Reviews (page 6 of 9)
I get Cohen’s appeal to many, mainly as a poet/ lyricist. But I just cannot listen to his music.
Kind of mixed. I don't think i'd listen to this again.
I like Leonard Cohen, but always find an entire album to be a bit challenging. His voice is .... unique. The music is sparse and not very interesting, but the lyrics are killer.
.
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.
Damn this is tough. What do you call something that you both love and hate in equal amounts? This works and bombs at the same time. Intentionally ridiculous.
Basically spoken word poetry over some typical 80s pieces of music. They don't really go together. I don't deny Leonard Cohen's writing skill, but there is a bit of a clash between his vocals and the music that just doesn't make sense. I enjoyed the saxophone at the start of Ain't No Cure for Love though.
meh
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.
Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 🍌😎🤵🏻 Mix (2013 Remaster): 🎧😐🆗 Musik: 😮💨🥱😒 Wertung: 🍌(🍌)/5
😴
I need to call electrician for this unnecessary electro
Cohen is an excellent lyricist and creates an interesting stripped down music.
Cohens absolut bästa album.
An enjoyable listen but not my favourite Leonard Cohen album I have to say. Glad I heard it though. Maybe I needed to listen more deeply...
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
Whats the obsession on this list with singers who can't sing???? who enjoys this? honestly this was awful. WHY IS THIS ON THIS LIST????
A couple of good songs.
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
Alku vähän outoa kasari synapoppia, mutta loppua päin parani, paitsi Jazz Police vei takaisin sinne synapoppiin. Näissä kappaleissa laulu jostain syystä tosi heikkoa. Muissa ihan siedettävää. Vähän Nick Cave tulee mieleen. Parhaat: Take This Waltz
Nice album
Getting more of Cohen's discography I see. I got his very last album just a few weeks ago, so it's nice to be able to hear something from Cohen's prime to get a better idea of what he brought to music. With only two Cohen albums under my belt, it's clear that he used his signature, low vocal delivery the best way he could; creating a sense of gloominess without being totally serious. "Everybody Knows" is probably the best example of my aforementioned point. Instrumentally, the album is a bit here and there (i.e. "Jazz Police"), but that doesn't negate the poetic chops that Cohen displays brilliantly here.
First line in the album sums up my thoughts about seeing another Leonard Cohen album appear: "They sentenced me to 20 years of boredom"
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.
bin sehr gspannt, s erste album vo ihm wommer gha hend het mier ja recht gfalle. ouh oke tönt ganz andersch als ich denkt han hahaha cool mitem synthi undem backgroundgsang, au wenner immernanig chan singe aber das isch au sekundär hahah ain't no cure for love kinda cute, aber jz nüt unglaublichs hmm finds jz nöd unglaublich, au de title track isch so ja no spannend aber würkli nöd meh take this waltz hani na gern will ich eifach us irgeme grund walzer amigs gern han hahaha ich find en walzer tut amigs guet es album ufbreche miteme eifache drü viertel jazzpolice easy funny ich chegg iwie nöd ganz, wie das album ja en rechte erfolg gsi isch? POAH RIESE KLAVIER I can't forget isch sehr herzig, bis jz s beste okay tower of song findi au sehr herzig ja es isch recht inoffensive, zwar find ich die erngetischere, synthi-dominierte lieder spannend für sich, aber mier hend jz die langsame, "eifachere" lieder (wie tower of song und I can't forget) besser gfalle. DREI
I am laughing and how hilariously bad Leonard Cohen is.
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
first track really good but other ones really robotic...
2-3
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
I like the production more than others, but it's very front loaded (the opening half is as strong as anything in Cohen's catalogue). Tower of Song is a great closer too.
They sentenced me to 41 minutes of boredom.
wow. i mean good for him but it’s corny af
No nearly as enjoyable as the other Leonard Cohen album I heard from this list.
