kind of music that's made for dancing in the streets but it does more than enough to make one's worldview spin.

Lovely. Great lyrics (obviously)

Depressing as fuck

Im one of those people who usually values lyrics last - just a personal preference, but with Leonard Cohen, his writing is so profound and relatable that even to me it’s the highlight of his music. I love this album.

I liked it, but didn’t love it.

A common misconception of Leonard Cohen songs is that they are miserable affairs. I think this is because of the very subdued arrangements of a lot of his songs. To listen to his early stuff is to hear a master at work. The old revolution is the equal if not better than any dylan protest song. Bird on the wire is full of trickery and poise. A couple of songs are not worthy of the album but largely this is a work of art.

Top notch melancholy. Intense poetry, badly sung, yet somehow gripping.

This is the third Leonard cohen album we've had so far and it's not the best (4) or the worst (2) so.... 3.

Singer/songwriter music just isn't for me. The lyrics and the melodies all seemed to meander, and the singing sounds very half-hearted.

I love Cohens poetry, but not his cadence

A bit meh… Didn’t concentrate on the lyrics enough maybe, but musically it didn’t do much for me.

Standard cowboy vibes

A classic I own but have not listened to in a long, long time. It took me a while to understand everyone's fascination with Cohen, but it was worth the effort.

I love Leonard. Hard to give this a 5 because there's just a slight sense of treading water after his first album, but the high points are so high. 4 it is...

Two Leonards in a week is too many Leonard.

I thought "Bird on a Wire" was a Neville Brothers song, which is a shame. I really enjoyed this and need to spend more time with Leonard.

I know he’s great but I don’t like his records……

I mean, I get it, he's a poet and not necessarily a musician. I sometimes struggle with music from the 60s. It just sounds so dated. Some of this is good, like The Partisan, but I'm just overall not fucking with this album. I like his later stuff but this album is just not something I'm likely to return to.

I much prefer Old Man Leonard

I rate Leonard Cohen quite highly. That said this isn't my favourite of his. Good album, not great.

This one snuck up on me. I didn’t particularly like the other Cohen album, but this one was felt different.

There's been much better folk than this. Just didn't feel like there was much substance.

I really liked this album! This was a pretty solid 5 for me.

A mixed bag of emotions here. Nothing sucked me in or made me think, wow, this guy is brilliant and will have a lasting history in music long after his death. But it was enjoyable and made me think if I heard it several more times, it would likely grow on me more and more with each listen. With only the one listen, it doesn't rise above 3, and may even be closer to 2.

Not the strongest Cohen album, but I'm a soccer for everything he has ever put out.

I'm not really on the bandwagon for Leonard, but I quite liked this effort. Half the songs almost turned into "So Long, Marianne" and the jew's harp was an unwelcome entry, but I did pay attention to the songwriting and got something out of this. 2.5 rounded up.

No point

This is like bob dylan but with somehow worse singing

I didnt pay attention to the lyrics, but it didn't grab me much

I came in with low expectations as I disliked the last Leonard cohen album. This exceeded my expectations and was perfectly alright. Will not listen again, but was fine with a once through

I like Leonard’s later voice and not so much on this the earlier version. Not bad but more of an eh for me.

Lovely album, very relaxing. I have to dock it a bit for the jaw harp sound that seems to be on almost every track on the record. Still solid though. Favorite song: A Bunch of Lonesome Heros

3.5

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Story of Issac, The Partisan This album or maybe Leonard Cohen reminds me of a whole bunch of stuff (in no particular order): Modest Mouse due to some similarities between Story of Issac and Ansel (from Strangers To Ourselves), Alexander 'Skip' Spence who had an album 'Oar' on the List; the same melancholy lyrics and musical approach, Ian Dury (also on the List), but less British/Irish and finally Fred Neil (again, on the List) virtually the same type of music. As for the music itself, its obviously very stripped down, minimalist instrumentation. The focus is on the singing and the lyrics. I think he does a good job on both fronts. The Partisan stands out to me due to it having backing vocals, when none are present on any other song on the album, and a whole verse in French (which I don't understand, but is good all the same). Overall, I like it more than dislike it so, it gets better marks.

