You Want It Darker

Much better than anticipated after hearing the first song. The man is pure gravel

Well, it's darker. Funereal. Cohen was a brilliant lyricist with an interesting voice. This is the last studio album made before he sadly passed. Not his best, I don't think.

A conversation with my daughter: -I have to listen to the rest of that Leonard Cohen. -Aww, not him… -You know him? -Yeah...?! He's that really weird guy. -What's weird about him? -He doesn't sing. He just talks about stuff like blood, and stars, and love. -Yeah, you know him. This is a fascinating album considering that it was released just a couple ofweeks before Cohen passed away. Thematically he seems to be directly dealing with his impending mortality. In one song, the chorus chants הִנֵּנִי (hineni - "behold, G-d, I am here and ready"). I always think that Leonard Cohen is poetry first and foremost, just set to music. And I like it as poetry. This revisits his well-explored heavy themes of religion, spirituality, love, lust, etc. Musically, for most artists this would be considered stripped down, but for him it is more production than I have heard on other of his albums. His voice is old and creaky and weathered. Respect to him for creating his art to the very end. 3.5

This was good got me through my run

The dark voice really makes this record. I mean the message that he has surrendered to the lord would have been quite lame were it not for him sounding like a demon himself. And yk also because he was on the verge of death

Not so into the album, but the playlist it generated was awesome!

A Canadian classic. Not really my thing.

Nunca he sido un gran fanático de la música de Leonard Cohen. Sin embargo, su influencia en el panorama musical angloparlante es innegable. "You Want It Darker" es el último LP que el escritor y poeta alcanzó a grabar antes de fallecer, y en efecto, es bastante oscuro. Sin embargo, los paisajes sonoros que dibuja son bastante monótonos en comparación a otras "canciones del cisne" (como por ejemplo "Blackstar" de David Bowie). De todas formas, la corta duración del trabajo hace que se sienta como un complejo cuadro gótico, crudo y visceral que tiene en su delantera la rasposa voz de un cansado Cohen, quien, claramente, no perdió su genio hasta su muerte. Recomendable, escúchelo.

Definitely a challenging album. I don't seek out this style of music out but I'm glad I listened to it.

I like the vibe here and the poetry is haunting and moving at the same time. It’s a lot of the same tone and sentiment and no songs really stand out to me. The songs are obviously very limited by the voice. Not 80 year old Leonard’s fault but it does cap the album at a 3 for me.

I dont have a ton of clear thoughts on this album. The title track is haunting and cool. The broad middle of the album was largely forgettable for me and occasionally boring. It feels like Cohens music is about the lyrics and emotional delivery. Probably not the ideal choice for a 2 hour drive. Besides You Want It Darker, It Seemed The Better Way and Leaving The Table were cool. Ill have to revisit this later

Rough old voice (in a good way). Haunting, enjoyable, but nowhere near Leonard Cohen's best work.

It's Leonard Cohen so of course the songwriting is great but I felt that the production overshadows everything. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I had to look it up and apparently it was his son Adam. Completely makes sense and makes me a little sad.

I always liked his lyrics but never could get used to his vocal delivery and then on some of his older albums it would be paired music that I felt didn't fit at all, like one of his albums on this list with a lot 80s sounding electronic-type music. I think his age finally caught up to his vocal delivery and they paired it well with ominous orchestral style of music on this album. I think it all works really well here, very eerie.

Most of this I would never listen to again, but the poetry is just real good

That's a difficult one. I really like Leonard Cohen as a person and whenever he's played somewhere I think "Cool! Leonard Cohen". His voice and his style are unmistakable, but I found listening to a whole album where every song sounds like a requiem quite exhausting. You have to be in a very special mood for that. Nevertheless, there were some very good songs, I love "You Want It Darker".

Pretty impressive for an album so late in life. I guess when your style is pretty much spoken word you can sustain it for a lifetime.

First listen Saved 4/9 Top track: You Want It Darker

Very very deep voice. Not so much my style but appreciated anyway.

Leonard Cohen is a name I've heard, but never really heard his work. Go figure that the first album of his that I'll listen to was apparently his last recorded album. I'm sure I can expect some dark subject matter. Due to Cohen's unfortunate health issues later in his life, he was subjected to recording this album from his living room, and it certainly sounds the part. Very personal and stripped down, with Cohen's noticeably aged and low delivery. Everything is obviously introspective and poetic, as Cohen and co. were well aware that this would be his swan song from the music industry. Hard not to be reminded of David Bowie's "Blackstar" from earlier that same year, with very similar circumstances and theme. These "swan song" albums are never easy listens, but there's a certain charm to the end product we receive when an artist knows that his or her time is running out. It really allows them to step outside their comfort zone and get more artsy and self-reflective with their work.

Had no idea he was so recent with the opening song. Also that he had been such a prolific artist.

Hard to believe this came out in 2016. That was the same year as Closer by the Chainsmokers, for context. For additional context, Cohen was born a year before Elvis. Wild. Cohen also died 3 weeks after this came out. I went and read a quick summary of his life after listening and I would highly recommend it. Extremely interesting person.

Bye leon

Very cool deep voice although tbh the album bored me a bit. Might have got it at the wrong time.

Not my fave LC album, but I do love him.

Read poetry over a musical background. Somehow, it works. It sounds good and it's very calming. There is something mesmerizing about Leonard Cohen's deep voice. It makes you focus only on what he is saying.

