Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I like an album that tells a story. And his voice is always so haunting. Solid.
This record is an enigma. I wonder if the cheap sounding production is part of the aesthetic that was intended to match a vibe. Lita definitely interesting.
His approach to making music is so unique. Part of me was annoyed with his delivery, but it did grow on me. As a whole, the songs were done well. Solid work!
(87/100)
I love this. First got to know of Leonard’s existence when Inheard the cover of “First We Take Manhattan” by the gothic metal band Sirenia, but was blown away by the original. Rest of the record is also amazing. Take This Waltz is a classic, Jazz Police is so out there and the whole midi-production vibe is such a typical style (clearly inspired the likes of Herman van Veen). Cohen’s voice and timbre finishes this great release.
Cohen is not really my thing, but good songwriting and an extra point for being a little weird.
There are better Cohen albums out there.
The synth is strong with this one
Very different classical but good love the instruments and voice
Sounds from him I'm not used to. Surprising variety. I was looking forward to hearing Take This Waltz. I like it.
I always expect arresting and dark lyrics from this master. I also like his experimentation with synths as per the era. The classic “Tower of Song” is on this album. The otherwise stellar album gets knocked down a point for me by the gospel backing vocals which largely feel out of place to me.
8/10… singer-songwriter / sophisti pop
Favorite Track: First We Take Manhattan
7/10
A Leonard Cohen album, ok, hang on a sec.... Synthesisers? Female vocals? Choruses? This is not what I expected having only been really familiar with his earlier work. It's kinda funny that even Leonard Cohen made music in the 80s that sounds very if it's time production wise. Jazz Police sounds like it could be a Michael Jackson song, vocals aside I thought this was good, I do pay attention to lyrics but I've found his other albums a little hard to get into. This is much 'songier' and that makes it a lot more engaging, which in turn made me pay more attention to the words. It starts strongly with First We Take Manhattan and the first side in particular has some strong tracks.
Quit the pop music synthesizer departure for him, but some of the songs are considered Classics now
#450 8.1.25
Der er nogle kæmpe bangers på, men nogen gange går Cohens stemme op mod den ekstremt 80'er agtige produktion på en måde der skærer i øret
Interesting to hear him doing his thing with synths
The marimba on “I can’t forget” makes this album at least a 4 alone
Quality. A couple of dodgy tracks in the middle, but it end on a high. 4
So far, it's my favorite Cohen album. I remember first hearing the song 'I'm Your Man' in the movie Secretary 👠
Haunting, dark, moody and pure Cohen.
Solid stuff.
The only thing knocking this down is this terrible late 80s production
"I'm Your Man" is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Synth-pop and sophisti-pop are the Wiki-listed genres. Yep. The album was self-produced and a move to a make a more modern sound with more synthesizer-oriented production. The album was well-received critically and, commercially, hit #48 in the UK. Electronic beats and synths successfully place "First We Take Manhattan" into the 80's synth-pop dance time zone. Cohen in his whispering gravelly voice singing about geopolitical issues specifically extremism and terrorism. The song is dramatic. Jennifer Warnes anchors the backing vocals. Cohen takes his voice deeper in "Everybody Knows." A hopping/prancing synth and more electronic beats. A European guitar is added. A sarcastic look at life and various world issues (Aids, social problems, religion). "I'm Your Man" slows things up with the synth and beats. Amazingly, one of the few love songs on the album as he throws himself at a woman's feet. The synth and piano play to that 3/4 waltz time signature in "Take This Waltz." Strings are added. Cohen giving a loose translation of a poem by Spaniard Federico García Lorca and his doomed relationship with Salvador Dali. The album closes with "Tower of Love." Minimal background music as Cohen discusses his songwriting craft. "I was born like this, I had no choice, I was born with the gift of a golden voice." It's funny listening to the 80's synth music on this album, where at the time, the synths were added to make it more modern and, now, sounds somewhat dated. But, not all songs are 80's synth-soaked and do we really want to focus on the music on a Leonard Cohen album. Although, I quite enjoy his guitar playing on his 60's albums. The strength of this album is the variety of topics covered (terrorism, love, world issues, Spanish poems, jazz police and can ode to songwriters). His lyrics are as witty, sardonic, serious and poetic as ever. Well, Cohen did successfully transition his music into the synth-pop 80's which did successfully reinvent himself at the time but honestly fell into background for me with the lyrics, vocals and especially the female backing vocals taking center stage. I've never heard a bad Leonard Cohen album and this is no exception. A solid recommendation.
So weird I like it (and I don’t want to get in trouble with the jazz police).
This album is unrelentingly and unnecessarily 80s. It really begs the question, does this work. And somehow the answer for me is yeah. Non an emphatic "yeah", but I will say it's Cohen's delivery that sell the product more than the production around it. Not to mention, sans "Jazz Police", this might be his best written batch of songs he put on one album. "First We Take Manhattan", "Everybody Knows", "I'm Your Man", and "Tower of Songs" are absolute masterstrokes... and maybe to a lesser extent "Ain't No Cure For Love" and "Take This Waltz" Yes, the production does get in the way a bit, but overall Cohen still pull this off as a flawed gem. (8.5) ★★★★
Good songs, bad production. 4 stsrs
This album has always been a bit of a frustration for me. On one hand, I think it's probably Cohen's best batch of songs he ever wrote. On the other hand, he seemingly decided to record those songs with a cheap Casio keyboard he picked up at K-Mart. So, it's basically an A for songwriting, a D for execution. "Everybody Knows" is my runaway favorite, but "Tower of Song", "First We Take Manhattan", and "Ain't No Cure For Love" also rise above their rough production choices. 4 Stars
Bahaha, the cheesy 80s synth made Leonard Cohen sound interesting for once. Usually he's too slow and mellow, and I wander off to find something that'll actually grab my attention. Achievement finally unlocked: listen to an entire Leonard Cohen album! Now, having read some of the other reviews, I know at least one other person doing this project is going to be running away from me really fast: This is my favorite Leonard Cohen album. The contrast between dreary vocals and cheery synth made my day. Instant mood boost!
Good
I like his nice, smooth and dark voice. A relaxed listen with almost no fails and for me his best album from this list so far. Weak four stars. favourite: "First We Take Manhattan" worst: "Jazz Police" 3,5
Solid album, Cohen has a very unique voice and cadence to his songs. Jazz Police, Everybody Knows, & Tower of Song are standouts
This one feels a little more dated than his other entries on this list. That is, this album sounds like it belongs in the eighties. It was obviously made in the eighties, but all of his other albums on this list have a timeless quality to them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Cyndi Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual” could belong to no other decade, yet it is still an iconic album, just not timeless. However, the timeless quality isn’t the only thing lost. In my opinion, the lyrics, writing, and production all took a hit in some capacity on this project. His vocals are as golden as ever and the instrumentation is executed very well. I only disagree with some of the decisions that went into the planning rather than the actual execution. Not a bad album. I thoroughly enjoyed five or six out of the eight tracks, but I know he’s capable of better. 4/5
Music so dark that even the love songs are disturbing. I suspect the album color was originally canary yellow but the darkness bled through. You must hear “First We Take Manhattan” and “Everybody Knows” before you die. But don’t listen too close to your final breath or you’ll end with very little hope in humanity. But hmm, maybe that hope was misplaced anyway.
