I'm Your Man

Other than one track it was a delight

Fjärde albumet med honom kändes först för mycket, men detta var bäst hittills!

Everything about Leonard Cohen is legendary. Everything. He's Your Man.

I thought this was GREAT! I’ve mainly known Cohen from his greatest hits. The songs on this are much less serious and arty. Some are downright amusing. I love the one about the jazz police. And this feels like real music, down to the backup singers.

super sexy songs, they very well presented powerful feminine energy.

funky beats into it

Sometimes I think that Eno/Lanois + Bono/Edge was the Lennon/McCartney of the 1980s. These songs are so incredibly overhyped and overplayed, yet listening to Streets Have No Name open this record is thrilling every time. The builds are masterful — filmic, sweeping and patient. My conviction persists that Edge is an absolute master in restrained, tasteful lead guitar, and one of the very best user of effect pedals, up there with Tom Morello. Anyone else with an echo pedal is risking masturbatory noodling off of the gate. But Streets just shimmers with its jittery echoing lead over choppy rhythm guitar. It's an incandescent album, and even its b-sides like One Tree Hill are magical.

Smooooth as silk

Later Cohen albums feel like a cigarette at midnight by a lakeshore with your best friend

Brilliant!

"First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!" Great start to an album- it set the whole tone! It feels like these songs would make great soundtracks to a movie. His voice is awesome! I'm Your Man was great. Take this Waltz reminds me of Tom Waits. I really enjoyed it. His sound has a dark, almost Halloween feel to it. I love his voice!

I too ache in the places that I used to play. Love Lenny. Love this album.

I don't know if Leonard Cohen is getting better everytime I listen to him, or if I'm just getting better albums later. This one was really good. Starts off with First We Take Manhatting, nice beat and in interesting story. Ain't No Cure For Love was nice. Everybody Knows was really funny. Take This Waltz was great. The rest of the album was solid. Loved it! Best song: First We Take Manhattan

Los mejores plátanos, los de Canarias

Everything that Leonard Cohen did makes me feel strangely uncomfortable, but in a good way. Meanwhile, he can go pop, he can sing a french ballad, with lyrics without a steady meaning, but still, all perfect, with all the right dots in all the right places. 5 stars.

He couldn't sing but Damn could he write songs. 5 Stars.

Love it!

Leonard Cohen albums get 5 stars in this house, but everybody knows that some of the 80s production is terrible, particularly on First We Take Manhattan. And obviously we're pretending Jazz Police doesn't exist. That aside, another great Leonard Cohen album...

Ever wonder what Leonard Cohen would sound like when backed by the demo setting of a 1980s Casio? Here you go, and it fucking rules.

My dad loves Leonard Cohen (he wanted to name our dog after him until my mum vetoed it), and we listened to I’m Your Man a lot in the car when I was a kid. So maybe it’s genetic or maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome, but I adore this album. After a couple of pints, I could even try to mount an argument that the production is a deliberate artistic choice to add ironic distance and not just Cohen using the presets on a cheap keyboard and calling it a day.

Northwest strongest album by Cohen but still a solid one. The opener, I‘m Your Man and Tower of Song are still bangers.

No notes.

Leonard Cohen is a treasure. Unique and special and just ... yeah. I don't even think this is his best album but it is still untouchable. He is kind of a folk, blues, spoken word poet but he is sublime and extraordinary You would never put this on a party playlist or background for a dinner party. It is reserved for times when you just sit by yourself and listen. But it is worth it. Spending time with this man is worth it as it GIVES to your soul. It is not all deep and emotional, some of it is funny and observational but it is life. But it is a good life!

Not my favourite Leonard Cohen album But wouldn’t you like to be able to write songs like this? A master at work.

Un de mes albums prefs, dans ma collection de vinyles c'est pour dire. J'adore cet artiste, une folk poétique et profonde, de très belles instrus (!!), un timbre qui me touche, des morceaux intéressants ou simplement beaux !

First We Take Manhattan! Then the world. Thank God for Leonard Cohen. When I see those questions about who would you bring back from the dead for just one more concert....for me, it's always Leonard Cohen. This is not my favorite album by him, but it is still great. Standouts: First We Take Manhattan, Take this Waltz, Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Ain't no Cure for Love.... damn everything!

I've been interested in this guy since I heard him sing Suzanne. He is one of the better songwriters out there. That said, this album is pretty good. Let's Take Manhattan, and There Is No Cure For Love are two of my favorites.

Excellent album. 5 stars.

Amazeballs. 5 *

Excellent!

J’adore Leonard Cohen du début à la fin. Peu importe sa phase.

Tous des hits! This Waltz est depuis longtemps une de mes chansons préférées, tout style confondu. C'est un peu ce qui m'a initié aux chansonniers anglo-saxons. J'ai compris qu'ils pouvait être PRESQUE aussi bons que les chansonniers francophones...

Mon préféré de Leonard, et que je connais déjà bien. Y’a des hits au pouce carré ici! J’adore la voix grave de l’homme, parfaitement bien complétée par les angeliques voix de ses choristes. Très 80s comme son mais qui a merveilleusement bien vieilli. Peut-être pas Jazz Police mais elle demeure quand même excellent dans son son un peu kitsch.

Gloomy, spooky, and wonderful. I really liked this one.

LOVED! dark and moody but comforting. Cohen’s voice is beautiful

This album fucking rules. I knew the song Everybody Knows from the Pump Up the Volume soundtrack, but everything else on here was new to me. It was not at all what I was expecting and I was always happily surprised. Considering I listened to this 3 times in a row and even highjacked someone else's Sonos to play Jazz Police at a party later the same day, I think it's gotta get a 5.