Very beautiful music and lyrics unfortunately sung by a much too old Lenny

Late Leonard Cohen had a quite unique and interesting style with his whispering-like and bassy "singing". Hearing this record it really feels to me like Leonard was always a poet first, and a musician second, which is also beautiful in a way because poetry was how it started from him before he got into music. Unfortunately for me, I'm not moved much by poetry and words, so this becomes a bit of a dull. Still, I'm impressed that he managed to create something fresh and different even at the very end of his career and life.

Surprisingly better than the others we have heard from Cohen. Can’t decide if I like the soft spoken/singing on this album. It is a somber album from a man closing out his life and retrospective, which was nice to listen into.

So this is the last Leonard Cohen album I have had to listen to. I am glad about that but he actually put forth a fairly decent album. It was the best one of the list. I didn’t like the raspy not talk not fully singing he was attempting to do. The lyrics I actually enjoyed a little bit. Takeaway: It is true for Leonard Cohen he saved the best for last despite his overall failures on his previous albums which were awful.

Weird like Tom waits. I’ll have to try and finish it later.

Good

Liked some of it. I feel like this might be an album more than any other album we've heard here, where it really benefits from hearing the artist's earlier work to get the context of this. I'm glad I procrastinated on this and waited for "Songs of Leonard Cohen" to be randomized at me.

i love knowing that someone was stuck listening to this full album on the car radio at 7am. a real 50/50 for me. 2.5

It was calming. Almost too calm for me. Tim loved him.

Great ASMR voice. Very musical album as well. Not into all of the religious under/overtones.

He has a unique voice and the songs didn’t stick around too long. However I just couldn’t get through it because I was scared. I guess this is a sign of powerful art but it’s not for me in this moment

111 albums in, my third Leonard Cohen. I have to confess, I was not excited about drawing this today. I like it a bit better than Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate, but... this style is still not really my thing.

Kelpo musiikkia, jota ei tule itse uudelleen kuunneltua.

I guess one must be a fan of Cohen to appreciate this album. It is quite interesting how he combines his "murmuring" with the music. And the songs are quite ok. With another singer it would probably be better - for everybody except the Cohen fans.

It's a hard voice to get used to, but this had good instrumentation and the lyrics were good.

Dark and moody. A LOT of religion and poker themes that kind of made me chuckle after a while. An entertaining listen. Do not listen to this while tired.

Great voice. Not my favorite Cohen stuff, but enjoyable.

Very different, enjoyed the baritone but became tedious after a while.

Quite slow and darker than expected

STANDOUTS: You Want It Darker Treaty On the Level OVERALL: 3.5/5

Second Cohen album and this one is weaker than the first. The album does not really get going. The instrumentals are very good but I feel like Leonard Cohan is breathing, not singing, into my brain. 3/5

It's a very dark album. He knew his time had come, so this was about the ending. Most lyrics are just spoken, or better whispered, so there is not much singing on this besides the background singers. No easy listening, so I think you have to be in the right mood to listen to this.

3+

It's OK. I kind of like it, but it's definitely one of those things where I have to be in a very specific mood. 3 stars.

Pretty weird album. Wasn't all that into it.

Interesting album. Title track is great but rest are too similar.

The vocals are good, but this style of music is boring. I could see these songs being cinematically, though. Pass. 2.5 stars.

Better than expected

Much more moody compared to the seductive tone to I’m Your Man and I preferred this.

Pretty decent not great for me.

If Cohen had lived longer, no one but whales and moles would be able to hear his singing. The dude sounds like he’s singing from his grave on this record. Moribund and beautiful just like The Man Comes Around by Cash. Not a cheer-you-up kinda record.

- you want it darker - treaty

You Want It Darker

I love his work, but a whole album at one time? Not without Xanax

Raspy, slow, and dark. With a knack for lyricism, Leonard demonstrates that even in old age he still has the ability write solid spoken verse blues.

I have a ton of respect for Cohen, obviously. Especially being from Montreal, he’s like a god, who literally looks over the city. At his best it’s fair to say he might be the best songwriter ever. One more than one occasion at a concert, I thought the best song an artist played was a Cohen song, and not even a famous one All that said, You Want It Darker isn’t his most riveting. He sounds like Tom Waits. The album is so dark, virtually every song about his impeding death. 3rd star for lifetime achievement 5.9/10

Nunca lo escuché mucho. Solo la voz del primer tema ya merece la pena. Creo que al final es más el mito y las letras que el músico. Tiene su mérito forjar una carrera de prestigio y respetada por la crítica y el público.

Dark moody poetry

A bit boring

B You Want It Darker 4 Treaty 3 On The Level 3 Leaving The Table 3 If I Didn't Have Your Love 3 Traveling Light 3 It Seemed The Better Way 3 Steer Your Way 5 String Reprise / Treaty 3 I immediately recognized You Want It Darker because it sounds identical to the intro for True Detective S2, but it turns out it's a different Leonard Cohen song. So I didn't actually recognize it. Sniffle, sniffle.

I have no idea how to rate this album. Part of me feels like I’m being read a bedtime story by someone else’s grandpa. Strange but yet still comforting. The other part of me thinks it’s one of the most beautiful & unique pieces of music that I’ve heard in a while. So I guess that means it’s a 3????????