Leonard Cohen's debut is still his best. As always, this album has some awesome lyrics - listen close to First We Take Manhattan, Ain't No Cure for Love, Everybody Knows, the title track, Take This Waltz, and Tower of Song. Not surprising those six are some of his best known or most covered songs. I don't exactly love all of the synth or campy 80's sounds and the Lou Reed-like backing female vocals (think Walk on the Wild Side). Which means I didn't care for Jazz Police (it had all of those elements in spades). But I still think this is a pretty solid album.
Outro do Cohen, quase que back-to-back. Interessante. Esse é bem diferente do que peguei anteriormente, "Songs From A Room". Esse disco foi feito em outra década, outro mindset, outro estilo de produção totalmente diferente. No total, prefiro o estilo de produção do album anterior dele que ouvi. Mas uma coisa não mudou, eu ainda amo a voz dele e seu songwriting inigualável. Inclusive, acredito que sua voz está melhor ainda nesse album comparado ao anterior. Esse álbum vive o queijo que o cerca. Da pra ver na capa. Ele todo descolado comendo uma banana. É uma imagem que representa perfeitamente a sonoridade desse disco. Letras brilhantes e temas assombrosos, com uma produção nível sessão da tarde, com todos os clichês rídiculos que fazem a década de 1980 uma das mais intoleráveis pra música: Os teclados desalmados, os corais de backing completamente desnecessários, a superprodução das faixas, etc... Mas ele realmente incorpora tudo isso em sua essência. É um álbum intrigante, acho essa uma palavra muito apta para o descrever. Enquanto o ouvia eu franzi a sombrancelha diversas vezes em contemplação do que eu estava ouvindo. Eu gosto disso, gosto de sentir esse tipo de emoção ouvindo um som. Memorável, as vezes azedo, as vezes agridoce, mas nunca maçante ou cansativo. 4.5/5
I enjoyed the poppier sound with Cohen's voice here.
I haven’t finished this yet to be fair, I’m 3/4 of the way through. But I like it. The lyrics are good, they kept pulling me into each song. And the opening being Next We Take Berlin, with industrial style instrumentation is over the top, but also such a definitive snapshot of the 80s. Cold War, excess, 1984 vibes. I can’t help but think that’s what he was aiming for. Made me want to give Leonard Cohen’s discography another try. Also curious to see who didn’t like this but liked Pulp. Jarvis Cocker clearly loved this album. It sounds like the proto-Pulp. Personally I love Pulp, which probably explains why I like this too.
Me encantó la apertura. No me canso de la voz de este tipo y sus letras oscuras. Supongo que no pongo 5 porque soy caprichoso. Nota: 4.0
Before listening to this one, I thought “great, another mid album from an artist past their prime that tries to recapture their past glory and tricked critics into liking it.” After listening… uh… what? This is fucking wild, absolutely bizarre album and a great one at that. Gotta love a excellent songwriter who’s not afraid to fuck around.
DIfference between leo's voice in this and "You want it darker" is insane. Cigarettes ?? Aging ?? I prefer it to you want it darker, it's more melodic, and sometimes even kinda catchy "First we take manhattan" is a coolie, very cinematic actually enjoyed it, ill rate it 4
The juxtaposition between the cheesy 80’s synth sounds and Lou Reed’s earnestly solemn vocals make I’m Your Man feel like a dystopian experience. The sound evokes images of walking through war-torn, disease-ridden Earth, with the only option left being acceptance of the new reality. 4/5
Probably better than I would have guessed or expected. I think this is the first time I ever listened to an entire Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen had already gone into the cheesy 80's synth direction with 1984's Various Positions (you know, the one with "Hallelujah"), but on I'm Your Man, he refines that sound into something that is actually tasteful. The darkly sarcastic undertones of several of these songs help sell the music (and the silly cover art does as well). Cool album overall, very catchy. Key tracks: First We Take Manhattan Ain't No Cure for Love Everybody Knows I'm Your Man Tower of Song
Unexpected and not 100% my taste but I did like the gerneal vibe and tower of song is a great one. :)
This is a guy in peak form after nearly two decades of great songwriting. While his vocal styling could be off-putting, the man could make music!
Really enjoyed this one! His voice so striking and the lyrics are smart and intriguing yet the overall sound is so smooth.
“Everybody Knows” is a classic for me thanks to Trent Reznor’s music direction/production for the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. I own I’m Your Man on cd and have worn it out on many phases of my life. Truly distinct voices aren’t always sought after due to their divisive reception and Leonard Cohen is definitely on that island along with Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, etc. I’ve come to really appreciate these voices mainly for that reason, no one can sound like them, for better or worse, but beyond that every one of these artists are incredible writers. Creating vivid descriptions of the world they observe through their often romantic yet tortured lens.
It was a vibe, it felt more like chanting vs singing but the beats were immaculate
I'm retarded I thought Leonard Cohen and Leonard Nimoy were the same person so I'm going into this with a different perspective. I can't stand Nimoy. I have no opinion on Cohen. Let's do this! This album is pretty rad. Not sure I'd listen to this again but I really enjoyed it overall. Jazz Police is both a fun song and concept. JazzPolice/5
þrælgott, mjög eitís og rifjar upp fyrir mér föður minn í sínu versta stuði. gef þessu samt fjarkann.
This a parody album? Sounds like Anthony bourdain’s cousin recorded an album. I do believe having fun is part of great music. And, this is that.
leonard is such a mixed bag for me. the lyrics are usually the best part and his music/voice/jaw harp drag everything down, but i actually kinda dug the synthy, sleazy vibes here. way more interesting than some of his other snoozefest albums on here, though still not the music i'd really want to be listening to normally. this is really a 3.5 for me but enough songs were interesting that i'll round up. favorites: first we take manhattan, everybody knows, i'm your man (the horn dog anthem) take this waltz, jazz police
szóval sztem ez az eighties-production igen furán áll Cohennek, és akkor finom voltam. 😆 ezért elveszít egy csillagot, de szövegek meg a hangja van olyan csodálatos, hogy négyesnél rosszabbat képtelen vagyok adni neki.
While his voice is rather unique the songwriting is fantastic. A true Canadian national treasure.
pretty fun, a bit creepy vocals at times but overall good
80/100. I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen is one of his best records, showcasing his signature witty, humorous lyrics and deep, commanding voice. The album balances clever storytelling with a refined, atmospheric sound.
Vor dem Hintergrund von Keyboards und treibenden Rhythmen überblickt Cohen die globale Landschaft mit präzisem, unerschrockenem Blick: Das eröffnende „First We Take Manhattan“ ist eine ominöse Fantasie , gebündelt in kryptische Bilder. „I am Your Man“ ist ein Song, dass die Schroffheit seiner Stimme zur Geltung bringt. Super Album, gerne zum Wiederhören.
felt a little warm and a little melancholy. good shit
This was real chill. Nice.
