Songs From A Room

Neato

Fucking awesome, but praise the Lord it's so sad! Even my girlfriend cried!

so simple and pretty. didn’t like the last songs that much though

Before starting this project I just know one or two of Cohen's songs and know that he was considered a great songwriter. Listening to his songs gave me the opportunity to truly start to like his work. English is not my main language so I'm not able to get all from his songs, however with this second album listened to on this list I start to get why he is so important. One or two more albums and I'll be a real fan. :-)

a lovely album

I'm looking forward to listening to this album. I've always meant to listen to more Leonard Cohen. Great poetic lyrics but not catchy tunes. Wonderful soulful voice, so compelling to listen to. Requires attention when listening since the songs are very much stories. Would be nice for still quiet time like on an airplane.

Schönes Album, toll zu hören!

I actually really liked this album

Well Bird On A Wire is a great opener. Gloomy as hell, but mordantly funny with it. I love the partisan, but I am always a sucker for French. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy is a heartbreaker. The Old Revolution is once again a great funny one, "Even damnation is poisoned with rainbows" is a bloody brilliant lyric. And there isn't enough jaw harp in popular music! You know who I am is glorious and complex (AND HAS MORE JAW HARP).

Very nice

Superb.

Beautiful song writing.

Just a delightful listen.

Quite chill, nice background music.

7/10 I enjoyed this, although it didn't really grip me. Leonard Cohen's songwriting is always cool and thought provoking.

8/10. The simplified music to emphasize the lyrics is a good style for Cohen, but I didn't enjoy most if the songwriting as much as I liked Songs of Leonard Cohen

Мелодичные баллады, основная ценность в лирике.

Rätt nice sound

4

good. sometimes boring, sometimes great.

It's 1969 and Cohen has released a singer-songwriter album. Very brave. Against the prevailing mood, carving a niche for a kind of subdued, lo-fi, intimate, personal lament. He's brilliant. (7/10) Favourite tracks: The Butcher, Bird on the Wire

This was great. I haven't been disappointed by a Cohen record so far. Lyrically, sonically, it just worked for me.

great

Poetic. Lyrical. An album to return to at different times of your life. New meaning will be found. Beautiful songwriting, utterly enchanting.

dry and sardonic but overall pleasant. mouth harp made me laugh.

A beautiful and melodic folk album. 8.3/10

Enjoyed this Cohen record, felt like a continuation of his first record for the most part, with his signature strumming and lyrics that can hit you like a brick ("I have tried in my way, to be free"). There's definitely a bit more country feel to it, though. Fav Tracks: Bird on a Wire, Story of Isaac, and The Partisan. Rating 3.5/5

Net zoals een van de vorige albums, zou dit album beter tot zijn recht komen na meerdere keren luisteren. 3.5 sterren

Not his best but I still love any Leonard Cohen stuff

Good

Some of his best

Está bueno pero no es su mejor disco, me parece. De todos modos es mejor que 3/4 partes de la mierda que salió en su año y la que sale en 2021.

Cohen hé. Je weet wat je kan verwachten :)

zZzZzZzZzZz (well, “You know who I am” was pretty cool, and has hit me quite hard. Serendipity is quite a thing, eh?)

Enjoyed this album, easy listening while working. Great songwriting and voice, I'd take Cohen over Dylan any day of the week.

Thought this would be a three as a bit slow, but very beautiful songs which stuck in my head

he doesn't have any bad albums. I prefer "songs of Leonard cohen" but this is still good.

Otro del bardo Cohen (?), me gustó menos que Songs of Leonard Cohen, pero sostengo que no es para mí. Hay momentos muy padres en el álbum, un gran letrista, pero por lo general, no me emociona tanto. La gran excepción (y mi canción favorita del disco) fue "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes". Fan de la canción, la letra, la instrumentación, la interpretación. 7.5/10

Super slow and sad.

Thoughtful, slow, bit gloomy, beautiful lyrics

Une deocuverte, different de ses derniers alb7ms. J’aime bien 4*

very good

I liked this one pretty well.

Love lyrics and music

less boring. bob had better songs, leonard had a better voice

Beautiful. Enjoyed this way more than I expected!

