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I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

1988

Buy At Rough Trade
I'm Your Man
Album Summary

I'm Your Man is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, released on February 2, 1988 by Columbia Records. The album marked Cohen's further move to a more modern sound, with many songs having a synthesizer-oriented production. It soon became the most successful album which Cohen had released in the US, and it reached number one in several European countries, transforming Cohen into a best-selling artist.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.14

Votes

10726
Genres
Folk
Rock
Singer Songwriter

Reviews

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Tue Jun 15 2021
3

There are lyrics-first listeners. There are music-first listeners. I think lyrics-first listeners are more rare, and I bet all of them love Leonard. We music-firsters won't give the lyrics the time of day unless the sound hits right. Leonard is a wonderful poet and this album sounds pretty bad. I dated a girl who thought I'm Your Man was one of the sexiest songs of all time. I can feel the message, but why deliver it over a Casio keyboard? My only guess comes from the banana - the hilarious banana Leonard is eating on the cover in a cool suit and shades. Maybe age taught him that there's a joke underneath everything serious and heavy. If you want to deliver heavy lyrics, maybe it makes more sense to drape them in a funny soundscape, complete with ironic-cheesy backing vocalists. Deep poetry, banana music. B

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Fri Mar 12 2021
4

In my younger days I used to go to a pub called the Winchester, which was in Bournemouth, for what was an 'anything goes' night. Any band or artist could book a slot, irrespective of talent, which made it a great opportunity to see some oddballs. You mostly got youthful hipsters or anti-music noise bands (one act once cranked out guitar feedback for half an hour), but one time a middle-aged guy with a beer gut and receding hairline showed up with a Casio keyboard and played a set that sounded almost exactly like I'm Your Man (if played solely on a cheap keyboard). All the songs were about his divorce and how much he missed his kids. Four stars.

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Wed Sep 29 2021
5

“I’m Your Man” by Leonard Cohen (1988) This album does not disappoint on any level. Leonard Cohen’s strong poetic lyrics on this record are, as always, deeply immersive. With scrappy and sometimes scattered allusions that successfully beg for the listener’s thoughtful reflection, his songs are always perfectly cadenced and well synthesized, each one tied together by unifying (and frequently quite dark) themes. From the understated horror of the pretense of normality in the midst of a plague (AIDS, in “Everybody Knows”) to the tortured feelings of a man who still loves a woman he knows he’ll never get back (“I’m Your Man”), to the insidious insertions of jazz riffs into pop fusion compositions (“Jazz Police”), Cohen is consistently intriguing. The musical settings all sustain interest (although “Take This Waltz” struggles in this department). And all are capably performed by Cohen, with his signature croaky baritone, and his excellent backing musicians. But the song that commands all the attention on this album is the opening track “First We Take Manhattan”. Cohen himself called it “a terrorist song”—a ballsy response to the (anti-Semitic/anti-Israel) terrorism that was growing in the 1980’s. From the 1970 Munich bus attack to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre to the 1980 Munich Oktoberfest bombing to the 1982 bombing attack at Berlin’s Mifgash-Israel restaurant to the 1985 Frankfurt Airport bombing, Jews in the West had understandably had enough. In response to that physically violent terrorism (for which he had a qualified respect), Cohen offered this song as an act of retaliatory ‘psychic terrorism’: “First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin”. In an interview, Cohen explained the song with an analogy to a poem by his friend and mentor Irving Layton (“Terrorists” in The Pole-Vaulter, Toronto, 1974) which he paraphrased: “Well, you guys blow up an occasional airline and kill a few children here and there, But our terrorists, Jesus, Freud, Marx, Einstein. The whole world is still quaking...”. The references to “you guys” and “our” should be obvious. The sentiment that Cohen inherits and alters (from Layton’s poem: “Jewish terrorists, ah: Maimonides, Spinoza, Freud, Marx”) is that while anti-Semitic terrorism kills the body, Jewish ‘terrorism’ changes the cultural soul (cf. Matthew 10:28). [Hat tip to Prof. Louis Schwartz of the University of Richmond for the Irving Layton poem connection]. Now whatever one thinks of this hyper-volitional notion of cultural “Jewish terrorism” Leonard Cohen delivers it both vocally and musically with shudderingly haunting power. Cosmic, apocalyptic, militaristic, and almost gleefully anticipatory of the moment of vengeance, Cohen’s lyric calls us to take stock of the world soul in the midst of this conflict. You don’t want to go there. But maybe you have no choice. This one track, “First We Take Manhattan”, is reason enough to listen to I’m Your Man, not just for entertainment, but for insight, no matter whose ‘side’ you’re on. 5/5