3/5 - I just find his sound exhausting. It’s like listening to molasses. I like molasses, but this is just unrelenting molasses.

Cool

The somber vocals laid over the haunting music made this a powerful, reflective, melancholy record.

Just pretty grumbly but had some nice bits. Not super into the gravelly talk/singing which is pretty much all this is.

The songs are good and if I listened to them one at a time theyre all 4s. But listening to the entire album is ALOT

I really love Leonard Cohen and enjoyed the lyrics but I was disappointed everything was very talky instead of singing. I thought about Johnny Cash and how he still sang on his final albums even if it wasn’t the same as his younger years and wish there was a little more of that. I did enjoy the melodies from the back up singers in the latter half of the album.

Darker and deeper voice. Cohen a classic...3/5

The allure of Leonard Cohen for me is that he is an uncompromising artist. He pursued his passion and was unapologetically himself. His journey is absolutely intriguing. That being said, this album for me was very one note. His words are always strong and the core of what he does. That is there, the music is minimal and subdued.

A very interesting album full of moments to contemplate.

Not a huge fan of late era Lenny but he certainly has a style about him.

Len was into Late Style early, so at the very end this is unsurprisingly an impossibly severe exercise. The voice is reduced to a whispery speech-song, the instruments are hushed and the actual tunes evaporate almost as they are played. Expertly done, but rather a tough listen.

Good record.

I almost like Traveling Light

Good album, a fitting farewell

It's something. That's for sure.

In his last few months before his death, Cohen curses God and all He represents. The compositions are minimalist. Very slow and simple, it's a focus on Cohen's repeated motifs (like the flame of flowers), and the despair in his aged voice. The strings and back vocals match the vibe well. It seems like he wrote the lyrics first as poetry, and requested what kind of accompaniment he wanted. It works well, but the instrumentals sound purely supplementary which often leads to a forgettable experience if you weren't particularly moved by his words. "You Want It Darker" is a powerful opener, and likewise "Steer You Way" and the "String Reprise" beautifully and solemnly close the record. Everything else could've been stronger in some way. But nevertheless, a beautiful listen, just as long as you pay attention. Favorites: You Want It Darker, Steer Your Way

I can see why someone would like this, but to me it wasn't a very enjoyable listen. The lyrics were good, really good even, but the actual music itself was kinda boring. Not a fan overall, but it wasn't bad either.

Having never heard them before surprised me with the arrangement and lyricism. All really good. Would listen to again.

That felt much longer than it was. He has a good voice and the strings were a nice touch, but there was nothing interesting or challenging on this album. Very straightforward. 3/5.

Kinda spooky

Though I knew the name, and likely heard his music, I couldn't have named one Cohen song. At all. This album reminded me of Tom Waits, though that may be unfair, as I don't know who came first. Slow, but not dull, the lyrics and music blend to set mood. Well done.

Can I have it even darker?

Found it lyrically interesting but musically lacking.

This was actually pretty good, the style is not my go to and won't start now. Was a good listen tho Will I listen to again: 5%

Really unique. Slow and throbbing. Sooooo far outside of other music I listen to, but genuinely quite enjoyable.

Sounds like him

Made me sad :(

Not really. This is dark enough. Gentle night music with the soon to die LCs poetry over a sparce melodic background. You've really gotta be in the right mood for this.

Easy listening, more spoken word than singing

Nice instrumentation. I'm not really a fan of spoken word, but I could think of it as a poetry recital. It does fit

Soothing background music. Probably quite poetic if you listen closely enough.

I'm torn on how I feel about this album. It's so unique that it's hard not to like it for that alone. Cohen's voice is very powerful, every word he says feels like it has weight. Unfortunately, as a musical number it feels very flat. Especially in the first half. His cadence doesn't really change over the course of the whole album. His "singing" consists of just barely changing the inflection in his voice. It's a weird dichotomy where the lyrical content is very emotional but the delivery of those lyrics is very emotionless. Songs with some extra flare and background vocals like "Traveling Light" helped break up the monotony. I think Cohen just needed some more variety to accent his one-note vocal style.

I liked the first song because of the halo soundtrack. Otherwise, Leonard’s style isn’t really for me. 6/10

I feel like I am inside his throat. He’s got a great old person voice. Good backing music. Lyrical style was very repetitive to the point I thought I was listening to a duplicate song. Not as good as the first album we had of his. Definitely have to be in a certain mood for this kind of music. 6/10

Okay, not a mood I often find myself in

Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker is a drowsy, solemn epilogue. Really, he is basically just talking on the album, but that isn’t necessarily horrible for the tracks. Sometimes, the comfortable and relaxed production, which is evident on all the songs, takes over and nicely balances with his voice. Other times, Leonard just talks with no evident cohesion. Highlights include It Seemed the Better Way and String Reprise / Treaty. All in all, You Want It Darker is an alright album. Best Song: String Reprise/Treaty Worst Song: You Want It Darker

I still think, Cohen is better as a poet than as a singer. He brilliantly creates a dark atmosphere, but I probably won't listen to the album again.

Somber, dark, decent

Music to examine your mortality by. Cohen has never done it for me but this is an experience. I don't think I'd ever listen to this again but I'm not mad that I did.