Great

Hallelujah?! Of course this album is incredible. I’m embarrassed I did not know who Leonard Cohen is until today. Thank god I know now. It’s starts off with so much pizzaz and brings you to a state of sighing in peace that yeah, I am alright “in the tower of song”.

Leonard Cohen liefert.

Solid Cohen.

An absolute all time favourite. There aren't too many other albums that have so demanded my attention to every word. I smiled at the Wikipedia article's claim that this represents a more modern sound. In 1988 these arrangements already sounded dated based as they were off of Len's own arrangements on his trusty cheap child's synth. But that's one of the things I love about the album. The sound is Leonard Cohen's bloody minded artistry and commitment to the record he wanted to make. I think it fits the songs, the lyrics and his voice at this time perfectly. I've heard covers of most of these songs and none better the original. Everybody Knows feels ominously more appropriate with every passing social media post.

Leonard Cohen's output just before his retreat was strange and fairly dark. It's not as disturbed as The Future, but the man was going through something in the Reagan era and it really shows in this album. There's a cold intensity throughout this album. His voice is deep and sinister even during lighter songs like Take This Waltz and Ain't No Cure For Love. Meanwhile, First We Take Manhattan is straight up terrifying. This is all to say, I love this album and I love Leonard Cohen. I think he was right to disappear into a monastery for several years to escape the 90s.

Owns his older voice, bold synth use. I love his early stuff but it's rare for an artist to create something so new in their mid 50's.

This is the beginning of the rest of your life.

When you heard that the original master of bleak, melancholy folk music turned his attention to cheap synthesizers and smooth jazz saxophones, you'd probably imagine that you're witnessing a midlife crisis in action. Add to this that Leonard Cohen is seen on the album cover eating a banana and you'd surely think that he can't be serious. Against all odds though, this album is great. The heaviness of Cohen's voice matches surprisingly well with a diverse range of instruments. His voice is the primary sound here, with the 80s synths closely behind. The two merge into an image that could be part of a David Lynch movie. Imagine a dark cabaret where an almost comical scene plays out. You almost want to laugh at the middle aged man at the Casio until he launches into a genuinely disturbing political piece about terrorists taking over the West. There are moments of lightness but Cohen's voice sucks it all away each time like a black hole. The album experiments with other genres from song to song but always end up sounding sarcastically dark. Tim Waits expressed his admiration for this album and it's easy to see why. The darkness and light blend together as few other artists could do. The highlight is "Everybody Knows", a laundry list of the world's ills set against unsophisticated electronics and bouzouki playing. "I'm Your Man" can hardly be called Cohen's best album but it definitely stands out as a very interesting one.

Excellent album. I enjoyed. Did not enjoy the first two albums i listened to by Leonard but maybe that's what the 80s does. Stand out song - Jazz police

Nothing is finer than waking up to Leonard Cohen. In fact, I started thinking about what accolades I could give him before listening again to this glorious album from 1988. Cohen released his first album in the 1960s and went on to have successful albums in the 2000s; he is one of those artists who can capture the hearts of each generation while still keeping true to his musical ideals. Here his sombre vocals and apocalyptic tales of love and the state of the world are nicely offset by the sound of synth and a female chorus. I so so love this one.

the hottest voice to ever grace our mortal ears

This is crystal clear a 5-star-album.

I fucking love Leonard Cohen.

Favorite: Everybody Knows

Je dis oui, j’ai écouté ça sur le chemin de la fac puis j’ai passé une super bonne journée alors que ça partait mal donc c’est 5/5 pour moi

Lots of people seem to really appreciate the lyrics but not the music and when I first heard this album after being familiar with his earlier output I felt the same way but over the years it's grown on me massively and it's one of LC's albums that I return to again and again.

Absurd cool plade. Den banan kunne ikke ønske at blive spist af en mere cool mand.

brilliant, an exceptional singer-songwriter

Perfection

Banana man gets a 5.

Leonard Cohen 80s style kicks fucking ass! This record is awesome, pretty much every song stands out in its own way, but special mention to "Jazz Police"

4.5

Oh Leonard. I've loved this album ever since it was first released almost forty (!) years ago. I still love it today, playing it probably at least once a month. It's his Let's Dance moment - a left-ish artist crossing over to the mainstream. Leonard does this without any effort, sounding cool as fuck and not selling out. Outstanding.

Some of his best, love it

I already know and love this album, but don't remember the last time I listened all the way through so let's see...

80s production style almost killed this for me out of the gate, but Cohen's pure talent kept me listening. The storytelling, the writing, and the command of his literal and musical voice transcends the limits of this era. So, so good. Be patient and be amazed!

The first Cohen album I heard, and the one I grew up with. This is Cohen getting older, and getting backup vocals to do the challenging parts, but the lyrics and production are still there. Some absolute classics.

M'y man 🩷

This is what I signed up for, some tunes that really mean something. I have never listened to Leonard Cohan before, heard the name, so this intro has got me wanting more. Not like some of the shite offerings that make its way on here.

One of my all time favourite albums

I remember my dad having this on tape in the 80s. I hated it and always complained about Cohen being so depressing and moany. But now his wit and mastery shines through. It's such a weird combination of Cohen's world-weary vocals and (then) state-of-the-art electronic compositions, but somehow it works brilliantly. Sorry, Dad!

holy synth

Could not Stream it.

