Reviews (page 5 of 9)
His baritone was not yet there.
74/100. A good folk singer-songwriter record, but it feels like a step down from his debut. While the songwriting remains strong and introspective, the overall sound is a bit more muted and less captivating. It’s still a solid listen, but it lacks some of the emotional punch and engaging quality that made his debut so compelling.
There are several Cohen albums on this list, but I think this is the most typical of his style: evocative, largely spoken lyrics over sparse, acoustic instrumentation.
Really dug this album. Leonard Cohen is one of those artists that I enjoy but want to get more into and was thrilled that this album popped up. It was only 35 minutes long but still it flew by and I was sad when it was over. It was especially disappointing after the last track "Tonight Will Be Fine" because it was a delightful song.
This is as bad as the first one we listened to.
HRM. I didn't like this at all. Maybe it's me. I don't get it
This list would be SOOOO much better if it limited any singular group to ONE album. I get that some groups have an outsized impact on the direction of modern music, but Leonard Cohen does not need 5 albums! Ok, now for the review. I'm tired today, and this album just makes me want to go back to bed. I know that he is considered one of the greatest lyricists, but his music is so damn boring. And, frankly, the lyrics don't really do anything for me. If I came to a bar and someone was playing his songs I would leave.
This was the fourth album I got by Cohen. And it isn't in any way better than the other ones. I understand that his kind of singing will attract some people, but I am not one of them.
Esoteric jewish folk
Muito interessante, e particularmente dificil de avaliar, pra mim. Não sou fã de folk, isso é fato. O primeiro album que peguei nesse site foi um do Bob Dylan, e por mais que eu tenha apreciado a influencia que ele teve em seus contemporarios, musicalmente, o disco simplesmente não me desceu. Esse do Cohen é outra história. Comecei a ouvi-lo com a mesma expectativa que tive com Dylan. A diferença aqui está nas canções. Vejo muita gente criticando a voz do Cohen e sua "inabilidade" de cantar. Discordo completamente. A voz dele pra mim é muito agradável, como um casaco quentinho em uma noite de ventania gélida. Também aprecio muito os instrumentais desse álbum. Eles são abertos, dispersos, com acentos momentâneos que adicionam muita atmosfera. Liricamente, Cohen não tem oposição. Suas canções contam histórias, estórias, te fazem amar novamente. 4/5
Not his best album for sure, but still great.
Very chill and enjoyable to listen. Cohen is referenced as very influential to a bunch of stuff I like, so I might revisit it and like it even more.
I started off feeling positive that this was going to be a better Cohen album for me after the first few tracks but then it just became boring. Terrible voice and arrangements, good lyrics and some decent songwriting buried under the monotony. The ego on some of these dudes to put themselves out there when they have no singing talent. It’s quite damning that my fave song musically and lyrically is The Partisan which isn’t even his. 2.5
Lenny sure is good at story songwriting, and Lenny sure pushes the envelope on what is singing. But I think his voice or lack of works in the context. 4 Star
"And I choose the rooms that I live in with care The windows are small and the walls almost bare There's only one bed and there's only one prayer I listen all night for your step on the stair"
had his debut album 3 days ago, same notes: "bro just did spoken word poetry over some guitar" just so bleak
An old poet, an old revolution and an old classic.
Look, I love a dirge, but this is a buncha dirges. I prefer late Cohen where it sounds like he spent twenty years on a mountain surviving on cigarettes.
aight
Who listens to this crap?
Bird on a Wire is a 5 star song. Love the lyricism even if his voice is tough to listen to sometimes.
I'm a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but, even so, I can acknowledge that not every of his albums is of equal quality. This one is a point in case. Generally, I have some problems with Cohens earlier material, as his songwrighting skills - the musical side especially - are still underdeveloped and lacking, but even on his debut, Cohen managed to write more coherent material with better melodies. On this album, his second, Cohen is too often in Dylan-emulation-mode, which gets tiring pretty fast. Granted, there is the occasional gem: Bird on a Wire is a classic, and The Partisan ist still pretty good, but I find the rest to be quite forgettable. It's just not enough to make a good album. Happily, better times (and albums, for that matter) would come within the follwing five years. Meanwhile, this one is a mediocre 3/5.
Wczesny Leonard Cohen brzmi trochę jak Bob Dylan. I chociaż to komplement to preferuję jego późniejsze płyty. Te z niskim głosem, dymem, sennością i bezbrzeżnym smutkiem. W tej brakowało różnorodności, instrumentów, pazura który rozcina skórę aż do serca. 7/10
I can’t do it… I can’t sit through another album of his droning on and on instead of singing. I hit play and within 5 seconds hit stop. There are too many of his albums on this list.
IT HAPPENED. IT FUCKING HAPPENED. TWO OF THE SAME ARTIST IN A ROW. I always kind of figured this would happen eventually. I just had no idea when it would happen or who it would happen with. Turns out, the answer was "Late April 2025, Leonard Cohen." But you know what? I'm okay with this for one very simple reason. Leonard Cohen made some really good music. With this, I have now listened to the entirety of Leonard Cohen's initial "Songs" trilogy, which also includes his debut, Songs of Leonard Cohen, and my album from yesterday, Songs of Love and Hate. This, of course, is the album that came in between those two, Songs From a Room. Which room? I'm just kidding. This album's great. Not much to say really. Admittedly, I would call this the weakest of the three. This just kind of feels like Songs of Leonard Cohen 2. It takes what worked on that album and does it again. Of course, I love that album, so I love this album as well. I just don't think there's really anything special about this album that the other two I've heard don't do. Songs of Leonard Cohen did a great job establishing Cohen's style, and Songs of Love and Hate expands upon it in ways that make the album stand out to me, but Songs From a Room is just kind of there. It's got some great songs, don't get me wrong. The opener, "Bird on the Wire" is a highlight for me. The style is still very pleasant and Cohen's singing still sounds as nice as ever. I think it's the writing. It's still great, obviously. But there aren't as many standout lines and songs for me. I'm sure many of these would be most other songwriters' best songs, but in comparison to the songs off of Cohen's other albums, Songs From a Room just sits as a strong collection of songs and that's it. It's still excellent, no doubt. I just think this is one of the more cuttable albums from a list like this. It really just depends on how many albums Leonard Cohen should have on this list. If the answer is 4 or so? I could see Songs From a Room staying. If you were to cut it down to three or lower though? Sorry. I think this one would go. At the end of the day, Leonard Cohen is still Leonard Cohen. His music is still amazing. High 4/5.
Utter nonsense
It's not terrible, I actually enjoy the melancholy-ness of it. But, unfortunately, it sounds like the real value of this album is in the lyrics and I listen to these while I'm at work and can't fully pay attention to them.