Love the title track, and Treaty always gets me. I think the existence of this album is more compelling than the actual musical quality. Will inevitably come back to this, even though it's more spoken word than song

prettyyyyy pretty good. starts very strong, kind of gets monotonous after awhile

Cohen experienced some kind of revival when Old Ideas came out. His humour and sense of self-awareness made him relevant again. You Want It Darker is certainly the best of his three most recent albums and a fitting way to say goodbye. But outside of two or three tracks, Cohen just fails to capture my attention and nothing really sticks with me. The biggest advantage this one has over his other albums is that the production is actually nice for a change.

Old man talking about old man stuff.

To me, it's not a remarkable or grandiose album, but it still contains some heartfelt and well produced songs that are worth listening to.

Another bleak, elegant Leonard Cohen album.

Very chill.

Some badass lyrics. Can't help thinking I'm listening to a very religious batman tho. 3 stars.

Great lyrics, but enjoy his older songs more

Even better on the 2nd listen

Such a smooth album. I love the introspective nature of the music and the lyrics. It sounds wise. His super low voice caught me off guard at first. I dig it. It's a bit slow and sad so I don't know if I'll ever revisit it but I definitely appreciate it.

Pretty good songwriting, but the vocals were rough.

Poeh. Een albumpje met zo’n ontzettende duistere/spirituele toon. Cohen bewijst op de valreep van sterven nog maar eens dat ie een meesterlijke songwriter is. Z’n stem is op dit album een beetje op een oude Iggy Pop beginnen te lijken. Soms is dat wel moeilijk om naar te luisteren. Maar ja, mag het even, 2 weken na de release lag ie tussen 6 planken. Dan mag je als een aardbeving met een 11 op de schaal van richter klinken. Tis geen album die je ff voor de leuk opzet. Ik vind de oude zooi van Cohen een stuk boeiender. Ookal speelt hij in dit album open kaart en opent hij z’n hart en kaart lastige thema’s aan, zoals leven, dood, religie en spiritualiteit. Highlights: Treaty, You Want it Darker Rating: 7/10

You Want It Darker is dé definitie van een zwanenzang. In hetzelfde jaar dat Bowie iedereen verrast met een afscheidsplaat, zegt ook Cohen de wereld vaarwel met een album een paar dagen voor zijn dood. Ik moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik de hele plaat eigenlijk altijd een beetje heb vermeden. Wanneer heb je hier nou zin in, wetende wat komen gaat? Maar nu ik de plaat een keer de tijd en aandacht heb gegeven vind ik het een indrukwekkend werk. De stem van Cohen in You Want It Darker is waanzinnig vastgelegd en komt echt binnen (mits luisteren met goede koptelefoon of oordopjes). Treaty, het tweede nummer op de plaat, vind ik ook prachtig. De nummers daarna zijn wat meer 'klassieke' Cohen nummers, en wat minder bijzonder. Traveling Light vind ik erg mooi, met name door de kleine beetjes viool en de wat middeleeuws-klinkende gitaar. Een hoogtepunt op het album. In It Seemed the Better Way ook een viooltje, maar dit nummer lijkt teveel op You Want It Darker. Dat de violen halverwege het album hun intrede doen is natuurlijk geen toeval. Dit is natuurlijk het begrafenis-instrument bij uitstek. In het slotstuk is er geen Cohen meer, maar zijn de violen er nog wel. Een uitvaart, zo ervaar ik het. Tot Cohen toch weer even begint te zingen... dat was wat vreemd. Tijdens het luisteren kon ik de gedachte niet onderdrukken: laat alstjeblieft T. Waits ook een zwanenzang-album maken voordat hij sterft. 7.5/10 Highlights: You Want It Darker Treaty Traveling Light

Placeholder. I’m interested in hearing more Leonard, but I didn’t have time to listen today. Will revisit

Maybe this will slap more when I'm older

An interesting and (very) dark album about a man who's life is clearly now in the rearview mirror. You best find something uplifting to listen afterwards to pull yourself out of being clinically depressed. I'm not saying it's bad, you just have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it.

Fine if you're in the right mood. I was not

Dark, unique, interesting.

I wasn't familiar with him surprisingly. It was interesting.

Sullen, beautiful, poetic and mysterious. Of course, Leonard’s voice is iconic. Each track feels like a story is being told to me. The music is haunting, yet keeps me engaged and focused on the tale being told. A legend in his own right.

More of a spoken word album than music. Kinda enjoyed it as mood music.

I can appreciate the poignancy of an album about aging and mortality that was released right before the artist's death. And the album has a vibe. Unfortunately, there is a sameness across the songs that made it hard to get too lost in it.

Appreciate getting exposed to someone I had zero familiarty with prior to now. Still not sure I'd seek out his music otherwise.

super distinctive voice, the album didn’t do much for me but i know of how iconic Cohen is

Not his best work.

Very beautiful music. Not something I really ever see myself wanting to listen to more, but so far I'm surprised by the variety of the songs despite simultaneously all sounding exactly the same. Not my cup of tea, but I can respect it. 3/5.

more albums should have a reprise at the end

T’was fine. A good 3 star.

Surprisingly deep voice and good lyrics too

Okay

I had not listened to this album before. It was a bit of a challenge.

Great songwriting, production was a little strange. He seemed almost to be caricaturing himself a little with this one.

Perhaps not his finest hour, but his final album which renders it important IMO. Overall I found it moving and loved the first and penultimate track, but they are probably the only ones I’ll revisit. Amazing poet, glad we had him for as long as we did.