Great album by Leonard Cohen, side A is basically a stuff of legends. Amazing voice, good music, although slightly too electronic to my taste. Last four songs are a bit of a letdown, but that mostly stems from the super high level of the singles. Well, Leonard Cohen is my man.
He gets better as he ages, good stuff. I know he's been around of ranges. but never a lot of play in US, so all of his stuff is relatively new to me. Good to hear the album that has some of these songs I know
Loved this ain’t no cure for love and tower of song highlights. Bizarrely enjoyable songs in the middle too (jazz police in particular). Would come back
I wasn't sure I'd enjoy a Leonard Cohen album with synths but this was great, love the balance between his deep vocals and the backing vocalists through out
Love Leonard and love this album, monkey and a plywood violin indeed!
Interesting how Cohen could integrate '80s-ass sounds without being embarrassing. Probably because, unlike his contemporaries, he had no expectations of having a hit single. The Weimar songs here help ensure both those things. Good stuff.
buena música
Сказать, что я был удивлен, когда услышал первые же ноты - это ничего не сказать. Но чесслово абсолютно без разницы, если песни хорошие. Соглашусь с тем, что этот кринжовый звук удивительным образом фокусирует на самом Коэне (или отталкивает от самой себя, музыки). Я, вероятно, никогда так близко себя не чувствовал к (в частности его) текстам, как вот с этим альбомом. Лучшая песня - Everybody Knows.
The production style and horniness caught me by surprise. Bleak in an honest, often funny way that I enjoy. It's my favorite Cohen record I've heard so far.
the wise, literate lyrics ,the sly humour - "they don't let a woman kill ya, not in the Tower of Song" - the marvellous melodies, and great arrangements, let down a bit by the very dated 80s synths. Still a great listen
Moody, atmospheric. Kind of like listening to a series of poems read to 80s synth, drum machines, and marimbas. You can put it on as background music, but that's a disservice to the lyricism and the flow of Cohen's voice. Pretty great.
Großer Fan. Everybody knows, bestes Lied.
Un album aussi délicieusement anachronique aujourd'hui qu'il l'était sans doute à l'époque, avec une utilisation minimaliste mais appuyée des synthétiseurs. Cohen embrasse sa voix de conteur et se consacre à ses textes, qui, s'il est impossible d'en dissocier le male gaze, sont rachetés par leurs images crues et limpides.
Knew and respected Leonard Cohen before listening to this album. But something about this album on this day made me fall in love with him. Far Out Magazine's list of his best albums puts this one at #4, so I've been listening to the others, and really enjoying. Days like this are what this project is all about 😁
Listened Before? N Love this guy's stuff. Especially this era. Very 80's and awesome. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: First We Take Manhattan
3/4
Honestly really good, one of my favourites so far from 1001. I liked all the songs.
Rock, Pop, 1988 -> 3-4
Quite the barrel of laughs
Interesting. Deep voice and kind of talk-singing. Vaguely spy sound..? Easy to understand
Stærk åbner. Men hvorfor kom jeg i jule stemning af det her? 😅
Love Leonard's work. Some great songs on here
This is actually pretty pleasant to listen to, it is mostly spoken word over some synthy music.
This was daft, but I found myself enjoying it and it’s a rare one that’ll I’ll probably relisten to
A very good album indeed. A little jazzy, but by no means the worse for it. His voice is pretty unmatched, isn't it. I can only think of maybe Nick Cave who is so instantly recognisable (in a good way).
Very sick album! Did not know how much of a great combo Leonard Cohen and synths would be. So many of these tracks are brooding, sexy, spiritual, and just so damn cool. Best Track: Jazz Police Worst Track: Take This Waltz
Best Song: Jazz Police Worst Song: I Can't Forget
Effortless artistry. Everybody knows. 4
This is probably my favorite of his albums honestly. I'm Your Man is an absolute banger, plenty of other good stuff too.
#40 The voice of this man is perfection, but not this album
It’s a shame the dated production and backing vocals bring the rating down. The lyrics are actually quite lovely.
First listen. Pretty good. Close to five stars.
4/5
Really interesting stuff.
Fav: Jazz Police Least Fav: Tower Of Song The sheer contrast from this to the previous Cohen album I listened to (Songs Of Leonard Cohen) was crazy and I was blown away. Backing vocals were great and I am certainly a Leonard Cohen fan if I wasn’t before. Only issue was a couple of the songs felt meh but not I didn’t hate.
Cohen is an excellent lyricist and creates an interesting stripped down music.
This was so cool. I love Leonard Cohen but I rarely actually listen to him. I guess it's not really casual listening. The opening track was fantastic
i still don't love his voice but I'll be damned if i don't pretty much love everything else here. after all, guys like me are mad for turtle meat
While some of the tracks on this album suffer from the cheap, thin digital sounds on this 1988 production, some of them are actually quirky enough to land in an interesting space unto themselves. What really gets this album across the finish line is Cohen's dependable & formidable songwriting and vocals. This album succeeds best when his booming vocals are rising to the top of a minimal mix. It's that voice, like a hollowed out volcano, that oozes out an inevitable lava flow of ominous realities throughout this album, in the most poetic phrasings you could ask for. There are many timeless songs on this collection, one just can't help but wonder what they'd sound like with instruments not made out of cheap circuitry. The arrangements are sound, but I'd love to hear a reworking that swaps the Casio sound for an old, rich sounding piano, a rhodes, or even an organ. I'm a big fan of synthy music in the 80's but this feels particularly flat. Fortunately these songs are safe in Cohen's organic & oakey timbre.
alte ich check jo gar nüt aber finds easy geil. wa guided by a birthmark? ok we take berlin i guess. background sängerinne suuuper. aint no cure for love isch au huuuere cheesy hobla. aber er het de rede-singe sooo druff. cheesy aber cool. everybody knows isch sehr cohen ich mach jetz sozialkritik aber s het e oud glaub ide instrument und da isch cool. bgvs wieder super, refrain in dur au cool. ok mag de song. uf i'm your man ischer seehr flüsterig underwegs. no cute i guess. aber machtmer chli z wenig. this waltz au recht cool, isch eigentlich es gedicht uf spanisch? cool. jazz police hahaha funny stuff. i cant forget isch huere schön. mag d marimba wo sich durezieht. merci im fade chunt d slide gitarre füre mach vorheeeeer. tower of song isch sehr nice, sehr einlullend. i glaub dasch e vieri herr cohen.
Not to all LC fans' taste it seems, but it's a clear case of when you've got it, you've got it.
I was never not going to enjoy this album, especially as it has a couple of my all-time favourites of his. That said, it loses a star because Jazz Police was laughably awful.
When 'First We Take Manhattan' started, I had to double check to see if I picked the right album. I did pick the right album, and as an opener that song is outstanding. Brilliant stuff Not as good as his last ever album but pretty darn entertaining 4
Call me a creep, but I like it.
Is that a banana in your hand or are you happy about the 5 you're anticipating? Sorry to disappoint, but it's a strong 4 for me.
His voice was odd, but after a while it was relaxing and enjoyable
STANDOUTS: First We Take Manhattan Everybody Knows OVERALL: 3.5/5; my THIRD Leonard Cohen album already...seems a bit much. But the 80s synth juxtaposed with his bass-baritone voice is kind of...nice??