Ah Cohen, he might be my favourite songwriter. His lyrics are always great and that’s where this album really shines. This album kicks off with a real banger. “First we take Manhattan” is where both Cohen’s great lyrics work in conjunction with the music to be just a killer of a track. The rest of the album has a such a weird sound. Some simple presets from a synthesiser and some very good backing singers. It really shouldn’t work as it sounds more like a karaoke than anything else. I think it really does work for some reason. Sure, it helps that Cohen’s songwriting and voice is just great. “Ain’t no Cure for Love” is a little cheesy but also something about it is so raw. “Everybody knows” is ominous track that also just works. Honestly I could list all the tracks as great ones (maybe not Jazz Police and I Can’t Forget). Even the Tower of Song’s “solo” which sounds like some kids first attempt at jazz, works for some reason. I understand if you don’t like this but I really do. 5 star.

Fantastic. Ultimate classic of the legendary poet.

Pfffffff die stem man. Leonard Cohen is misschien één van de artiesten waar de stem nooit slecht is geworden. Dit is toch wel één van z'n beste, zo niet z'n allerbeste album. 5.0

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

Excellent. Take this Walz, First we takes New York, I'm your man

Obra maestra. Sorprendentemente es solo su octavo disco, debido al retiro musical que rompió con el anterior Various Positions (el de Hallelujah y Dance me to the end of love) donde ya incluía sonidos sintetizados que en este disco cobran protagonismo desde un arrolador inicio. First we take Manhattan es una joya, musical y líricamente. Además de unos coros que realzan la canción y unos sintetizadores que le van como un guante. No se queda ahí, Take this waltz es una maravilla a partir de Lorca, Tower of song, Can´t forget ... 8 canciones, apenas 40 minutos y ahí queda este monolito atemporal. 5/5

Haha, oh yeah this, this is quite an album. Yet another artist I came to via REM (how many times have I said that on this journey?) although I was at least aware of him beforehand. But, First We Take Manhattan was an REM cover version on an Automatic-era single, I think it was Drive, and I loved it. It was very much done in REMs style, but notably with some of the humour and the sardonic delivery removed. So hearing this version with all the synths and strings, the cackling and the heavy use of female vocals I thought what the holy fuck is this? It sounded like it was by the Pet Shop Boys. But come on, it is brilliant. Let's skip past the schlocky sax intro to Ain't No Cure. There's a great song here. Everybody knows Everybody Knows, it's a classic. Everybody knows the war is over, everybody knows the good guys lost. There were so many people you just had to meet. Without your clothes... I'm Your Man is bloody fantastic. I'm just going to skate past Jazz Police. Tower of Song is bloody fantastic. I was born with the gift of a golden voice 😂 Overall the album has obviously massively dated sonically, yet somehow retains it's enormous charm, and that is absolutely testament to Cohen's genius. I'm torn between 4 and 5 because of a couple of songs, but there's so many absolute classics that I might have to go top end. I absolutely love the top review - banana music!! 😂 Incredible.

My 2nd Cohen album in 10 days. I like this one just as much as the other one. Leonard has really grown on me. He's really a great song writer.

80s production style almost killed this for me out of the gate, but Cohen talent kept me listening. In the end, he wins. His writing won me over!

Love his voice with the bvs, Stand out tracks - I'm your man and Tower of song Jazz Police not so much

These are all absolute classics. Cohen is one of the greatest songwriter/storytellers of any generation. His entire discography should be taught to all those who aspire to write.

It isn’t often that the songs of this project make me tear up, and it could just be the emotional place I’m in with a baby on the way next week, but I teared up a few times, most especially with Take This Waltz. Loved it.

Bit too 80s sounding at times but overall a fantastic album. Recognized most of the songs, but didn't know they were all from one album.

No words needed.

very new york jazz-esque, can definitely see it as an evening playlist

Leonard Cohen is so cool in a way that almost no one else is. He really reminds me a lot of Anthony Bourdain and his no-nonsense, yet sensitive attitude seems to really match Bourdain too. I love his voice and his poetry is really excellent. The musicians and singers he employs on this album (and others) are truly top-notch, but sometimes his performances are a little more well-tuned to poetry than music (see the keyboard solo at the end of Tower of Song). Still, I loved this album and listened to it twice. Five stars.

Perfect

Een heel ander geluid dan de debuutplaat van zoveel albums terug. Als een kameleon blijft ook Leonard zich aanpassen aan de muzikale mogelijkheden en ontwikkelingen. En aan z'n steeds dieper wordende zuchtstem. Briljant titelnummer, een aantal andere kende ik van een latere liveplaat. Die uitvoeringen vond ik eigenlijk beter, af en toe gaat het iets te veel los met de jarentachtigelectronica, en ik kan niet zoveel met wijsneuzigheden als 'I can't forget but I don't remember what'. Maar dat zijn pietluttigheden, want het zindert, dreigt en vleit. Ik geniet hier al met al heel erg van, dus we zijn maar weer eens royaal.

Sure, the 80s production is cheesy, but it perfectly contrasts the dark, razor sharp and occasionally sexy lyrics and vocals. A big surprise for me.

Definitely not my favourite Cohen I've heard but he's one of those songwriters where there's always something to get out of the words even if they don't quite speak to you, so very much still a positive experience

Apart from the cheesy 80s synth, a classic. Great songs...

I think Leonard Cohen pulled this experiment off pretty well. Overall, it’s an 80s synthpop album, but you can hear elements of darkwave, artpop, and sophistipop mixed in. Cohen’s deep, gravelly voice is still front and center, along with his introspective lyrics and witty, half sung, half spoken delivery. The production gives the album a dark, melancholic atmosphere throughout. I’m sure he had people advising him to try something new since his career was dipping at this point, but this was a big departure from his earlier work, and he and his team did a solid job of pulling it off to revitalize his career.