Dullsville

Boooooooo

This dude does not deserve to have 5 albums on here. Sadly I have 1 more of his to look forward to.

I liked it. Listened on the bus ride to the doctor’s office and got introspective.

I love Leonard Cohen. Not sure how to rate this. It is wonderful, yet it is nearly spoken word, it is not as much a musical album as a poetry reading. A beautiful one, no doubt. And I would listen to Leonard Cohen speak all day. Among my absolute favorite "songs" are some of his. But he IS unique, as few others are, and while wonderful and meaningful as this all is... I can't say it is a particularly musical album. Not really.

Iconic and profound. Cohen's drone is the medicine I need today.

Now I see why Father John Misty has been compared to Leonard Cohen

More of the same from Leonard. Dramatic folk music. Didn’t hit me like a song or two from previous listens.

Menetteli, 3/5

Good to great songs, awful voice. Not a fan.

Love it! Bon Dylan but without the annoying voice and annoying harmonica

I vastly prefer Songs Of

What an opening first line of an album, very on brand. I love that the musical theme running throughout this album is the mouth harp.

I actually enjoyed thee stripped back, strumming, talk-singing vibe of the album. I think the songs themselves were really well written, and the whole atmosphere the album sets up is one of sitting at a campfire and just humming or singling along to songs or even like how parents would have used to try and sing to their children which gives it an warm and easy listening experience. That all being said, let's not also acknowledge that vocally, it is still not really impressive so it doesn't WOW you either with any song so it can't reach the heights in terms of rating. I think overall, I would give this album a 3.5/5 and bump it down to 3 as it seems fitting for an album that can be characterised as a glass of warm cocoa.

I view Cohen as more of a poet than singer. A bunch of his stuff is practically spoken word. No doubt he's a great songwriter/poet but I don't think you can rate this album highly since it's lacking on the instrumental side. I also really dislike the mouth harp. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Not a very interesting album for my taste. I appreciate the voice 2/5

'The Old Revolution' Didn't spend a whole lot of time with this album. I would definitely like to return to this one at some point to give it a full listen.

Monótono

I am not a fan of Leonard Cohen, he sounds like he’s reading a book!

Not a huge fan. Can't really say there was any part of this that I enjoyed a whole lot. Might be something I'd enjoy in the future but I'm not sure. It's just not for me. Slow, quiet, boring, nothing that stood out or made it special

Some of Cohen’s best.

Well, i have reached my last Leonard Cohen album with Songs From A Room and unfortunately, we have ended with a whimper here. I say this not because i think the album is bad but because i can hardly remember anything about it. This is the Leonard Cohen album that felt the most like background noise because basically nothing interesting really happens in any of these songs. Other than that as well as The Butcher having some very awkward vocal parts, this album isn't terrible, the musicianship is decent and Lenny seemed to be developing his voice more during this album. The problem is that this album is still very forgettable and that is not something you want from an album so its only getting a 2.5. Best Song: The Old Revolution Worst Song: The Butcher Side Note: Oh, and since this is my last Leonard Cohen album, I'll rank them here: 1. You Want It Darker 2. I'm Your Man 3. Songs Of Love And Hate 4. Songs Of Leonard Cohen 5. Songs From A Room

Vibes

I’m too tired to listen to this, it’s just going to make me fall asleep at my desk.

Pretty good folksy songs.

Cohen er Cohen: Dønn lik på alle album.

Odd that, he sounds like Bob Dylan trying a bit harder to hold a note here. The Partisan and one or two others aside, not much moved by this.

Haven't heard this album before. I do like some Cohen but this album simply bored me. Couldn't even tell when one song ended and another one started 2/5

Perfectly serviceable folk that didn’t move me either way too much.