I really didn't care for this. I got bored halfway through the first song.
Not quite my tempo😔
Okay. Not my thing but has some fine songs.
- Fin stemme - Bra melodier som glir godt
I liked his debut album better. This one felt boring. The partisan is pretty good
I love Leonard Cohen. But his discography really does improve after he hit Second Puberty.
Classic album - use of jew harp throughout is weird but great
I was going to give this a 3 but I'm dropping to a 2. It's inoffensive but it's a bit too dull. I listened to two other Leonard Cohen albums on this list. This seems like the worst. The late 80's one I gave a 5 so I no means dislike Leonard, I just prefer his other stuff
Meh, para el tipo de música que es me gustó, pero no lo volvería a escuchar probablemente
It's hard to explain, but this album was very fitting to receive on the tail end of Holy Week and Easter Weekend. Similarly, while I understand the criticism, I like the way Cohen's music makes me feel.
Production: 4/5 Lyricism: 4.5/5 Sound: 4/5 Enjoyment: 4.5/5 Overall: 4.3/5
Need to be in the right mood as this is quite mellow, but I think it’s a solid album. Arrangements are great. His voice is more talking than singing, but it works.
It's not his fault, he had no choice, he was cursed with the gift of this golden voice - early, bleak songs from someone whose humour became more evident over time.
It was dull.
It all sounded the same and this is the 3rd!! Leonard Cohen album. I’m not a fan of his early works. 1001 album worthy: no - 69/129
It certainly was a bold stylistic choice to use the terrible and goofy ass sounding jaw harp all over this album. Like why? Just why? The songs are alright but the songs with the jaw harp are almost unlistenable.
I was really looking forward to this album, but something about this one didn't click like Songs From. Some interesting lyrics and songwritting, but overall slow and hard to get into. 3/10
Bird on the Wire - 4/5 Story of Isaac - 4/5 A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes - 3/5 The Partisan - 5/5 Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - 3/5 The Old Revolution - 3/5 The Butcher - 2/5 You Know Who I Am - 3/5 Lady Midnight - 3/5 Tonight Will Be Fine - 3/5 Average score: 3.3/5 Leonard's a good songwriter/musician, very influential for certain. however, like a few people have mentioned, i'm not crazy about his vocal performance. he's not a "bad" singer in my opinion, i just can't help but feel like i'd enjoy more of these songs if someone else were to sing them
Meh
The whamola goes crazy in this one.
Well. We had one I hated (Songs of Love and Hate), one I actually really liked (You Want it Darker) and now we have one I think is okay. I guess that's something.
Lite för slött
Every cliche lamewad that claims Jim Morrison's lyrics are poetry should be forced to listen to Leonard Cohen.
A perfect album! Genius from front to back.
I’ve had enough of Leonard Cohen.
I completely forgot that I had more Leondard Cohen albums to review. This will be my fourth album of his to review, with only Songs of Love and Hate left. My favorite Cohen album so far has been You Want it Darker, which I gave four stars to. I gave three stars to his other two albums, so I’d say Cohen lands pretty squarely in the ‘I appreciate his music’ category for me. Maybe this album will be the one that blows me away! This album really solidifies my overall opinion of Leonard Cohen. He’s an amazing songwriter, but musically, his albums just leave me wanting more, and rarely does everything come together for me when it comes to his songs. Cohen’s vocal delivery is very hit or miss with me; I tend to enjoy it more when his vocals feature more of a spoken word sound, and his vocals were pretty mixed on this album as well. One thing that did stand out to me on this album was what sounded like a jaw harp, which I absolutely hated. As for what I did like about this album, I thought there were some good string arrangements sprinkled throughout these songs, like on “Bird on the Wire,” “Story of Isaac,” and “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes.” I really enjoyed the backing vocals and the guitar picking on “The Partisan” as well; the music matched the dark tone of the lyrics really well, creating an unsettling atmosphere. “Story of Isaac” and “The Partisan” were my favorite songs on the album. I really loved the sound of “Story of Isaac,” and the songwriting was great. This song reminded me of Tom Waits in the way that it takes the perspective of someone who wouldn’t normally be the focus of the story. I loved the story of “The Partisan,” which sadly feels incredibly culturally relevant today. All things considered, I think Songs From a Room is very good, but it’s just not my taste. Leonard Cohen is a fantastic songwriter, but I don’t often love his musicianship.
The Rolling Stone review from 1969 starts with a perfect encapsulation of this album: "It doesn’t take a great deal of listening to realize that Cohen can’t sing, period. And yet, the record grows on you, and if you give it a chance, it has something to offer. But you can hardly be blamed if you aren’t willing to take the time." However... "something else does evolve on the far side of these stumbling blocks. It is a sound portrait of a man and of mood. A picture of Leonard Cohen: a terribly poetic, sensitive person who is depressed and depressing and who is capable of a great deal of honesty. His poetry, which might be considered sophomoric, becomes more serious when you realize that the man is pouring out his life before you. It becomes a somewhat painful thing to hear." Finally: "The backup and arrangements, while they occasionally underscore Cohen’s weakness as a singer, are superb at creating mood. The predominant mood is one of nostalgia and a rather wistful tenderness. And to someone who can relate to this sort of mood, the album would be appreciated." And that's where I'm at. I'm not sure if I *like* it. but...I kinda don't hate it. I don't AT ALL see why he's so famous, but in a certain mood, I can see why someone would want to reach for this album. But I can also see why people would hate it.
I think I only like old depressed Cohen
I’ve wanted to hear this one for a while
A tasteful collection of ballads, driven by Cohen's twangy, but ultimately warm vocals. Instrumentation which doesn't stray far from a guitar and a bass, with occasional whistles is perfect for this record. Favourite Tracks: The Partisan, The Old Revolution Least Favourite: A Bunch of Lonsesome Heroes. 7.5/10
I really enjoyed Leonard's first record, but as mentioned in that review; it was just missing /something/. So, I went into this one with really high hopes. The guitar work on "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" reminded me a lot of "So Long, Marianne". In fact it sounded almost identical. It was probably one of my favourites on this record, it portrayed a lot of raw emotion. This is a biased take though, because it sounds like "So Long, Marianne" - and I love that song. Apart from Lonesome Heroes, I really found this record a bit lacklustre musically. It was a bit boring, and I think I'd rather go enjoy a Bob Dylan record instead of this usually. It was still very listenable and I didn't have a bad time; it was just a bit boring at times. This is mitigated by the short runtime, so you don't get "kill me now" bored. However, what it makes up for in its dull musicianship, is the songwriting. I found the writing on this record to be phenomenal. Stories like The Butcher really gelled with me. The Butcher was probably the best song on this whole thing if we're just talking songwriting. Do I like this better than Cohen's first record? No. Is it still an enjoyable, albeit a bit dull, listen? Yes. I'd rate this a 3.5 if I could, but I'll round it up to 4 because I had a pretty good time and it had a very good pacing, especially being 35 minutes. I don't think I could have handled an hour or more of it.