One of my all time favorites. Many popular 60s artists felt they had to pander in the 80s, or produce ultra critical music to let everyone know they weren’t chill with the materialistic vibe. But Cohen creates a new sound and is true to his dark vision lyrically, and arguably this is the best thing he’s ever done.

Cohens absolut bästa album.

Superb

Still one of the best writers. What a great album

This album is a masterpiece.... Then there's Jazz Police.

One of my favorite Leonard Cohen albums. All the songs on here are great, even the less liked ones like Jazz police I still manage to enjoy. Does suffer from some very 1980's music tropes but it doesn't distract from the quality too much.

Apart from the penultimate track "I Can't Forget", each song in this album is instantly likeable and memorable. Sure, the instrumentation is often marked by a maximalist, synth-enhanced approach typical of the eighties--a 180-degree turn compared to Cohen's early classic LPs, and one that feels borderline "cheesy" in the opener "First We Take Manhattan". But here is the very rare case where such "commercial" approach actually brings something relevent to the table. Indeed, willingly or not, such hackneyed arrangements thus add to the sarcastic overtones of the Canadian singer-songwriter's oeuvre. Or they aptly underline his musings about love / personal validation / selfish drives / empathy and how everyone plays some sort of "game" to have all of those things. The end result is *both* heartfelt and disillusioned, oddly enough. Listen to the admirable trilogy of songs "Ain't No Cure For Love" / "Everybody Knows" / "I'm Your Man" to find stellar examples of how Cohen is both tender and wry when he addresses those themes. In the second of those three songs, you also have a sort of "comedy of manners" that sums up everything that's great in Cohen's songwriting:  Everybody knows that you love me baby Everybody knows that you really do Everybody knows that you've been faithful Ah, give or take a night or two Everybody knows you've been discreet But there were so many people you just had to meet Without your clothes And everybody knows The oud played not long after those lines is a gorgeous thing, bringing pure emotion to those descriptions of flaws typical of the quote-unquote "human condition". Side two then broadens the scope to include topics related to "romantic" decadence ("Take This Waltz"), partly ironical dystopian concerns ("Jazz Police") and even a mystical meditation about the "Babel-like" act of artistic creation in closer "Tower Of Song". Bright, brooding, witty, moving, rich and layered, *I'm Your Man* is everything you want an "essential" album to be. Number of albums left to review: less than 200, approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might*  include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)

good dstuff

The worst music on any of his albums I’ve gotten so far, but consistently good lyrics all around. ‘Jazz Police’ is the biggest exception to that, but it’s musically engaging enough to not be a slog. Songs like ‘First We Take Manhattan’, ‘Everybody Knows’, and the title track are really good in the departments of both lyrics and their general vibes. This is the end of the review. I didn’t have a good way of doing it.

ACAB includes Jazz Cops. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Well, my friends are gone and my hair is grey I ache in the places where I used to play

4.6 - This album requires me to be more articulate than just 'Yeah, that was good...' so here you go. This album exudes a fabulous malaise of grandiose refinement, with a splash of Foie gras.

Such a great album. Two strong hits and many great songs I hadn’t heard.

Can I give it six stars?

I used to think I wasn't a fan of him. I'm not sure what I heard that made me feel that way but the two albums of his I've gotten to listen to on this site have been outstanding.

Longtime Cohen fan here.

I have a few Leonard Cohen albums but I have not listened to this one before. Aint no cure for love is familiar, I really like these songs. Leonard was great.

Buen folk. Leonard Cohen es una leyenda donde sus letras siempre reflexionan en la vida, la vejez y el miedo al cambio. Es un 10/10. Llega al corazón.

Damn, his voice just does it for me. This is such a smooth and silky listen. I’m Your Man (the song) is super sexy. Take This Waltz is another one of my faves. Overall - interesting, strange and beautiful. Jazz Police is an unfortunate outlier. I’m pretending in my rating that one isn’t on there.

оу йес!!

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Phenomenal start to finish

👍👍👍👍

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!

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)

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.

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

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

A classic, every song hits except Jazz Police.

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

Such a brilliant lyricist, mellow and brooding.

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

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".

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!

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.

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

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.

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

Amazing record. 9/10

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

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.

Top Album

His best.

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.

The poet.

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

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.

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

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

Raspy

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

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

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.

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

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.

Fantastic.

Just excellent!

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.

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.

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

He sure is

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

Love it!!!!

Si tuviera 10⭐ se las daría

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.

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

LP

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.

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

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.

Beautiful and cool

A true classic, very 80’s vibe

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

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

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

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.

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

Love it! Dreaming away with that voice

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

Great Album!!

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

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

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.

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

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

Mjy buen albúm, de lo mejor de Leonard Cohen

One of his best.

Obvious 5

Una maravilla infinita.

O cara é foda, que vibe maravilhosa!!

MUY GUAY

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

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.

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

𝘐’𝘮 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 finds Leonard Cohen fully embracing the electronic sound of the late 1980s without losing what makes him unique. His unmistakably deep voice remains the centre of the album, delivering lyrics with the same wit, melancholy, and quiet authority that define his best work. What makes this record stand out is the quality of its songwriting. It features some of the finest songs in Cohen’s catalogue, including 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗻, 𝗔𝗶𝗻’𝘁 𝗡𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀, and the title track, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻. Each of them showcases a different side of Cohen while remaining unmistakably his. The synthesizers may place the album firmly in its era, but the songs themselves have aged remarkably well. Strong melodies, sharp lyrics, and Cohen’s commanding vocal presence make 𝘐’𝘮 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯 one of the highlights of his career.