I don't like Leonard Cohen as much as I thought I did going into this. Everyone talks about is songwriting but I'll take Dylan or Lennon/McCartney or Paul Simon or Carole King over him any day. The Butcher is one of the better songs on the album but that's not much of a hurdle to clear. Tonight Will Be Fine is the best song to close out a not so good album.

Awesome, ballad style, quite chill album

0’5

Listening to this is like watching paint dry. Dull.

Another Leonard Cohen album that’s fine but kept from being great by his musical limitations. “The Partisan” is a banger though and there are some really haunting moments throughout.

his voice and lyrics felt so real inside

Leoś you're killing me 9,5/10

A slight step down from the debut but gotta love a musician confident enough to integrate a Jew's harp.

He does melancholy so well.

Not a bad album but a pretty less than effort from Cohen, he sounds tentative, the songs sound extemporaneous and the orchestration/production is slightly off. Most of the songs are amazing, it’s just everything else that is lacking.

I don’t know what fresh hell brought this album to me, but it was a terrible combination of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. I couldn’t listen to it. I understand he’s a legendary songwriter but let someone else perform them.

It made me want to sleep in the best way possible.

In basically the same mode as his debut, but with a little bit more upbeat-tempoed songs. However, it loses something by having fewer of the hypnotic dreamy tunes I love best from him -- "You Know Who I Am" is one of these. It's very good, but not as good as the first album.

Leonard Cohen just seems like a really chill old dude. Which is funny because when he released this album he was 34 years old. Funny how that works. This album has an old soul, much in the same way a lot of Bob Dylan albums do. Also similar to Dylan albums - Cohen can't really sing all that well. But that isn't the point of the album, much like Dylan albums. The point is the stories, the emotional release, the meaning of the songs themselves. The performance merely seems like a vehicle for those stories and meanings. You could probably recite some of these as poems and they'd work almost as well. You'd need to listen to this again with some intent to really understand what he's going on about, at least for some of the songs. Some of them drag a little and need more attention, and some just seem a little deeper in their meaning. Either way, it could use another listen. As it is, though, I gladly give it three stars. It was enjoyable and definitely comes with a soul and a sense of understanding of the world that not many albums do, especially those produced by a thirty-four year old. I guess that's what you get from the world's oldest thirty-four year old. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Story of Isaac, A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes, The Old Revolution, Lady Midnight

Cohen minimaliste, avant son virage clavier/voix d'outre-tombe. Sa poésie est bien présente, quoique peut-être un peu détachée

Not terrible

I imagine if I was sitting in a smokey coffee house in Greenwich Village in the late sixties that I would eat this up. In my office in 2025, I appreciate the poetry, but I’ve never been a fan of his voice. That said, I would never have listened to an entire Leonard Cohen album if it wasn’t for this project. Seems disrespectful to award this less than 3 stars.

Jeder Song hört sich gleich an und ich möchte mir dabei in den Kopf schiessen

This is my second Cohen album, and I liked this one even less than the last. He's just not for me. "But he's such a great storyteller!" Yeah, I'm sure his storytelling is great if you get into the lyrics, but you have to care about what he's talking about and this one just bored me to tears so quickly I never got that far. And that's saying a lot since the music is so tame and quiet, like how could you not process the lyrics? It's just so utterly uninteresting to me. Probably great if you want to listen to some lullabies though. Songs From A Room was a 35 minute album that took an entire summer to play through. I could literally, right now, go play 3 chords on my guitar for 3.5 minutes and spout gibberish and I'd prefer to listen to that than to most of this album. Please, no more Leonard Cohen, I beg of you, please. 1/5

Great example of the songwriting genius of Cohen!

Rauhallisia, akustisia, tarinallisia kappaleita. Vähän kantri tyylistä. The Partisan kuullosti jostain tutulta. Parhaat: The Partisan, Lady Midnight

3rd Leonard Cohen album in 100 albums (I hope his stuff is being frontloaded because I don’t know how many more I can take)

Ngl. There are some nice songs here. Plus, it's short and doesn't drag on.

