Songs From A Room

Didn't love it. I'm sure it was cool at the time but it sounded like a less fun Velvet Underground

Cool

begynne å få sansen for han karen her

Every once in a while I like to feel treated to lyrics that read like poetry. The opening songs “Bird on the Wire” and “Story of Isaac” have that feel. I love lyrics that give you some imagery to roll around your head, even if the meaning of every line isn’t always immediately clear. Those two stood out to me the most, though “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes” has a nice dramatic and full band sound, and the closer “Tonight Will Be Fine” is sweetly romantic. The songs definitely have a Dylanesque style but Leonard Cohen has a style of his own that comes through too. (And it may well be that Dylan and Cohen are just drawing from the same folk influences.)

Leonard Cohen is best known for "Hallelujah", which I think is one of the best songs to ever be written, but he has so many other songs that are really incredible too (hard to compare to "Hallelujah" though). I always think of him as "your favorite songwriter's favorite songwriter". He's so universally loved by songwriters, poets, artists but unfortunately I think his sound hasn't translated to a fresh enough sound for younger generations to fully embrace. Similar to Bob Dylan. I really love when he goes into an upper voice register. He has such an emotive upper chest voice that takes your attention and rips it out from whatever you were doing and forces you into the music that is playing. It's one of many impressive things that he does that elevate his music from being very one-emotion folk. His lyrics are so poetic and span a lot of different emotions. This area is a big plus and makes his music more timeless and re-listenable. This is a 3/5 for me. Unfortunately he has so many albums that I've always found it hard to find some that really stand out; there's simply so many tracks that sometimes I can listen to one of his records and between his great songs will be a few that are forgettable.

Listened to it in 3 attempts so can’t really remember but think it was alright

Somehow in nearly 37 years, I had avoided hearing anything by Leonard Cohen. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I didn’t think I’d like it. I was pleasantly surprised. He reminds me of a much more pleasant Bob Dylan.

Hmmmm...I think that if this were the first Leonard Cohen album for me that I may not have been so anxious to explore more of his library. A couple of tracks really grabbed me, but some others really did not. Also, to me it is even more noticeable that he is not the strongest singer here...but I think that might be part of the draw.

Songs From A Room is calming, simple and soothing yet never quite moves beyond good. And that's okay, I liked it enough for a 3.

Good songwriting his voice is meh

Good album, not my thing

Leagues better than “I’m Your Man”. I’m not going to put this into the rotation but it’s totally fine and helps me get it re: Cohen.

i never gave much to say about these 90s rap albums. most of them have a couple good songs and overall good listens

I like what I've heard of his before, so with that in mind I probably enjoyed this less than I'd expected to. A little spartan for my preferences.

Leonard made a few questionable decisions in putting his teams together over the years. It's not a surprise that he didn't get along with David Crosby and he fortunately pulled the plug before it was too late. A few albums later Leonard hired Phil Spector as producer to give his Wall of Sound a shot on Death of a Ladies Man. Phil was a whack job and that album really didn't work. Without the right team to bring the additional layers, we end up with a very stripped down album. There are a few classics like Bird on a Wire, The Partisan and Lady Midnight but this, his second album, is not to the same standard as his first and third albums.

Hahahah another one! Really interesting and intentional use of sounds and textures. the tap dancing and fuzz guitar on a bunch of lonesome heroes. the french voices and the harmonica on the partisan. Similar triplet guitar parts to his other record. Organ on seems so long. Lots of jaw harp throughout I like his voice more later on in his career. I really enjoyed this and was going to give it a 4 but but by the end I was pretty irritated by all the jaw harp. It would’ve been an ok texture on one song but it got pretty out of hand lol.

Leonard Cohen est surprenamment vivant dans cet album, et c'est plus ou moins tout ce qu'on lui demande, quand on voit ce qu'il nous a proposé dans sa version empaillée.

Album très sympathique, la version empaillée de Leonard Cohen est bien supérieure à sa version cadavérique.

Likes: Gripping hook lyrics, calm and easy-to-listen vibe, feels like there’s a world waiting to be uncovered in the lyrics Dislikes: Kinda monotonous/droning, not a lot going on musically, boing-ing spring reverb Not something I’d listen to for the music, but something I’d deep dive for the lyrics

Probably an album that needs to be heard. I am not a Leonard Cohen fan, as I haven't gotten into it as many times as I have tried.

This is a mood. I want to sit in the dark smoking cigarettes and making comparisons and metaphors to the Old Testament. I wrote off other albums for being too story-driven with not much musical background (ahem Kendrick Lamar and Little Sims) but this doesn't offend quite as much. The guy in the corner with the mouth harp is the glue holding all of this together.