YAY. do you think he liked that banana. omg this came out on cains birthday first we take manhattan- 6 or 7 aint no cure for love- 7 or 8 everybody knows- 6 or 7 im your man- here comes your man. 7 take this waltz- 7 or 8 jazz police- reminds of fabulous from phineas and ferb tbh 8 though i cant forget- 6 tower of song- 6 or 7 favorite track- jazz police
Excellent songs horribly produced
The world is fucked, but at least some people can sing about it humorously, so that's gotta count for something, right?
First We Take Manhattan 3.2 Ain't No Cure for Love 3.1 Everybody Knows 4.4 I'm Your Man 4.4 Take This Waltz 3.4 Jazz Police 3 I Can't Forget 2.8 Tower of Song 4.3 Score: 3.566666667
The production is very dated, even for '88, but against the vocals and lyrics, somehow it works? Almost ironic, I found myself getting absorbed. Give this one a chance and some time.
I’m Your Man is not Lennie Cohen’s best album, like many would say. However, Mr. Cohen is one of the best songwriters out there, so even an album that I wouldn’t necessarily put in the top 3 (or even possibly the top 5) is a great work of art. This album has great synthesizer based tunes, like “Everybody Knows,” the title track, and the explosive opener, as well as some hypnotic slower tracks, namely “Take This Waltz” and “Tower of Song,” the latter of which being my favorite from Len10 altogether. The biggest shortcoming this album has is succumbing to a variety of the musical trends of the time, meaning that that very ‘80s sound doesn’t work completely in every song. “Ain’t No Cure For Love” has a very classic Len Coh framework, but it being doused with synthesizers makes the song a tad less enjoyable for me. Then there’s something like “Jazz Police,” which is a song that has many cool ideas, but falls a little short when it comes to what draws me back to the song. As a whole, like I said, I’m Your Man is a great Lenner record, but I think the more intimate sound of his early records (as well as his last one) suits him better.
Ok but a bit pedestrian Nothing special
Great album. Good voice, good music. Also funny: I can't forget but I don't remember what. I'd write more, but the Jazz Police are coming. Still not danceable, voice register way to low.
Making full use of Cohen’s usual aesthetic, I’m Your Man near-perfects what was showcased in earlier works.
Just yuck on the production -- the synths and drum machines seem like they’re there as jokes, almost positioning LC as a novelty act. Some cuts (e.g., “Jass Police”) have aged quite poorly indeed. Songs (“Everybody Knows” is classic) are of very high quality, and the iffy/gimmicky arrangements and instrumentations can’t quite defeat the voice, the voice, which is as dark and distinctive as ever. It grows on you after a while, and the talent ultimately comes through.
Initially I didn’t think I was going to like 80s synth-pop Cohen, but I was very into it by the end. Simpsons: Yes
this album was a different vibe from the other Cohen stuff i’ve listened to. it was still good though, he seems to be super consistent. you can just get lost in the music
Leonard Cohen was a great songwriter, and that shows on a number of these tracks; "First We Take Manhattan" is fantastic. Unfortunately, the production is a bit much at times and gets in the way of the writing. In addition, "Jazz Police" is just crap.
I was shocked by how much I liked this
Quite liked this. Will look into finding more LC stuff...
I've generally not been a fan of mid period Cohen, prefering the early or very late albums. But I suspect I just haven't given him a chance, especially now I'm out of my total music wanker/poser period in my old age. His lyrics are insightful and acerbicly humourous as always. Yeah, the production is dated but his deeper, more mature voice is coming into its own. He carries *weight* now, an old testament prophet, a battle scared lion.
i dont like cohen as much as i would like but hearing an 80s version of him is really interesting. his debut is still probably my favorite but this was good too. 7/10
Good
Made me want to listen to Je t'aime moi non plu
This is moody in all the best possible ways.
On one hand there are some great Cohen songs on here. But that 80’s production isn’t really working. Still going 3.8 on this. Despite there being Jazz Police.
A classic.
Loved it
Lyrics and subject matter deep, dark and (therefore) fully on brand, characteristically distinctive vocals (nodding toward caricature at time), so great on the level of it being Leonard Cohen, but the production choices are quite questionable. One's not sure the synths and drum machines do much, though they are a stark contrast to the inimitable voice. “I’m Your Man” works well against the borderline cheesy synth line, and cooing backing vocals, louche and Gainsebourge-like. “I Can’t Forget” and “Tower of Song” also work well, thanks to the light touch. “Jazz Police” is very dicey (though the woozy piano solo is sorta cool, if brief) and “First Take Manhattan” only just transcends them. But the formula works surprisingly well elsewhere (most notably on “I’m Your Man” and “Everybody Knows”). This is a brave effort by a major artist to use the tools of the time to update his sound and (one presumes) reach a new audience in a decade that in retrospect seems to be just about the least Leonard Cohen-y ten years that could be imagined. And indeed the gravity ultimately transcends the thin and tinny synths and drum machines to achieve a characteristic sort of majesty.
A really good listen. Great voice and great lyrics.
Unique voice. Wonderful lyrics.
Leonard, buddy, you can do better. The songwriting is still there, but those compositions ain’t it, bruv.
Surprisingly upbeat and catchy, despite the fact that Cohen can’t carry a tune in a bucket.
A solid 80s bop with the sad dad as the frontman. Loved it.
Cohen’s voice is so bizarre matched with some of these tracks. I love it, what a rollercoaster of thoughts.
Deep.
4/5. Finally, a style of music that works for this man. A compliment of large instrumentation and backing vocals finally makes his music listenable and very enjoyable. He implements that deep voice to create a dark ambience despite talking about love and success, but always with a sinister twist. This was a really excellent album with great songwriting without it being boring. They are a few misses but mostly top quality. Best Song: Ain't No Cure For Love, Tower of Song
Ну тут одна из моих любимых песен everybody knows. А еще очень кайфовая jazz police, прям мрачный восторг! Алкоальбом: негрони
Дядюшка Коэн загрустил. И зачернил. И задэнсил. Звучит правда как такая, дискотека для пожилых. Но на стиле.
Big fan of Leonard Cohen
Everybody Knows that I Can’t Forget an album like this one.
Hauntingly beautiful lyrics
4.0. There are 8 songs on the album, 4 are absolute burners, 2 are good, 2 are not particularly good. The synths kind of date the music but the production is very good. And Leonard Cohen is cool
Day73 - i only new 2 leonard cohen songs before this and i wasn’t expecting anything so good and so 80’s
Leonard Cohen could read a phone book and I’d probably be entertained. Just a really cool voice. I liked the synth sound and backup singers, I’ve not listened to this side of his work before so it was odd at first but it really grew on me.
I spent days listening to this album by also checking out everyone's covers. Leonard Cohen's production was in an unfortunate Casio-tone phase for this one. Thankfully, he's still the greatest songwriter in the English language (I will die on that hill) so it's amazing... except for Jazz Police.
Great album. Not a style I’m used to listening to but definitely enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would.
Word hier heerlijk rustig van
Everybody Knows is tops. Take this Waltz, I’m Your Man, First We Take Manhattan, and Tower of Song are also great. And the other songs, well, they are all good, too.