Maybe chalk it up to a difference in the listening experience but this one just did not gel for me as much as its predecessor (which was one of the first albums I got on this list). It has a similar issue where the instrumentals prepared for each track feel like an afterthought to Cohen's writing (I know at least The Partisan is a cover, not sure about the rest). While his vocal performance still gives the impression that he only wants to put about as much effort into it to be considered singing rather than a poetry reading, I think it still matches the tone that it is going for. Which in the case of this album is a bit bleaker than I remember from Songs of Leonard Cohen, perhaps that too bummed me out on my first impressions.
Perhaps I were too harsh on Mr Cohen…
This album left me with so many questions. What room? Who's room is it? Where is this room? Why do I specifically like everything second song off this album? Why does Leonard Cohen have so many fucking albums. Why are his two most successful released back to back? I count 39 albums excluding the live albums. Is he an example of if you just spit out enough shit some will land. Man was prolific and this album is great. But questions man. Making me think too much. Ima just listen to YEAT instead 👍 8/10
I feel sorry for women who slept with beatniks and men who were into this. A few decent songs but I can see why Leonard Cohen says he loves poetry but does music for the money. I curse capitalism for not just letting him write his heart out. The jaw harp nearly brought this to a 2, but the songwriting and lyricism here is world-class. I like Leonard Cohen but I'm going to lie to you and tell you that I ever plan on listening to this again. I can't deny its quality in songwriting but the lack of musical complexity really drags this down. Highlights: Bird on the Wire, A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
People love this guy for some reason. He's not bad.
Great songwriting, even if it doesn't have my favorite songs of his.
4/10…folk / singer-songwriter
I just love Cohen. Great album!
I wanted to rate it lower, because this album didnt grab me as much as other work I've come across. Musically it is not his best work. But then, somewhere halfway, I really got into the stories Cohen told. He's not the best singer, the music that supports it is also not the best, but he is so imaginative. He drags you into this world he creates and it is easy to imagine it all. Good stuff.
Great singer songwriter ❤️
It was rather beautiful.
I guess I’m kind of a Cohen-head
wasn’t getting too into it but still enjoyed
Leonard Cohen and the Crickets! I’ll never forget the first time I heard this (being the first record I ever heard by an artist who quickly became one of my favorites of all time). The Jews’ harp features prominently throughout the album and makes it sound like the songs were recorded in a field full of crickets, and something about that natural and simple soundscape really captured my attention. Of course, the understated vocals and the lyrics crept into my consciousness and found a place to stay soon thereafter. On top of that, the chord progressions often move in mystic, unpredictable ways, and this mystery has satisfied my musician’s brain to this day. Taking all ten tracks into consideration, Songs from a Room does not hold up as an impeccable masterpiece of an album. But it is a captivating album, and one of the best introductions to Leonard Cohen anyone should ask for.
3.5
Not a fan of Leonard Cohen.
hard to pick a favorite, loved the whole album. Story of Isaac The Partisan Lady Midnight
Cohen proves why he’s beloved. This is before the huskiness of his voice took over so it does sound pretty similar to the singer/songwriters of the time. It’s just that his lyrics are far better. 4/5
01) Bird on the Wire - 9,0 02) Story Of Isaac - 7,0 03) A Bunch Of Lonesome Heros - 7,5 04) The Partisan - 7,5 05) Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - 7,0 06) The Old Revolution - 7,0 07) The Butcher - 7,0 08) You Know Who I Am - 7,0 09) Lady Midnight - 7,0 10) Tonight Will Be Fine - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,30 (73/100)
Liked it overall. Enjoyed side A>side B Standout songs: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes The Partisan The Old Revolution
Chill and camp-like
Like partisan
Wow this was a chore to get through.
Felt very conflicted about this album. Though a bit samey the music was excellent in some places, and the lyrics were colorful and vivid. But man Cohen cannot sing at all, and it really does take away from the quality of the album. I think literally anyone else could sing this album and it would be near perfect. Top tracks: The Partisan, The Old Revolution, The Butcher
Leonard Cohen has truly managed a hat trick with this one - bad songwriting, bad singing, and bad instrumentals. Usually, at least one of those has to be okay to even get a record deal!
I think I might actually like most of these songs with a different singer. But Cohen's voice is just monotone and droning.
pet peeve of mine is when people cover "Tonight Will Be Fine" in a slow tempo. please stop
Still not a fan of Leonard Cohen (I like music for the sound, not the lyrics) but this was preferable to other albums of his I've heard, all later ones. His voice is not as harsh yet I think is the difference.
Must have been a really dull room! There’s something about his voice on this record that almost sent me to sleep. A struggle to retain focus and interest in it.
There’s something about Leonard Cohen that I like that I can’t quite put my finger on. This one is very Dylanesque in places and the songwriting seems good. The voice ain’t great and again it fails to get going.
I really struggle with Leonard Cohen. Let’s be honest, his singling voice just isn’t good. The folky guitar had some moments but isn’t all that. And the songwriting struggles to shine through that. This album got sort of better as it went along, and the best one was the one he didn’t write. I won’t be back.
Much like Tom Waits, I find that people either love or hate Leonard Cohen. I’m in the love camp here and I’ve yet to hear any of his music I haven’t loved.
Here we complete Leo’s original “Songs” trilogy with a wonderful collection on his sophomore record. What a pretentious sentence I’ve just written. Anyways, as always with Mr. Cohen, we have; beautiful lyrics, gorgeous songwriting, good structure, good instrumentation, good production. His vocals, though not technically savvy, are iconic. A truly phantastic poet. Not as many hits as his first and third albums, but still very very solid. Enjoyed the whole thing. 4/5
Listening to this makes me want to develop a unified field theory for male singer-songwriters of the 60s-70s. I am envisioning a Venn diagram with circles for Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. Although I have to admit that where the three circles overlap is an area I don't like very much. I guess what I am trying to say is that all three of these guys are irritating to me in the much the same way - bad singing, obscure lyrics and occasionally odd musical settings. The kind of artist that you're told you're supposed to admire, and often I do, but music that requires explanation or backstory is fundamentally flawed.