Didn't really do it for me.

It's a good album but I couldn't really get into it. 3,5/5

Another day. Another Leonard Cohen album. You can gauge how good the albums are by how many recognised hits are on them and this has less than other albums.

I've shared variations of this point before re: Cohen, but, like... One of my partner's favorite genres is like acoustic singer-songwriter stuff. "Sad man with a guitar" music, as she calls it. And I cannot stand sad man with a guitar. What I need when I'm down is "Sad lady with a piano." Any case, I'm not Leonard Cohen's audience, and that's ok (I can sometimes work with "sad man with piano" though, like I really like Warren Zevon a lot)

I left this album understanding better why people loved Cohen.

Dobar album

Yeah, buddy, I'm not at all surprised that you recorded these songs in a room. Jokes aside, this was pretty solid. Nothing too crazy, he honestly sounds like a sobered up version of Bob Dylan (not that Dylan was a drunk, but Cohen sounds like his straight-laced, serious brother). A few gems though, can't deny that. Favorite tracks: Story of Isaac, The Partisan, Tonight Will Be Fine. Album art: Damn, he even looks like Bob Dylan here. Just a vague black and white portrait shot, not much to this cover at all. 3.5/5

Better than his first album

I like Leonard Cohen but not this album

An interesting album. He sounds unsure of his vocals creating a unique vulnerability in his body of work.

Bob Dylanesque

"Songs from a Room" is the second studio album from Canadian musician Leonard Cohen. The album began with David Crosby as producer which didn't work and was eventually produced by Bob Johnston and recorded in Nashville. As a response to critics and friends for his arrangements and production on his first album, Cohen stripped this album down. Boy, did he ever. The music is very stripped down...no drums used. The music and the lyrics are very stark. Where his other early albums have songs about romantic relationships, here, we have a few about relationships but also about war, God, his father and drugs. Maybe, it was the 1969 timeframe??? Or just Lenny? The album begins with a song he frequently began his concerts with, "Bird on a Wire." Acoustic guitar, strings. More of a country song. He said the song was written after a woman helped him though a depressive state. He swears to redeem everything that's gone wrong. That might be the most upbeat song on the album as he goes dark on the second song "Story of Isaac." An anti-war song but ends with a peace branch. Sacrificing for others. "Seems so Long Ago, Nancy" was inspired by a woman. Everyone knew her but she ends up killing herself in the end. I'm not sure I want to know any more about Nancy. "The Old Revolution" continues with the acoustic guitar lead but also has a funky background noise which I couldn't quite place the instrument. The stanzas switch between describing war and living life. Both don't end well as he repeats going into a furnace. The album ends with "Tonight Will Be Fine." A thumping bass and whistles. Dreaming about being with a woman and that's fine for tonight. Well, Leonard Cohen is tied at second with The Beatles and David Bowie with albums the challenge has given me at four. The Smiths/Morrissey lead at five. I have to admit I struggled with this Cohen the most. Not that any Cohen album is joyous, laughter and giggles but this one goes to a dark place and there more than the others. That in itself is an accomplishment. It is, however, always worth listening to Cohen for his brilliant, poetic lyrics and stories.

Ikke hans beste, men i kjent stil

Bird on the Wire - 4 stars Story of Isaac - 3.5 stars A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes - 4.5 stars The Partisan - 3 stars Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - 3 stars The Old Revolution - 3 stars The Butcher - 3 stars You Know Who I Am - 3.5 stars Lady Midnight - 3.5 stars Tonight Will Be Fine - 3 stars

Decent but not his best album

Eh, not what I was wanting to hear this morning. He was a poet first and his lyrics reflect that. The music is soft and quiet and usual downtrodden. I'm sure it is good, but I needed something more uplifting today.

Noice

I never really listened to Cohen before this project. This is album number 3? 4? now. I don't really like him as much as others must. This was pleasant enough but I don't know that I'm planning to listen to it again. Thus far I like his final album the best. I feel oddly guilty about that. A 2.5 bumped to a 3

I love Leonard Cohens first album, but nothing he did afterword really resonates that much with me. I respect him, but I can’t really bring myself to enjoy this.

After three albums of complaining, rightfully I might add, that Leonard Cohen’s voice is bad, boring, not terrible, and the most uninteresting in music, my opinion hasn’t changed after the fourth. Thank goodness we only have one more Cohen album left! The one slight distinction this time is his voice isn’t grating on me as much. It fits better with these songs. Cohen has finally broken the Jeff Buckley barrier.