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
The music is okay. Kinda weird in a way that I like but it's the poetry of his lyrics that really get me. Fuck the Jazz Police!
Interesting… I thought “First We Take Manhattan” was an R.E.M. song but it turns out to be a cover of Leonard. Cool! Leonard Cohen is another artist I’ve heard so much about over the years and I’ve felt he’s overhyped. This album is the best I’ve heard from him. The songs are solid and rich, and he sounds like a middle aged French playboy reminiscing over lovers past with a bottle of whiskey and a deep sadness in his heart.
Leonardo Cohen es uno de los cantantes favoritos de emi mujer y hasta que no la conocí no le hacía mucho caso. A partir de empezar a escucharlo he de reconocer que la voz la poesía de sus canciones me gusta aunque no sea la música que más me gusta escuchar. Tres canciones impresionantes
Am I the jazz police if I criticize this album? Anyway, it’s a great Leonard Cohen album despite the dated productions.
Such an amazing song writer. To take that voice which is great but monotone and extremely relaxed and still contain such emotion and pull you in to these stories is a great feat.
Well this is a funny one… His signature tone and poetry are there as ever but what about the production? Is it a bit of a joke? I’m really not sure but it works for me. The silly cheese of the 80s synth somehow elevates the gravity of his gravely voice and the two extremes meet happily in the middle to approach something like catchy “pop” songs.
Sweet - Mellow
I know Leonard Cohen a bit so wasn’t surprised by the fantastic voice and the songwriting. I was surprised by the 80s flavour to the production and instrumentation. Almost go so far as to say cheesy in places but this was an enjoyable listen and I am glad to have given it a couple of goes through. 10/1001
Listened on walk, not too long an album. Smooth voice, nothing too exciting. Enjoyed first song most
Great lyrics. Ok music
What a weird and cool trajectory Leonard Cohen had as a musical artist. Compare this to Songs of Leonard Cohen and you’d never guess you were listening to the same artist. This album has more in common with Nick Cave than Paul Simon. But maybe Cohen is the connective tissue. Lou Reed + Depeche Mode + Tom Waits + Morphine. You might say the synths date the music, but for me it’s what gives it its David Lynch quality (couldn’t you hear the title track in background of an episode of Twin Peaks?) Excellent album. Give me more.
Ok
I really didn't know what was happening in the first couple of tracks. Not at all what I was expecting...nor were they something that I enjoyed. Then things settled down and I found some gold in this album.
This album contains a couple of my favorite Cohen songs (Everybody Knows, Tower of Song) and the one I consider the cringiest (Ain't No Cure for Love). I'm very glad I know more of his music than this album because I give it a lot of side-eye with its eighties sax and back-up singing.
lol the picture of him just eating a banana is funny
I bought this for my mum, so this is an emotional vote.
Everything Bob Dylan wished he could be
Ik vind dit album absoluut hilarisch. Het is een sorot super moody album, heel duister, wat voornamelijk komt door Leonards eigen stem. Maar wat ik dan dus hilarisch vind is dat de beste man niet zingt. Hij draagt het een soort van voor? Ook gewoon hoe hij het voordraagt, het is een soort poëzie die hij voorleest. Leonard word gered naar mijn mening door het koor dat bij sommige nummers meezingt(Everybody knows bijvoorbeeld) Maar het meest hilarische aan dit album is de cover. Hoe iemand erop is gekomen dat Dít de cover meost worden? Geen idee, maar die persoon moetmeteen salaris verhoging krijgen. Zo'n album maken, zo duister en moody qua lyrics en muziek en dan er met een half opgegeten banaan op de cover op staan. BRIL-JANT! Dat draagt voor mij echt bij aan hoe ik dit album vind. Het voelt alsof ik bijna in de zeik word genomen door Leo, dat hij iets weet wat ik niet weet ofzo. Daarnaast vind ik de muziek ook gewoon best wel vermakelijk, het slechte zingen kan ik van hem wel hebben ofzo? Ik weet het niet, maar ik vermaak me prima met dit album! Ok, na Jazz Police zit ik bijna te janken van het lachen. WAT een plaat hahaha FAVO: First we take Manhattan, Everybody knows, Take this waltz
Better songwriter than singer
This is one of my favourite Leonard Cohen albums. I think the 80s pop synths work well in contrast to his gravelly voice and the songs and lessons are so strong.
I didn’t expect to like this but I did. I’m not sure if I can see myself listening to it again, but for now, I’m just lowkey happy I don’t hate Leonard Cohen.
No you are not
4.5 Leonard Cohen, the man, the myth, the god. I do find this particular album, while full of some of his classic iconic songs, has a bit too….commercialized 80s sound to it. Just a bit though. Manhattan, Everybody Knows, Jazz Police, I’m your Man, Tower of Song….Brilliant. Love this man
Dark brooding stormy synths replace the classical guitar on this very 80s sounding album. LC is playing with a much bigger persona, stepping with some swagger out of the confines of his folky singer-songer writer era into a new phase as a disco-goth front man. It's a bit like Depeche Mode. The lyrics - cynical, jaded, lusty - and vocals - deep hoarse crooning - are still the main thing, but the production and arrangements are totally different than his early work. He's drawing on a pretty eclectic sonic pallette: synths and cheesy keys, drum tracks, gospel choirs, lap steel guitar, and even a bit of the old classical guitar for added flair. Favorites: First We Take Manhattan, I Can't Forget, Tower of song
Love a bit of Leonard but I thought the first half of this album was incredibly strong but the second half was a lot weaker.
I love the first side of this album. Cohen is funny beautiful serious rough polished all at once. I love confidence of his voice. The second side is not as engaging for me. I listened to this when it came out and remembered the first song but I appreciate it much more now. Late mid life creativity at its best.
Excellent, not quite up to his other albums, 80's synth is an odd fit which i don't totally hate. 4
So 80s and so Cohen. My favorite part may be the bg vocals. Lovely if more dated than I would have expected
Pretty good but also pretty depressive
"I'm Your Man" by Leonard Cohen is a haunting and introspective album that showcases Cohen's deep and soulful songwriting. Released in 1988, it's a testament to his ability to craft poetic, emotionally resonant songs. Tracks like "First We Take Manhattan" and the title track "I'm Your Man" are standouts for their lyrical depth and Cohen's distinctive, gravelly voice. The album's production features a mix of electronic and acoustic elements, adding a layer of modernity to Cohen's timeless sound.
This one was unexpected. It's Leonard Cohen but with a very typical 80s production that almost clash with his folk rock I'm used to. This album is syntheziser heavy and features prominent backing vocals. At first it was jarring but it grew on me and I liked it. It's a cool album.
It's not his best work, but bad Leonard Cohen is better than most anything
boygenius is RIGHT. This man just writes horny poetry. I have no idea how I feel about this tbh. I think I love it ?