Definitely dark

As the title states, this is dark. An artist's final words at the end of a long career. Ugh.

Can’t see going back to it. It was fine

Great music

Loved his voice, the first song was def the best one went a bit down from there…

Not for me, appreciate the story

Dark and emotional album

Duplicate

Second of five Leonard Cohen albums reviewed. In a nutshell: Leonard Cohen not-really-sings-he-recites-poetry-in-his-baritone-voice about being ready to die. Again, Cohen is reliable for creating memorable lines. The music arrangement is consistent (the bass, bass synth, melotron, stripped back drums, strings etc) although cliched in my opinion. Overall: 6/10

liked it better after I read the reviews

His voice is amazing first of all but also not bad music though I haven't listened to this type much before

Slow gravelly songs about death and God. Released shortly before his death

A bit dark

I really respect and appreciate his music, but I just have a hard time actually listening to Leonard Cohen 3.5/5

This was better than the previous Cohen albums I reviewed. I prefer the melancholic jazz with Cohen's dour poetry over the fluttering folk he did in the sixties. That said, there's too much Cohen in this book.

3.4

I liked it way more than I expected to

More interesting than the other late Leonard Cohen albums I've heard. Goes for a fatalistic & sarcastic Coheny mix of religious/interpersonal often, seems to have less range that way than other albums. Some neat turns of phrase, steeped in nihilism in a way that bothers me more than it used to. There's a song where he sings just a little & it sounds very good. I do wish that older Leonard Cohen had sung a bit more often. music: ok. (⌐⬤_⬤)

His deep voice singing almost seems like a joke, it’s like Ralph inneson when he’s on a podcast and it feels like it’ll damage your speakers. It was pretty good though.

Too dark for me.

Different

Enjoyable and unique, Leonard's voice contributes a cool niche sound, but it would be nice to see some more variety in his delivery and less of a one-trick-pony approach

Sounds like music from a man at the end of his career/life.

I liked this significantly more than the early era Cohen we got a few weeks ago. The songwriting is strong here, and although Cohen's voice is not necessary an easy listen, it suits the atmosphere of the music well. A pretty strong three.

Siempre a favor de abuelo con voz ronca cantando con música del chill. Y más aún si es el de Aleluya.

weird! started bad weird but once you got used to it it becomes good weird

Man, if this was any more bleak it would just be a picture of the Dust Bowl. I mean, it's probably more of what I associate with Cohen, but... man. It is just so dark and depressing. Maybe it's the vocals? I was not expecting super uplifting, but it just... wow, super downer. For me, it crossed the line from darkly beautiful to overly depressing. Maybe I was just not in the right mood? I don't know. It was good, but just... man. Not something I want to listen to over and over again.

This is a hard listen. Finely structured songs. But as with most of his output it is difficult to warm to his delivery.

Klingt Recht düster, hat gute Themen und Lyrics, aber durch den gleichbleibenden Stil fühlt sich das Album länger an als es ist, nichts zum durchhören

Never got into Cohen despite being encouraged to by my fellow Jeff Buckley fans. I hadn’t been huge on what I’d previously heard but I appreciated the artistry. You can’t argue with the artistic merit of the man who wrote Hallelujah. With that said, speak-singing is not my thing, man. I like the bluesy elements and gospel touches, Cohen always brings religious imagery to his art which I never object to. This project has very tasteful instrumentals and it’s very well produced, but I can’t get behind the vocal delivery, which makes this hard to enjoy. Cohen is much more a poet than a singer and his words are wonderful. It’s just not for me. The title track was a great, refreshing introduction that got my hopes up, but the rest of the album had comparatively little to offer. As albums by singer-songwriter legends from 2016 go, this is unfortunately no Blackstar. Maybe I’ll like this album more when I’m seventy. Best track: You Want It Darker Worst track: ? 3/5

Loved the title track. The rest is all much of a muchness

It’s old white mans spoken word. It’s such a good soundtrack if you’re coming home from the factory to only go home surrounded by fighting and arguments, you eat the same bland meal and you have your one beer to fight the depression and after doing the usual you hop in bed your wife gently holding you but your lying on your back staring at the ceiling wondering to yourself what have I done, is this it? This is the soundtrack for whatever that is.

To me, this is more poetry than music. It’s beautiful and sad this was his last album.

Sad talking. Not for me.

Slow and moody

Pretty good but weird and kinda gloomy

é legal mas a voz dele me incomoda

Pretty melancholy, but great songwriting.

3.5

not bad, a little too brooding for me, but Cohen is a great song writer!

Hard to say

Sparse album that lets you really focus on the vocals and lyrics. An album that needs the full attention to listen to. Great but difficult.

Every song just sounds like the same brooding, gravely, voice of his. It's not offensively bad or anything but it isn't anything special to me.

first Leonard Cohen album for me, and I enjoyed but nothing stands out as all that great. 2.7/5

Learning the backstory behind this album made it better, has a beautiful ending as well. Length was good, but I’m not gonna be coming back to it all the time

Really reminds me of johnny cash. More about love and sorrow I suppose? Empire of dirt comes to mind when hearing this. Wasn't too crazy for this one, but good music

Interesting, not my style but got a few head bops - Spoken word mostly

Very Hurt by Johnny Cash but with a much deeper voice. A lot of religious imagery. Definitely see some songs being in movies. Not particularly for me, but it's nice.