A strong, later career comeback, introducing Leonard Cohen to a new audience. A unique artist with his own style, I still enjoy this even if the electronic effects leave some tracks sounding of the moment.

First We Take Manhattan - 8/10. Very 80s synth, but not typical synth pop. Cohen's deep basso hits right where I live. Cynical about the excesses of the time. Ain't No Cure for Love - 9/10. Excellent. And very true. Everybody Knows - 11/10. Everybody knows the war is over. Everybody knows the good guys lost. Doesn't matter how many times I listen to this song, it gives me goosebumps every time. This one goes to 11. I'm Your Man - 9/10. Still excellent, if not as good as Everybody Knows. Take This Waltz - 9/10. Really great. Jazz Police - 7/10. Super 80s in some of the corniest ways. I Can't Forget - 8/10. Excellent. This man can sing. Tower of Song - 9/10. Incredible songwriting. Overall Rating - 4.38/5 (8.75/10). An incredible songwriter and lyricist, with a voice that sounds like strong, black coffee. Awesome album. Everybody Knows is as good as it gets.

I was really not looking forward to another Leonard Cohen album. I understand how respected he is as an artist, but he is just sooooo so boring to me. This album completely proved me wrong. Its very good, very 80s production and somehow his voice works so well with the production style.

I love Leonard Cohen. And while there are some absolute bangers on this album, Cohen succumbed to the same trap as some other great songwriters (like Dylan and Simon) did... the 80s synth. Just for some real dated sounding production he loses a star for this one.

I don't know when Cohen started recording with the big deep voice of his old age but this album was the first time I liked him as a recording artist, not just a writer. Yeah, Martine hates the weird backup singing too, but I love the mayo with ice cream - Leonard was born for synths and over the top girly chorus.

The first song had me sceptical because it sounds so 80s and that's not what I go to Leonard Cohen for. This actually turned out to be a great album though. Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, and Take This Waltz are standouts. The rest of the album does have its charm too. This pleasantly surprised me.

Šitas patiko labiau nei praeitas klausytas, man patiko senoviškos melodijos.

Loved this. I only really knew his sixties stuff, and it's great to hear how he moved with the times and kept on making great songs.

Just one of the best Canucks of all time I

Sounds like the pet shop boys soundtracking Miami vice with Leonard Cohen singing…. I actually dig it! 3.7

I’m pretty conflicted on this singer-songwriter genre. I often find it pretentious. But this album has good movement to it. Enjoyable.

Love early Cohen. Never knew he had a synth era. At first the cheese was overwhelming but there are some solid tunes here. I'm Your Man and Take this Waltz rock. Jazz Police is deranged. It's not my favorite of his but I admire him taking a big artistic swing in changing his sound so drastically.

This was a nice journey.

3.5

Did not expect to like this at all but I found it interesting and kinda haunting

Really loved this one. Sent me down a Leonard Cohen rabbit hole

Wait what? Leonard Cohen with synthesizers? I actually really like the mix of sound.

All I knew about Leonard Cohen was the gravelly voice, the fedora and “Hallelujah”, I couldn’t understand why he was such a cult figure so I was looking forward to listening to this album. It did not disappoint. The clever lyrics and the backing music, brought his deep jazzy voice to life. It was a pleasure to learn what all the fuss was about. I’m sure he would’ve been fun to see in some smoky cabaret. Like a male version of Rickie Lee Jones…

This is my 17th Leonard Cohen album from this list (nevermind, it is the fourth Leonard Cohen album) and it is certainly different from the other albums on this list from Cohen. It's hard for me to get too angry I'm Your Main is on this list, but this is another one where I have to decipher lyrics to see what they mean. Feels a bit like homework. I didn't go crazy over Cohen's earlier albums but this one has synths on it and feels a bit more upbeat to me. I found I'm Your Man to be one of Cohen's most engaging albums and having more than a dreary guitar over his lyrics suited my ears well. I already knew 2-3 songs on here already, so I did come into this with some familiarity. Of all 17 Leonard Cohen albums, this one is my favorite thus far. My favorite songs: First We Take Manhattan Ain't No Cure for Love Take This Waltz Everybody Knows I Can't Forget

Gosh his voice is sexy!! Feels like a proper old school gent omg. Would. Love the synthy beats in this too, the combo is brill

it doesnt get any greater than jazz police. but for real tho, I'm your man is so classic leonard cohen- so sexually poetic, raw, and beautiful. the arrangements are dated but the theme and lyrics are timeless. listening to this makes me lament the degradation of loss of great lyrical poets - father john misty is the only current artist i listen to that writes anything that approaches this level of poeticism.

The only thing holding this back from 5 stars is the chintzy production, which has always been my biggest gripe with Cohen’s ‘80s work. His early albums and his later work just sound so much better with a sparser sound.

Liked this more than I was expecting after hearing other people's opinions. Plus I already had 'Everybody Knows' and 'I'm Your Man' in my liked songs.

Great lyrics, but man are the synths a bit much

This was not anything like previous Leonard Cohen we have done, in a very interesting and good way. I wasn't expecting silly synth pop out of him, but this was very fun. Can I give a full 5*s to an album with something as goofy as Jazz Police on it? I don't think so, but I did seriously consider it!

The man’s got it

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

I love good lyrics but I personally liked the different style of production Cohen used here.

