Reviews (page 13 of 14)
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
First thought: dammit not more Leonard Cohen. Second thought: this rules. I love haunted old men with broken, ruined voices and filthy souls
Dark
Mix of cinematic and impressive restraint on the music, just wish the goals were turned down a bit in the mix (but I get it).
This was one long death rattle. https://pics.me.me/kids-could-you-lighten-up-a-littlet-29298587.png
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.
This is an interesting album for sure. My favorite tracks seem to be the title, Traveling Light, Treaty and Leaving the Table. Not like anything else I’ve heard.
idk it was alright. Really depressing. May Lenard Cohen rest in peace.
I can't imagine introducing anyone to Leonard Cohen with the last album of his long lifetime. I think a proper appreciation of the man and his music requires a chronological approach, from first album to last. In exploring the work in this way, the listener eases into the more shocking aspects of Leonard Cohen (namely, his sagacious old-croak of a voice and his late-career synth-pop and midi-music). The listener also arrives at the conclusion that YOU WANT IT DARKER is a very satisfying swan-song for such an alluring artist. Favorite track: 'Steer Your Way'
Find it a hard listen
One of the most beautiful voices in the world, saying her farewell. Everything about it is perfect, the lyrics, the melodies...
An album that is meant to be the tone to go with death. The old voice of cohen is tough to listen to after a few moments. Couldn’t enjoy this album mainly due to the singing. At some point, artists that are old shouldn’t make music. 3.4/10
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
Similar to David Bowie's Blackstar, this is a very fitting "final album, even if it isn't technically his last. It just feels so emotionally driven and his voice is absolutely haunting, bringing it all together is the orchestral sound. While I have enjoyed what I've heard of Leonard Cohen's guitar playing, having instead a hard hitting orchestra makes his words have so much more depth to them. I was worried I wouldn't like later Cohen due to the voice change, but if anything this may be my favorite one I've heard so far. It only misses the mark for five stars because some of the songs do go in one ear and out the other, or sound too similar to another song, but that hardly hinders this cool thirty-six minute album.
Too much growling, did not finish.
Beautifully composed, performed, and produced. I can't find a bad thing to say about this album. Sure it's depressing. It's an introspective album on death near the end of life. Of course it is.
Never got the attraction of Leonard Cohen
Nope
Tout simplement dévasté.
ca m’a rendue triste
Decent enough, got a bit samey
Dark but good
Such an intimate album, he clearly knew he was reaching his end and gave us this wonderful gift.
Love love love
Track 2, "Treaty" was a tear jerker.
Som tri baixado, grande mestre
Música hablada de Cohen bastante tostón. Un 3 por ser él, que si no era un 2.
he Voice interesting, may relisten
Recorded in the last months of his life (and released two weeks before it ended), You Want It Darker is Leonard Cohen’s final masterpiece, reflecting on the pain and sadness he endured with a sense of acceptance-in the end, it might just have been worth it. Gravelly-voiced with spare instrumentation, this is a truly special listening experience.
The list heard me talking shit and gave me more Leonard Cohen. I liked this one more though. My favorites were Traveling Light and Steer Your Way.
Sucks
Wow
Really good emotional album
Continue to not be able to appreciate the music of Cohen. Lyrics are ok, but don’t move me
This was a real wow album for me. One of the things I love about this generator as I would never bother to listen to this otherwise. I’d never clicked with LC before listening to this today. The whole vibe and themes of life and death given his own circumstances when he made this album just work, and his distinct vocals just fit with the atmosphere of the album. An absolutely beautiful masterpiece that you should listen to before you die. It’s the least you can do given Leonard put the effort in to create this masterpiece just before he died.
It’s tough to describe why I liked this album. It felt very raw and vulnerable which is cool. You want it darker is super weird and absolutely rocks. Overall a great listen
beautiful, sad, everything i’ve ever wanted from leonard cohen. i cant believe his voice sounded this good at his age, truly aged like a good wine.
Very atmospheric music, great voice, bumped it up to a 4 because of “You Want It Darker”
There is a lot to this album; too much to be fully appreciated from one or two listens. Really subtle.