Leonard Cohen is an artist who has a surprising amount of placements on the list, but hasn’t popped up for me yet. I know vaguely of his music. And of course I’ve heard Hallelujah before. That song still doesn’t do much for me though. Either way, Leonard was still one of the most storied and respected figures in contemporary folk and pop history. He began his artistic endeavors as a poet, and that aspect of his life definitely transferred over into the music. His lyrics often have a strange and poetic feeling to them. Although he started in folk, his last album before the 80s ended fully delved into a far more synthesized sound. And I mean fully. It’s about as late 80s as you can get. And personally I think it’s the last context Leonard’s voice should be heard in. It feels so off. There is something strangely off-putting and jarring about hearing such a deep voice over music that is generally accompanied by the exact opposite. And the addition of those backing vocalists makes this juxtaposition even more glaring. Cohen’s voice and striking lyricism are by far the biggest highlight here. It’s unfortunate that what he chose to sing over is pretty cringeworthy. Because I can see how much better he would fit on proper folk or pop music. But you know what? Some of these songs are actually not horrible. Like cringe in a somewhat tolerable way. But this bounces back and forth between actually using the synth style well and just jumping the shark completely. This doesn’t put me off to his music. I’m not going to go into the next record ready for disappointment. Because I know this isn’t his best, and it’s probably only up from here on out. Rating: 5/10
Favourite Song: First We Take Manhattan
There's some okay stuff on here, but I can't stand anything that screams EIGHTIES like this. I want to like Leonard Cohen, but — like Tom Waits — the more I listen the less I want to hear.
Superb
Låter jätte "eighties" men tycker det är ett mysigt album. Take this waltz och ain't no cure for love är klara highlights
Love the songs - and the cover picture 😃
Naihurmuri lauluntekijä soundi kuitenkin vituttaa (heh referenssi albumiin kaksi viisi seitsemän)
man...mad respect for Leonard, but this ain't it
A journey through a world where everyone's secrets are out in the open and love is a transaction. The title track, with its smarmy charm, sets the tone for an album that revels in its own cynicism. Cohen, ever the poet of the smoke filled, dimly lit bar, delivers lines like "If you want a lover, I'll do anything you ask me to" with a voice that suggests he's both offering and mocking the deal. The album's standout, "Everybody Knows", is a jaded anthem for the end of the world. Cohen's gravelly voice, accompanied by a somber piano and ominous synthesizer, paints a bleak picture of a world where corruption, addiction, and disease are commonplace. But hey, at least the song is catchy! If you're looking for an album that will confirm your suspicions that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, look no further
Amazing vocals, and super buttery instrumentals but not really something I'd come back too
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??
hate the production
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
Well, that was one of the weirdest albums I’ve gotten so far. I was not prepared for this album when I saw Leonard Cohen. I was thinking it was going to be similar to “Hallelujah” — admittedly the only song I know by him. Instead, the opening track is like some uber-villain theme song I’d expect from Scar from the Lion King or Brain from Animaniacs. This album is peak 80s. So many synths, so much cheese, so melodramatic. Cohen’s deep bass sing-talking takes some getting used to. I’m still not sure how I feel about it. The backing vocals on songs like “Ain’t No Cure for Love” are nice (but also very 80s). The bouzouki on “Everybody Knows” was an interesting twist. The first three tracks aren’t terrible, but I feel like it gets progressively cheesier and more ridiculous after that. And too many of the songs overstay their welcome, clocking in at nearly 6 minutes. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek or if he's serious. Ultimately I couldn’t wait for it to end. 2/5
56
It’s like Leonard Cohen, doing kareoke versions of his own songs
The world is fucked, but at least some people can sing about it humorously, so that's gotta count for something, right?
Having never heard this album before, my first thought was “Wow, a Leonard Cohen synthpop album? That’s so fucking cool.” But then I got to “Everybody Knows” and instead thought “Ok, this is way too on the nose for fucking Leonard Cohen right?” and then I did something I almost never do and checked the global reviews for this album and saw someone insinuate “Everybody Knows” is about AIDS and I’m still so fucking mad about that that I’m pulling off my copy of the pop literary analysis book How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster off my shelf; in that book, Foster makes an interesting comparison between tuberculosis-as-metaphor in Victorian literature and AIDS in contemporary literature as diseases loaded with symbolic potential (to be clear: he is not being as pithy as that summary makes it out to be). At the risk of being overly simplistic (and I know I am) and overly prescriptive (and I know I am), Leonard Cohen would be smarter than to write that sad sack of a fucking song about AIDS, nor does it have any remote metaphorical or symbolic significance to say anything interesting about AIDS in the first place, and to be clear, it is not saying anything about AIDS at all. Oh, right, sorry, I have to review the rest of this album! I wasn't honestly thrilled with it, except for “First We Take Manhattan”, which is so fucking good.
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
Pretty bad.
I really really like a couple of Leonard Cohen albums. This is not one of those. It's not new to call him a great poet with shit music, but it bears repeating.
Awful. Just awful.