While Leonard Cohen’s lyrical prowess remains unquestionable, Songs from a Room feels like a subdued and repetitive journey through minimalistic folk. The sparse arrangements, dominated by acoustic guitar and understated production, may appeal to purists but can come across as monotonous to others. Cohen’s voice—more spoken than sung—lacks the dynamism needed to lift the album’s emotional weight. Tracks like “Bird on the Wire” showcase his poetic brilliance, but overall, the album struggles to maintain momentum, making it a challenging listen for those seeking variety or vocal richness.

Not for me, a slog

Dire.

Not his best but still good.

Kind of what i'd expect from an album from 1969. But it sounds quite nice so far, openers are always good. Some songs in french?! Sounds nice

Mjoah, konnte man hören, kenn seine Stimme von irgendwelchen bekannten Songs, aber war nicht in der Lage es zuzuordnen. Schwnake zwischen 3 und 4 Sterne

Nicht das beste von Leonard Cohen, trotzdem sehr gut anzuhören und 2-3 Banger drauf.

Letztes Album von dem Typen hat 2 Sterne bekommen. Vielleicht war ich heut in einer anderen Stimmung, aber das folkige hat mir heute besser gefallen. Aber für 4 Sterne reichts dann auch nicht.

Something calming, and soothing about this, even if I only walked away with one song for my library.

Fav: A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes Least Fav: The Partisan It’s missing something, which is preventing a full 5/5, but I really did enjoy what I heard

A sharp, clean album. A throw back that throws forward.

Not all poets can be musicians. This album contains good poetry but Cohen has no vocal talent, and the melodies all sound really basic. I find it difficult to focus on the lyrics because the musical aspects are so offputting. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes has something that is barely listenable going on but then he feels the need to add some weird twang thing in the background. Like fuck off and just write lyrics dude.

Soulful and disturbing, but in a good way. The lyrics told a painful story in some songs and others were songs with a silver lining. I thought that Cohen must've been some of the inspiration for Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.

Soothing

Hmmm, I generally like this type of music. But I can't get past the fact that Leonard Cohen can't sing. This sounds like what it might sound like if I sang these songs. The songwriting is interesting, but I can't take the lack of voice. Pretty unenjoyable overall.

He’s a legendary poet but let’s be real this is all the same (brilliant) song

Got no prob with LC

this era's leonard Cohen was extremely good at doing what he did, which was mostly writing sparsely instrumented, fairly languid folk songs. unfortunately, that's a style of music that just doesn't jibe with me. that being said, this is a very good, brisk album, and "a bunch of lonesome heroes" is about as close to a banger as you could hope for from early leonard Cohen

Like Raffi for grown ups.

Another album by Leonard Cohen which has great songwriting, poetic lyrics and a melancholic mood but the music itself is too simplistic, the guitar playing week and the singing is just horrendous. He was one of those songwriters whose songs should have been performed by actual musicians who could perform and sing. It's a shame because I couldn't enjoy this album and it was difficult to get though it.

Another Leonard Cohen. I just don’t get the fascination with him.

He's undeniably a good song writer but his music approach and voice kind of bore me.

no es tan bueno como su debut, algo imposible , pero es maravilloso. Bird on a wire, The partisan o You know who i am son excelentes. Se mudó de California a la cuna de country, se nota en la trotona Tonight wil be fine (con ese bajo tan I walk the line). Imprescindible.

Good stuff

Gewoon saai en zeikmuziek. Soms denk ik: er is ook wel een reden dat ik deze albums nooit gehoord heb, ik voelde al die tijd gewoon aan dat ik geen hele plaat van bepaalde artiesten hoefde aan te horen. Die stem is echt verschrikkelijk.