Amazing that, 430 albums in, this is the first of five Leonard Cohen albums in this collection. Although I'm not at all a Leonard Cohen connoisseur, I usually like most of what I've heard by him, and to some degree this early album of his continues that tradition, despite that it's probably the first full album of his I've listened to (I own "The Essential Leonard Cohen", but I know that doesn't count). It starts off a bit uncertain, but gets into full gear with "Story of Isaac", and I also really enjoyed "The partisan" (pretty wild that he and the producer flew to France to get the chorus recorded by French singers) and "You know who I am". I'm also really impressed that he moved into his trademark spare sound so early in his career; he definitely sounds better when he's not drowning in strings and other orchestral accompaniment (which it sounds like is in store for us with his debut album). I had no idea until I read the Wikipedia entry that "Bird on a wire" is probably the epitome of essential Leonard Cohen, as he opened most of his performances with it and considered it one of his great songs. I'm not a big fan of his version of it on this album, but Joe Cocker did an amazing cover of it not long after the song was released (so sad, and a bit shocking, that we don't get *any* Joe Cocker in this collection), and Johnny Cash's much later version is also really well done. But all that aside, it's very very cool that Kris Kristofferson chose to have the first three lines from "Bird on a wire" on his tombstone.
Not a huge Leonard Cohen fan, and it looks as if I've got a bunch of his albums in my future here. Maybe he's an acquired taste. This album is pretty spare: guy singing some songs he wrote accompanied by some music. It was fine.
Sort of dreary, though the lyrics are sometimes interesting.
I just don't like Leonard Cohen. Whatever it is, he doesn't have it. At least this one isn't over-produced, over-arranged lounge music, but for an allegedly simple and austere record, there's an awful lot of dumb arrangement ideas. As for the writing, I can tell he thinks it's good.
I’m not mad at this music, but it is definitely for certain times/moods.
A beginner's guide to Leonard Cohen Song is in a minor key: it's about death. He may get horny later. Song is in a major key: it's about sex. Someone may die later.
Stark, spartan arrangements. An album that really requires careful focus on lyrical content. Mostly slow tunes, but they can quickly stab you in the heart.
Not going to lie, I was happy for this to be over. Uneventful and not something I’d listen to again
I appreciate the poetry and the story each songs tells. Some of the tracks are musically pleasant whilst also melancholy. It’s listenable, not bad in the background, but probably requires the right mood.
More like spoken poetry than songs, this music is still very pleasant to listen to. Leonard Coen obviously isn't a great singer, but there is charm in that for me. The songs here all mostly sound the same, with a single guitar strumming around several verses of prose, but at only 36 minutes, it works for me. Definitely still one of my singer songwriters from the era, and I like this more than most Dylan music. My favorite here is Story of Isaac.
I don't get it.
It doesn't sound terrible, but musically it is more on a boring, although easy to listen to side. Until I'm gonna pick up on english poems natively, I'm afraid listening to sang poems won't do it for me
No puedo conectar con Cohen, pese a forzarme a encontrarlo, no puedo entenderlo
Maudlin & depressing
Folk
Por un momento, pensé que era Leonard Nimoy. Precioso y muy relajante a pesar de la mácula infecta del neoliberalismo.
A very nice album - I enjoyed it a lot. I did, however, listen to Suzanne just after the record ended, and that song is somewhat a better version of all these songs on here. Plus, some of his choices for instruments are a bit weird on here.
YUUUUUPPPP
Fijn dat het eindigt op een positief bericht. Thx leonard
The album where he plays around with the jaw harp. Does it take away from the songs at all? Maybe a little, depending on your natural disposition to the jaw harp. I like his others albums a little better, but it's still Leonard Cohen. It'll be a cold day in hell before I dislike his old songs.
Glad I listened after it had gone dark, definitely not an album to open the day with! Low key Leonard. It's all excellent, nothing stands out.
I thought I was not going to like this album, but I was nicely surprised by it
Okayish, I worked in the meantime, nothing really intrigued me. Best song was "A bunch of lonesome heroes". 6/10
Made no impact on me Rating: 2.0
Best LC so far
Songs to make me leave the room
Great lyrics overall.
Pretty good stuff. Nice and relaxing.
Oh. This is why we love him. Such profound wisdom in such a neat package. Yeah the second half drags, but the perfection of the first half cannot be found anywhere else.
I found this album a bit boring, which was a surprise to me, I was looking forward to it.
I didn’t mind this album, and it was pretty quick. Fine as some background music while I was lazing in bed, doubt I’d come back for another listen though
masterful, perfect, gorgeous, life affirming to listen to. i love him so much
Folk in general does nothing for me and this just epitomises the genre.
Oh my god, come on. More Leonard Cohen?!?? I think his entire discography is on this list. I hate him. He cannot sing and that's literally all there is in his songs. 1/10 (0.5/5)
I'm just decidedly in the camp of people who can't do Leonard Cohen. Shades of Dylan at times, which makes it not entirely awful, but I'm also not the world's biggest Dylan fan, so that's not entirely a compliment.
Not very good
Hmmmm....is the Leonard Cohen I know? Because this is not for me.
Sorry but I have an irrational affection for Leonard Cohen.
These are songs from a room, not my favorite Leonard Cohen but not my least favorite of his either. Serious feels every few songs. There are obvious standouts like Bird on the Wire — where if you don't find the beauty and the sadness in it nothing I write can help you see Cohen's gift.
Interesting
This good folkin' music! 4/5
TIL Leonard Cohen used to be a folksy baritone. I want to hear him re-record this album with his characteristic smokey-throat bass. Alas.
I liked this better than the other Cohen album I 4-starred.
Pleasant singer song writer experience. Calming and reflective
Quite enjoyed this one but its slightly darker than Songs of Leonard Cohen. I'd revisit it 3.5
Nah bruh
Ten folk songs with poignancy weaved throughout. Cohen's half spoken vocals seem tailor made for this, but he does flex his vocal chops at times. Story of Isaac is good, haunting acoustic guitar. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes is more upbeat with the keyboard and an almost soaring chorus (ok, it's Leonard Cohen). On the Partisan, the guitar riff is intricate and fast, delicate picking, and the vocals and lyrics are somber. Then a female choir backs him up in French. You Know Who I Am is another sparse number with some of the best guitar on the album. Tonight Will Be Fine brings back a fast folk rhythm and closes the album on an uplifting note. It took me a couple listens for this to click, but I wouldn't change a thing.
Fantastic! Viva The Partisan, for sure one of Cohen's best songs.
Het ideale nummer om rustig van te worden. The Partisan is m'n favoriete nummer van Cohen, dus deze klepper krijgt een 4.2
Leonard Cohen is a Poet. Some of the songs are deeply affecting, though others seem to drag under their own weight. Highlights: "Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" and "The Partisan"
Another strong and memorable effort all the way around. Cohen's awkwardness as a singer – he mostly talks his way through these songs – plays to amplify the earnestness. One likes the spareness mostly, but the accordion flourishes, washes of elegant strings, and effective use of backing vocals on a few cuts suggest how much could have been done. No cuts really stand up, such is their deep even intense introspection (despite a certain casual or deadpan tone in the vocal delivery) as befitting the title and Cohen's monolithic reputation.