I liked this

Alright, final Leonard Cohen album. I'm going to miss hearing this man's albums. I don't think this list needs 5 of them per se, but 3 or 4 I think is good. Even then, I'm much more okay with 5 Leonard Cohen albums than many of the over-represented artists on this list considering just how much I enjoy his music. I'm Your Man is a very interesting album. It's got synths on it. That's funny. Yeah, the production on this album is pretty dated in many regards, but I don't know, I kinda enjoy it. It's not bad on songs like "I'm Your Man" and "Everybody Knows." Besides, it's not like the atmosphere on the album is cheesy. There's still a slight sense of seediness to the whole thing that highlights the songwriting. Speaking of songwriting, it's as excellent as ever. We've been through this, okay? Leonard Cohen is a songwriter first, and a musician second. His music is often enjoyable, but it's the songwriting that takes an album like this from a neat experiment to a genuinely great experience. Like, "First We Take Manhattan" shouldn't work as a song, but the political theming matches weirdly well with the sharpness of the music. I don't know what it is, but it works. Of course, not every song makes as much sense as the album's best songs. I don't hate "Jazz Police" nearly as much as some others do, but I still don't know what the hell it's about or what it's doing on the album. Cohen's voice on the album is as dry as ever, but seeing as the writing is equally as dry, they compliment each other well. That's the magic of Leonard Cohen for me. He takes these elements that shouldn't work as well as they do and make them compliment each other perfectly. Admittedly, I'm Your Man isn't the best showing of this. I definitely prefer the earlier folk-focused material from the "Songs" albums. But, I have respect for I'm Your Man. It's cool. 4/5.

4.5

This was significantly better than the first Cohen album I got, which ironically was his last album. And that one was insufferable. I actually enjoyed this one.

yo this guy spits barrssssssss 1. First we Take Manhattan is giving Be Prepared vibes 2. Ain’t no cure for love reminds me of the Police and also That’s the price for love by New Order

No. 161 Very unique album and I love his voice and the more modern feel to it

Me recordó a mi papá y a Frank estén, una película musical del estilo de Sweerry Todss

A good album, I liked Ain't No Cure For Love and Take This Waltz the most.

I have this album in my collection. 4 stars. Fave track - I’m your man.

Didn't love it in first listen, but 2nd time around it started to grow on me

I dug this. It’s interesting to see how much it influenced Tom Morello’s Nightwatchman project

Like Bob Dylan, but better

All I knew about Leonard Cohen is he wrote "Hallejulah" but more familiar with [[Jeff Buckley's]] version, so this was a bit different from what I was expecting. However I dont hate it. Its got a "I dont care" type vibe as he belts out lyrics in that deep tenor.

If you had just tried to tell me that Leonard Cohen's new wave album was secretly *really* great, I would have just assumed you were insane. But, now, sitting on the other side of I'm Your Man, I think it makes a little sense. I think it has something to do with new wave's connection to goth, and goth's lineage, which, through a certain lens, makes it back to Leonard Cohen's starkest folk albums. And, when looking at it like this, it kind of feels like Cohen is giving his blessing to the next generation of gloom-mongers. But, there is still room for this to have gone wrong. I think the smartest thing that I'm Your Man does is keep the Leonard Cohen DNA at the front and center. Leonard Cohen is someone who has always come out on top due to the strength of his songs, and this is another great batch. And even though there are glossy synths and reverbed vocal passages, Cohen's poetry is still brutally, beautifully honest, and his vocals still fly in the face of conventional wisdom. And staying firm on these things alone is enough. Although, it doesn't just feel like Cohen was riding trends either. He taps into something almost dark wave-y on the chilly synths here. And there is a discotheque feel across the album that serves as a really cool backdrop to his anachronistic poetry. Songs like First We Take Manhattan, Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, and Tower of Song are enough to make I'm Your Man carve out a worthwhile place in a very high achieving discography. Even Take This Waltz ends up working in it's own way, even if it's sort of dissonant with the vibe here. I was absolutely shocked that I liked this as much as I did, I guess I just didn't think that Cohen had it in him, but I am happy to be wrong.

Mycket från honom på listan och jag har inte uppskattat allt, men det här fångade mig lite mer på något sätt.

oooh funky. this is not hallelujah first we take manhattan--oh my his voice is so deep. everybody knows--well this is ... less than cheery. the instrumentation is really nice, though. a classical guitar, maybe? a little mediterranean, for sure. i'm your man--oh that synth is so eighties and i love it. sounds like the nausicaa soundtrack. take this waltz--circus music counter: 2 enjoyable, wide range from funky-can't-stop-moovin-and-groovin to sad ballad to ... circus music. his voice is definitely unique and i enjoy it. i'd put this in the mid 4/5 range. tbd how i'll round it.

This was a really cool album!! Very unique and I love his voice and the more modern feel to it

Disappointed that there are 5 Leonard Cohen albums on this list and The Future isn't one of them.

Love Leonard Cohen, every chance this could end me down a rabbit hole

80's vipe and me I'm not sure about it. Me I like that album.

Gravelly voice, singer-songwriter instrumentation with a whimsical lean (some almost electronic, some bongos, etc)

En su momento me pareció un pestiño. Una vieja gloria queriendo parecer joven. ¡Qué equivocado estaba! No digo que sea una obra maestra, pero tienen mucho más de lo que me parecía. Me guardo: "First We Take Manhattan", "Everybody Knows", "I'm Your Man" y "Take This Waltz".

Great album.