He's past his prime at this point. Pretty bad. Sounds exactly like somebody trying to hard to be good again.
fuck I can't listen to this shit. it's like very boring + very unpleasant voice which seems to be like in a some strange porno or smth
Guess I'm just not a Leonard Cohen guy. Bleh this album
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
More fleshed out musically than his early stuff, but some of the arrangements are a little overdone. Amazing lyrical imagery as always.
Still one of the best writers. What a great album
I sort of knew what to expect. I sort of got it. The full 80s-ness was a bit of a surprise, but Cohens lyric delivery certainly wasn't. I sort of enjoyed it. But that depended on how much I listened to it. I really like the idea of a Jazz Police.
não fechei com essa versão sintetizadores do cohen. parece que estou ouvindo um disco cover do aha
This album is a masterpiece.... Then there's Jazz Police.
Honnêtement pas si mal, plutôt sombre et lent mais c'est jamais vraiment plate
Toller Einsatz seiner Stimme. Texte so lala.
Jennifer Warnes version of First We Take Manhattan is the superior one (aided by Stevie Ray Vaughn's guitar). There's something jarring about the backing singers' voices contrasted with Cohen's. It doesn't really work IMO. Having said that, some good songwriting here and I enjoyed a fair bit of it.
Oh dear. Great lyrics and songwriting drowned in 80s production. I really wish somebody did a reworking of this album. Jo Cocker did a cover of First we take Manhattan which isn't going easy on the adult contemporary production, but it still stands so tall above Cohen's original in that regard, it's not even funny. And the whole album is like that, and First we take Manhattan isn't even the worst offender (that title goes to Jazz Police). I thoroughly enjoy Cohen's last four albums, but this is such a hard pass for me... So... Dear estate of Leonard Cohen, can we have a more timeless rework, please? Because there are some good songs here, buried beneath all that shitty production.
This was a weird vibe
Fucking bad. I see many reviews praising the lyricism, but I don’t get it. A lot of the lyrics are creepy. I don’t want to hear an old man growling lustfully about naked women over shitty 80s synth. The silver lining is: I’m only 6 months in, and I’ve already suffered through 3/4 Leonard Cohen albums on this list. I got them out of the way.
Such thoughtful words and music
Everybody knows I used to be a poet Everybody knows I have a gift for words Everybody knows my songs are inconsistent Ah, that some of them will be turds Everybody knows I've got no choice Everybody knows I've got limited range So I sing real low Everybody knows. Everybody knows I'm from North of the border Everybody knows I've got backup singers Everybody knows I'm a real bummer Ah, the haunting chords still linger Everybody knows there's a hit here somewhere If I can just decide where it goes Everybody knows.
Wow, I like Cohen's Best Of from the late 70's, but this 80's stuff is crap.
I've never listened to Leonard Cohen before, although apparently I have heard many covers of his songs. Didn't expect to like the album but between the deep crooner voice, lyrics that made you go "wait, what?", the cheesy 80s sounds and background singers that didn't quite fit the vibes, it was fun weird listen. Tower of Song, Take This Waltz made for a better rating. 3.5 stars
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.
No idea what I just listened to. It wasn't horrible...just bizarre. If you told me it was some sort of joke, I'd believe it. His voice sounds like a cross between Neil Diamond and Tom Jones.
Imma be real, I hated this. Sounded very 80s (derogatory)
I originally thought I wasn’t going to like this, his voice got so deep and took on an almost creep tonality. However the further in I got, the more comforting his voice came across.
Making full use of Cohen’s usual aesthetic, I’m Your Man near-perfects what was showcased in earlier works.
2.5
Leonard Cohen has some great tracks, but not on this album. I love the 80s, but I found this too much.
I thought maybe I'd like this, but I didn't (except for 'I'm your man' which I have a bit of a soft spot for!) Smooth vocals, a few nice lyrics - then completely destroyed by epically awful synths, backing vocals and drum machines.
Thoughts before listening: There sure is a lot of Leonard Cohen on this list. I just can't get into his music, but I guess I'll keep trying. Review: I hated this on first listen. Leonard Cohen with weird 80s synths? Sounded terrible. But you know what, something hit for me and I started liking this more. I ended up listening through 2 or 3 times. Its definitely an interesting album. 3-stars
Tower of Song //
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.
2.5/5. Meh, kind of a vibe but mostly boring. Didn't have a bad time listening to this, though.
No. 199/1001 First We Take Manhattan 2/5 Aint No Cure For Love 3/5 Everybody Knows 2/5 I'm Your Man 2/5 Take This Waltz 3/5 Jazz Police 2/5 I Can't Forget 3/5 Tower of Song 2/5 Average: 2,38 My least favorite Leonard Cohen so far. Didn't really like the musical arrangements here.