Sounds pretty different from the later stuff, but really good nonetheless

I've never heard of the artist, but ended up impressed.

Great lyrics, great songs

Good album, pretty somber but it wasn't my style

I prefer Songs of Love and Hate, but its still a damn good album. His voice is beautiful. Closer to a 3.5

Tié beau Leonard

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.

Great album.

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.

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.

Very good album, as usual. 3,5

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Beautiful poetry, miserable singing.

Better than i thought. Good listen

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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_.

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

Not his best but really good

Ikle hans beste.

kinda intressting but not much variance

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

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

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

Poems set to music

What if Bob Dylan spoke like a normal person?

3.5

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.

Not bad. Just not for me.

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.

Whimsical

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

theres not really anything separating it from any other country album

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

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.

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.

Dark.

Excellent storytelling, too bad it was toneless

Everyone I have known who was into Leonard Cohen was really weird. This isn’t my kind of music but it’s fine. I think I’d rather listen to The Black Album.

classic

3 fine

After having 3 other Leonard Cohen albums I could've told you exactly what the album would've sounded like. There's no need for 5 of his albums on here, they sound the same - I'm Your Man was different, ironically though I thought it was the worst of the 4 I've had so far

Не самый интересный его альбом. В целом для меня практически все его альбомы, которые слушал, были на грани между скукой и хоть какой-то заинтересованностью, но в этот раз все таки не сложилось.

Лучшая песня: Seems so long ago, Nancy Худшая: Butcher Одна песня очень понравилась, пара - норм, все остальное - ни о чем. Местами почему-то напомнило медляки Уотерса. То, что похоже на Дилана - ужас. Спасибо, что вокал приятный хоть, в отличие от. Великодушно поставлю 3

к моему удивлению, слушается пободрее, чем боб дилан, и все равно 3.5

Very stripped back, very direct. Some moments hit hard, others just pass by quietly. It depends a lot on your mood.

OHHHH FUCK YOU. Ehh it’s not that tragic that I got this album. I just don’t love this album like I do his other work. Love and Hate is to this day one of the best albums ever made in my opinion, and his debut is pretty incredible too. Both are leagues ahead of this. Bird on the Wire: not only overrated, but Johnny Cash did it better anyway. The real highs of this album lie in “Story of Isaac,” “The Partisan,” “Seems So Long…,” and “The Butcher,” but even then it’s too unremarkable to stick like it wants to. 7.4/10

These songs are definitely from a room somewhere. I can understand people not dogging Leonard Cohen but this is pleasurable to me

It’s fine

p186. 1969. 3 stars. Some great songs and sharp lyrics here, but there's also a lot of filler. And even though it's less than 40 minutes, it seems longer.

Good but very sad

Cohen is a storyteller, lyricist, and poet. Not a singer and honestly, not even a proficient musician. All of this being said, the beauty of his words shine throughout this album.

Day807 - i might not have liked this as much if i didn’t get it on a sunday morning. it’s a good vibe even though the songs are kinda depressing

Again, it’s fine but pretty boring. Same as the last 2 Leonard Cohen albums. I still have 2 more to go????

3,5

Old singer songwriter stuff. Ok. 6/10

Not bad.

Excellent songwriting. Each song tells an interesting story. It much to it musically but I guess that’s the point. Not a fan of his vocals, but still enjoyed the album.

#885. Like Dylan, but less interesting. At least there were no harmonicas. 3/5: meh

Felt very simple, a little too stripped for me. I think Leonard Cohen has a fantastically powerful voice, but the surrounding instrumental doesn’t do much in terms of uplifting his voice. I’m forced to have an improve kind of “Yes, and?” reaction to this album. Currently, I do enjoy it and really view these vocals as a strong anchor, but there’s a degree of emptiness that surrounds them. Faves: The Partisan, Story of Isaac

Muy auténtico y reescuchable al 100% Es un compositor y cantautor sumamente respetable 3.5