Groovy and indeed quite dark. Spooky deep old voice, bro definitely died of lung cancer. Super different vibe from anything I’d normally listen to. He was talking more than actually singing. Nice and short though.

Very sad very powerful

It's pretty good, not sure if I would listen to again however

Somber, easy listening Distinctive, deep, and gravelly voice

Depressing

Heard before: No Favourites: You want it darker, On the level, Steer your way Decent album. Guys obviously a great writer but his lyrics don't click fully with me personally, though maybe one day. Appreciate the themes he writes about though, especially considering he would die a few weeks after the albums release.

Lyric and solemn, with some really good arrangements. Not my cup of tea honestly but it has its place.

Good if you’re drunk on bourbon and smoking cigarettes alone. A bit quiet.

Ik ben geen grote fan van dit stem geluid. Wel grappig dat ik hierdoor heel bewust naar de tekst luister ten opzichte van normaal. Productie echt sick

Nice start, too religious -y at the end

Gloomy introspective type album, slow and quiet

good voice, but what's with the narration?

old man growls into microphone

It’s alright.It doesn’t outstay its welcome.Leonard cohen’s voice is nice enough,it’s a very dry album quite bare and lacking in energy,lots of religious references,basic Leonard cohen.

I see it’s good/important, but not really my thing

I enjoyed this album a bit more than his early stuff. It's good album to listen on a cold rainy day with a healthy pour of single malt scotch.

I appreciate Leonard Cohen, I just don’t like most his music.

It’s neat that Cohen was able to release this in anticipation to his death. It’s a cool story and a nice way to shut the door on a legendary career. His dry witty humour shines thru on this one even thru the somber theme of death. I just want more music, it was nice but I can’t give it more than 3 stars

Decent album. Not a fan of the overdramatic violin.

Never got round to listening to this when it came out, though I did listen through some of his earlier acclaimed albums after his death. The opening track on here is brilliant, his voice is so dark and brooding throughout the whole album. It's one to give some more listens to, as it feels like it'll open up some more. I like what i'm hearing off first listen.

Like the loud rockier numbers but the slower ballad song are pretty forgettable

He definitely shines in this album in a way that he didn't in the previous one we listened to, or perhaps he did but I simply could not appreciate it properly He has a very powerful prescense and Steer your Way is a really nice song Overall it was not too crazy but a nice experience. I recommend reading his biography on his Spotify page, I'm about halfway through but it's written really well and is very introspective and captivating

Whispering croaky chap

I thought this was gonna be some boomer nonsense after the first song but I actually liked this one a good bit. Obviously his voice is an acquired taste but I was able to get past it and enjoy it on some songs. I think the songs that hit the hardest for me are the ones like leaving the table and treaty that give off a feeling of surrender and acceptance of your life despite regrets and shortcomings that’s very haunting coming from an artist near his death. That being said the title track was really bad to me and I don’t like the ones where he’s trying to be slick or cool.

3.5/5. La primera canción es 4.5/5. Después flojea un poco. En general, inesperadamente bueno.

Cohen is such a difficult one for me. Much like MF Doom or the Beastie Boys, he only really has one flow, one poetic structure. Most of the time it's so good, and paired with that amazing gravelly voice, that you don't really mind. Musically, the songs are also incredibly simple. There's no real development or variety. It's kind of like brickwork - just one block after another on loop. All of which sounds like I didn't like this, which is unfair - the track You Want It Darker is a brilliant opener, and the whole mood of the thing is impressive. It's just that when you compare it to something like Bowie's Blackstar, it's a bit...dull? I gave it a second listen, and there are some nice rhyming couplets, but apart from the title track nothing really sticks in the memory.

Leonard drops down another level here with the vocals. This is an album that has the passage of time running through it. The macabre subject matter isn't hidden away from. It got a little too deep for me. It made me question things that I'm not really ready to question right now. This is a cool version of Songs of Praise.

first song was pretty solid. i like his other popular album better, but this wasnt horrible

Pretty good

You Want It Darker is the fourteenth album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen and his last released during his lifetime (he died 17 days after release). This critically acclaimed album has themes on death, God, and humor and has genres of folk rock and blues. It performed well commercially in Canada, the US, and the UK, being ranked within the top 10 of these countries' album charts. I loved the acoustic and moody vibes on this album. The music is sparse so the listener can focus on Cohen's gravelly voice which was hauntingly beautiful. This is a great album, but the mood and occasion has to be right to really enjoy it.

You Want It Darker is a great song but I didn't enjoy the rest of the album nearly as much. Still a great accomplishment considering Leonard Cohen's age at the time of recording. Highlights: You Want It Darker

Just not my thing

And We Got It Darker.