Curious but cool

this one was cool. bring back talk singing

Excellent apart from Jazz Police

I like it a lot. Takes a while to get used to his singing style, but actually when you get it, it starts to be quite calming or intense (depending on subject matter)

One of my favorite tortured lounge singers. This album is chocked full of beautiful lyrics and one liners “all my friends are gone and my hair is gray. I ache in the places that I used to play”. Unfortunately, this album also leans heavily into 80 instrumentation. Synthesizers and the like. It cheapens the feel. Would be cool to hear these tunes with an orchestra/band.

Hat mir überraschend gut gefallen.

Hat mir sehr gut gefallen. War auf die Länge aber doch zu ähnlich.

"Gift of a golden voice"

Really strong writing and the arrangements are great--especially the oud(!) on Everybody Knows and all the vocals throughout--he uses background vocals really well, so they're more integrated into the song rather than appealing filler. First We Take Manhattan is my favorite song but almost all the songs here are strong, even if they're not quite to my taste.

The glossy, dated ’80s production and layered backing vocals weirdly work in this album’s favour, fleshing out the often sparse arrangements typical of much of Cohen’s work. Here, it works nicely, helping to soften and mask Cohen’s trademark monotone, but not his lyrical impact, making ‘I’m Your Man’ my favourite of his albums that I have had generated so far.

Looks like he's enjoying that banana.

Cheesy 80s sounds still can't keep cohen down

Foram 40 minutos que passaram rápido e, quando assim é, só pode ser bom sinal. Bom álbum. Leonard tem uma voz espetacular. Gostava de o ouvir a ler um livro ou algo assim, tem um vozeirão. E as músicas são um bocado assim. É como se ele ele tivesse a contar uma história ou algo parecido e os vocais das mulheres elevam as músicas para outro nível. Muito bom álbum para se ouvir de fones. É um 4/5. Não quer dizer que vá voltar várias vezes a este álbum, mas foi uma boa experiência.

I love the romance, wit and despair of the lyrics and vocals, but my god that synth and chorus is painful. Still, I'm enticed by most everything this man does.

This shouldn’t work but I loved this album. A mix of so many strange things and very 80s but I dig it.

Leonard Cohen doing 80s stuff is awesome, idk what kinds charm Leonard has but it's like you gotta pay attention to him whenever he sings even if the lyrics are really funny sometimes. 8/10 that was cool

Deep and interesting, thoughtful yet funny

Some great sound and great music on display here, a true banger album. Honestly though, I was a little unsettled by the lead singer's doing a lot more talking than vocals, so that brings it down a star for me.

Didn’t expect Leonard Cohen to take me to the club!

I dunno man, I just like Leonard Cohen. The music would drive me up a wall for just about anyone else, but the “high intensity” keyboards kinda work for him. I’m honestly not sure why. And, while I love his voice, he’s not a great singer, at least not in the traditional sense. “Everybody Knows” is such a badass song and probably my favorite of his, probably due to how many times I watched Pump Up the Volume as a kid (that movie definitely loses a lot of its magic as an adult, but Everybody Knows still stands out as the centerpiece of that movie). But sincerely, I don’t know why the rest of this album works for me (with exception of Jazz Police. That song is a challenge for me). It shouldn’t, but I think that, maybe, Leonard Cohen is just made of magic. 4.0/5

That voice is unforgettable... surprisingly varied songs

Dude is the GOAT. So the only song of his I was at all familiar with was Hallelujah, so I wasn't expecting 80s synth pop, but like, this shit's great.

3.9/5 Stars Top Songs: Everybody Knows, First We Take Manhattan, Ain't No Cure for Love

Lowkey unerwartet geil

At least like a top three Leonard Cohen album for me - I don't like Jazz Police very much but Everybody Knows is on here and that one is >>>> I also turn on the opening track with some frequency....I admittedly don't really sit and listen to this whole record often/at all so I guess like a 4.5 rounded down. Also I'm allergic to bananas so cover photo is kinda rude

I found it quite mesmerising

This was such a fun album to listen to, I felt like I was in an 80’s movie! First we take Manhattan is a very groovy opening track. I really liked the album but the highlight track was Jazz City, it was such a cinematic experience and the jazz city adlibs?? Rating: 4/5

Mellow but enjoyable.

Leonard Cohen was also around in the 80s, and this album certainly sounds like it. He apparently ate bananas, and he's your man. The synths and music are all hallmarks of the time. But somehow Cohen still retains his trademark darkness at points, as long the music stays as a low-key accompaniment in his stuff anyway. This is true in the first track, but perhaps not in second track, Ain't no Cure, where the music comes off a bit jangly and cheesy. Everybody Knows is solid, and most of the rest of the album is pretty good except for Jazz Police, which is a little goofy and sounds like Cohen is beefing with someone back in the 80s. 4/5

I entered the Cohen-sphere at his bookends: I first listened to his debut album probably 12 years ago and didn’t dive deeper until his final album You Want it Darker came out in 2016. I was mesmerized by YWID and have steadily explored his catalog since. I’m Your Man is certainly closer to YWID than Songs of Leonard Cohen, but it’s much more an exploration of life, spirituality and sex than of death. Its use of synths is surprising for Cohen, but it works beautifully. The opening track is a fantastic example of this. Ain’t No Cure For Love is Leonard at his poppiest. Everybody Knows is Cohen at his dark, paranoid best. The title track is Cohen at his horniest, I think. It’s an album worth exploring multiple times, best listened to while reading the lyrics.