I have attempted to rate this album at least 5 times now. At first I wasn't sure whether I even liked it, but I think I've figured out that I do.
For me it is a boring humming from an old man.
Blackstar but for depressed cowboys Best: Title track, Travelling Light, Steer Your Way
Leonard does it again. Title track and treaty are the best two here
En af de største lyrikere. Optaget i hans køkken mens han var dødsyg af kræft. Fornemmer stemningen i hans stemme. Synger både om det mørke univers samtidig med at han synger om det han mener er livets stærkest kraft kærlighed. Det er store og flotte konklusioner, draget af en af de store poeter
Love the super low voice. Great songs and lyrics. 4.5
What a cool record. It just got better and better. Fav song was leaving the table, I love the guitar in that one. Sounds like ry cooder. Huge fan of the string outro. I love when records have themes like that. 4.7
What a beautiful album. It’s moody and honest. Leaving the Table is my favorite lyrically. I’ll be listening to this over and over again.
Zijn stem en zijn melancholische teksten maken dit een perfect album op een droevige manier
The fifth Leonard Cohen album we've got and certainly the one I enjoyed the least. It sounds like a mix of French chansonnier and Christian church music to me - both not styles I'm a fan of. I guess the direction makes sense for the point of life Cohen was at. But it's not something I care to listen to.
I've never been a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but I do like this album. Haunting and beautiful in its own way.
Vond dit eerst heel heftig en zwaar maar nu ik er over nadenk waardeer ik het steeds meer. Eigenlijk wel lekker om een beetje in die zwaarte te hangen! Lievelings: treaty en on the level
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.
When I saw Leonard Cohen pop up I was hoping it would’ve been one of his older ‘classics’ as he’s another one who I heard the odd song by, liked, but never dived in. That said, I still really enjoyed this, can definitely see why Matt Berninger / Mark Lanegan often get compared to him. His lyrical style is up there with the best and the time flew by. Will definitely check this out further and look into his back catelog.
Hallelujah aside this is my first experience of Leonard Cohen, guessing it's a strange point to enter his catalogue! Powerful stuff to hear him grapple with his life and faith shortly before his death and he's got the gravelliest voice I've heard. Really good.
Solid 4 star. Memorable and melancholy.
Think I've listened to this four times already. His voice sounded like he smoked and drank his whole life but it fit the style and lyrics of the album perfectly. I really liked the darkness and melancholy of the album. Easily goes into a list of best albums I've ever heard. Highlights were "Steer Your Way", "You Want It Darker" and "It Seemed the Better Way".
WOW! This was absolutely incredible. Did not expect that. His voice(!!!), the backing vocals, the finality of it all that comes from him being close to the end of his life. I felt quite emotional in parts, only a very small amount of music does that to me. I think this is up there with the best albums I've ever heard. Albums like this, which I would have never listened to otherwise, are exactly why I wanted to work through this list.
Indulgent, great lyrics
The title track is marvellous.In fact the whole album is very good, but as the title suggests, it's very dark.Very, very dark.Unless you are in the mood to contemplate infinity, it's a bit much. Fortunately I often am, so that's OK.
Better than expected
Z’n stem, de soberheid, het einde in zicht en de teksten. Klein traantje gelaten
meh
I do, I do want it darker
Almost spoken word, his voice is so low. Captures him at the end of life, still the wordsmith.
It was fine, bit depressing though. Not my cup of tea.
I could barely do this. I killed my soul
Gravel in a washing machine lubricated with a darker pondering.
Careful what you ask for. He didn't exactly make the happiest albums before this one you know.
Loved this. A nice new gem of an album to listen to from time to time.
You want it darker? Be careful what you ask for. Even in his 80s, Leonard Cohen was still a badass!
fuck this guys voice is deep. I don’t think this is made for me but that’s ok I’m not mad at it. sounds like jarvis cocker putting on a voice lolllll. no fucking way they worked together. what da hell. ok now it gets an extra point. respect, rip. 4.5
wow quite beautiful
you know what? life's too short to keep listening to Ol' Mumbly Joe just because some list said so. I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING LEONARD COHEN EVER MADE there i said it. on to "Led Zeppelin III." fuck yeah.