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Wed Aug 25 2021
2

if anyone tells you this is their favorite cohen album run far away

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Tue May 11 2021
1

Sounds like a PSA for the dangerous of cocaine. Leonard re-establishes that he's a total creep. I hate this so much.

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Tue Apr 19 2022
3

A quinessential case of an exceptionally talented, middle-aged artist hitting 80s production styles in the same way a roast dinner hits the floor: you can salvage quite a tasty bit, but some will need to be thrown away, and you'll ultimately be left disappointed. The alum's strength is obvious: here are some of Leonard Cohen's best, sharpest lyrics, blades dipped in lemon juice. Oft wry, indeed comical, the whole album has a slightly sleazy overtone; one is much reminded of Serge Gainsbourg in its erotomanic cynicism, especially on Everybody Knows' bitter rationalization that everyone is in on life's big con. The album's end, Tower of Song, is Cohen's great apologia to the craft of songwriting, a monumental track that still holds the power to make listener shiver. However, the album has a critical flaw: the music (which seems rather an important flaw for an album to have). Cohen employs his synths and drum machines almost recklessly (and Jazz Police can be considered a fully reckless employment), and thus the album becomes stuck in such an archaic aesthetic that often the nod a top-notch couplet inspires is married to an involuntary wince at the Casio beat (and trust me, I'm not at all averse to synthpop). The best songs on this transcend that limitation, and maybe a more acceptive listener could relish the musical direction Cohen takes, but I found appreciating the greatness on this album required recognising a few caveats.

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Fri Feb 11 2022
5

Last week I said 'you want it darker' was perhaps Cohen's best album but I had obviously forgotten about this masterpiece. Cohen's razor sharp lyricism is matched with a rocking synth based sound. Every song is a classic.

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Mon Jul 11 2022
2

Sounds like a bootleg 80s synths Johnny Cash.

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Wed Nov 15 2023
4

Some all-time great songs on this (First We Take Manhattan, Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Tower of Song). But, oof, that 80s production. The synths, the saxophone solos, the stacked backing vocals. His singing is not bad, probably amongst the best he has ever sounded. But is it a coincidence that I love many of these songs in cover versions? The production really distracts me. Five stars for the songs, one off for the sound. {Footnote: I love the cover photo. Leonard's looking pretty sharp in his double-breasted suit and shades, but holding a half-eaten banana. Hilarious!}

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Tue May 25 2021
3

On one hand, the songwriting here is undeniably stellar, and his voice can absolutely put me in a trance. On the other, so much of the instrumentation and arrangement is just absolutely NOT for me. It really depends on the song to see which one wins out on this album.

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Sun Apr 03 2022
2

This one was super weird. Love the imagery and turn of phrase in the songwriting; absolutely hate the backing vocals and the corny string arrangements. A baffling album. Best track: Tower of Song

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Mon Jun 21 2021
1

Leonard Cohen plus 80s synths, drum machines and production--what could possibly go wrong? As ever, Leonard Cohen's poetry is pointed and lucid. The challenge for Cohen has always been to come up with music that hopefully enriches his lyrical content or at the very least, doesn't make you want to hurl. Not surprisingly, he fails miserably here. Having listened to two of Cohen's later albums beginning to end, it's apparent that his compositional style has remained remarkably consistent throughout the years. All that really changes are superficial styles and instrumentation. This hasn't hurt Leonard Cohen commercially or critically, which is a bit surprising. Why is everyone so eager to give Leonard Cohen a pass? I'm reminded of a quote from the movie Chinatown: "Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough."