Lekker album. Mooie stem en rustige muziek op de achtergrond. favs: Partisan story of isaac

Z’n stem klinkt raar, verveeld soms, maar ondanks dat komt het hier en daar wel over. Klassieke songwriter muziek goed uitgevoerd, maar zou hier niet zo snel naar teruggaan

Ok

Очень странный альбом. Было не очень приятно его слушать.

Slow paced, decent sounding but didn't really do much for me

Ik ontkom niet aan de indruk dat Leonard hier en daar toch tegen het valse aan zingt. Maar het was best een aardige plaat voor een donkere druilerige avond.

Past uitstekend bij m'n algehele stemming en de tijd van het jaar. Los daarvan ook gewoon mooi.

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

Really liked this one but had to deduct a star for the annoying cartoon boinging noise. What the fuck Len

not bad

I enjoy Leonard Cohen if I'm in the right mood. Nothing breathtaking here but nothing terrible either.

2.5/5 good lyrics and instrumentals but often whiny and annoying vocals

bored on a wire

It sounds a lot like earlier Leonard Cohen, but it still sounds really good and is pleasant to have on.

Chill Montreal cafe vibes.

Strang to hear Cohen sounding so young.

Wow this is beautiful. I know Cohen for somewhat rougher music

Un peu trop triste et monotone mais beau sur l'ensemble.

Reminds me of Bob Dylan, but slightly less iconic. Decent album but not mind blowing. Best Songs: Bird on the Wire, The Partisan, Worst Songs: Story of Isaac, You Know Who I Am

It was a decent album, instrumentally sound and was easy to create an image in ur head through the lyrics

Was an okay listen. Fav song: Tonight Will Be Fine

Bird on the Wire is great, Tonight Will be Fine was pretty good. Seems like a bit of a sophmore slump between two better albums though. They blew their production budget on Jew’s harps. And the lyrics are a little uninspired sometimes.

It was a pretty short album but I liked the first and last song. Feels like an album where if I gave it time I’d learn to like it a lot.

I grew up with "Songs of Leonard Cohen", his first album (followed by this one). I learned to play fingerstyle guitar for several of those songs, and they're etched in my heart. I did always wonder about some of the more extravagant arrangement/production choices on that album, and it seems LC did too, insisting that this album would be more simple, even stark. But having pulled that off, I'm listening to it and missing something. Or is it just that the songs themselves aren't as good?

Absolutely loved the first album but this sounds like the same tunes with different words. Maybe you're supposed to see the songs as musical poems and the tunes don't matter, just the words? Then I read the reviews and even the high score reviews admit it's this way. It's pleasant, and there are high points but a lot of it can be left on in the background.

Familiar with Leonard Cohen thanks to Dad. I have always liked his vociferous and his lyrics. He is VERY singer-songwriter style. Can get repetitive especially because the music itself feel pretty minimalistic, and his singing has an almost spoken word quality to it. Not really the type of music I go out of my way for, but I don’t hate it. Notable tracks for me: -The Partisan

Fine, ploddy and morose but generally easy listening. Still haven't quite got why he's such an icon but that's probably my fault.

Should go back to this

Jesus, my 3rd Leonard Cohen album. Apparently the editors of this book are in the Cult of Cohen. But really, this is alright. Peaceful acoustic guitar and interesting lyrics.

This was pleasant enough but a little dreary.

A little slow and not very memorable, but I don't have no complaints

Just okay to me. I don’t get him generally

Not my favorite Cohen album, however it wasn't bad. He's typically more lyric focused and I tend to ignore lyrics and focus on the music. It's still something I am getting used to. There's a dark vibe about Leonard Cohen that I love so much and that's what I enjoy about his music.

Good old folk

Lovely.

Idk it's aight, kinda like lou reed meets b dyl ig. Prob need to revisit.

Dark

Another Leonard Cohen Album that provides you with good music but this one is even more slow and minimalistic than the previous one and thus is just a little bit too boring for me

Fine, if a little on the boring side

han är ju för rar, lelle cohen.

Compared to both albums of Cohen’s discography surrounding this one, Songs From a Room seems like the weaker option. I understand the sentiment of a record as sparse as this, but more than a few times it doesn’t quite hold up. Bird On a Wire and especially the Partisan more than makes up for it, but it seems like something is still missing altogether.

To Leonard Cohen, music isn’t so much about instrumentation but more over lyricism. Most of the tracks were very dark and Cohen’s voice isn’t the most pleasant thing to listen too at points but that doesn’t take away from the lyrics which are pretty dark. 3/5 Favorite Tracks: Bird On A Wire The Partisan The Old Revolution Tonight Will Be Fine

It was ok. Can see where he influenced Nick Cave. Also, Story of Issac very similar to a Dire Straits song?? (32 - 37 seconds) or at least another song I’ve heard. It will come to me.