12/03/26 o início é broxa, me irritou a voz dele não ter melodia nenhuma nesse ponto a bunch of lonesome heroes foi legal, e a partir desse ponto a voz dele finalmente tem tom melódico e sustenta um tom misterioso de narrativa para a época, faz sentido o minimalismo que a música dele apresenta - ainda assim o tom misterioso narrativo meio violão e voz fica interessante mas infelizmente esse minimalismo não é tão diversificado, então fica repetitivo, principalmente no instrumental (sem ser o violão) e até um pouco no tom da voz achei bem engraçado que ele é péssimo com títulos de projeto 6/10 (daria 6,5)

Bon. Franchement pas un mauvais album de folk, même plutôt original sur certains point notamment sur les paroles en français de "Partisans", mais mis à part ça. J'avoue que j'ai très peu retenu d'éléments propre à l'album, la cover elle même étant vraiment générique et rappellant surtout un style Early Beatles un peu triste. En bref, l'ambiance y était agréable mais sans plus, il faut que je revienne sur la tracklist

Kinda interesting but not that much

“The Partisan” stops you in your tracks and makes this whole album worth listening to. Beautiful in every way, haunting and stern. As for the rest? It’s alright. Standard Cohen stuff where it’s all about the lyrics and the minimalist instrumentals serve to create a little supporting atmosphere for the stories being told. I don’t think this is his strongest effort by any means. “The Old Revolution” isn’t too shabby. Soft 3/5. Doesn’t really need to be on this list with better Cohen projects, but his storytelling can’t be denied

Might be worthy of a four, like 'songs of' but not after one listen. Sounded like good Cohen as opposed to 80s Cohen with drum machines.

Most musical (not spoken word) Cohen album I’ve heard yet. It was alright. Maybe 2.5

I enjoyed this more than other Cohen albums; it was somehow peaceful.

First Leonard Cohen album I semi-enjoyed

Several times I almost thought I could like this album and then his voice ruined it for me.

Perhaps an acquired taste. Interesting songwriting, distinct vocals, not exactly my cup of tea.

Bard coded

Honestly this was kind of soothing to listen to. I could fall asleep to this.

Okay, but too grim for me...

Not the greatest voice, but the lack of perfection adds a sense of raw realness that is missed in a lot of today's music. Feels gritty and heartfelt in a way I have not heard in a long time. 3/5

Is this better than the last album by Leonard Cohen? Are there any discernible differences? I don't think so. Its fine. I like Leonard Cohen, I respect him as a poet and songwriting. But damn.. these records are bleak. And also just kind of dry. I know that a similar comparison could be made about Elliot Smith, who is kind of the reincarnation of this music. More recently, there are the comparisons to Cameron Winter. I like all of it, and if this is the source code for melancholy white boy blues, then I'm here for it. But its not something that I'm really gunning for on a regular basis. I like the homage to Marianne on this record. That was cool.

I know and like some of his songs but I don't think I knew any of these. That twangy sound on a few songs I had to look up, a Jew's Harp apparently, sounds really out of place because of only knowing it as like a cartoon joke sound or something making fun of hillbillies.

I enjoyed this

I had heard of Leonard Cohen before, but I had never heard any of his music. According to the reviews of this album, this might not have been the best of his albums to start with. I don't hate it (there is a lot of jaw harp though), but I don't think I would put thia album into my rotation. I did like "Story of Isaac"; it always interests me to hear biblical stories from the other perspective.

Sicuramente cohen è un importante cantautore, e infatti in questo disco sono molto più centrali i testi che le musiche, pertanto 40 minuti di poesie con accompagnamento musicale sono un po' tanti ma ne riconosco il valore

Me personally, could've done without the mouth harp

Very good folk music. Loved it.