Really liked First We Take Manhattan, but the rest of the album is nowhere near as good
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
Boring, not to my taste at all.
You are not my man at all Leonard, because you are too depressing even for someone who loves to mope about.
The wiki notes for I'm Your Man say "the album marked Cohen's further move to a more modern sound, with many songs having a synthesizer-oriented production" and, while that's true, God it's cheesy. It's awfully 80s for late 80s, it's like a kid discovering all the possibilities and throwing them into all the songs, and it's only really his voice and some other small details that make this slightly listenable, like most of the songs do hold a tune and keep your attention. It's not good though, it's a 2.
Not sure why this is on the list really, feels like Cohen trying to ride a wave that he really doesn't belong on. First We Take Manhattan is quite a fun song, but really doesn't suit his voice, the rest is at best okay with a few wanderings into dreadful (Jazz Police in particular). 2/5.
Is he an amazing poet? The lyrics on this made me chuckle in a couple of places, but generally this sounds like an old guy who is being indulged in order to make a bit of cash. The backing music is just ridiculous. This album deserves a 1 just for the gratuitous use of corny plastic sounding slap bass. Not quite though, it's unique and charming enough for a 2. Just.
Weird sappy Folk.
No
Now I don't like Leonard Cohen. But I can appreciate the man is a talented poet. And whoever decided it was a good idea to butcher his words with an 80s synth album doesn't deserve to work in the music industry. Good god this is an insulting album to everyone involved.
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.
This is just 80s slam poetry.
I was shocked by how much I liked this
Quite liked this. Will look into finding more LC stuff...
That's not my taste in musik. Some nice Songs.
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.
He has the sort of gravelly voice you actually don't want to listen to and his love songs are not very romantic. We struggled with this one. This is what people who don't listen to Radiohead, think Radiohead is like.
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
it’s ight 5/10 i can’t get behind his voice
This was strange and I really did not enjoy it. For me, Leonard Cohen's deep voice is not well suited for upbeat 80s production values. The songs were ok for the most part, but I just could not get past the sound. I won't come back to this one.
A few decent songs but Jesus Christ
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.
Made me want to listen to Je t'aime moi non plu
Wow what a voice, what an experience. I love the baritone and sultry vibes of this record. I love how his voice is buttressed by the soft backing vocals. -1 star for the synth use. Don't care for that sound, even if it was edgy for the times.
And I thought I liked Leonard Cohen... It genuinely sounds like a parody of 80s production, like I'm stuck inside a cruise ship bar for lonely middle-aged men on karaoke night. The loneliest and oldest man, whose wife disappeared in mysterious circumstances, now earns a living mumbling words while demoing the worlds first MIDI keyboard. Up until 'Jazz Police' I would have argued it's just extremely dated production. But I now insist this entire album was an elaborate troll and somehow 80s audiences unironically ate it up. It's the only logical explanation. The literal opposite of polishing a turd.
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.
bit twee for me
This works and bombs at the same time.
Not my thing really.
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)
boring album to be honest, isn’t something i’d usually listen to and i just wasn’t interested
good dstuff
Leonard Cohen is another artist that always thought I should get into but never seemed to have the time. From reviews and what people told me his music might fit into the dark and moody music which I seem to collect. I have listened occasionally and whilst his lyrics fit into the dark and mournful criteria I didn’t always care for his voice and his vocal delivery. I did actually buy (or rather acquire cheap at charity shop) the live album of his Isle of Wight appearance which apparently was quite special. I’ve yet to listen to that in full but because this one appeared on my list I did dutifully listen in full. Like others have said I think he has overblown the synths on this album. He ain’t no Depeche Mode or OMD and should have stuck to acoustic guitar but I suppose well done in trying to keep up with the 80’s sounds. I liked some of the lyrics which are not as gloomy as expected so the album as a whole was miles away from what I expected a Leonard Cohen album to be. I became bored after a few tracks but promised myself to investigate Cohen further this time and to get to the bottom of his true sound which people rave about. 2.9/5 (Just enough pleasure derived to tip it to a 3) 15/5/24
A classic.
- this album sounds like the 80s - honestly the best out of his we've heard cuz it has actual music behind his voice - 3.5
- very conflicted on this album - his spoken word isn’t really for me - entertaining music behind him tho - and the backup singers kind of carried
I'm Your Meh
Cheer up, dude.
A synth driven album by Leonard Cohen. I'll never be sure if I like it or not. Cheesy arrangements and fake instruments kind of do not always match the vibe. Great poetry from this man as always, tho.