My second Cohen album on this list, although the last one was nearly 2 decades newer than this effort. Leonard is great at writing lyrics, not so good at singing them or composing the instrumentation.
Enjoyable album
a great influential album
got a lot of physical burnout atm from the busyness of work but i finally stopped falling asleep long enough to listen to what has to be one of the best possible albums for my situation lol. kind of equal parts uncanny/desolate and lush/pretty...cold in ways ive felt enough to be kind of comfortingly familiar. where dylan tends to be super dense and abstract, layering on tons of little gems and details and images that make the most sense as a sort of freefloating whole, cohen is maybe closer to a "traditional" storyteller...he certainly recounts a lot more specific, follow-able events...but he infuses these deceptively straightforward recountings with a lot of mystery and mysticism that make them feel like theyre a few layers of interpretation away from unlocking some Secrets Of Significance. very few new-to-me songs in this project have captured me as wholly and immediately as bird on the wire...something beautiful ab being surrounded by the shattered pieces of urself
Listen his voice isn't the best, is it? Most songs are too meandery and sleepy for me. Love the key changes in Story of Isaac. Cool dark energy to The Partisan, but the backing singer annoyed me. Love the reverb on Seems So Long Ago, Nancy. I like You Know Who I Am - more great key changes. Tonight Will Be Fine sounds like it's from the Juno soundtrack which is interesting. Lovely end to the album.
3.5, schöni lieder. Bitz komisch twisted aber das isch halt de vibe
Wunderschönes ruhiges nachdenkliches schlichtes Album, das auch nach dem Hören in meinem Kopf nachklingt wie ein Echo von weither. Die drastisch belanglose Stimme des Sängers transportiert wie die anderen Instrumente sachte erbarmungslose Fragen und Teilantworten. Sie birgt, genau wie die Lyrics, voller Bilder und teils mystisch, und die behutsamen, immerwährenden Harmonien, eine authentische Traurigkeit, die mich auf eine schöne Art melancholisch gemacht hat.
Didn't really enjoy that, sorry Leonard.
Better than I thought
Leonard Cohen is a poet and master story teller. He speaks to the human condition and he deserves his legendary status. This album was worth a listen in its entirety although I wish there was a little more done musically and melodically. It seemed like the production was limited to the poetry to the point where every song sounded the same. Also, the jaw harp is nice for effect, occasionally, but not on every track.
Best album ever
Epic
Not my favorite LC album. More on the folksy side, very Bob Dylan-esque.
3.3 4x
Pleasently surprised by the consistency in quality of the songs I didn't know. Add that in with the obvious quality of Bird on a Wire, The Partisan etc and it might of been a 5. It's just that A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes seem to be a poor man's So Long Marianne - so a mark off for that
Enjoyed this quite a bit more than the previous Cohen selection - Leonard must be growing on me..
Very srong in places, lyrically enchanting in parts, though I’m realising that 20 minutes of Leonard is probably enough for me in any one sitting and the more mediocre stuff drags.
*yawns in complex lyrics*
I want to like this, I really do, but the only time I'll listen this in full is as background music,
21/01/25 I know how iconic Cohen is and how good he is as a singer/songwriter. This was just too slow and boring.
His voice hadn't turned as gravelly as it would on his later albums, and the music sounds at least partially uplifting which goes again his later work also, but the lyrics are still dark as fuck.
I love Leonard Cohen. That’s all.
Great album from a Canadian giant in music
minél tovább hallgattam annál jobban tetszett. zeneileg nem a legbonyolultabb, de talán ez a nyersség az ami kiemeli a szövegeket. inkább megzenésített irodalom hangulata van. elég depresszív de pont jól. kicsit azért repetitív zeneileg. favvv: the partisan
Kedvenc/Favourite: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes Pont az ilyen zene miatt szeretem a folkot és a countryt. Egyszerűen volt szívhez szóló, könnyű volt hallgatni és meghallani a súlyosabb témákat, amik megjelentek a szövegekben. Nyersen és őszintén szól az életről, a maga kissé depresszív, de fülbemászó módján. This is the kind of music that made me like folk and country. It was simply heartfelt, it was easy to listen to and hear the heavier themes that came through in the lyrics. It's raw and honest about life, in its own slightly depressing but catchy way.
Pra quem quer calmaria, prato cheio. Não é meu caso!
Een koud, kaal en desolaat album van ome Leonard, met De Partizaan als bekendste nummer. Het voelt een beetje als een soort instapmodel Dylan. Een stukje minder druk, de woorden beter te verstaan, de zang iets minder vanuit de tenen omhoog gerocheld. Ondanks dat ik hier de vergelijking maak met Bob vind ik dit wel een lekker album. Dit is zo'n album waar ik niet te uitgebreid naar moet gaan zitten luisteren. Aanzetten en de boel gelaten ondergaan is hierbij ideaal. En zo gaat het album van aanvankelijk vrij kil naar ook wel een beetje warm, behaaglijk. M'n grootste punt van kritiek is dat de mondharp op elke track (het zijn er geloof ik 3) waar ie gebruikt wordt achterwege gelaten had mogen worden. Ik ga voor de 4 sterren. Lekker hoor.
not as good as the other leonard cohen albums ive listened to but thats ok. oh im sorry
I do not like this. Help.
I am pretty big Cohen-fan but even I wouldn’t call this essential listen. It has the fantastic ”the partisan” and a couple of other good ones. Even though I have it on vinyl I barely ever listen to it in full.
I wonder if Kris Kristofferson ended up putting bird on a wire on his tombstone. Thats a helluva song. I didn't know big david crosby was involved in this at all. Love the stripped down arrangments that still sound like the world coming to an end. Lots of Jew's harp. Some of y'all still ain't listenidn to the story of Isaac hard enough. J' reprise mon arme, so to speak.
Well-suited for an early January day.
3/5
I recognize it as a good album, but it's quite different from what I like.
Sometimes I just don’t feel like working to understand. He basically writes poetry then puts the poem to music. So many poems in the world that I kind of know I should grasp the meaning, but I don’t quite. That’s this album: I know the lyrics are special but I’m not in the mood to work for it, and it’s not musical enough for me to want to come back to it later.
3/4
Favorite track: The Partisan
Leonard Cohen, Daft Punk, The Who, The Beatles, Houmous & Chutney all have the ability to write entire albums where every track sounds exactly the same and it’s lauded as a masterpiece! 2.8
6.5/10
I think I'm supposed to like it, but I didn't.