I might be the only person, but I really like 1980's Leonard Cohen so much more than 1960's Leonard Cohen. If this album were to be judged purely on the 80s production alone, it would get an insufficient score for me, but the songs hold up more than well in a different arrangement (live in London), so my final assessment is more about the songwriting and lyrics so is more than good. Only the subpar Jazz Police is out of place here, but otherwise all 7 are wonderful songs, which Cohen throws into the world with a great sense of irony and even cynicism. That lyrical venom in songs like Everybody Knows and First We Take Manhattan always works an extra degree for me to make the man even be more appreciated. The minimal accompaniment to the songs eventually forces you to absorb the lyrics and there is some brilliant ingenuity woven into it. I like it.
This guy is not about the music but the lyrics. His lyrics are amazing the cynical humour on everybody knows a prime example. Every now and then the tunes are ok which make it great. I would happily read a book of his lyrics but probs not listen much. Out of interest Terry Hall did a great cover of everybody knows.
I had a mixtape from my first girlfriend with Everyone Knows on it. I am unable to separate the nostalgia from any subjective appreciation. ####
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Ain’t no cure for love, Everybody knows
Great voice
Never my favorite of Cohen’s, the 80’s treatment doesn’t hold up so well. Would be a pinnacle for most artists, but just another entry from someone already well-represented on this list. 4 stars for great lyrics, but I would not have missed its absence from 1001 to make room.
I like the 80's synth in this first song. Not typically his style.
Honestly enjoyed this partially due to the dated 80s production hopefully will listen to more cohen
Leonard Cohen is one of Canada's greatest poets, and some of his greatest songs are here. But if I have to get critical...yowza, this is clearly a product of the '80s! Still, the songs themselves overpower the more aged elements of the production. I very much enjoyed this listen.
I dug this more than I expected too, especially given the cheesy Casio-tone production. But I don't know. It grew on me. I was familiar with Everybody Knows and Tower of Song but the the other tracks like Jazz Police and I Can't Forget won me over more. Some of these songs, like the weirder ones on that Specials album from the last week, were simply unclassifiable. That's mean feat. Maybe a 4 is too much, (though the lyrics are definitely at least a 4) but I kinda dug the groove on this. Every track isn't great. The first two didn't really work for me. (The background singers kind of annoyed me on those.) But when it works, it works and sounds unlike anything else. So, kudos. You got me to like something from the '80s.
Tälle on minussa jokin heikko kohta. Jotenkin tää tyyli sopii Cohenille tosi hyvin.
Really liked some songs
Mr. Cohen's very deep voice is so unique and it goes very well with the female singer who is in a few of the songs. It also sounds amazing with some of the electronic/synthesizer instruments that are in the album
Lovely voice, smooth and rough at the same time
Was not familiar with this album. The uptempo beats combined with Cohens timbre create an amazing eery distopian vibe. I'm ready to take Berlin.
While this is not my favorite LC album, it's still a great album.
Album 54 of 1001 Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man Favorite Track : I Can't Forget Rating : 4 / 5 (Rounded Up) He baffles me. First instinct is to say "Who is this guy and why is the creator of this album list continually pushing him?" Then I listen. Dude is an enigma to me. I always enjoy listening to him but not to the point of saying "this is for me". This offers much more instrumentation than earlier albums He is a wonderful lyricist and has a very unique voice. He does have my attention. I'll be hearing more from him and will work it out later.
He has a nice voice. I added three songs to my playlist. Didn’t think I’d like his music that much but this is my first 4/5.
A flawed masterpiece. It has taken me decades to warm up to this album musically. They lyrics kept me coming back and somewhere along they way I found myself enjoying it.
This is more my speed. Liked First We Take Manhattan and Jazz Police. Everybody Knows is great as always.
Chill
To my knowledge, the only Leonard Cohen song I know is Hallelujah (I challenge you to find someone that doesn’t know that song). I’m assuming this album will be of a similar sound, but who knows. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: First We Take Manhattan, I’m Your Man Ten seconds into track one, I was already surprised. The album kicks off with synth reminiscent of Depeche Mode, which I certainly wasn’t expecting, but definitely enjoyed. I’m Your Man was a slower, more piano driven song and Leonard’s voice sounded fantastic. The gravelly baritone had me hypnotised, and I loved it. The rest of the album was interesting, but no other songs really stood out for me. Overall, quite different to Hallelujah, and I’m glad to have heard it.
Entiendo la importancia de este álbum, qué loco que pudiera sonar a pop pero no ser, tener a pesar de su ritmo algo payasesco una impronta digna.
Interesting listen, definitely a different sound than I've ever heard from Leonard Cohen. I'll probably give it a re-listen at some point, there are a lot of details, like the background singes, that I really like.
great record.
Cohen is wonderful . . . but this album is a little too 80s.
Þessi var mikið spiluð í kringum mig á sínum tíma (þessar eldri systur maður...), svo hún er svona quasinostalgísk. Soundið er svo er afgerandi síðníunda tugar að manni finnst það varla passa við Cohen á köflum. En lögin eru ansi góð, og ef maður sættir sig við mixið má hafa mjög gaman af þessu.
Great deep soothing voice. Enjoyed the majority of the album especially the first stint of 4 songs or so. Jazz Police was really bad though. Looking forward to listening to more of his work
bello
Excellent tracks, a few of which I recognised used in various media over the years. I had low expectations for this album but it's his voice that really does it for me.
The amount of synths on this one always bothered me but, man, there are some classics here.
Did Leonard Cohen lose a bet? I'm glad he did.
There are some songs I really love, despite the whole album being essentially spoken word poetry overlaid with a late 80s film soundtrack. No album with Jazz Police on it can ever be give 5 stars. A truly horrendous song.
Enjoyed it alot.
Interesting album with great writing
My only experience with Mr. Cohen is my dad's Songs of Leonard Cohen CD that has been riding with me in basically every car I've ever driven. So you can only imagine my surprise when "First We Take Manhattan" started. At first I was thinking, ehhhh I don't know about this one. I thought I missed something. I read all of these snippets of praise and I was thinking to myself "how?" And then it clicked. I don't know when it happened exactly but I realized that this flavor of Leonard was friendly and approachable. A little tongue-in-cheek. Not too serious but still sees the glass half empty. A guy who I can wholeheartedly identify with. Someone somewhere said that this album was one of the first Cohen albums you could listen to "during the day" but, see, I listened to this at night and really felt it was the perfect accompaniment to the after-hours. This was such a weird experience for me but I ended up feeling so comfortable basking in the strange backdrop Cohen's voice sang along with. Will definitely listen again. 4/5
I’m no expert in Leonard Cohen’s music and am only familiar with a handful of his songs and two of his albums—Songs Of and Death of a Ladies Man. None of that could have prepared me for this. Like, I knew he could get weird. But this is really weird. It’s like…Huey Lewis and the News meets Tom Waits?? But no not Huey, because this is dark as hell. It doesn’t have to be though, much of the actual music is upbeat, technically, but listen to it twice and you have no choice but to hear a middle-aged artist working from the absolute depths of mortality and depression. Looking for life there, purpose, anything. I appreciate greatly just how weird this gets, like “First We Take Manhattan” and “Jazz Police,” and how he’s eating a banana on the cover, but I can’t say I always enjoy it, again “Jazz Police” which reminds me of something Negativland might have pressed. I appreciate greatly just how intimate Leonard Cohen is in his darkest hour. His songwriting feels extraordinarily powerful, heartfelt, funny, and even…hopeful; eg, the marching, fading coda of “Everybody Knows.” Some songs I truly liked immediately: “Ain’t No Cure for Love” and “I Can’t Forget.” Others, I had to let grow on me, to read the lyrics, and supplement my listening with some research. On surface level, this album reminds me of Neil Young’s Trans; an established, critically-appraised artist venturing out into the contemporary future in search of new sound. But, thematically, lyrically, there is so much more at stake on this album. Everything perhaps. It’s miraculous and a gift that I will treasure. Probably should be a 5.