I don't like Leonard Cohen as much as I thought I did going into this. Everyone talks about is songwriting but I'll take Dylan or Lennon/McCartney or Paul Simon or Carole King over him any day. The Butcher is one of the better songs on the album but that's not much of a hurdle to clear. Tonight Will Be Fine is the best song to close out a not so good album.

Uuurgh!

Cool

No me esperaba mucho de este disco y supero mi expectativa, aún así tampoco me alucino.

Rating: 4.1 Far and away the best thing I’ve heard so far. Paves the way for the guy from Modest Mouse and all the other guys who can’t sing but make beautiful music.

me gustó, La verdad no le preste la atención necesaria a todos los temas pero a los que si, me pareció un buen letrista

This man creates a mood. A melancholy mood, like no other.

Interesting instrumentation but it works with acoustic and electric guitars, strings, harmonica, occasional backup vocals, and sparse percussion. He weaves beautiful stories, but his voice is an acquired taste for sure. But it did grow on me.

Something about Cohen’s delivery makes the emotional effect of his lyrics 10x more potent. You Want It Darker was one of the first 5s I gave on this list and it’s neat to see one of his first albums feeling just as vividly as one of his last.

A slight step down from his debut but still a solid album. The change of producer from the previous album can really be felt here, I really don't enjoy the production compared to the masterful work by John Simon previously. They also really loved that Jew's Harp with it being on every song here I'd say unnecessarily a lot of the time. Cohen himself is perfectly enjoyable here though bringing solid songs. It's a solid 7/10 album but i'll round up here cause I like Cohen

I love this man's voice. It is so pleasent to listen to being so smooth and calming. And the instruments also do a great job at accompaning his singing. With only two listens, I didn't have the time to stop and analyze the lyrics, which is a shame because Leonard is a great poet and I love some os his lyrics in 'Songs of Love and Hate'. But honestly, just because of how good it sounds, I'm confident enough to give this album 4 stars.

The song You Know Who I Am is in a gritty, sorrowful minor key that makes the song stand out from the crowd. It's the best song here by such a wide margin that I was kind of stunned when I looked at the track listing on Spotify and saw it had the second-least number of listens on the album. Everything else is fine, passable, but so brutally unmemorable that I could never forgive myself (or anybody else) giving it 4 or 5 stars. What is it about country mumbling alongside a poorly mixed acoustic guitar for 40 minutes that makes people think, "You know what this is? One of the best albums I've ever listened to." The lyrics are fine – or indeed great, if you're somebody who actually focuses on lyricism – but the sound? Not so much. I would immediately forgive a lot of these sins if the album had come out in 1854 or if the down-tracks were balanced out with something more uptempo. But it seems Cohen isn't particularly keen on giving his listeners the album experience they deserve. The competition is stiff in 1969, what with Led Zeppelin's first two records, the Beatles' Abbey Road, the Velvet Underground's self-titled, King Crimson's debut, Zappa's Hot Rats, and the Stones' Let It Bleed. Cohen's in the very same music scene. He can do better – though I'll give him credit for not tiring me out, even after two of his albums. Not yet, anyway... 3/5 Key tracks: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes, The Old Revolution, You Know Who I Am

Quite a tentative vocal performance from Cohen who really isn't my cup of tea.

Boring

Contemporary folk/country. Really emotional and intimate feeling songs. The lyricism is beautiful and the artist's background as a poet really shows. A really interesting blend of instruments (the jaws harp twang goes hard) at times. Unfortunately the songs are pretty samey and monotonous, so I wouldn't really listen to them again. Loved The Partisan and The Butcher. 6/10.

Любимый автор наводит драмы как никто другой. Лучшая песня - The Partisan.

Calm and relaxed. Sounds like a darker Bob Dylan at times.

I listened twice. I think this is music that grows on you.

As poetry, I guess this would be OK. As music, not so much. The guy can't sing and the music is about as basic as it gets.