Dogshit I hate it I want to skip
This is a great album but I won’t listen to it again.
Dense lirycs and haunting vocals. A lot of religious themes, but at times it sounds more like the devil himself is being summoned. You Want It Darker and Treaty are the best tracks. I just knew the classic Cohen from 'Suzanne' and 'So Long, Marianne', I'm glad to have discovered this darker side. He was 82 at the time of recording.
ich geb dem einfach mal ne 5, weil ich finde es ist eine 5 und will das es eine 5 ist :)
From the ripping and spectral opening track, Cohen establishes one of the finer albums reflecting on his own imminent mortality. Ever the poet Cohen looks into his past as a generation's troubadour indelibly tied with the death's coming. His voice is aged and creaky, weight is felt with every line. Meditations on nascent spirituality and lovers felt fill the album on this finely crafted first piece of a diptych. Thanks for the Dance is well recommended as a listen following as it completes many ruminations here. 8/10, this and Blackstar by Bowie are the greatest albums written around mortality of this generation.
Beautiful as some of Leonard Cohen’s best - and like Bowie’s Blackstar, it is a wonderful gift of a goodbye by one of the demigod artists of the 20th Century. It’s a little less dark than Bowie’s epitaph and the soaring lyrics and smooth husky baritone of Cohen allows the world the grieve a little better for the loss.
Actually very cool album. Usually I find like slow music at all, but I thought the story he was telling throughout each song was pretty captivating. Also the backup singers on the second to last song were cool as well
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.
Kolejny Cohen, tym razem przygotowany na niego bylem, bo jak moglbym nie przesluchac ostatniego albumu wydanego za zycia takiego artsty, jest to jeden z tych krazkow ktore sa pozegnaniem z sluchaczem jak i z swiatem, Cohen zmarl 16 dni po wydaniu plyty, wiec prawie tak dramatycznie jak w przypadku Bowiego, ale jest to skromniejsze pozegnanie, bo nigdy szol menem on raczej nie staral sie byc, no i jest to album artysty 82 letniego, wiec slychac go juz tutaj jedynie lirycznie i wokalnie, gdzie wokal jest tak wymeczony zyciem, ze ciezko poznac tutaj czasami tego artyste ktorego sie znalo z klasycznych albumow, kolejna rzecza ktora odroznia ten material od tego co mozna uslyszec u tego pana wczesniej, to dobor instrumentali, bo jest on bogaty, ale jednak nie przesadzony, wiec dobrze pasujacy tworczosci takiego barda, gdzie liczy sie najbardziej slowo, w nagraniach tego 36 minutowego krazka bralo udzial 10 artystow, najwiekszy udzial wydaje sie miec pan Zac Rae, ktory gra ogrywa glowne gitarki i klawisze oraz kilka bardziej egzotycznych instrumentow, za produkcje i niektore kompozycje byl odpowiedzialny syn Cohena, Adam, material krotki, ale trafiajacy do czlowieka, ale w taki sposob, ze zostawia wolne pole do nadinterpretacji liryki, ktora wydaje sie byc pisana prawdziwym szyfrem, ciezko czasem odnalezc sie do kogo utwor jest skierowany, kto jest podmiotem lub calkiem odwrotnie jest zbyt latwo zeby tylko przy koncu utworu sie znowu zgubic, ale wspolnym mianownikiem nagrania bedzie przemijanie, ciezko wybrac hajlajtowe momenty, bo sluchac wypada jedynie jako calosci, albo najlepiej w polaczeniu z posthumusowym krazkiem, ale na plejke dodam tytulowy opening i traveling light, no i sluchajac takiego pozegnania czlek sie zastanawia jak bedzie wygladalo pozegnanie Dylana, z ktorym to chyba najbardziej Cohen byl najbardziej porownywany zwlaszcza w 70s, czy w ogole doczekamy sie jeszcze plyty takiego kalibru od tamtego pana
favourite song: treaty least favourite: no least favourite song. this album is absolutely fantastic easy 5/5.