This is far better than the other 3 Cohen albums (all late 60s/early 70s) I've gotten on this list that were just slightly more interesting versions of Bob Dylan. On this record, Leonard actually puts effort into the music side of things, producing some very intriguing tracks that allow his lyrical abilities and great voice to shine 3.5/5.0: Very Good

Weird album. I’m into it

its so fucking funny to me that for like 9 years all music was just people scatting over casio keyboard presets and this album is no difference, altho... pretty good!

Everybody knows this is a great album... ah, give or take a song or two…

Awsome. Tower of Song is my favorite. Probably my favorite Cohen album on this list so far

Lots of love for the 80s feel

This album kicked me in the face like a horse

To be honest, the album is fairly mediocre but listenable. i would normally rate it 3 stars but i'm giving it 4 solely because of First We Take Manhattan. it is such a great song that the album deserves a listen just to discover this track and put it on repeat. furthermore, there are countless covers of this song by musicians from a wide spectrum of genres. i was especially surprised to discover a cover by Sirenia from 2004 as I was a big fan of theirs in the early 2000s. Aside from that, jazz police is also quite enjoyable.

I think I prefer this over Tom Waits. But that same kind of vibe.

A classic album from Laughing Lenny. Keyboard heavy on this one but the gravelly voice and the subtle emotive lyrics are what we’re here for. An album that rewards repeated listens

one of cohen’s best. dark, witty, and beautifully written.

Really wasn't what I expected, but better for it, I think? The combo of Cohen's singing, lyrics, and the 80s pastiche is initially off-putting but ultimately very entertaining. Highlights are Then We Take Berlin + Jazz Police. 3.75/5

Leonard Cohen is quickly becoming one of the big wins of this list for me. I've never really listened to him or known what his music was like before, but this is the 3rd album of his I hear from the list and I've consistently rated them 4/5. In no way perfect, but something I very well might return to and explore deeper in the future. Standouts First We Take Manhattan ... Everybody Knows Jazz Police 4/5

80er synthies diminieren den sound, aber dazu diese stimme!

10/9/25. Didn't expect a quintessential 80s sound from this, but it worked really well with Cohen's voice! I also love the varity of styles throughout; great sophisticated album that's inviting.

As a huge fan of Leonard Cohen, I'm Your Man somehow managed to remain under my radar. And apparently it's one of his most commercially successful ones. I knew take this waltz and that was about it. Because I have a deep appreciation of his early minimalist work, but this album is a nice change of pace. It's very good, but there are three albums I would see as more essential from him. Firstly Songs of Leonard Cohen, then Songs of Love And Hate and finally Various Positions. I hope these are also included in the list.

Third Leonard Cohen album on my journey, and this time it's his synthpop record. During the 1980s, Leonard was moving toward modernizing his sound, which in the context of the decade meant embracing synthesizers, drum machines, exotic textures, and emphatic female backing vocals. What's weird is that he mostly gets away with this stylistic change. Yes, this album has a dated sound, and not every song works. "Jazz Police", in particular, is a terrible composition with buzzy synths and a sterile rhythm section, as Leonard complained about when jazz motifs were incorporated into his previous works. But for the most part, Leonard continued to deliver his dark poetry in a more refined, raspy delivery, and the bouncy production behind him oddly worked in not distracting from the heavier undertones of his words. In fact, I could find myself having a perverse sense of joy in strutting to the swagger of "First We Take Manhattan" as Leonard makes his bold response to terrorism, or sink into the dreariness of "Everybody Knows" and the title track. Also worth mentioning is the effective closer, "Tower of Song", as the energy is dialed back for Leonard to lay bare his dedication to the songcraft. Yeah, Leonard Cohen's synth-pop record was mostly good. That is not a statement I would have made before this album journey.

this one grew on me. It was very easy to picture things happening, a smokey noir movie, a disney villain, REPO! the genetic opera... Jazz police will be heavily replayed

I just love the feel, the mood of Cohen's music. There's very little of his material that could earn fewer than four stars. This isn't his finest, but there's no way I can give it fewer than four!

Preferred it a lot more than the other Leonard Cohen album

There's something about this I like.

Not the first Cohen album that comes to mind! Still he never did anything bad.

Ah, Leonard for the win! When many would be past their prime of 20 years earlier, Leonard puts out some of his best work, even though it has a few 80s synth taints on it. “Take this Waltz” may be his best song and “Everybody Knows”, “Tower of Song” and “I’m your man” are a strong middle of the lineup. Always funky (in a sex way, not a groove way), Leonard stretched his golden period with this album.

++*: Tower of Song ++: First We Take Manhattan, Ain't No Cure for Love, I'm Your Man, Jazz Police +: Take This Waltz, I Can't Forget +-: Everybody Knows 8,8/10

Whoever decided to let Leonard Cohen have access to a synth deserves a raise

I always loved the intro. I need to start lisetening to the ones I don‘t already no that I like them a lot

Leonard Cohen has grown on me over the years. I first found his bohemian ladies man persona kind of slimy and I still do but now his observations resonate more with me. Also his tempo and mine are now about the same. Several good tracks on this record and the dated syntho production ends up working for him. I also noted a lyrical similarity between Tower of Song and Pulp's recent single Spike Island. Tower of Song: I was born like this, I had no choice I was born with the gift of a golden voice Spike Island: I was born to perform It's a calling I exist to do this Shouting and pointing Sung somewhat tongue in cheek in both instances. Jarvis is a big fan so it is no surprise that he would invoke Leonard Cohen. If you are interested, you can listen to Jarvis's interview with Leonard at the link below. I think I will do that now. https://archive.org/details/jarvis-cocker-march-28-2010/Jarvis+Cocker+-+January+29+2012.mp3