I have an appreciation for this one. I can hear in this where artists like Andrew Bird and Arcade Fire found influences. Two or three of the songs grabbed my attention, but the rest passed under my radar and would probably be better appreciated by someone more into singer songwriter albums. Interesting to hear more work by the writer of the famous “Hallelujah” regardless. Probably a 2.5 or 3 from me, and not likely something I’d revisit.

There's certainly a Leonard Cohen in here. Beyond that, I'm not sure: Bounced off the minimalism, perhaps just today. Cohen is neither balanced atop surprise nor deep in his lane. This is the hard work of chipping out that niche captured.

As much as I prefer lyricism and storytelling (which this album has in spades), I do find myself missing the music a bit, which just acts as texture over which the stories are told.

Letras interesantes, música simple. Un poco monótono. 2.5 estrellas que suben a tres por las dos últimas canciones, Tonight Will Be Fine y Lady Midnight

I definitely enjoyed my time listening to this album. It had a sound that I usually like, yet it was still unique (to me at least) and the lyrics were emotional and deep. I enjoy songs like that but, as an album itself, it doesn’t have the musicality and the craftsmanship that would propel it to 5 star status.

Good songs but the delivery doesn't make the most of them.

You know this was not so bad, better than I thought. He can sing (after a fashion) and the songs are pretty strong.

A continuation of the last few Cohen albums I’ve gotten. I’m still not sure about him, I definitely prefer his younger voice here though.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: The partisan

I like Cohen, but overall felt there wasn't even a standout track for me, so it's unfortunately just average.

Predictable I know but he's a bit dour and dull...I think the lyrics look great written down (hey, he was a poet first) Can you whistle a tune from this 2nd) album? Bird on a Wire? No, nothing! The words alone are not enough. If Len sounds bored singing it then surely I'm allowed to be bored listening to it. Also, too many tracks with a Jews Harp. (Is this still an acceptable term?) He looks really good in a hat though.

Strong 3, he do know how to use his voice

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Not bad

Not as bad as I expected it to be.

Sorry, but the songs sound too much samey.

Quality lyrics from a brooding man. Music was nice but not incredible got the feeling that if I listened it loads I'd love it.

Great lyrics, grating delivery.

Coulda used more Jew’s harp.

Ever wanted to wake up and take a nap? "He threw the bottle over, broke a minute later, and he put his hand on mine." was this a weird Doctor Who episode where they were drinking from the upper edge of the troposphere and engaged in active littering? Jaw harp. Interesting add, but it works here and its modest usage is worth noting. In fairness, at the time of this review the desire for a bit more energy skews the favorability one might have for this album on some other lazy day. Unlike many songwriter/singers (the inverted labeling is intentional) Leonard Cohen's offerings here are fine at best. His lyrics are a bit interesting at times, and musically there is nothing super amazing about it, but at the least he does sing with his music rather than in opposition to it. It seems that some songwriters when writing their songs, treat the music as an afterthought because the focus is on the writing/lyrics. This is fine, there are people who certainly prefer one over the other. However, where Cohen does excel over songwriters like that, is that he seems to have given equal effort to the lyrics and music working in harmony together. His songs present a complementary experience of verse and song rather than a contradictory one. This complementary presentation soothes (or bores, depending on the day) the brain, and if the energy of an album is going to be low like this, then this is how it might should be done.

Great writer. I like some of his material but wasn’t big on this album.

Much like the previous offering from Cohen, very decent minor key stories. Voice sounds like it never really gets to where it should be

I like Leonard Cohen more than I thought I would before I'd listened to him. However, this is not his best work. His voice sounds a bit thin here, and it hurts the overall feeling of the album. The beauty of his poetry is still here, but it just doesn't sound as good 3/5

Love Cohen. This album did lose my attention however.

Personally would not have put this on this list. Not his best album, still cool. Cohen is as poetic as ever, and the prominence of sounds such as the mouth harp gives the album it’s own identity

bruuuuh det är som om ajag var musiker

I'd never actually listened to a Leonard Cohen song beyond Hallelujah. I know he was greatly revered for his music and I get it after listening to this. It's pretty good and I love his lyrics. Great stuff and very chill vibe. 3.5/5

Estilo inequívoco asociado al este cantautor. Canciones que más parece cuentos, en el que predomina un estilo tranquilo y sosegado. Bien para escucharlo de vez en cuando. Personalmente, le falta algo más

3.7 - I love Leonard Cohen but I feel less strongly about this album. For me, the slack vocals and persistent fingerpicking work so supremely well when Cohen unbares some bone-deep pain, as on “Famous Blue Raincoat” or “So Long, Maryanne.” To be sure, there’s poetry and intimacy here, and some sense of longing. But the emotions don’t seem to cut so deep, making the entire affair feel kind of sleepy.