I want to love Leonard Cohen. His lyrics are inspired, his poetry amazing, but his music has never captured me outside of Hallelujah. I'm hoping this album can enchant me. It was decent! It did not blow me away like I would have liked. I'm teetering between three and four stars.
Nothing with production *this* 1980s should be this good. And yet, this has First We Take Manhattan, I'm Your Man and Jazz Police. It's all up there. Leonard Cohen almost sounds like he's having fun here, which is a mode I actually enjoy!
Always thought it was odd that Leonard Cohen went in this electro, synth-based direction, but this album is executed phenomenally. Cohen’s baritone voice is full and rich. He’s even more of the drab, monotone singer he started as, but somehow he’s taken that approach far beyond what I thought would be possible. Excellent.
Sexy as fuck
Sensational album. Its biggest issue for me is that it has a great rise, hitting the climax with Take this Waltz, only to come crashing down with Jazz Police (by far the weakest song in the album, and one I wouldn't care to listen to again). Overall, a hand full of these songs have been added to my library, and I will be listening to more stuff by Leonard Cohen.
This guy's really growing on my. Voice sounds like mud, in a good way. Great poetic story telling lyrics. Simple at times, but quality
His voice takes some time to get used to, had to relisten to the first half of the album because of it. I like how smooth it is
The voice and lyrics overcome allot, but not all of the shitty 80s production. I need to check out more of Cohen's stuff it seems and will round up for this one.
My first Leonard Cohen album. Bought it because I went and saw Pump up the Volume and wanted the Everybody Knows track... Then heard First We Take Manhattan, I'm Your Man, Take This Waltz... And so then I loaded up on early Leonard Cohen...and have to be honest despite hearing this album first much prefer his older stuff but there are great tracks and memories for me here.
Very good, better than I was expecting, hadn't heard this album before. Could see me rating it higher given a few more listens
semmonen...iskelmäesque,.. 80 luku twistillä.. MIKSI VITUSSA 3.14 porukka ei tiedä musiikista.. ei ymmärrä mitään.... oottakaa muutama vuosiKYMMEN.. alatte tajuu hiljalleen nyt ette tajuu. abbey road tulee alas luota siihen, siihen voit luottaa kun kokemusta tulee vyön alle heh voit olla varma, voi olla vähän muuttunut asenne silloin... singer songwriter genre... huhhuh... ok pari pätkää lopusta vähän paskoja everybody knows
Of the Leonard Cohen songs I've heard, I liked these very much. His voice & style reminded me of Serge Gainsborough at points, and I liked the use of synthesizers/key boards. I'll definitely revisit this.
Best track(s): First we take Manhattan. Actually loved this album! He has a very deep voice and he uses it well. Lots of variation in between the songs (at least in rhythm). Sometimes funny and/or clever lyrics. Perfect for dark evenings, perhaps less so for the summer. I would probably listen to this again.
one of the greatest voices of all time shows up full force on this one. an 80s gem.
The 80s production and backing vocals really suit his style. Really got into it.
This album brings back so many memories of my Dad. I know it backwards. The first 4 songs are masterpieces. Cohen is an amazing poet. Just didn't quite make the 5-star for me though.
4.5. Just shy of perfection for the amazing Mr. Cohen. I'm a huge fan.
This one was fun, the instrumentation makes this album more varied than other Cohen albums. The cheap synths and backing vocals really make the songs shine more at points than the usual plain acoustic guitar. It is really cheesy and feels dated, but not in a bad way. The album is mainly cool fun and goes by like an 80's action pop corn flick. For some reason, some songs sounded a bit like David Berman's songs in Purple Mountains. First we take Manhattan is an awesome opener and the title track is a classic. Jazz police is AWFUL though. Fun. 7,8/10
Playoff Lenny (Cohen)
His voice takes a bit of getting used to, but once you do it just flows like musical poetry.
I enjoy the apparent musical contradiction of Cohen plus synth. Beware the Jazz Police!
His unique storytelling and vocals remain on top, but with a contemporary, refined and fuller sound. I enjoy all his albums, as they are all like reading classic novels.
I think Leonard cohens early stuff is the only era I don’t like. This album was cohen evolving into the 80s really well and was nice to listen to. No songs really were memorable though, maybe on another listen
This album was pretty weird. I can’t say I loved every track, the backup vocals and synth was a bit too much at times but even the ones I didn’t really like at least kept me entertained or interested. Listened to this one twice today, didn’t expect such heavy 80’s vibes. Kinda had me thinking of Dan Bejar/Destroyer with the witty odd lyrics. Everybody Knows was my favourite song and Jazz Police was the weirdest but fun. The cover is also hilarious. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4
I have heard a lot of about half this album, as when my family gets together the playlist is often a bunch of the same albums on shuffle. This brings me nostalgia, much like “Buena Vista Social Club”, “Graceland” + the Beatles’ “1967-1970” compilation are all ingredients in a big, nostalgic soup. So maybe I was conditioned to like this, though it may not be quite as good as Cohen’s “Songs” from ‘67. “Take this Waltz” is an example of some dated synth strings, but it’s still in my top 5 Cohen songs. And “Jazz Police” is delightfully weird & unfamiliar to me, considering how much I’ve listened to “Manhattan”. HL: “First We Take Manhattan”, “Take This Waltz”, “Everybody Knows”, “Jazz Police” November 30, 2022
grande leonardo
7/10 sometimes creepy, and sometimes the 80s sounds were a bit much, but overall i really enjoyed the atmosphere that this album had.
8/10. I listened to this one before it came up on the list, and on a second listen I think I like it a bit more. I still think that it's a bit over-wrought, and would have been better without some of the backup vocals etc, but I still really like a couple of these songs, which manage to sound good despite the cheesiness of the affair. Everybody Knows and Take This Waltz are probably my favorites from this album, but Jazz Police fits the awkward style better.
Þessi er klassík. Þægileg róandi rödd. Skemmtilega 80s raddanir í viðlögum sums staðar. Poppljóð.
actually found it rlly interesting! liked tower of song, everybody knows and take this waltz. jazz police just made me laugh. his voice is rlly cool & lyrics are good, kinda used to his weirdness bc of my dad. :D
A great Cohen album. Very poetic.
The fourth Leonard Cohen album we've had. I'm always a bit back and forth on his work and find my level of appreciation wavering and influenced by current mood. As a songwriter, I think he's absolutely fantastic. For instance, from this album, I really love Joe Cocker's cover version of First We Take Manhatten and also appreciate Don Henley's cover version of Everybody Knows quite a bit. I'm a lot less certain regarding my feelings on Cohen's own performance of his songs. They often sound like deliberately flatly performed Disney movie songs. 3.5 stars rounded up.