3.5 Woof, this was a heavy one. Yet another album written and recorded on the verge of the artist’s death, knowing it was going to be their last. This one is up there with Blackstar in terms of its reflective and haunting nature (and released just seven months after - 2016 was clearly a bad year for music), however, whereas I feel Blackstar offers a successful balance of mourning and celebration, there’s not a whole lot of celebration to go around here… I feel like I was genuinely listening to a dying man’s last words. It also felt just a touch more personal than Bowie’s in some ways, like we really got to explore the depths of Cohen’s final thoughts and acceptances regarding life, relationships, and religion that were in some ways relatable and in other ways just as cryptic. As someone who wasn’t really familiar with Leonard Cohen’s work outside of Hallelujah, I can definitely see now why he’s held in such high regard - this album is a lyrical masterpiece. Sitting here a day after I listened, I’m still finding myself mulling over his words and contemplating existence. That to say, I don’t think this album is perfect. I know Cohen is a poet first and foremost, but a lot of songs here leave a bit to be desired musically. While it admittedly matches the tone well, the musical backdrop feels a bit too subtle and funeral-ly at times to really pull me in, and in the case of Traveling Light, had too strong of “Italian mob boss” vibes to take seriously (that’s probably a me thing). Also, maybe a hot take, but I don’t love his voice, and a full album’s worth of that Death Valley-esque vocal range is a lot for me to handle. Overall, this has been one of the hardest albums for me to rate and review so far. Despite my best attempts, I can’t describe exactly what I think or feel about it - in some ways I think this could be higher than a 3.5 for me and in other ways it could be lower. There’s so much more I feel like I could touch on and yet even more I feel like I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of. At the end of the day, music is all about making us feel something right? Well, this album did that for me, and while I think I’m still figuring out what exactly that is, at the very least, I feel Cohen’s absence in the musical world today.

Can tell that it is more modern Cohen - but still a lil depressing.

Always an acquired taste, and one I’ve tried a lot over the years, Cohen’s style just isn’t for me. That doesn’t take away the validity of his music or this album. It’s haunting listening to someone’s final stamp on the world. Maybe it’s just a little to much for me at 5 AM when I’m trying to listen to it. Maybe it’s too much for anyone at that hour.

Cohen premeditates on the afterlife with a tombstone timbre as his two feet steadily sink down six.

3.8 - What might it sound like to sit next to Dracula at his death bed?

I don't think I'll ever listen to this again but yeah, I get it. Pretty depressing vibe.

Titelnummer is briljant, en een paar andere zijn ook mooi, maar het had zo erg een ep kunnen zijn, ik denk 3,5 ster

Норм

While a handful of tracks have very hollow production, there are a handful of genuinely gorgeous moments here and consistently introspective and powerful writing. RIP Leonard (but not actually because you were kind of a gross asshole)

Pretty good, not my favorite.

3/5. Dark and depressing themes, especially for a man who dies 2 weeks later. The title track is really good but there are some definite misses throughout. Some blend into each other, as is with most Leonard cohen songs.

this album is only a three bc im not as musically into it. the music is good, gospel lite, christian hymnal referential. all well in good to the concept of self decision making and avoiding institutions seeking to sway the mind. its a cool album. its just not for me. this is a great last album. and it feels thoughtful and grand.

Odd with a funky tune and a deep voice.

I really liked the instrumentals in every song. His extremely baritone voice worked towards the end of the album for me but caught me off guard in the beginning and took some getting used to.

Solid bassline to start off. The music is good and dark for a dreary day like today. Although it made me tired I think because of the casualness of his voice. There were some really good background instrumentals. Very gritty and weathered but definitely sleep inducing.

Meh. This is better than normal. I appreciate his dark unamused tone and darker voice on this one. Still better writer than musician.

Enjoyed this.

The mixing of this is a bit unsettling, it feels like he's whispering in your ear. Not bad, but I think his music is something I'd have to get used to.

Pretty weird. This guy's voice is super gravelly and deep.

It's really good poetry, and enjoyable to listen to with a glass of wine. But strictly musically speaking one would need another Jeff Buckley to turn these songs into 5 star songs.

All the tracks sound pretty much the same: poems read over a barely present melody. It is definitely a vibe, but it gets old after a few songs.

Very different Interest guy

if the rest of the album was as good as the title track it'd be a five-star ⭐⭐⭐

really good, i liked but not somthing i’ll listen to all the time

You Want It Darker og Steer Your Way er gode sange og resten er sådan også okay, men sidste halvdel af albummet er klart det bedste for mit vedkommende.

very quiet Cohen

- Incredible vocal performance and lyrics - Lowkey and groovy instruments - Songs blend together a small bit - Favorite songs: You Want it Darker, Leaving the Table

man, i loved it

If you like biblical references and generic love poetry you’re in luck. I wanted to hate it but I didn’t. I feel like Bowie and Cash had more deathbed gravitas and Cohen uses his voice as a crutch here…how pretentious is this review.

Jazz blues, not my style, but is a good album.

What a voice! He's making Tom Waites sound like a soprano!! Time has gone by very quickly, disappointed that things have come to a close. A very nice album, Mr Cohen's voice is great, and he is backed up by excellent instrumentation and songwriting. Lovely stuff. 3 / 5 stars.

When it comes to Leonard Cohen you know what you’re getting. That said his silly dulcet tones hit nicely even if the album as a whole could use an inflection of energy at certain points.

i love and admire leonard cohen but the only thing i really like on this album is the title track

dark and lovely

too poetic

Raw and brilliant musicianship with terrible sound quality. I know some will say this is the point but it is poor to the point of distraction.

It is possible, I think, to acknowledge the appeal of Cohen without actually warming to him. Part of it is to do with the fact that (to my unending sorry) I am not, and now will never be, a lyrics person. Part of it is reactive, and thus illogical. I live in a place captured by the Cult of Cohen, largely uncritical and in thrall more to the social image that coalesced around Cohen during his lifetime (reinforced, unsurprisingly, by his death) than to, say, his actual music. (This too is reactive and subjective on my part. Perhaps I should simply go to a therapist, rather than working out my issues with my habits via intermediaries like stylish singers of a certain age.) All that said. Songs like Chelsea Hotel are indubitably from the top drawer. this album is of far more modest origins, and should do him no favours. (I do like the cigarette on the sleeve. But there you go, I'm imprisoned by trite superficialities myself...)