The long-overdue return of Leonard Cohen. For whatever reason, he's eluded me until now. Songs of Leonard Cohen and I'm Your Man were albums 16 and 34 respectively, with there being a long absence until this third album of his. This might be my longest album gap to date. Anyways, this is the first Leonard Cohen album that I'm listening to with mature, discerning ears since all of my old reviews suck dick. I'm not a folker and I didn't really like his style, though the general vocal style from Songs of Leonard Cohen has persisted within my memory. Maybe I'll like this one. I am live and suffering from the YouTube Music app. My usual methods of streaming music all broke down on me at the same time, which is incredibly fucking annoying. Above all else, I'm bereaved that I used to listen to music like this. Ads. You need to keep the app open in order to play music. I needed to sign in just to hear music in the first place. Sordid stuff all around and a general reminder of how far I've fallen. I had to switch to NewPipe. I was suffering too much psychic damage from that accursed app. Anyways, this is just more fuarkingggg Leonard Cohen, which is precisely what I would have said if I rolled this album a year back. Maybe I'm forever young. The album's fine. The slowly building, malingering style of this is certainly distinctive as far as folk musicians go. It just isn't remarkable to me. While I generally didn't mind this album, if I had one complaint, it's that there's a strange disconnect between the vocals and instrumentals. Leonard offers a decent, suave performance on this album, but nothing which meshes with or enhances the music. Overall, as something to kick back and unwind to, I didn't mind this one. That 35-minute runtime is glorious considering all of the long-as-fuck albums I've been listening to lately. I've heard this rendition of "The Partisan" before. I'm not sure where, however. Anyways, it's a fine cover. No clue what other renditions sound like, but the intricate guitars are pretty nice, and Cohen provides a solid vocal performance. Book time. Songs of Leonard Cohen was a surprise success. Was in his mid-30s when he first found success with that album. This album is more subdued than his first outing. His songwriting and lyrics on this album proved himself as a worthy rival to Bob Dylan. Apparently it was commercially unsuccessful, though Wikipedia says the album made in to no.2 on the UK charts, which has got to count for something, right? I know Cohen has been a critic darling for pretty much all of his career, so I like to think these five list albums are recommended to me on good authority. I cosign this inclusion.

I get it. He's a great songwriter. Quirky with an interesting turn of phrase occasionally. But, he's one of those folks that writes good songs and isn't necessarily the best performer of them. (a la Tom Waits, J Cale, Randy Newman, etc.) I'd only ever really heard his songs by him when he was older. It was a little different hearing him sing them in a younger man's voice. Even tough he bever became an electric performer, I do like his older, gravelly style more. This is one of those albums I'm glad I heard, but won't ever play again. I appreciate his style and what he created. It's just not super-listenable by me. I'll give it a 3 for the history and the cool words.

3 - good album got a bit worn out by the end

"Songs in a Room" = "Whispers in a Room"

Songs started to get batter as the album went on.

First time listening to a Leonard Coen album and this was a great album to listen to while driving around after a snow storm. Something very blue (the color, not the feeling) about this album. An enjoyable listen but not much more than that. 3/5

It's fine but he's a work in progress here. A bit too Dylan.

听不懂歌词，所以没什么共鸣

Thoughtful, but I’m not interested

Great lyrics, deserves better music

Fint

Måste lyssna igen

Definitely a cut above the other Leonard Cohen albums I had had from the list so far. I kinda enjoyed a couple of the songs before finally losing interest!

"thought I saw an eagle but it might have been a vulture" line goes hard

Ósköp notalegt

Furðu falleg. Ég veit að hann samdi Hallelujah en ég hélt að það væri bara óvart.

Great songwriter but I'm not a huge fan of the sound

Don’t hear this one mentioned much compared to ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’ or ‘Songs Love & Hate’. The first half is every bit as good as those but kind of fizzles out in the second half.

A bit like if Bob Dylan was really miserable. 3 stars. It's fine.

Will have to come back to at some point. I loved the baroch aspects and will probably enjoy the album more as it grows on me. I love Cohen’s barritone

Very poetic

Love the man but already too many Lens. Pretty much only Bird on a Wire is essential off this one. Pick one of 'Songs of Love and Hate' or 'New Skin...' and go from there.

never heard of leonard cohen before this. enjoyed the album. story in each song

Pretty solid album. No hits, but that doesn't matter.

These are nice little folk albums. I like the guitar and violin when it comes in. It's same-y but enjoyable enough.

Fine. Not a huge Leonard Cohen fan.

this is definitely more the era of leonard cohen i'm familiar with, sonically. my brain wasn't really taking in lyrics this listen, but my partner loves leonard cohen so i will probably have plenty of chances to revisit

Decent folk album. Similar to some Bob Dylan albums I've listened to.