Gosto mais dos outros: "Songs of Leonard Cohen" (1967) e "Songs of Love and Hate" (1971). Neste os temas, e até as interpretações, me soam com um certo desânimo excessivo, confundindo a relação entre melancolia e indolência. Disco regular/ mediano.

Leonard Cohen paints a picture with his words; a morose picture. But he is not known as a poet; he’s supposedly a famous, talented musician. This is a collection of barely-sung lyrics over simple music. Just like every other Leonard Cohen album. I guess I don’t get it… 2.5⭐️

# 516 : Songs From A Room Zzzzz. BORED. More music to fall asleep by. Don't listen and drive! Hahaha. A two line bio, not much meat and just a sad dude with a guitar. 35 minutes of sadness. I hate this. Best track if I have to pick one: Tonight Will Be Fine Listened: 03/07/2025

definetly not what i expected, i had listened to some cohen before, it's definetly an album of his but seems like he was still trying to find "hi sound" maybe? it sounds less old/mature compared to stuff like halellujah or you want it darker

how many Leonards is too many Leonards? This many Leonards

Reluctantly giving this 3. Early Cohen can have the challenge of having so little melody and apart from on a few tracks yurt instrumentation was so basic that it's not as easy a listen as some others, even if some of the songs are brilliantly written.

Honestly fine. Once you notice it's repetitive it's hard to keep going. He's still a good musician and songwriter but to compare to his other albums we've had, this is the weakest

i’m sorry. i can’t. don’t hate me.

This is a nice album to listen to. It didn't strike me as well as his first album and the fact that one of the songs was so like so long Marianne just reminded me of the other one which I prefer. I suspect if I sat down with the lyrics I'd learn to like it more, but for now it is a good, but not the best Leonard Cohen album.

3.5

Leonard Cohen was at his best when singing about sex, God, and death. He didn't always do that.

Moody folksy soft rock. Same poetic vibes as Lou Reed or Bob Dylan. Interesting at first but it does grate after a while. Best track - You Know Who I Am 3 stars

A good album, I liked Bird On The Wire the most.

9/10

Bird on a Wire is an all-timer.

Not a happy album.

My first time. Not what I thought. Slow and uninspiring,

I didn’t know just how bad his singing was but it’s so bad it brought down the entire album.

Good, but not outstanding.

Dull.

3,5

I don't think melancholy Leonard would appreciate all the enthusiasm he's getting here

Dobby bylan

Good listen, very cool very Bob Dylan. Highlights the Partisan and The Old Revolution

Great album from a very talented person.

Again- not a big leonard cohen fan. This album didnt do it for me.

Poetic throughout, intermittently sappy, although quite earnest. Not my favorite Cohen album, but nonetheless enjoyable.

There were a few actual songs and the rest was mostly a stream of consciousness over vaguely musical sounds

Leonard Cohen is always great, but it's a mood

Rather depressing throughout, not a bad listen

Good songs, but not my cup of tea

Few redeeming features here. Meaningless songs, uninteresting guitar. Finished the album with a flute FFS.

Didn't like

At first this was a1.5 stars, then one song kinda stuck with me, so I listened again. So maybe a 2. Nice guitar and interesting structure on some songs, but too slow and sad for that many oh so deep and thoughtful lyrics.

Leonard Cohen's body of work seems intimidating but I really enjoyed the lyrics. Highlights were 'Partisan' and 'Old Revolution'.

I like Leonard Cohen's lyrics a lot, but sometimes the songs don't stand out to me musically. This is well-made stuff; I just gotta be in the right mood for it.

Superfluous lyricsl content with much thought and deep story telling. But at the same time so lack luster and boring that I can't even give it a nod. Just flat out uninspired drawn out verses with the intent of much impact but doesn't even phase me. I recognize Leonards contributions and influence. But this album didn't do much for me.

Strong songwriting and guitar riffs. Definitely enjoyable but felt it’s the sort of album that would grow on you over time. Highlights were “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes” and “You Know Who I Am”. Sticking with 3 stars as the other Cohen album on this list was significantly better and I gave it 4 stars.