Loved it
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.
I still just don’t get the appeal. He “sings” too low so it sounds like shit. Maybe he’s like Bob Dylan where he writes better than sings/performs but even the content isn’t great lyrically.
Not a fan of his voice at all, but ok
Ugh, in comparison to some 1980s artists who produced timeless music, this is so dated. The tinny production brings back memories of big hair, neon colors...mass-produced aspects of the 1980s I'd soon forget.
Another good one. Great voice. 3.5 stars.
hmmm.. not too bad
An interesting listen. It's the great Cohen, so the lyrics are brilliant, but I can't get past the 80s style arrangements. None of it sounds quite right to me. I listened twice and "liked" maybe two songs, but I'm not interested in playing this album in it's entirety again. Three stars.
The best piece of uncomfortable shit ever.
Did Leonard Cohen find a Casio keyboard in a dumpster and decide to make this album with it? Not enjoyable or good.
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
Very strong lyrics, very strong vocals. I like Cohens voice, very rich, very deep. And his lyrics are very well done, I may revisit some songs just to pay more attentions to the lyrics. But outside of that, this album was kinda average. The instrumentals and production was kinda just fine. 3.5
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.
Not the Cohen album I wanted or needed
A really good listen. Great voice and great lyrics.
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.
Not what you'd expect from big Len, cold war synthpop vibes. I liked a few of the ideas - Jazz Police reminds me of a Momus track - but most of it didn't really do anything for me. 2.6/5
Awful. Casio music. Crude and lazy lyrics. Bad production.
Unique voice. Wonderful lyrics.
Leonard, buddy, you can do better. The songwriting is still there, but those compositions ain’t it, bruv.
A bit generic to be honest.
Such a great album. Two strong hits and many great songs I hadn’t heard.
Surprisingly upbeat and catchy, despite the fact that Cohen can’t carry a tune in a bucket.
This is my third Leonard Cohen album to review, after You Want It Darker (4 stars) and his debut album (3 stars). I figured I knew what to expect heading into this album, but those expectations were immediately dashed within the first two seconds of this album. I was not expecting Leonard Cohen to go full send on the eighties, but he absolutely smashed it with “First We Take Manhattan.” I loved the synth heavy sound of this song, and the backing vocals were outstanding. Cohen’s lyrics and vocals really shone on this track too. “Ain’t No Cure For Love” was really good too, and the sound reminded me a lot of some songs on Alex Cameron’s album Forced Witness. I loved the jazzy sound, and the background vocals were perfect once more. “Everybody Knows” was another brooding tune, and I thought the cynicism in the lyrics was really well done. I really enjoyed the first three songs, but the rest of the album was just fine. The title track had some interesting horn sounds, and I liked that the sounds of the late eighties were still present via some drum machines and more synthesizers. The backing vocals didn’t shine as much on the latter half of the album to me, but Cohen’s vocals and songwriting were still good. This album was pretty good, and it was really interesting to hear Cohen adopt this sound that’s very different than what I’ve heard from him previously. Outside of the first three tracks, I can’t see myself firing up this album again, but it was worth my time to listen to it today.
There is something incredible about Cohen’s voice and lyrics but god that Casio-preset-1 soundscape is hard to get past
too pop for me
This one is frustrating. The songwriting is good, and some of the production is great, but overall it just doesn't stand out to me. His voice is good but boring, feels like he could give a lot more but he doesn't. I'm glad there's a lot of backing vocals to make it more interesting. I'm also disappointed by all the fake instruments used in the production. The songs also feel very repetitive. I want to give this a higher score, but I feel like there's too much holding him back.
This is my third Leonard Cohen album and probably the weakest of them. I like his lyrics and delivery as always, but the backing instrumentals are so 80’s and I don’t think they have aged very well. My favorite songs were First We Take Manhattan and Tower of Song.
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.
Turns out putting Leonard Cohen into 80s production sensibilities results in something almost Nick Cave-like (it's better when Nick Cave does it, though)
I didn't know that Leonard Cohen did this much cocaine! This is really peak cocaine music to me. So much synth. I was very excited for my first Leonard Cohen during this project, but this let me down. I didn't think this modern version of Cohen was all that effective for me.
I'm Your Man
Can appreciate the lyricism but not really for me.
just barely on the wrong side of “is this genius or is this crap?”
Deep.
Eh.
Leonard just does not do it for me. He would have made a great poet but singing? No. And the 80s production and the backing vocals with that voice just doesn’t work. ‘First We Take Manhattan almost sounds like a parody to me here.