Never really like Leonard Cohen's voice, I know the point isn't his voice, it's his lyrics, but his voice distracts me a bit, sort of like Bob Dylan in that regard. I feel like to truly appreciate these songs I'd have to sit and focus on all of the lyrics. They kinda feel like poems put to music more than feel like great songs. Yeah didn't love this, I respect his lyrics though.
Leonard Cohen's second album containing country wasn't quite on my bingo card. Of course, Cohen was a man of many talents, and country and folk aren't genres far removed from each other. Songs from a Room presents as simple, like his earlier material; it's anything but. When compared to his first album, Songs from a Room contains stronger lyrics. Cohen presents himself as the evocative singer/songwriter that he was known as, and his debut missed that mark. He brings more emotion to the table, and that goes a long way. Throughout the years, Cohen provided commentary on religion via his lyrics, and I see that taking root with "Story of Isaac." 3.5
It is very apparent that this is from Cohen's early career. He had yet to develop his truly stand-out style; this album has him sounding much like the rest of the folky singers of the period. To me, nothing really stood out here, but it was also pretty easy to listen to.
I like the songs he writes, just not the way he sings them
INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS! Yes, it induced be into a melancholic malaise that I struggled to shake of for the rest of the day. But I still facking loved it. The saddest of all the lads. Simpsons: Yes
Pleasant album but I forgot all the songs immediately. Would give it another chance but for now, a 3.
I think this is the best album of his on here, and if I were in a different frame of mind whilst listening, then maybe this could have been rated higher. The best two songs for me were “Story of Isaac” and “You Know Who I Am”
Leonard Cohen is just growing on me. What a sad boy.
Never heard this before. This list has taught me how much I don't like Leonard Cohen. Before the list I thought, he's that guy that wrote Hallelujah which is a memorable song. Now I have had the chance to hear a bunch of his boring albums.
So much better than the other Cohen album that we had to suffer through. Not brilliant, but good. I especially like The Partisan.
Hmm, my favorite song was Partisan, the song he didn't write. Bleak album. It's a refreshing break from the psychedelic rock albums from that era, but the music doesn't have enough punch to keep up with the lyrics.
Aimless and rambling.
Not a fan.
Amazingly stripped down. Just a guitar and emotion. Far better than Dylan.
Mooie teksten met veel gevoel gezongen
8/10
Taattua Cohen-laatua. En nyt sitten tiedä miten vertautuu muihin levyihin. 3/5
Lady Midnight on kyllä kaunis kappale. Muutenkin taas kerran erinomaista laulumusiikkia Lennulta.
3.5/5
Inspiring composer. 5/5
Pretty good
Not for me
Definitely a vibe going on here. Didn't enjoy this quite as much as other Leonard Cohen albums. Not sure why. Maybe the songs aren't quite as strong. Having said that, The Partisan is great and the whole thing sounds soothing as fuck late at night.
This guy cannot sing. Should have stayed in his room and locked the door so he can sing his depressing music to himself. 1.5/5
There's a starkness that I've always liked with Leonard Cohen. I've liked his earlier stuff, just him and a guitar. And this definitely fits the bill. It's definitely not party music, I can say that. But it's very simple, even though the lyrics are not. I wish he didn't draw out his "n" so much. There was a previous singer we had listened to, and it kinda irks me. It just sounds weird when they do that. Anyway, it's somber but not depressing. Always good to hear every so often. Top track: "Bird On A Wire," "You Know Who I Am"
I still like Leonard Cohen more than I thought I would but this is my least favorite of his albums on the 1,001 list. He's still a wonderful poet (and flawed vocalist) and I like the subdued sound. He is majestic on the two best known songs - Bird on a Wire and The Partisan (the latter not written by him). But I wasn't captivated in the same way by most of the songs. I can (and did) play this album on repeat as easy background music but not many songs will stick out to me.
I'm trying to decide if Leonard Cohen is the most ridiculous example of an artist with multiple albums (5!!!) that shouldn't have multiple albums in the 1001. If you're David Bowie or the Beatles, both of whom evolve significantly from album to album, you get multiple albums. Pink Floyd deserves multiple albums because they are so varied. Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder get multiple because they have multiple iconic albums. Leonard Cohen is none of the above. Probably one of the biggest mistakes of the book. Anyway, rant over. To review the album - the only other one I've reviewed so far was Songs of Love and Hate, where I definitely felt more hate than love. This album has a fair amount of the same problem - rambling, drawn out songs, with pretentious lyrics. One big difference is that he doesn't have quite the depth and weight to his voice that he had on Songs of Love and Hate only two years later, except for a couple of tracks (e.g., The Partisan, You Know Who I Am). Occasionally he made me think of a less weird sounding Bob Dylan (e.g., The Old Revolution), but Bob's lyrics connect with me more than Leonard's. I gave Songs of Love and Hate a 2...I'd say this one is a 2.5 because it had a little more energy and variety, but I can't bring myself to round up. Songs I liked: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes, The Partisan (about the French Resistance during WWII - I particularly liked this track and the French part is very stirring), Seems So Long Ago Nancy (typically long and rambling, but powerful lyrics). Songs where Leonard needs to settle down: You Know Who I Am (although I do like the vibe of this song), Tonight Will be Fine (which would sound better if it was Johnny Cash singing).
I find the albums inclusion weird already, it’s not that the songs are bad it’s just that it’s in between two of his biggest/ best albums when I think Dimery could’ve put something else in the book. Also I’m more of a I’m your man era cohen fan, I prefer his super deep brooding voice, the partisan is probably the best track (it kinda reminds me of the dangling conversation by Simon and Garfunkel), which I just had to listen to afterwards. The album just gets boring that’s all 3/5
Some of the greatest songwriting ever. And young Leonard Cohen had as much emotional depth as old Leonard Cohen.
I loved this album. It wasnt one I was familar with all the way through but I really enjoyed exploring it. Cohen is one of the greatest musical storytellers there is. Great lyrics delivered well. Bird on a wire and the partisan are great songs. Favourite song: The Butcher and Partisan Least favourite: All great stories Album artwork: Standard Leonard Cohen album cover
Absolute classic!
we've had some leonard cohen i really liked, but this was just okay. sorry lenny. no strong thoughts.
man, we've had a couple albums from lenny boy already and they were all SO much better than this one. I dunno if it's his singing style/voice, the fact that every song sounds the same, or the constant goddamn SPROINK SPROINK SPROINK spring sounds from his jaw harp on several tracks turning decent songs into waking nightmares, but this ain't it chief favorites: the partisan
I liked this album less than the last one. Pretty one note and slow. I feel like a zoomer, but it was putting me to sleep
More folk legends for LC. Boring, lame storytelling. Get a real job you fucking bum
Those album doesn’t contain any of my favourite Leonard Cohen songs, and the third track sounds like he’s plagiarised his own song “So Long Marianne”. I hope some of his other albums are coming up but this one is average.