Few tracks that I love.

notice the jaw harp in basically every song? I go through times where I listen to just as much cohen as Dylan I saw that this album wasn’t as well received when it was released due to its simple production technique and dismal tone. I’m a fan though

Love Leonard Cohens voice.

Sounds like an album from a Bob Dylan twin but without a single hit. favourite: "Story Of Isaac" Weak three stars. 2,5

Great storytelling, less great musically but really all it needed at minimum to keep with his softer tone of voice while he basically recites his poetry. First two songs were my favourite, the strings in the first one were really nice and the second one had my favourite lyrics which were matched perfectly with the tone of his vocals along with the acoustic guitar. The rest are just standard Cohen songs with maybe a little too much croaky frog instrument in there. Overall 6/10.

Dude is not only Canadian ... but he sings a song in French!

i’ve never been super big on plain old singer songwriter stuff but it’s hard not to enjoy some good old leonard cohen. i would like it more if i could pay attention to the lyrics without spacing out

He has a really great voice and the solemn music is really nice. It feels like exactly the right music for some occasions and something I would skip every other time it came on.

Having previously had his last album "You want it darker", this was an odd listen. His incredibly deep baritone just isn't there, it's a midrange, slightly nasal tone. The songs are OK - a sympathetic use of mouth harp and electric guitar in places, some nice turns of phrase, but nothing astonishing. No Suzanne or Sisters of Mercy or Famous blue raincoat that turns it from good to great. 3 - enjoyable but not essential.

Could have done without the mouth harp or whatever is pinging away in the background but otherwise some classic songs here 4*

I'm glad he was able to create the stark album he wanted his debut to be. As much as I like his lyrics and appreciate his artistic vision, I like the songs with more production instead of less. I also missed the dreamier tone of his first album. Still a worthwhile listen!

Favorite song, A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes

2/5

I’ve tried to like Leonard Cohen, but every time I hear him, my whole being just goes “uuuhhhggghhh.”

Beautiful lyrics, as is customary for Leonard Cohen. That being said, it's pretty boring. Would I revisit: no

The recorder finale took him down a star

Ahhh, thank you 1001. Leonard Cohen has become a musical anchor for me over the past year and is conjecture that this is his most consistent album start to finish. Gotta love listening to and war and loss and the live version of ‘tonight will be fine’.

Some of my all time favourite cohen songs are from this alb in m- lady midnight, the partisan, bird on a wire. Such a strong second album and the songwriting really is astounding. Cohen was the soundtrack to a lot of my childhood and his voice feels like family.