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
This is a tricky one to rate. Leonard Cohen is one of those legendary songwriters that peaked long before my time. Cynical and cutting lyrics, and great songcraft. Tunes are catchy. Arrangement and production on this album is terrible and has aged like milk. There are cover versions of these songs that work far better than what we have on show here. The roster of artists (Nick Cave, REM, SRV) that have covered his songs is a testament to the songwriting strength.
ну это хорошая музыка, что тут сказать
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.
Leonard Cohen is always cool, but I don’t think the 80s synth palette really brings out his best characteristics. Still not bad, but there’s better Cohen out there.
UGHHH, another one!?! How many of this creep's albums are on this damn list? All are garbage. This one is just 80's tinted garbage amassing to the masterpiece of a dumpster fire that is the song "Jazz Police".
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.
Infrequently interesting
Creepy, would not be surprised if a sex offender.
Big fan of Leonard Cohen
Liked this more than I thought I would honestly.
Everybody Knows that I Can’t Forget an album like this one.
This album was not at all what I expected! My only exposure to this artist was the 30 seconds of looking at the cover art just before listening to the album. I was prepared for some Tony-Bennett-like crooning, maybe some jazz, or maybe some jazz-fusion. Blasting me with concentrated 80s in the first track was disorienting. I'll loved “The Tower of Song.” It was smooth and had me bobbing along to the groove immediately. I kind of liked “Jazz Police” for it's absolute quirkiness and ridiculousness. I have mixed feelings about the titular track, “I'm Your Man” because I kind of like it but cannot identify why yet. It sounded like his vocal style rotated through channeling Bowie, Waits, and Shatner. But I couldn't follow the purpose of the lyrics most of the time. The tracks that are more new-wavy, like “First We Take Manhattan” don't work for me. I think I'd probably love instrumental versions of them because the synths sound intriguing and complex, but his singing obfuscates the details. I'll remain optimistic and speculate that this album is pure form, “all about the art,” and had no interest in pandering to any commercial whims. I'll also speculate that it accomplished what the artist wanted. I can appreciate an abstract work of art, but they don't all land to the same people nor at the same time. And over-all, this album didn't land for me this time.
For me, the music gets a 2 and the vocals get a 4.
Longtime Cohen fan here.
I've never heard anything quite like this
I know Leonard Cohen is a Canadian legend but I think I like his songs better when they are covered by other people. It's a little too poetry heavy for my liking. The 80s synth instruments are very heavy handed on this album too...
Can't say I'm a fan but the guy has a nice voice and spans many decades
Hauntingly beautiful lyrics
I don't understand the appeal of this album. In any way. I would rather listen Leonard Cohen eat the banana that's featured on the cover for 41 minutes than listen to this ever again.
I can't think of a world where I would find this album remotely enjoyable. 80's casio keyboard music and spoken word vocals that overwhelm everything else on every track is just god awful. A dumpster filled with diarrhea and cat piss would be too good of a trash receptacle to throw this away into.
Ah yes the new wave, cocaine guy Cohen album. I dont hate it, as it reminds me of, say, Blixa Bargeld vocals (which on this record are WAY too loud in the mix) but I’ll give it a shot. The first track had me giggling like picturing him on a stage that’s set up like an Olan Mills photoshoot. Smoke and laser shit. The lyrics are ridiculously silly, as if he’s describing a drug fueled night where you think you’re captain America on copious amounts of speed. Track 2 starts off with a sexy sax solo which seems to take itself seriously, so of course it’s terrible. This sets off a horrible theme of longing but it’s gross, like the kind of slick weirdo in his older years trying to hook up with someone 30 years his junior: YUCKY. Track 3 sounds like how I sound when I’m drunk and trying to figure my life out, so I’m whispering to a stranger in a bar in a French accent for some reason. Reminds me of a Disney villain describing his devious plans. The lyrics get progressively worse so I kind of tuned out a bit for I’m Your Man, but god damn dude too much coke makes your bits n pieces inoperable! Cripes man! Jazz Police legit made me spit my coffee out. Absolute garbage track. How is this record on this list?? Jeez haha.
It's... like some dude started songwriting when he was HORNY then by the time came to record he was hopped up on barbiturates
What in the actual fuck did I just listen to? This is beyond terrible. This sounds like the High School class-clown participating in the talent show as a goof. I wish I could give it 0 stars. Leonard is a great poet, but oh man should he stick to that and leave music alone if this is what he has to offer. I'm honestly at a complete loss to find a single redeemable aspect of this album. This doesn't even sound like a failed experiment. It simply sucks.