I actually did not ask for it darker

Dark

3/5 İ really don't know what to think about the album because i don't have any background information on it. The singer's voice was deep but not that type that i would marry the man. İ liked the tunes but overall it wasn't much to my liking.

idk it was alright. Really depressing. May Lenard Cohen rest in peace.

Música hablada de Cohen bastante tostón. Un 3 por ser él, que si no era un 2.

favorite tracks - you want it darker, steer your way least favorite tracks - n/a

ca m’a rendue triste

Decent enough, got a bit samey

Música hablada de Cohen bastante tostón. Un 3 por ser él, que si no era un 2.

Really good emotional album

Leonard does it again. Title track and treaty are the best two here

I've never been a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but I do like this album. Haunting and beautiful in its own way.

Loved the instrumentation but couldn't really get into his voice. Maybe I'm not in the right mood, so will have to give it another listen to form a better opinion.

meh

It was fine, bit depressing though. Not my cup of tea.

Gravel in a washing machine lubricated with a darker pondering.

Somber tone to the whole album which makes sense given the context. The music itself is very solid, the vocals are strained at times and really fit the vibe of the album. 7/10.

I didn’t grow up with Leonard and although it’s OK, I don’t think it has the same effect on me as others.

Previously I noted Cohen's talk-singing style, and I feel it becomes perhaps too dominant and too growly in this album. I also have to wonder how much his by-then-massive popularity contributed to the critical acclaim. I mean, two or three of the songs are 4s, for sure. But the rest are solid 3s.

Nice deep voice man

Decent but can't imagine me listening to it a lot. Very different and that's to be applauded.

Way better than I'm Your Man, at least.

Not quite my jam. Reminded me a bit of Lou Reed or Johnny Cash. The ballads of a man at the end of his life.

Not as good as his preceding album, but still better than most songwriters' output.

Nice Leonard album. All of his stuff is good. Still like his earlier stuff better than this one though.

Cool & Kinda boring. 3 and a half

Damn his voice is raspy. Explores themes of religion and love, seemingly having given up on both by their old age. Very gospel-y songs with the organ in the background and the chord progressions reminiscent of church music. He practically speaks, his voice is amazing and raspy but I don't think it's very much "singing". Remaniscing about past, giving up on "me and you", connecting back to giving up on love, metaphoricially speaking to a past love. Superb bass on this album. The thoughts of a sad, lonely man who's been failed by both love and religion are around every nook and cranny of this album, the instrumental work on this album is wonderful, no musical sound is out of place or there by accident. Solid 6.5/10

Was not my cup of tea but very riveting listen.

not an uplifting album; heavy on the blues

What an interesting album! There is something incredibly poetic about Leonard Cohen releasing an album talking about the heavy topic of death, mere days before his own death. It feels so deeply personal that you can't help but feel like there's some level of prophecy going on here. I'm not the biggest Cohen fan, but this album really did catch my attention. "You Want It Darker" may very well be my favorite of any Leonard Cohen song I've ever heard. There is something about him honing in on this dreadful topic, both on the song and on the album, that drew me in. I DO want it darker, indeed.

Im not entirely sure what genre of music this is it almost seems more poetry than song. I don’t know if it’s for me but I respect the artistry of it I enjoyed it more on the second listen. Still not sure what genre to call this

It’s okay

Interesting. Liked it more than other Cohen I have listened to, but that may just be because of how raspy his voice is. Glad I gave it a go. 2.5/5

interesting to listen to once, don't know if i have the heart for it past that

Pretty Dark...

I love how the vocals are produced on this album. His voice has so much texture and putting it front and center in the mix highlights that. At its best, the album feels like reading poetry. The songwriting isn’t complex and the production is sparse. We really get to sit with the lyrics and his voice. I’d be curious to return to this album after listening to more Leonard Cohen. He seems to have crafted it knowing it would be his final album. That’s not something a lot of artists have the chance to do. Great album cover. Highlights: “You Want It Darker,” “If I Didn’t Have Your Love” (I like that he found room for a pretty straightforward love song on this album), “It Seemed the Better Way” (such a sad and beautiful violin melody)

What an interesting concept to have a "goodbye" album of sorts... his vocals are at the forefront, as they should be with the heavy lyrics.

as much as i find leonards music to be quite boring, this was a beautiful send-off. rip

S'écoute bien mais pas son meilleur, je sais pas pourquoi il était nécessaire dans les 1001

Revisiting from first listening in 2016- its not my favorite but is such a classic.

As a fan of late career Dylan there is a lot I appreciate here. A broken voice. An obsession with legacy and mortality. I think Dylan does it better but he is bob Dylan. I found the title track to be too much. The Russian choir, the bass, his voice. It just felt like an album of this would be too much. But then I liked it a lot more after that.

Okei nimikkobiisi oli aika hyvä, ja Traveling Light joka oli vähän samantyylinen. Ehkä pitää vielä kuunnella uudestaan ja keskittyä enemmän lyriikoihin.