Loved reading the Wikipedia article for this entry. Makes it seem like there's a real artistic vision behind it. Leonard Cohen is as beloved a songwriter as one can be, so I wasn't surprised when his name popped up this morning. Not really that familiar with his work outside of his first album so I'm really interested in hearing how this one plays out. Going into this with somewhat elevated expectations. Bird on the Wire A song that paints a very romantic and picturesque visual with its personal and poetic style of lyricism. Love how sparse and distant the instrumental is. It's a fairly easy song to follow along to, and despite that it feels deep and carefully written. Has a sort of depressing tone to it, though plenty of light still shines through with the hopeful sounding instrumental. Great. 4.5/5 Story of Isaac Visceral and effective. Using a well known biblical story as an allegory for what I interpret as war, though I'm sure it could be interpreted differently. Twisting the perspective of the story to Isaac's point of view makes it feel much more violent and personal. The informal and conversational delivery is especially effective. This is very apparent in the final verse, where it feels almost jaded and impersonal. Fantastic. 5/5 A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes Not as consise and polished as the last two tracks, but it still serves its intended purpose. Love the way the perspective handles time. The largeness and emotional delivery of the chorus really works for this track. Decent. 3.5/5 The Partisan That simply blew me away. The songwriting style is absolutely magnificent. Love how it almost reads as a letter or some lost pages from a diary. The French backing vocals are so unbelievably effective. While he didn't write it, he gets props for making it his own. Feels like a bold inclusion. Fantastic. 5/5 Seems So Long Ago, Nancy After first hearing this song I was quite confused as to what it was about. My google search took me to a website where someone claimed to be a relative of the person this song is about. Assuming it's true (could also be completely made up) this is quite the haunting tale of someone who struggled a lot throughout their life. Extremely depressing and bone chilling. There's a lot of regret expressed through the lyircs and a real sadness in his voice. Great. 4.5/5 The Old Revolution Okay I'm stumped. I love the language used in the lyrics and I really appreciate how poetically sound it is. I just don't understand what the song is about. There are some absolutely stunning lines here. Especially the "And I thought that we were winning" and "Even damnation is poisoned with rainbows. Will need some time to find my own interpretation of this. Fantastic. 5/5 The Butcher I'm not sure what is going on here. There's definitely some context I'm missing here. Feels spiritual or religious in nature, but more than that I cannot say. The song feela dark and harrowing in its imagery. There's a lot of violence present in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 You Know Who I Am Is this from the perspective of God? If that's the case this is a pretty bold interpretation of the relationship between Man and God. Feels almost threathening and very existential. As a non-religious person I'm not aware of any text this may reference. It's a clever song with a harrowing chorus. Good. 4/5 Lady Midnight After giving up on trying to understand the lyrics to this song I ended up seeking my old friend Google. Going through ancient internet posts on the Leonard Cohen forums lead me to an interpretation that this song is about creativity and artistry. Choosing to go by that interpretation there seems to be a lot of cynisism and hopelesness in this song. About how he feels scorned and dismissed by this "Lady Midnight". Love how the climax of the song unflods, resolving the cynisism and bleakness. Good. 4/5 Tonight Will Be Fine Pleasant, smooth and soothing. Refreshing to hear a simple, beautiful love song requiring little interpretation. Love the chorus. Very visual and pretty in its imagery. The final instrumental section is stunning. Fantastic. 5/5 That was great, but boy did I need to work the old trusty Google in order to understand most of it. I'm genuinely impressed by the poetry and storytelling skills on display here. It's bleak and depressing, dark and serious, but still wonderfully colourful and stimulating. There are simply too many beautiful lines of poetry to count. Musically, that being the melodies, the instrumentals and the performances is where it faulters a bit. It's not unfitting for the style, but perhaps it's a bit spartan in its composition. Still I'm extremely satisfied with having heard this record, especially as it made me actually have to think and do research in order to understand it. Feels like a bit of a puzzle. 4.5/5 leaning closer to 4/5 Fave track. The Old Revolution

Cohen's second album is as good as the debut overall, but it does open with "Bird on the Wire", one of my favorite songs of his. Nothing else on here even comes close. The album at least a good job distinguishing itself from its predecessor, with its very liberal use of the mouth harp. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to each one to decide. Key tracks: Bird on the Wire

The gravelly honesty of this album surely bled its way into the folk scene at the time and everything since. It's a reflection of simplicity in songwriting following the grandeur of his first album, but the emotional depth he's obtained gives the album an almost haunting quality.

Fine background music

Very sparse but not necessarily minimalistic. Completely different vocalization than I expected. Good tones throughout just not enough for me. Interesting subtle placement of guitar and organ. It seemed like the same or similar lyrical and vocal patterns throughout which made it a little boring.

2+ Stars (6/15)

He's not much of a singer. Not sure about the music from a songwriting standpoint since the songs are very spartan. The lyrics are good. He's really more of a storyteller. Think short stories set to music. Good album. Better than I thought it would be.

"bird on a wire" and "The partisan" are gold. the others songs didn't grow on me ..

Cohen can’t really sing + the instrumental arrangements are a little same-y but the album still has a certain je ne sais quoi, likely due to Cohen’s ever incomparable lyrics

AWFUL