It sounds like a mash up album where they took Cohen’s vocals and laid them over some random synth backing tracks and back up singers. It kinda works sometimes but even when it doesn’t it’s at least kind of funny (Jazz police)
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
No you are not.
Tough listen. Every 80’s cliche immaculately produced with a monotone voice. Not for me. One memorable tune.
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 know, I know, but for the most part I simply don't get it. While his "genius" is not for everyone, songs like Everybody knows, Ain't No Cure for Love, Take this Waltz, and Tower of Song are nice and overall this speaks to my lyric loving mind to help me hear some of the "brilliance" others have said to me is Leonard Cohen.
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.
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.
I think this guy believes his voice is nicer than it really is.
Borderline unlistenable because of such shit production. terrible synth and awful drum machines. the lyrics make the album better, but can't distract enough from the cheap music, terrible sax solos, cheez ball backing vocals, etc... It’s like someone with terrible breath telling you a secret too close to your face.
As always, I appreciate his ability to write a well-structured verse. However, I find it hard to appreciate the execution. This is singer-songwriter meets 80s revolution.
“Take This Waltz” was a pretty song I wish the rest of the album resembled that.
I wanted to like this more.
Great album. Not a style I’m used to listening to but definitely enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would.
Pretty nice. Gives me some gothvibes/really cunty music lmao
First we take manhattan, then we take some lessons of how to use my beautiful voice in a meaningful manner.
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.
Word hier heerlijk rustig van
Dude has an interesting voice, but idk just a little weird
I just don't want to deal with this fucker anymore.
It’s too theater performative to for my taste.
It was fine
Horrible
Way too 80s
A mishmosh of genres, I didn't think people were out here blending some of these so well. Leave it to Leonard Cohen and his cool demeanor and raspy voice to blend them together. A great layer of emotion and honesty is felt through the synths that comes off really clean
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.
MANLY voice
I am definitely one to put on an album by Leonard Cohen although I have heard several of his (popular) songs through the year. So I did not expect much. But in this case I was positively surprised. I sure do not like all the songs on the album, but "Take This Waltz - Paris Version" and a quite funny "Jazz Police", as well as "Tower of Song" were ok/good.
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
The only other Leonard Cohen record I've heard was "Songs of Leonard Cohen" in '67 and that record was a folk, singer-songwriter record entirely. Then here we are, nearly two decades later and I hear "First We Take Manhattan" and it's entirely new wave-influenced. Flashy, glitzy synths dominate the brighter female vocal portions, while these low-end eerie-sequenced synths loom over Leonard's bleak lyrical depictions of terror. The imagery of taking Manhattan and then taking Berlin sparks something unsettling within me. It's certainly a striking start. Once the initial shock wears off though, there isn't much of note in this album. "Ain't No Cure For Love" is enjoyable but doesn't try to provoke imagery that's as compelling as the opening track. I understand it's not supposed to, it's a love song, and for that, I think it does a fine job but it sounds generic and reeks of the cliches of the era it came out in. "Everybody Knows" string-synth-backed instrumentation spliced with (what sounds like) Spanish guitar is quite pleasant and another highlight. It's another darker track lyrically, painting a dreary and pessimistic view of the world. The baroque-inspired "Take this Waltz" is another highlight, primarily because I feel like it's a much-needed switch-up in sound, with gorgeous string-backed instrumentation and charming vocal passages that very much evoke the gleeful emotions one would feel when in a ballroom waltz. I also like the lowkey closer "Tower of Song" though admittedly, I can't pinpoint what this song is about, maybe an old man reminiscing over the songs he's written over his career and his everlasting appreciation for the art form. I think Cohen's deeper delivery alongside the longer, unsettling tracks filled with varied synth tones and solos are the drawing factors here. I'm certainly intrigued and appreciate an artist switching up their sound this drastically (especially when it comes to hopping on new trends), but I can't say I am personally a fan of this one. 6/10
I'm not a fan of this album. It's well produced, and that's about the only thing I enjoyed about it. I'm not a fan of how Cohen sings, or really of his voice itself at least on this album. It's neither exciting nor relaxing; I'm experiencing psychological arousal that I would call abrasive or uncomfortable. There's not really any message being sent with this album either, and many of the themes are just awkward to me. Hearing Cohen, at age 50-something, sing straight up about how he wants to see a woman naked was not cute, for example. 5/10. Favorite Song: Take This Waltz Least Favorite Songs: Ain't No Cure For Love, Jazz Police, Tower of Song
Meh
I can’t help but wonder if this is music for people who prefer poetry. Fascinating lyrics let down by late 80’s production and sub par musicality
His voice is awesome but I was falling asleep with the melodies
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.