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Sat Mar 05 2022
1

I can see why some people would like this album, interesting lyrics, but not for me.

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Tue Jul 12 2022
1

This was by far the worst album I’ve received on this list so far. I just don’t understand the hype for Leonard Cohen. Not only are his vocals terrible to listen to. His lyrics are nothing exciting. And the production was the most cheap 80s sound You could imagine. The only song with any redeeming production was “Take This Waltz.” “I’m your man is just a horny man lamenting about love over a cheap rip off of Pink Floyd’s synths from shine on you crazy Diamond. “Jazz Police” is right, because somebody needed to arrest this man for the music he was making. “Tower of Song” was actually alright as a closer, or maybe I was just happy that the album was over.” First we take manhattan - 2 Ain’t no cure for love - 1 Everybody Knows - 2 I’m your man - 1 Take this waltz - 3 Jazz police - 1 I can’t forget - 2 Tower of song - 2 Total 14/40 1.75/5

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Sat Feb 06 2021
5

This morning we have Leonard Cohen and his album "I'm Your Man." I've loved Leonard Cohen for as long as I can remember. Tower of Song and Everybody Knows? Five stars no doubt. The other songs are great and I'm Your Man also a highlight. The synthesizers and 80s style music doesn't sound dated like so much of the music of the period. As mentioned in some reviews, his voice sounds engaged and lively, and this was exactly the music I needed on this cold February morning. It's like taking a trip with an old friend. Living in Leonard's world is always a welcome respite. Leonard and Johnny Cash are who I would always turn to in very difficult times. After 9/11 I listened to nothing but Cash for weeks on end. On the morning after election 2016, I was in shock and feeling very lost - Leonard came through to help me feel whole. Everybody Knows! In it's original context! The pandemic has been fucking brutal lately, thanks Leonard for helping to help me feel sane and okay again.

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Fri Oct 01 2021
5

I had heard some of Leonard Cohen's music before, but always as stand-alone songs, and even though I was always so drawn in and intrigued by his music, I don't know why but I never really listened to whole albums or watched concert videos or anything like that. Now, after having listened to this album all the way through, I most certainly will. What a fascinating artist. A wonderful dark yet somehow quite light meandering, layers and textures, lyrically poetic, so many things evoked. LOVE his voice; reminds me of espresso. Wish I had seen him perform live. I need to learn more. PS -- not sure if the nod to The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' in 'Ain't No Cure For Love' via the arpeggiating guitar underneath the verses (my ear isn't good enough to tell you if the chord progression is the same, but it sounds similar) is intentional, but it's cool (not being snarky...so many songs sound like each other that I don't too hung up on requiring artists to be "original" -- heck, no doubt if we really want to we could probably find a bunch of older songs that sound like 'Every Breath You Take' and then a bunch of even older songs that sound like those, etc.

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Mon Jan 10 2022
5

Great 80s LC album, even though I usually skip 1-2 songs. The last two songs are very strong have been greatly improved by covers of the Pixies and Nick Cave, respectively. And the same holds for the opening song (by REM)

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Tue Mar 30 2021
4

че-то я угарнул, конечно, когда вместо акустики начался синтвейв какой-то. но внимательно послушал несколько раз. конечно, уже не совсем то, чем были «Songs of...», чувствуется более коммерческая жилка, Манхэттен — настоящий хит (кстати, у Джо Кокера неплохой кавер на неё был). Ну и лирика меня прямо калила в некоторых местах, какой-то куколдизм проклёвывался время от времени. с таким голосом разве о бабах нужно страдать... ну не суть, дед всё равно малаца, за First We Take, Jazz Police и Everydoby Knows можно четверочку въебать. Вернее я теперь решил ставить оценки по 10-баллке для большего размаха, поэтому пусть будет 7

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Sat Apr 08 2023
4

Was tossing up between 3 or 4 out of 5. I love Leonard Cohen's music and poetry but this 80s style electronic sound made it just a little hard to get into, I feel it will get better after more listens but it's normally not my thing. Lyrically this album is great. What made it a 4 outta 5 was 'take this waltz' - what a fucking tune.