Favourite tracks: seems so long ago Nancy; bird on a wire; story of Isaac; you know who I am; the partisan; the butcher; the old revolution
Si je ne suis pas fan de Leonard Cohen à l’heure actuelle, c’est qu’il y a sans doute une bonne raison : je ne suis pas forcément réceptif à sa musique, son timbre, la monotonie de l'ensemble. Les arrangements sont jolis mais vraiment très légers. Ca reste très agréable à écouter et les chansons infusent doucement. Pour cet album “Bird on a wire” mais sans passion, “Le Partisan”, beaucoup plus, “Tonight will be fine” que je trouve très jolie. Et peut-être qu’un jour je tomberai complètement dedans.
How dare you make me feel feelings Leonard.
Since I was assigned the incredible album "Deep Purple in Rock" yesterday during a nine-day streak of four-star and five-star albums, I expected to be assigned a shite album today. Luckily, that didn't happen. Singer-songwriter folk music is very hit-or-miss for me. For some reason, I don't really vibe with Leonard Cohen the same way that I enjoy Bob Dylan. I first listened to this album a few months ago, and completely forgot that I did so. :)
this is a five for me. i love this a lot. leonard cohen, the man you are
Pre-listening thoughts: I’ve always thought of Leonard Cohen as Bob Dylan with more tune. Let’s see how this assumption holds up. Post/during listening thoughts: well, more tune was a generous assumption. It’s like listening to poetry with a tune in the room next door. It’s a little slow for my liking. It's sort of up the Lou Reed alley but a little better. Maybe about equal to Bob Dylan. But for my vocal aligned taste that’s not saying much. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no sorry Fav tracks: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes Least fav tracks: was pretty meh on most of this didn’t like actively hate it but was not loving it
It's poetry, some of them are songs.
I accept Cohen as my Lord and Savior.
I was luke warm on the last Cohen album, but something about these songs grabs me (although I could do without the mouth harp). I might go 3.5 with time, but a 3 for now. I really liked Lady Midnight.
so far I like the opening song and I think his voice is very calming. After finishing the album, I feel like all of the songs were nice background music and were really calming but all had quite a similar vibe that was, frankly, a little boring.
I think he comes fully into his own later. But some interesting songs still
mhmm... Leonard ate
4/10 - It was kind of creepy sounding like Story of Isaac, I know it's about the bible story but it was not fun to listen to. Same thing with Lady Midnight.
Feel like I usually know going into an album whether or not there's a chance I'll give it a 5. I was not familiar with Leonard Cohen's game. The album wasn't particularly exciting or groundbreaking, but there were just so many really nice sounding songs on here. Really liked it
Enough Leonard Cohen please this dude sucks. I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to listen to this trash. How he ever made a living at making records I'll never know. And you probably caught me on a good day LOL. 😜 Oh, and if I could give this asshat a negative rating I certainly would.
Sounds like clove cigarettes and sadness.
Nasally, slow, and boring.
Great words. The delivery could use some pizzazz
Both Cohen and Dylan are considered masters of songwriting. Honestly deserved. But I place Cohen a bit higher on the list. With one petty argument. He is more self-aware than Dylan. He doesn't consider himself a good singer (he is decent, though), so he doesn't sing some parts just vocalizes or talks through them. Dylan goes with the flow and sometimes it comes out pretty bad in the terms of his voice itself.
Dull, dull, and depressing.
Love this album...High points: Story of Isaac, Lady Midnight, The Parisian and Bird on a Wire. No one else like him.
I just got really like Leonard Cohen that much. It all kinda sounds the same. After like three songs, I get bored.
oh shit he's not doing that stupidly deep voice this time...way better but still okay
molto noioso, ma molto.
I first heard this about 20 years ago, and to this day I think of it when I see a bird sitting on a telephone wire.
Deep deep deep lyrics, landing on notes masquerading as folk music but something much more magical
Enjoy his lyrics, his musical styling.
I love him.
Cohen is much more a poet much less a singer. I think my brain isn’t developed enough to appreciate poetry tbh so a lot went over my head. I do acknowledge that these songs must be intimately beautiful to many out there.
I thought, is this Lou Reed.
I had this on vinyl and listened to it a lot. Very poetic; very musical.
I was surprised by his voice. It wasn't that distinct baritone I'm so accustomed to. What a great song writer.
Enjoyable sunday morning vibes
My 3rd Cohen album. I just don’t get it.
Leonard cohen!
Cohen is so very good at the melancholy thing, and I love it. On later albums he gets even better, as his voice ages he grows into it more and it's just beautiful. This album is a lovely listen, full of stories.
Cohen is truly a singular talent. There are many examples of artists whose lyrics are the main instrument but none hold my attention like Leonard Cohen. Bird on a Wire, Seems So Long Ago, Nancy and especially The Partisan are highlights but Side B isn’t as strong. 8.2/10
3.5 I always enjoy his music, usually end up needing to have a nice hard drink and a cozy chair to listen.
it was ok I guess but in every song there was this weird sound at the back of my headphones. it ight be the headphones I was listening on but it was all i could hear and I rlly didn't like it it stressed me out.
Please stop making me listen to this man.
Hey, the good Leonard Cohen! This is sad as hell! Fav Track: The Partisan
Ill never try or tell anyone to listen to this.
Solid album with at least 3 all time classics.
I love Leonard Cohen. He's one of my favourite songwriters. But if I'm honest, at lot of his albums drag on a bit, or aren't particularly well-structured as albums. This one's no different. It still gets a 4 for Bird on a Wire, The Partisan, Lady Midnight, and a bunch of other good stuff.
Okay. Talented songwriter.
Slow singer songwriter pop from the late 60s. Pretty chill.
Good shit
The man gets under your skin. I knew him by reputation and had already had a later album in this process that was ok but didnt hook me. I started this one, finding his voice just irritating. But i finished it fairly enthralled. The melody from the guitar and the story telling are powerful weapons. Ill be going back to this and i may even consider myself converted.
I promised to re-evaluate Coen's earlier work after I enjoyed You Want it Darker so much, but it honestly does nothing for me. I know his lyrics might be very poetic, but I can't grasp them properly when they are packaged within such terrible music. His singing is almost offensively bad, and the music is uninteresting and uninspired. I feel a bit hypocritical now because I do enjoy Bob Dylan's 60s output, but the difference there is that Dylan knew how to write an interesting melody and was a decent guitarist too. This album is significantly worse than Coen's debut, and doesn't belong on this list IMO.