I was immediately caught off guard by how different his voice sounds here compared to the other Cohen album I’ve listened to, and I think I prefer that one. Obviously the songwriting is great, but the sparse instrumentals and the repetitive strum patterns made it hard to discern one song from another.

His second album. Folk / Rock. This is more a poetry recital than an album. Each track ia barely sung and the music is very simple and soft. It's good storytelling, simplistic and melancholy. I quite liked it. A thoughtful journey.

i probably wouldve loved this in college

Lyricism +8 Charisma +1 Song structure +1

May be since I’m music over lyrics or I’ve already heard two of his best works but this one isn’t as good.

Good album. Reminds me a bit of Dylan mixed with Kottke. I've listened to a few Cohen records for this list, and I think I like his earlier stuff better. 3/5 Might listen again

LEN-NAY! -Arthur Morgan

Probably need to spend extra time listening to the lyrics. Tricky with a toddler

this was a very nice album he’s got a pleasant voice and some great lyrics it wasn’t exceptionally memorable though

Excellent lyricism and storytelling from Leonard Cohen, as always. My big gripe is that, musically, it’s not as interesting as I would like and leaves a lot of the songs feeling kind of one-note. Still a good folk record, for sure. Best Track: The Partisan

This list really gave me an education in Leonard Cohen recently. I feel like this is a transitional album. In his first album Cohen went for super sparse super intense arrangements - fast fingerpicking, random instrumentation, lush singing. In Songs of Love and Hate he’ll have a big range of arrangements and songs. In this album he’s experimenting, a country music baseline here, weird springy frogy sounds there (really wtf with that). Never really finding a fully developed sound to define this album. It’s still pretty good but not as good as its successor or predecessor.

Sounded like the Into the Wild soundtrack at points. Was pretty good for a while then got kind of boring at the end. That was the saddest attempt at playing a recorder or whatever that was in the final seconds of the last song

Definitely had a good vibe to it instrumentally. I may have listened to it at a bad time because it made me extremely tired. Kinda reminded me of a mix between Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. High 3.

It should be called ‘songs from a room that I wrote while listening to my first album’

This is new artist for me. Very folk narriative storytelling, interesting short album

This is a 3.5 rounded down to 3. I like the instrumentation and the vibes, and lyrics are obviously genius, but I think I’d need some time to get into it. Also, what’s with the boinging in the background of every song?

Still can't get over the sound of young Leonard Cohen's voice. I liked this, even if it does kind of have lots of overlap with Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate. 3.4/5

Decent album with a few songs I like more than others. The less distinct songs were pretty forgettable though. I like Cohen, but this is on the weaker side of his material, imo. 2.75/5

better than the other one

Cohen is a master of his craft, and idiosyncratic in his sound. Whether you like that or not, well, that will determine if you give him his due or not. I will say his sound is divisive. This album has some of his most memorable songs, but some of his most forgetable ones too.

Not my favorite of his, but he’s an amazing storyteller.

This is about the only Cohen record I like. But I have to remove a star for excessive mouth harp. Which would be any use mouth harp. It’s a silly instrument.

Took a couple of songs for me to warm to this. Ended up liking it.

Late 60s folk-rock. Canadian Bob Dylan. Very simple.

It’s like listening to a poetry night at a coffee shop. Without the chord changes.

I do enjoy Cohen’s albums this one had some good stuff but not enough to make me love it.

ehh.. I know he is the "Canadian Bruce Dylan, or Bob Springsteen".. but his early music still needs work,

Oioioi. Likte denne jeg. Vurderte en 4er helt til kølla begynte å plystre. Helt uaktuelt.

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?

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

"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.

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.

Super slow - a particular vibe

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Decent work, like most Cohen

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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"

Favorite: The Old Revolution

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.

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

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

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!

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.

I liked it, but didn’t love it.

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.

I love Cohens poetry, but not his cadence

Two Leonards in a week is too many Leonard.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

Menetteli, 3/5

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

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.

'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.

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

Cohen er Cohen: Dønn lik på alle album.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Soothing

Cool

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.