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Fri Apr 16 2021
3

Haha they love Leonard Cohen, huh? This is better than the other one we reviewed, but it's not my thing. He sounds like an off-brand Roger Waters. Best songs are the first couple. I have to say I like Concrete Blonde's Everybody knows much more. Still glad I was exposed to this since he is everywhere now that I know who he is.

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Thu Dec 21 2023
1

It's as if Alan Partridge was asked to write the soundtrack to Scarface.

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Thu Jan 14 2021
5

Classic. Leonard is not the strongest singer but the lyrics maku up for it all.

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Thu May 27 2021
5

Such an amazing album. Four of the songs are all-time classics, with Everybody Knows being one of the greatest songs ever written. The synthesizers are a little cheesy, but I have to give this one 5 stars.

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Wed Jun 09 2021
5

No bad songs, so many great ones. Would've given it 4.5 stars if I could because it's not a 'perfect' record.

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Tue Feb 02 2021
5

O cara é foda, que vibe maravilhosa!!

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Fri Apr 09 2021
5

Mjy buen albúm, de lo mejor de Leonard Cohen

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Tue May 11 2021
5

Amazing album. Has loads of my favourite Cohen songs! Could listen to this one forever

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Mon May 10 2021
5

Very nice album Love the dark witty lyrics Paul Simon singer/songwriter vibes Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Jazz Police and Tower of Song were particular favourites

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Fri Jun 18 2021
5

The easy way the music entangles with the lyrics show the mark of a poet in love, in love with music, with women, with love, , with life and death. Easy to listen, easy to remember, impossible to forget.

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Thu Sep 02 2021
5

Favoriete nummers: - First We Take Manhattan - Take This Waltz - Jazz Police

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Mon Nov 22 2021
5

One of the classics I've never heard of that is so good

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Tue Feb 08 2022
5

Stacked! Some of my favourite Leonard tunes here Fav tracks: "First We Take Manhattan", "Tower of Song" "I'm Your Man"

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Thu Feb 10 2022
5

Love it! Dreaming away with that voice

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Tue Feb 15 2022
5

Leonard Cohen proves he isn't just a miserabilist. Brilliant album.

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Sat Feb 19 2022
5

Leonard never was the most photogenic guy around but his banana photo sure does work. This album was a continuation of Leonard trying to freshen up his sound. This and Various Positions are the two original studio albums of his that I played the most. So I guess that means the fresh sound worked for me although I never really liked First We Take Manhattan and Jazz Police which are the most freshened up.  There are some monster songs on here. Everybody Knows, I’m Your Man and Tower of Song are classics and showcase his sense of humour. The best lyrics from a purely artistic sense are in Take This Waltz. It’s the masterpiece on this album.

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Sat Mar 19 2022
5

Un dels grans clàssics de la década. Tots temes inoblidables amb algunes de les millors lletres de cançons dels 80, musicades amb un estil molt del moment però que en el seu cas no ha passat de moda. Fins i tot els dos únics talls que no han sonat fins a l'extenuació des d'aleshores, 'Jazz Police' i 'I Can't Forget' mereixen ser revisitats cada poc temps

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Fri Mar 25 2022
5

This guys voice is like being lowering into a steaming hot bath.

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Fri Apr 01 2022
5

I’m a big fan of Leonard Cohen’s warm, cozy style and this album stood out to me for using more retro instruments I wouldn’t have expected but still super cozy sound; like if Nick Cave made the Runescape soundtrack overall amazing album, 10/10

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Wed Apr 27 2022
5

A true classic, very 80’s vibe

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Fri Jun 10 2022
5

I’m all about Leonard Cohen and for me this is the pinnacle of his latter career albums. Lyrically impeccable and musically precise, even the singing (it’s hard to deny that Cohen increasingly was a singer in spite of his voice as he aged) delivers perfectly suited to the material.