Ægte Singer/songwriter, melankolsk, akustisk, fortællende

I get it, but it’s not for me I think

Moody, sparsely rendered songs. I really like the guitar work and Cohen's songwriting is always interesting. I don't like the use of the mouth harp, which gives a kind of hokey vibe to an otherwise serious collection of songs. "The Partisan" is gorgeous with some really lovely guitar work and violin, best song on the album. Fave Songs: The Partisan; Bird on a Wire; Tonight Will Be Fine; Lady Midnight

Some solid songs, liked this more than I thought I would. Will definitely check out more of this

Non lo so, saranno arance con mele, ma secondo me è meglio de andrè.

Less inspiring to me than You Want it Darker

The guitar is great, and the lyrics are better. Most of the songs were hit or miss, with some that are more bland then others. The story telling is the highlight of the album. Favorite Songs: Story of Isaac, A Bunch of Lonesome Heros, "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy"

Der raum muss ziemlich langweilig sein 🤣 ist schon in ordnung meistens wenn man sowas mal braucht aber 6 songs hören sich gleich an und das erste ist das interessanteste weil es bisschen streicher hat

sind ein paar echt gute songs dabei ( z.b. "bird on a wire"), viel kommt aber einfach nicht bei mir an. manche songs sind einfach uninteressant? die instrumentation ist hier sehr simpel, was aber nicht heißt, dass sie gut gemacht ist. die verwendung der maultrommel in der zweiten hälfte ist besonders unnötig und stellenweise sogar nervig

Nicht sein bestes aber Leonard Cohen chillt immer, mag den Stil, die Stimme und das Storytelling sehr

Kp gibt mir nicht viel so type musik aber war nicht langweilig das ist schon viel wert

ich mag die generelle Stimmung auf dem album ziemlich gern, den Raum von dem die Songs kommen würde ich gerne sehen. Aber es bleibt nicht viel hängen, die Songs gleichen sich einfach zu sehr.

ich hab das schon so oft probiert aber das gibt mir musikalisch nichts, also rein poetisch sind das nette bilder und geschichten aber selbst wenn ich mich darauf konzentriere holt mich das nicht so ganz ab. so lieder wo mehr passiert wie a bunch of lonesome heros oder the partisan find ich dagegen dann doch ganz schön

I kinda dig it. Not a big Leonard Cohen guy but I few of these worked for me

Pretty good, I enjoyed Cohen's voice, and I look forward to seeing some of his other albums. Favorites: "Bird on the Wire", "Story of Isaac", "The Partisan"

Góð plata en aðeins of róleg fyrir stemninguna þegar hún var spiluð

I liked the album but was not exactly in the mood to appreciate it

Not as awesome as I expected, given his reputation, but I suppose there had been less music back when this came out. All the songs were pretty similar, but bird on a wire stood out as really good, rather than just quite good.

It's ok. I was told he's a great story teller in his songs, but the lyrics didn't really convey that. The music was good though.

Respect but this was a tough listen

Artful but still sort of boring.

Really enjoyed the husky tones and odd lyrics.

Pretty good

A peaceful drive home

More of the same from Leonard. 3 albums in and I have yet to figure out *why* he deserves to be on this list. Like it's all just fine.

Chilled out, the album flew by without any real standout songs but also was more than happy listening to it

I liked the music and the lyrics, but I think I would like this a lot more if someone else was singing. There were times that it sounded like he actually had a good voice, but for the most part was purposely tired and pitchy.

I like this a lot.

Unusual dark jazz

More familiar with Songs of Love and HAte and the first album. This was decent but prefer those two albums. Need to explore Cohen a bit more.

Very simplistic. Not outlandish instrumentals. There’s a unique instrument in the background. The guitar is beautiful. Very thoughtful lyrics, some very storytelling like. Sounds and lyrics seem to have a sullen, dark theme. Some biblical themes. Personally, I’m trying to get used to Cohens voice - I’m not sure it’s entirely for me. Although, I can see how it could be a very folk album like style, just simplistic in that sense. But I can completely see how people wild really like this. It’s easy to get into a trance listening to this album.

No one tells a story quite like Leonard Cohen. That being said, this would not be my go to cohen album. The melodies feel like sad reflections of the stirring themes on songs of leonard cohen, and we don't yet get the more sonically interesting construction of songs of love and hate

Poetry in song--pure and simple. I'm not 100% into the aesthetic--some songs speak to me but a lot is lost. It is gorgeous, but it feels like nice old-school art in a museum that I'd pass by in favor of something shinier.

He's not as sad a bastard as I thought?