Well, this is a bit frustrating. I liked the Leonard Cohen album we had yesterday, but this one felt...fine, I guess. Is this because it's 2 days in a row of music that's already kinda static? Am I just not in the right mood for Cohen today? Or is it because this album is objectively worse? The world will never know. Sorry, Leonard. 2.6
A pinch of monotony can be a spice, one of my conclusions as I slowly rotated from scepticism about this record’s polish and reserve to getting its cool and the force of tough words delivered drily. Reading a little about Cohen helped: I originally mistook the hard effort behind the deadpan facade as dilettante disinterest.
Hadn't heard this album before, and unfortunately with good reason. Best bits are on Greatest Hits, rest is unremarkable. I love me some Lenny but not this so much
i think this one is better than his first and the first half is exceptional. Kind of dies down towards the end but a fun listen for sure
Dreadful and not for me
Leonard Cohen is always a good listen for me.
Liked this a lot more than the first Leonard Cohen album we reviewed. 3.5 rounded up to 4.
This was worse than the other one of his we had. Meh.
Hated this so much I searched the list to see how much more LC we have to endure. Two down, two to go.
I mean... can't sing, raspy old man songs....
His voice was somewhat more bearable when he was younger, but as far as this record goes, I didn't find it particularly interesting. Chill background music but that's it. 2.5 stars
It's fine. A bit too poetic and abstract in the lyrics to where it's not totally clear what he's talking about on first listen and I don't really need a second listen. 5/10
Fuckin’ wonderful.
We need more poet singer/songwriters in the world today. I always enjoy Leonard Cohen but this was my first full album listening experience for him. It was a solid album.
I didn’t expect this album to make this list. It’s not quite as good as Leonard’s debut, but it’s a fantastic follow up that continued the near flawless early leg of his career
This is a good one that while liking the stuff I've heard I don't know when I'd have gone and listened to an entire album. What a classic story telling album. Maybe it is hitting at a good time for me, but the stripped back simplicity of the album I really liked. I really liked it overall.
Thoughts before listening: There sure are a lot of Leonard Cohen albums on here. I know people love him, but I struggle with a lot of his music. Its just too dark and droll for my taste. There are, however, 2 or 3 songs per album that grab my attention so I would assume the same for this one. Review: As I listened to this album I felt that this might be my favorite I've heard so far from Leonard Cohen. The songs are looser and seem more lively than his other albums on this list. I was surprised then to read the Allmusic review and see that this is actually considered a weaker effort in his catalog. To me, his voice is less grating here and a song like "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" (which the Allmusic reviewer especially disliked) is one of the best I've heard from Leonard. I'll give this 3-stars.
Meh man. Meh.
Amazing. Poetry. Yet pretentious in a rather enjoyable way.
One thing that I thought I had learned from this project was that I wasn't a fan of Leonard Cohen. Although this holds true, I didn't hate this album as much as I thought I would, in fact it was quite pleasant, in a melancholic way.
I reviewed I’m Your Man album back in May when I said that I needed to listen to more of Leonard Cohen to understand what all the fuss was about. That particular album was Cohen’s 80’s synth style effort and perhaps not what I consider to be true the true dark and melancholic side of Cohen. It was this side of Cohen I wished to get into. So this album is a good example of that. His voice and lyrics are to the forefront. Whilst his lyrics are extremely thought provoking I do have a problem with his voice. If auto tuning had existed and had been used back in 1969 I’m sure that I would like this album a lot more. As it is I think that I sound better when washing my armpits in the shower. But who am I to say that Cohen has a bad voice when millions would argue to the contrary. But it is my ears that matter and for me it is his voice which spoils some excellent songs. 2.5/5 25/9/24
Only having heard some of Cohen's later works, this feels much more low-energy in comparison. I mean, nothing will match the gloominess of his final album, but here the production is stripped down, leaving Cohen to his vocals and guitar (and a noticeable amount of the Jew's harp hovering in the background of most tracks). At this point for me (after listening to three of his albums in about the span of a month) what you see/hear is what you get with Leonard Cohen. More of a pure storyteller who prefers minimalist production ala Bob Dylan. Can be charming, but drones a bit after a while. There are probably a few Cohen albums I've yet to get to on this list, but I'm not exactly eager to get to them at this point.
Storytelling with nice guitars.
I did not get off to a good start with Leonard Cohen at all. His entrance into the 80s just felt wholly off to me. His voice over those sounds was not a match I wanted or needed to hear. Unfortunately it seems I’m continuing the trend with this album here. It’s not that I’m not a fan of Leonard and what he created. Because I see the potential for something really interesting. His voice was incredibly powerful, even if it has a serious lack of depth and range. There is just so little going on there, and it almost makes this feel more like spoken word poetry put over music. Which sort of makes sense, since he basically was a poet. No doubt he was a talented writer and lyricist. But I have yet to see what makes him one of the greats. Because from a musical standpoint, I find him incredibly uninteresting. The arrangements that Leonard’s very minimal approach to vocals are placed over are also incredibly minimal. At least on this record. I’ve heard that’s not exactly the case on something like his debut. There is an interesting idea displayed here and there, but these instrumentals, put together by Bob Johnston, are so drab. The album as a whole is potently melancholic, which I can appreciate. Especially with the weather getting colder and being particularly gloomy around here today. My biggest issue with Mr. Cohen’s music is how focused it is on the lyrics. I think it’s doable to make an album with as intriguing writing as this, that doesn’t shove the music part to the side and nearly forget about it. Pink Moon is a great example. Very simple, but insanely effective. Rating: 5/10
One of these days, Cohen’s music will connect with me, but it is not this day.
The melancholic minstrel rides again.
I really wanted to love it. But alas, I just found it a bit whimsical and light. Maybe needs another listen or 3 to start really getting it. Did feel like a little album of short stories though...
Melancholy poetry set to doleful music. I like poetry and I am fond of Cohen's work, but this feels like more of the same but not as good as earlier stuff - one album's pretty much sufficient for me.
NO MORE COHEN PLLLLEEEEEEEAAASSSSEE!!
in all honesty, I actually really loved this. Surprising simply because i don't usually mess with Leonard Cohen like that, but this felt raw and pretty and it was the perfect backing to my studying.
I don't know... I'm just not feeling this one today. I think I liked it more than other Leonard Cohen albums, but I just wasn't in the mood for another folk singer song writer album. Every song here really does sound the same, and for being 30 minutes this album really does drag on. Maybe I'm just unlucky but this list is starting to feel over represented with folk music. High 2
Lullabies for adults. Such a sleepy depressing album. You're a great song writer Leonard, but boy does your music put me in a bad headspace