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Mon Jun 13 2022
5

LC has a fantastic voice. Some real cool instrumentals in this album. Reminds me of a mash of white rabbit (George benson) and some nick cave. Course LC came first but still cool to hear those similarities

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Mon Jul 04 2022
5

the only song i knew of leonard cohen before this album was "everybody knows". while i was looking forward to that song, i wasn't aware i'd fall in love with the rest of the album. there's a great mixture of topics and cohen touches different genres, but there's a cohesiveness despite that. it isn't easy to create an album with every song being unique! this is a well crafted album. cohen's deep, gravelly voice adds to the album. his voice allows the songs to be lyric driven. you can hear and focus on every single line! you hear his message and thoughts that much clearer. singing with his kind of voice makes for something beautiful. "ain't no cure for love" in particular grabbed me. well, if by "grabbed me" means i mean "listened to on repeat," then yeah. jennifer warnes' vocals paired with cohen's are quite powerful. "first we take manhattan," while catchy, creates such an image for the listener. then there's "take this waltz," which maybe should seem out of place on this album but it isn't. it's a beautiful opening to side two. as mentioned earlier, cohen dabbles in a few genres: classical, country, jazz--perhaps ironically in "jazz police". i like the album cover very much. it's a simple shot, really. this shot being an accident makes me think those might be the best kinds of album covers.

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Tue Jul 26 2022
5

I love Leonard Cohen, and for me this album ist the absolute high point of his second phase, perhaps even his best overall together with You Want it Darker. The songwrighting is stronger than ever here, with every single song being different, and almost every single song being a masterpiece. (Jazz Police is so-so). The lyrics are unmatchedly deep and witty, with Cohen's dry humor shining through in most of the eight tracks. To the casual listener, it might sound like a typical 80s record, but the arrangements often are even more stripped down than that, and generally fit the lyrics pretty well. The most important instrument, however, is Cohen's voice, which is deeper here than ever. - Could Cohen sing? You can argue about that, but whatever he is doing with it, his voice is more expressive than what most other artists can muster. To quote from Tower of Song, the final song on this album: "I was born like this, I had no choice, I was born with the gift of a golden voice." 5/5

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Mon Aug 22 2022
5

Love Cohen and mixing his style with this VERY 80s vibe is honestly a match made in heaven. Great stuff that somehow doesn't feel dated while still feeling very of its time.

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Tue Aug 30 2022
5

Si tuviera 10⭐ se las daría

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Mon Sep 05 2022
5

Another long-time favorite. Almost loses a point for "Jazz Police" but the rest is so good I can't be mean. Incredible that so many cheesy elements work so well together. The Cohen album I listen to the most

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Wed Sep 28 2022
5

First we take Manhattan: 9/10 love the vocals Ain’t no cure for love: 9/10 Everybody knows: 8/10 I’m your man: 8.5/10 Take this waltz: 8.5/10 Jazz police: 8/10 I can’t forget: 8/10 Tower song: 8.5/10

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Tue Oct 18 2022
5

Everybody knows this is a great album. My introduction to Leonard Cohen. I'm not a poetry man but this hits a spot All fantastic apart from Jazz Police, not my jam.

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Sat Nov 12 2022
5

I love this album since I ve bought it in Hungaria in 1989 approx. although some of the cheap synthie-sounds were strange. Leonards songs are undestoyable and last forever.

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Mon Jan 09 2023
5

Leonard Cohen + late-80s music production techniques is such a crazy and incongruous combination, but it somehow works so well. The album cover's sunglasses and banana sums it all up. Gravitas and humor go head-to-head here with some absolute classic tracks like the ominous 'Everybody Knows' and the sly 'Tower of Song'. I'm your fan.

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Mon Jan 16 2023
5

I was reminded how great a songwriter Leonard Cohen was, and how terrible a singer he was. 5/5

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Thu Feb 02 2023
5

Love that rough voice. Canadian legend. Was very happy to see this album on the list. I listened to it twice. "Everybody Knows" and "FIrst We Take Manhattan" are personal favourites. They've been covered many times, but never quite surpass the original. "Jazz Police" was kinda weird.