Haven't listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen despite the fact the man is a national treasure in my country. The sound is sparse and has shades of early Dylan, but his vocal delivery is unique and his songs express more emotion. The album isn't essential, but the previous record, Songs of Leonard Cohen, his debut is. By comparison, Room is a letdown, but still a solid album. 3.5/5

I know people really rate Leonard Cohen, but I can't get over how he doesn't really sing his songs. Songwriting still mostly good but other people sing them better.

This is the fourth album by Cohen that has been recommended by my feed. Cohen is a little bit like Bob Dylan for me. I think I like Cohen's song writing, but his singing not as much. All of the music was new to me off of this album. The one exception was "Bird on a Wire" which I've heard a cover of, ¿perhaps the Johnny Cash version? "Lady Midnight", "The Old Revolution", and "Story of Isaac" are tracks that I'd listen to again. The basslines of "Story of Isaac" brought me in to that song. Congratulations Leonard, another "okay" album

Was ok

Felt like a lot of church music, not really my taste but not awful.

A solid 2.5. Not unpleasant enough for a 2. Appreciated the talent and composition but just not really my thing hence got a 3.

3.5 stars

Pretty, but very similar to other classic Cohen LP's. Includes Story of Isaac

Okay, not as good as his others. 6

The one song with electric guitar in it sounded amazing and I was really disappointed that Cohen didn't experiment further with that sound, instead opting for a fucking jaw harp in every song. 6

Slow, old, unfamiliar

Initially I was turned off by the sort of stripped down nature of the recording and how sort of weak it makes his voice sound but as I got into the record I found it grew on me and came to enjoy that aspect of it. Noticed a weird buzzing noise in the back of the mix, really quiet. Turns out it's an instrument called a "Jew's Harp". Really interesting - never come across this before. Seems like it's on basically every track. I suspect this is a record that probably gets better with more listens. It's also of a certain mood and tends to be a bit one-note. I can see why it's on the list but it's not something that jumps out at you as a classic right away.

Strong 3. Not sure what I was expecting but wasn’t this. May revisit his music, but only if I have more time to digest it

Not being much of a lyric listener, I guess the best part of this album was lost on me. Actually, the best part of this album is the Jew's harp. +2* for that.

I tried playing "Songs From a Room" in the background while doing my morning routine and quickly learned that Leonard Cohen isn't really suited for that. I dig that his songs tells stories, I wish more modern artists would do that. The problem for me is that his vocal tone doesn't exactly make me want to sit down and really take them in. If an album is going to require me to focus on nothing else - it has to have something that draws me in and engages me. Cohen's monotone drawl doesn't do that for me. Like Bob Dylan, his song writing genius is undeniable but the listening experience is so polarizing that you're either into the extremely stylized sound or you're not.

Not as good as his debut or You Want It Darker which we've already listened to but still a very solid album.

3.5/5. The more I listen to Leonard Cohen, the more I realize I have to be in a certain mood to really enjoy his music. I also realize that most of his songs sound similar. I don't know if I could tell the difference between two of his albums.

Same as the other Leonard Cohen, pretty decent

Similar vibe to his 1st brilliant album, but without the strong songs. I really like the pared-back instrumentation though, with his crisply-recorded acoustic guitar and vocals front & centre.

Rustaaaagh Maar wat is dat fluitje op dat laatste liedje, epic.

Mooi album, ga het nog eens beluisteren en meer naar de lyrics luisteren

Surprised by it, because I'm not really a fun of the genre, put it doesn't get boring at any point

Had this on in the background while i worked on my PC - thought it ok, not one I would go looking for, but wouldnt turn it off if it was on. 3 stars

This album isn't bad, I don't have a very strong dislike of it. I think its neat however it isn't really my style.

I enjoyed The Old Revolution, but overall it wasn't my vibe. I can appreciate the slightly romantic/melancholic sound

Nice album. Not as catchy as some of his other albums but strong lyrics. Some of the songs seem to have more of a country-folk feel. Great listen. Favorite songs: Bird on a Wire, The Partisan, A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes 3 stars

Ich war nicht so ganz bei der Sache, aber ganz nett.

Cohen-esque halt. Schön und ruhig. Manchmal jedoch zu schön und zu ruhig.

The songs themselves were good, with fantastic lyrics. However, it doesn't work as well as an album. All the songs sound the same, and there's no real flow. OK album.

Enjoyed sitting through this one. Admittedly my favourite track was 'the partisan' which is a cover. 3.5

Een album om bij achterover te leunen en te luisteren naar de teksten. Kippenvel bij het Franse stuk in 'The Partisan'. Maar tegen het einde van het album had ik het wel gehad, moest niet veel langer zijn.