I've listened to this album before, I think when I was going through a 'I should listen to more Leonard Cohen' phase. The album is VERY 80s. But somehow manages to avoid being cheesy. Best song: Everybody knows
I've never heard Leonard Cohen like this before. What a groover.
I’m torn, idk if jazz police should get the album 5 stars or 1
Nice deal voice, dark and spooky, got a few love songs i could send you girls
Rock suave de Cohen. Un 4.
He’s such a cool guy
Better than I'd expected
Cool as it gets. Cover art: 3/5
He really makes the 80's synth thing work for him. His voice is so commanding, it demands that you take it seriously regardless what he's saying or what's happening around it.
One of my favourite Cohen albums (but not his best by any measure). I find the more sophisticated production far superior to his earlier kumbaya albums, even if it’s overtly eighties sounding and the world has moved on since (and we’re better for that). Several really good tracks here!
Fine record from Leonard Cohen. Probably my favourite of his that I've heard so far.
Didn’t know Leonard Cohen like this existed. Pretty cool. This is how you adapt to a new era of sound while still maintaining what makes you great
Fourth Leonard. At this point I just assume all of them are on here. My favorite one by FAR. Like a skeleton singing you love songs.
Really have to listen to the lyrics. Type of album to impress a date with. His voice is something else.
The casual coolness of an absolute badass posing on his album cover with a half eaten banana perfectly exemplifies what this album is all about: it's a bold new Cohen for a bold new world, it's the juxtaposition of his poetic songwriting with his synth heavy 80's sound. He gives no fucks, takes no shit, and does what he wants. Then he takes Berlin! Everyone went a little synth crazy in the 80's... you were contractually obligated to try it. But you know, we salute a Canadian icon, always. Do your cool different thing with the 80's cheese factor dialled up past 11, it's all good. If you wanted Tom Waits and The The rolled up into a dang tortilla this is a close enough approximation of what you'd get.
Kinda lit...
4.5
Sequencia certeira das composições.
Blijft me fascineren die Leonard. Ditmaal een iets vrolijkere kant van hem.
I expect a lot of people don't like 80s synth Cohen but I actually think it gives his music a bit more identity beyond his voice. Some of his best lyrics on this album
Never heard of him, but seeing a dapper guy eating a banana at a warehouse is always a great first impression. Actually really like this. Enjoyed the vocals, the slight 80s cheesiness was endearing (I love stupid songs. "Jazz Police" was great). My favorite song though was probably "First We Take Manhattan" - sounded like a Bond villain speech and I'm always a sucker for that kind of evil sound.
Smooth, always
Backing music hasn’t aged well, but brilliance comes through
I came into this project already a big Leonard Cohen fan, so it was nice to see him being recognized with several albums. This album is right up there with the others. First We Take Manhattan is a great song that many already know, or recognize. It makes a great introduction to an amazing album. Standouts: First We Take Manhattan, The Tower Song, I'm Your Man, Take This Waltz, Everybody Knows 4.5/5
Very different from his early work. I wasn't expecting this sound at all. I kinda like it more, actually.
wow, a good album from leonard... I gotta say, im impressed
Don't let the peeled banana fool you, this is a divine collection of songs that do not guarantee spoiling upon neglect. Leonard works surprisingly well with the synth sounds, rather bending it to his will as opposed to the other way around. Is he our man? With this album, he sure is. Favorites: First We Take Manhattan, Ain't No Cure for Love, Everybody Knows, Jazz Police, Tower of Song.
Me gustó más de lo que esperaba. Sólo conocía Everybody Knows así que el resto fue sorpresa. Muy ochentero por el uso de los sintetizadores y el tipo de coros, pero sin llegar al pop tipo Our House (in the Middle of the Street). Letras medio crípticas, que siempre le caracterizan. 3.5 que sube.
I really enjoyed this album. Fantastic lyrics, and I don't understand the criticisms of his voice and delivery which are perfect. I also think the production adds an interesting layer as well.
It was good
C'est journée chill aujourd'hui.
mon chien n'a pas aimé du tout
Randomly had 2 Leonard records in a row! What are the chances of that! This one from the end period of his first career, (Before his manager nicked all his money!) This is a bit like Leonards "Highway 61 Revisited" His (over)use of synths on this was a shock to some. A great album with some classic Cohen Tracks "First We Take Manhattan" "Everybody Knows" "I'm Your Man" and the wry, humourous "Tower Of Song" (I was born with the Gift Of A Golden Voice!) Love this album and some of the classics on it, my second favourite LC album after "Death Of A Ladies Man". Rightfully on this list and in my collection.
A voz abençoada de Cohen! Ótimo álbum! Melhores músicas: I'm your man e Ain't no cure for love.
kind of strange 80s sound. Cool. Everybody knows.
I'm not fully sure why we are taking Manhattan or Berlin but I'm pumped to do it! "Everybody Knows" is an all time great track. "Take this Waltz" is a beautiful song. "Jazz Police" however is a terrible track in the midst of beauty. Ironically I first found this album through a video of the worst songs on great albums (shoutout to Alfo Media). The album recovers in the last two songs though. As a big fan of folk I know and love a lot of Cohen's early work. I do forget just how good Cohen's mid career was. Some of the songs are a little long and "Jazz Police" is what it is. I would give it a 4.5/5.
Six times Platinum in Norway! I have fond memories of “Manhattan” from the winter of 88. I was in France and it was being played all day long in the cafes and bars. There are some great songs here, like “Everybody Knows” & “Tower of Song”. There are also some borderline-muzak stinkers, but as always, the lyrics save the day. He's still relevant 25 years after his first release. I usually think that back-up vocalists are a great addition, especially if the lead singer is as flat-line as LC, but here they could have been used more discreetly, like on “Songs of Love & Hate”.
Solid album, really enjoyed the singer songwriter aspect of the album. However the musical aspect seemed a bit of an odd choice to me and prevents the album being a 5 star for me at least. "First We Take Manhattan" probably my favourite song, but all songs were enjoyable.
Eu esperava algo completamente diferente pela capa. O veio é bao, gostei
Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Was hooked right from the start when Cohen intoned "first we take Manhattan.....then we take Berlin". I really didn't expect this to feature synths at all, let alone have them as prominent as they are.
This is the polar opposite of the cheesy crooner I'd (very wrongly) imagined Leonard Cohen to be. Dark, brooding, enigmatic music which is often synth-led. Dark, interesting, menacing and sad lyrics, all sung in a distinctive baritone voice. An interesting and emotive album. 4/5
Band: Let's score this like an upbeat '80s film! Leonard: Here's some lyrics about the AIDS crisis.
Solid album!
Middle-period Cohen: masterful songcraft dressed in the tackiest 80s production. I can see why it took a Jeff Buckley to get Hallelujah the credit it deserves. But you know what, I'm charmed. It adds a (deliberate?) layer of absurd humour to the whole thing. And anyway, there are a handful of 24-carat classics on this album (Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Tower of Song etc). Leonard you horny devil, you've done it again.