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Wed Feb 22 2023
5

Bastante cool la instrumental de este álbum, cada canción la disfrute bastante y no se porque me recordó a la música de Depeche Mode que solía escuchar. Siento que tiene un poco de jazz o blues pero de buena forma

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Thu Mar 09 2023
5

Incredible record but maybe not as good as “Songs of Love and Hate”, at least in my eyes

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Thu Mar 09 2023
5

Great as always. Leonard Cohen is one of the best songwriters

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Tue Mar 14 2023
5

Not bad. But his work started to all blend in together.

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Sat Mar 18 2023
5

Like most people I prefer the more guitar-based Cohen. But from his 80s era this is really good. There are some very political, complex themes in this album which portrays the maestro with a banana on its cover. Cohen knows how to deal with life.

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Sat Apr 01 2023
5

Interessante, ritmato lento con voce suadente e calda. Da riascoltare

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Thu Jun 01 2023
5

My first prop introduction to Leonard Cohen was through this album, specifically Everybody Knows appearing in the movie Pump Up The Volume. With the exception of the song Jazz Police, this is my favourite Cohen album. It has more range than his folkier albums and it excels at a sardonic humour that stops this from being moribund.

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Thu Jun 15 2023
5

I'm a sucker for Cohen. I'd love his poetry if it were on a metal album sung by Gilbert Gottfried. First We Take Manhattan, Everybody Knows, and Tower of Song are truly exceptional.

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Thu Jun 29 2023
5

I was not expecting the sythesizer drum machine vibes straight out of the 80s for many of these songs. Somewhat silly, but undernearth all of that are just absolutely beautiful songs. Truly a poet. Excellent record.

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Wed Jul 19 2023
5

The first Cohen album I ever owned. He’s my man for sure.

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Wed Jul 19 2023
5

My all time favourite Leonard Cohen record. I love every last second of this - yes, even fucking 'Jazz Police'. 'First We Take Manhattan' and 'Everybody Knows' are certified classics, but it's 'Take This Waltz' that always gets me. Pure beauty exemplified in songwriting.

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Fri Jul 21 2023
5

I don't like this one as much as the other Leonard Cohen album, but I still really like it

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Wed Jul 26 2023
5

This man, this album just oozes cool. I love the universal and timeless lyrics yet elements of the music and backup singers clearly places this album in the 80s. Jen introduced me to a documentary of his last tour, which he had to do because of financial troubles. If I recall, it was a few years before his death. He was old. He was oh so damn good. Classic.

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Wed Jul 26 2023
5

I’ve never met a Leonard Cohen song I didn’t like. I love this album. It’s been one of my go-tos for years. I saw him sing at the Royal Albert Hall and even though he was pushing 80, he sang for three hours and still had charisma in spades. Timeless!

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Thu Jul 27 2023
5

This was my introduction to Cohen, and it was love at first listen. Heavily influenced by 80s music styles, this is still peak Cohen with such songs as "First We Take Manhattan", "I'm Your Man', "Everybody Knows", and my all-time personal favorite "Take This Waltz".

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Thu Sep 07 2023
5

I really like Leonard Cohen, so this is a solid album for me. 5/5

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Fri Sep 29 2023
5

Such a brilliant lyricist, mellow and brooding.

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Thu Oct 05 2023
5

It’s really good, I actually in particular thought jazz police was cool cuz of the goofieness ( i know its meant to be hated and stuff but it’s good) the rest of the songs are great obviously, definitely 5/5 worthy

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Sun Oct 22 2023
5

A classic, every song hits except Jazz Police.

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Wed Nov 01 2023
5

I'm going to give this one 5 because I think it could use another listen to really marinate.

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Fri Nov 03 2023
5

As good as it gets - classic Cohen at his best!

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Wed Nov 15 2023
5

Possibly his greatest album. Not only is the material great - the words and the music - but his voice was never better than this. Quite a few of these tracks were covered at the time & in the ensuing years, but I honestly don’t think anyone outdoes Cohen. My favourites are Everybody Knows & Tower Of Song. But there is not a dud song here. He was at the peak of his powers. Nothing sounds like anything else on the album. I regret I didn’t see him perform in his later years. I saw him at The Capitol in Sydney in March 1980 with basically a gypsy band. It was his first Australian tour. People did not stop screaming out requests. But he was still to record some of his greatest songs & quite a few of them are on this record. The only other concert I ever attended where the love of the audience for the artist was so palpable was the first Brian Wilson concert at the State Theatre in 2002. Giants.