I'm biased as I had to hear this wayyy too much in the past and I wasn't really hyped to hear it again :P

More crackin' wise from Laughin' Len. Sounds like there's someone pinging a plastic ruler on a tabletop in the background of each song. Weird production choice. BT: Bird on a Wire, Seems So Long Ago Nancy, Lady Midnight

Good but not amazing. Preferred his later stuff I think

Hallelujah

Soft and interesting

meh. Bird on a wire obviously class. the rest passes you by . think another 2 caught my attentions and i can't mind there names, This was half an hour ago. says it all. 3, just for bird.

Lovely vibes

Highlight: The Partisan The strange mind of Leonard Cohen ranges from unlistenable to brilliant, sometimes even within the same song. I have a lot of respect for the his songwriting chops and its social commentary, but I have to be in the mood for it. Songs From A Room is no different, with the standout for me being The Partisan. This is probably the album I'd reach for if I was in the mood to listen to Cohen.

Folk. Pelín triste y aburrido.

I like the dour downbeat vibe, but sparse folk songs still not my cup of tea

Perfect driving album

I think Leonard Cohen is a brilliant songwriter and lyricist, but I just can't get past his voice on his earlier work. The later, gravelly-voiced Cohen is much better for me. I'll give this 3 stars, as there are some great songs on here, especially Bird on the Wire.

niet slecht, beetje country achtig

It's basically an old time rapping. Music is just there to be a background for a guy to "sing" his poems. Quite enjoyable, melancholic in it's slow tempo and emotional lyrics.

3 starts i think, but a strong 3

Nice easy listening album

Chill Cohen vibes

Bird on a wire is a true classic, but the rest is very standard Leonard Cohen.

My favorite period of his but not my favorite album.

Kinda boring

nice classics!

that's not entertanining enough for me

🫤 meh

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

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

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

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

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

He’s just not for me

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

ну прям тягостно как-то

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

An acquired taste that I haven’t acquired

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

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

Not my favorite.

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

I hate leonard cojones Se parece a adam sandalias

Es verdad se parece a Adam Sandler Bob dylann't

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

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

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

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

Poetry!

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

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

Standouts Tonight Will Be Fine

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

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

I would barely call this music

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

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

fine

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

Lyrically interesting but ultimately boring to actually listen to.

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

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

eh

Not for me - don't listen if depressed.

Оппозиция бобу дилану

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

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

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

Well it was much better than Ice Cube.

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

The boring room

Love Cohen the songwriter, hate Cohen the singer

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

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

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

I prefer Leonard Cohens later work.

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

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

Unique voice, and artist. Some decent songs.

Didn’t care for this one at all

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

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

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

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

This must have been a very boring room.

Passable et oubliable Ce n'est pas de la mauvaise musique mais dans une semaine j'aurais oublié cet album

Опять песни, в которых нужно вслушиваться в тексты. Ну и не хватает не только музыки как таковой, но хоть какого-то характера. У Дилана хотя бы есть харизма, и запоминающиеся крючки во многих песнях. Здесь просто бубнеж под гитару. Bird on a Wire единственная хорошая вещь, но Джонни Кэш ее в сто раз лучше спел. Не аллилуйа

What's going on with the jews harp? Just twanging away annoyingly in half the songs. Anyways, I like Lenny, but this is hit and miss. And that twanging loses a star.

All the songs were a bit too samey for me

I really like his songwriting for the most part. But he cannot sing! And this album is quite boring and what’s up with all that kazoo (or rubber band) sound on this? How did he record all these songs with his voice? And he has 5 albums on this list!

old and sleepy

This is the second album of Leonard Cohen’s that I had to listen to….not my style

Ah that Leonard Cohen... never met a note he could hit. I think this album would be great if basically anyone else had been singing it. I have to give it some credit because the songs are written quite well and the instrumentation is good but I cannot get over the monotone "wa-wa"-ing from Len.

Great poet. Terribly boring album. Why does there need to be 2 Cohen albums 2 years apart?

He writes great songs. I'd just rather hear anyone else perform this collection. He's clearly aping, at least to some degree, the affected vocal slouch of Fraud Dylan. And bad vocals in 1960's American folk music doesn't leave much else to listen to.

Only really vibe with Bird on a Wire

My 4th Leonard Cohen album and my opinion is unchanged. Booooooring. 2/5

Blind album and artist. Shamed i didn't like this until the final track.

2.0 - Weak

There may be a devoted fan base for Leonard Cohen, but I can’t say I understand the appeal. Songs from a Room was exactly what I feared it would be: a steaming pile of smelly feces stretched out to a full 36 minutes—complete with far too much jaw harp—that I will never get back. I know his sparse style and somber tone resonate deeply with some listeners, but for me the experience felt flat and monotonous, ultimately amounting to time I wish I’d spent elsewhere.