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.
While I can get into his lyrics, I can’t take a whole album of spoken word singing. The late-80s synth and e-dryms don’t help either
Didn’t actually listen but I’m just not into this guy
It was like Scar from Lion King was singing to me
оу йес!!
Good stuff! Great lyrics!
Yeahhhhhh not for me, elevator music ass shit sorry Leonard
Was not a vibe for me.
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
Therapist: Leonard "synth" Cohen can't hurt you, he's not real
A pretty quaint and humble singer-songwriter album despite the synths and backing vocals. Leonard Cohen has his clear limitations, and I almost didn't make it through Take This Waltz, but there's some decent songs in a well-defined mood here. Best song: Tower of Song
I know this is considered a masterpiece, but I thought it was cheesy in a very 80's way.
Aqquired Taste
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.
Great lyrics.
While I love Cohen, this isn't necessarily his best work
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.
It was good ig
His distinctive gravelly voice and song writing skill are cool to hear.
Leonard Cohen will never be cooler than when Happy Harry Hard-on blasted Everybody Knows on pirate radio. Pump up the volume!
Great attitude but the 80s production and instrumentation really hurt this. Man he can go low with that voice. Two or three actual bangers on here that would be good just with an acoustic guitar.
Sweet - Mellow
Beautiful! I love Jarvis Cocker and this reminded me so much to him.
Zu glatt, zu poppig. Vielleicht schön zum Nebenherhören.
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
I was kind of looking forward to some Leonard Cohen, as I had heard a lot about him but never got round to actually listening to anything by him. I hope this isn't representative of his other work, as it was pretty awful. The backing music is probably the worst, like something I would expect to hear coming out of a kids synthesiser, a bontempi or casio keyboard. I suppose it's an 80s sound, but it left me cold as it was just so jarringly bad. The lyrics seemed interesting, so 2 stars, but the delivery was just horrid.
Peak aging Cohen. Synthetic and schmaltzy but with deep meaning.
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.
It's as if Alan Partridge was asked to write the soundtrack to Scarface.
Ok
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.
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.
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.
Weird. Sad Leno are Cohen but 80s-ified
3.5/5 - The first half is confusingly fantastic. The second half feels like an extended version to the theme song of an 80's mystery drama that didnt make it past the pilot. The songs that are good are pretty damn good though.
lol the picture of him just eating a banana is funny
I bought this for my mum, so this is an emotional vote.
Enigmatic.
The combination of Leonard Cohen's deep, poetic, almost spoken-word delivery and the 80s synth production on this album make for a really unique sound which I think people will either love or hate. Personally I love it, and some songs on here such as First We Take Manhatten are brilliant, but some other tracks on here don't combine the vocals and instrumentation very well.
What an uneventful hour. 2/5
Everything Bob Dylan wished he could be
12/12/23 10:40 S Tier————————— A Tier————————— Ain’t No Cure For Love First We Take Manhattan I Can’t Forget B Tier————————— Take This Waltz Tower of Song Everybody Knows C Tier————————— Jazz Police I’m Your Man
Tuesday 12/12/2023, 10:43, office S Tier————————— First We Take Manhattan Everybody Knows A Tier————————— Tower of Song Take This Waltz B Tier————————— I Can’t Forget Ain’t No Cure for Love C Tier————————— I’m Your Man Jazz Police
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
Phenomenal start to finish
👍👍👍👍
My rule is: if I don’t finish an album I can’t give it a 1. That was pretty laughable musically, it jumped from new order to sting and the police in the first two songs. The weird lyrics stuck out. I’ve never listened to Cohen before and that wasn’t what I expected.
Not my thing. 2/5
i love weird stuff but not this kind of weird
Hates this one. Sort of cool instrumentation that was drowned out by cohens deep ass unenthusiastic voice. Next!
Better songwriter than singer
LC has the most unique and recognizable voice. He’s not really singing, but more than talking. Maybe poetry? Just a chat? Not really my bag, man.
I'm a massive Leonard Cohen fan - he's written some of my favourite songs ever. But often his arrangements are pants and especially in the 80s, it's almost unlistenable to me it sounds like karaoke backing tracks I used to hear in Russia in 2001. Still I like the voice and lyrics to an extent but think this isn't his best work
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.