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Wed Nov 15 2023
5

such a legacy, such a masterpiece and influence - and the quirky bits really come through. Its the vulnerable/raw/real imperfections of it, and the poetry, which make it so appealing and accessible 9and easy to criticise)

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Wed Nov 22 2023
5

Never heard this album. From the first couple of seconds, it's not what I expected. I normally associate Leonard Cohen with folksier stuff, but this is like some Kraftwork 80's synth type of stuff. Great album, spooky almost. Leonard's low gravely voice paints along with the futuristic sounding instrumentals paints this almost bleak dystopian vision of the world. On first listen, it's a little hard to pick up on the minutia of what he's talking about. I hope to go deeper with more listens. I've listened to this album quite a few times, and I really love it. Leonard's vocal delivery is very unique here, and it really draws you in and makes you want to understand what it is he is saying. An album that will be in rotation for years to come!

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Sat Dec 16 2023
5

Wow! We’ve heard a lot of Leonard Cohen so I wasn’t sure what else might be coming. Fortunately it wasn’t a rehash of any of the other albums we’ve had so far… The synths and backup singers of these 80s-production-tinged songs is love at first listen! I was already familiar with Jennifer Warnes’ cover of First We Take Manhattan - which I loved - and then Joe Cocker’s cover - which I also loved. Such a great song - surely I’ve heard this original before? Perhaps. I think I’ve also heard a cover of Ain’t No Cure For Love before as well… I think it was Jennifer Warnes again. Another fantastic song and I LOVE the 80s sax. Just perfect! I’m starting to get some déja vu. Everybody Knows gave me a lot to think about - and its presentation encouraged that thinking. I love I’m Your Man. Such a wry take on a song of love and devotion with reality peppered in makes it even more romantic to me. Take This Waltz is such a great take on a waltz… always impressed when someone can impress me with a waltz. Jazz Police sounds so great with that 80s bassline and the backup harmonies. I’m loving Leonard Cohen in the 80s! I must’ve heard this before? Right? Let’s see, what’s still missing that I might love? MARIMBA! Is that the engine I hear powering I Can’t Forget? Some prominent steel guitar also puts this right in my aural sweet spot. For reasons my friends may find obvious this could be my new theme song. I forget if I’ve heard this one before, but I do love it. Tower of Song wraps this up nicely. Really wonderful. Right now it is either this or You Want It Darker for my favorite Leonard Cohen album. Fortunately, I don’t have to choose. A terrific addition to this list, and a terrific addition to my music library! I may have heard this album before, in which case it is a crime that I had forgotten it, or just heard a lot of the songs before - but whatever I’m glad to have this as a top album in my collection now.

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Sat Dec 16 2023
5

This album was my introduction to Leonard Cohen and was probably my absolute favorite CD in my grad school days of the early '90s. Whenever a friend of mine from that time and I had a drink or two, this would come out and we would sing along. "And I thank you for those items that you sent me!" Joyful memories there. It's been so great to have listened to several earlier and later works by Leonard Cohen in this project to put this album into context. I actually love it even more for that. He took the '80s synthesizers and backup singers and made them absolutely, perfectly his. I would like to take a few more days and just listen to this more times. It's been too long.

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Sun Dec 17 2023
5

I’m giving this album 5 stars because I accidentally only gave Cohen’s You Want It Darker 4 stars. This album is not as good, but definitely 4 stars.

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Thu Dec 28 2023
5

Peak aging Cohen. Synthetic and schmaltzy but with deep meaning.

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Wed Jan 10 2024
5

Beautiful! I love Jarvis Cocker and this reminded me so much to him.

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Thu Jan 18 2024
5

A gorgeous gorgeous record… from a phase where similar post crooners like Cohen were reaching out for this metallic semi electronic sound - but for Cohen it sets the mood and frames his words so beautifully. I found myself loving every song on this record. Another perfect one.

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