Saved? ❌ Would listen again? 🤔 Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌

Leonard Cohen is an acquired taste. I haven't acquired that taste as of yet.

got bored so quick sorry

Me gusta la forma que tiene de escribir, narrando una historia distinta en cada una de las canciones; lamentablemente, el álbum se hace monótono si no te interesa nada lo que está contando (como fue en mi caso). Considero que está todo bien con querer usar únicamente la guitarra como instrumento, pero maestro, si es así, ponele un poco más de ganas. La lírica es lo único que salva a este disco de ser un completo aburrimiento. ↑: Story of Isaac ↓: You Know Who I Am

The entire time I’m listening to Leonard cohen, I’m debating with myself whether I actuallly like it or if Im convincing myself I like it because I’m supposed to. Not really his fault but that’s how I feel. Bird on a wire is good.

Singing and banjo. Meh. 2/5

I think it might just be Leonard's vibe but dang, this was a little depressing! Felt myself losing the will to live with each track

Disappointing for me. I have enjoyed the other Cohen stuff. Unfortunately this just didn't hit. Something about the way his voice sits in the mix just felt off to me on think one. Kind of grating somehow. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood

darei 2,5. ho sentito solo le prime due canzoni e credo non sarei riuscita a sentirlo tutto (un po’ triste un po’ pesante), però la prima canzone mi è piaciuta abbastanza

The man writes beautiful songs, i just wish he’d give them to Someone else to perform

I expected to hate this more than I did. I still don’t like Leonard Cohen. I still found myself sad and slightly depressed after listening to this - just not as sad and depressed as I had thought. It’s a 1.5* album for me, but it’s not as bad as a 1*.

Leonard Cohen is so depressing. That doesn't mean an album can't be good obviously, but there's a time and a place for this record. And that's not when you are in a great mood, because this would instantly reverse it. He can't sing. At all. And, you know, there are some artists who objectively have terrible singing voices and despite all the odds I still enjoy them (see both Johns from They Might Be Giants, and John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats... so weirdly, mostly people called John). But not Leonard. He is, I will admit, a great storyteller. And that's a plus point. But it's all so... dour. This is not for me. I don't have a high point, because it essentially all sounded the same to me, and it made me sad. 2/5

I know some people love him. I don’t get it.

I have tried to listen to this for about a week, and it's so incredibly boring.

Not sure what to write about this really. Listening to this and Leonard Cohen for the first time all these years later, I haven’t really got anything from it. It’s dull and insipid, and very much outstayed its welcome after about five songs.

I wasn't going to give this a good rating to begin with but the flute at the very end of the last song sealed it for me. No thank you.

Not really a fan of Cohen's voice overall, it has its moments ("The Old Revolution" was a stronger one for me). Nothing going on musically of interest; usually a 2-note plodding bassline, with some gentle guitar playing in harmony with the vocals (or plodding along with the bassline). Something that might be a jaw-harp (or an elastic band, I guess) is irritatingly twanging along in the background of most of the tracks - doesn't really fit for me at all. Lyrically it's a mixture, there's definitely some decent imagery and some powerful songs, but most of it didn't particularly resonate with me. Depressing, particularly "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" - especially since that's apparently a true story. This is my first encounter with Cohen and I'm not looking forward to listening to more. At least it was a short album.

cute on occasion, mostly pretty boring. The Partisan was a highlight

I hate country! (Wednesday are cool) Minimal instrumentation meant to highlight his voice, unfortunately his "singing" seems to be "he got out of bed and is putting as much effort into it as he can" At least there's not a extremely loud harmonica in this one I didn't hate it 2

Bird on a Wire has pieces of it that remind me of Bridge Under Water. Intentionally? Probably not or there would be some suing going on I’d suppose. Good start. It’s not that droning sleepy time typical Cohen sound. There’s definitely some Bob Dylan sounding shit on this album. Who did it first? I dunno. I cannae be arsed to check. It works and it doesn’t. This sound. The album gets worse as it goes on. After Isaac it sucks until we get to Lady Midnight but that just isn’t enough to save this. I needed more.

What a wet blanket

folky. mellow. chill. emotions.

Quite boring and plain

Truly some of the songs from a room of all time.

I am 30 years old, I have a master's in music and I have worked in publishing. I am tired of telling myself I'll start to enjoy this sort of dull pretentious stuff when I am older.

Well, somebody was trying to sound like Bob Dylan, wasn't he? His songs aren't the same without that deep, deep voice. I walked out of this room.

< the Beatles