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.
The first track gave me goosebumps.
Creamed my jeans over this
Pretty awesome.
si leonardo te quiero oscuroooo
So powerful! What a denouement to his musical career. So very missed.
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.
i feel like this album goes back to his start, slow poetic somber songs i love it
Nice deep voice man
Classic. Great listen.
Bit of a bummer innit.
Who seriously could like this? Just speaking into a microphone with some light repetitive instrumentals. 3/10.
L’arrangement est fantastique. L’histoire racontée est super touchante. La voix grave et le phrasé de Léonard Cohen sont incroyables Je recommande!
Oh wesh il a une voix suave tah les fous ! Pour moi c'est Christopher Lee qui chante, dwonc bien joué le compte dooku. Ptite vibe a la Jhony cash 3.5/5
Incredible voice and incredible record to go with it. Quite short but memorable! Loved it. 5/5
Leonard makes me want to cry and scream. Just what I needed!
There is some nice tasty backing and some clever lyrics but I still find him annoying.
Decent but can't imagine me listening to it a lot. Very different and that's to be applauded.
Leonard is definitely growing on me. This album is very slow, quite dark, but the lyrics are beautiful. I enjoyed most of it.
Way better than I'm Your Man, at least.
Leonard is king. This album will always be special because of the effort it took for him to work on it. It is dark and beautifully done. 4.5/5
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.
Leonard Cohen – You Want it Darker Last album written before Leonard Cohen’s death two months later. - You Want it Darker – That bass beat is so smoooooth! Yes! Dark voice is cool vibe. The “Hineni” in the chorus is a Hebrew phrase meaning “Here I am”, used by Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah among others when God calls them. The whole song seems to be Cohen trying to come to terms with his imminent death and God. Cohen is Jewish and often uses Christian imagery. This combines both. It’s really good. - Treaty – Sadder track about how the narrator is angry and tired and just wishes to end conflicts. The raw vocals mostly work, and he does get a bit more melodic at times. It’s unclear if he’s singing to a woman or God or something else entirely. - On the Level – Guitar has some prominence in this one, while still being background. Backing vocals in the chorus are an interesting effect, but not my favorite. Does give this one some variety. Seems to be about leaving a lover who was both a “devil” and an “angel”. Also speaks about his time in a Buddhist monastery in the 90s. Another good track, but not one I think I’d go back and revisit much. - Leaving the Table – Even more prominence to the guitar in the intro. Like most of the songs, it seems to deal with letting love go, reconciliation, and end to struggles. I like the brass in the background. Ok, this one is amazing. The emotion in the music hits harder than basically any of the others. This one leaves the religious imagery and is completely raw autobiography. It might be my favorite track so far. - If I Didn’t Have Your Love – A reflection on past love. It’s a sweet love song, and a good song overall, but it’s less to my taste than many of the songs on this album. These kinds of personal love songs don’t resonate with me since it’s out of my experience. - Traveling Light – A Greek flavored track that’s a goodbye to Marianne Ihlen, a partner, lover, and muse of his who died a few months before he did. It’s another amazing one. - It Seemed the Better Way – Even more stripped back track, going to humming vocals, sparse bass and shaker keeping the time. Deals with his relationship with Zen Master Roshi whom he spent years with in a monastery. He felt the teachings rang true, but later stories came out about Roshi sexually abusing female students. Also may be a rejection, or an acceptance, or a resignation to Christianity. It’s unclear. It’s high quality, but not to my taste. - Steer Your Way – Not my favorite, but a very well written track. The violins are good. - String Reprise / Treaty – Closing track to the album. An instrumental, followed by a reprise of Treaty to close out the album and close out Cohen’s life. Wow. The songwriting on this is freaking amazing. Very interesting and personal themes explored as well. The instruments are tasteful and sound amazing throughout, achieving a wide variety of different tones. In context with Cohen confronting his own imminent death (and reflecting on his life) it becomes even more poignant. Even the songs that I personally dislike are still extremely well-written. What an amazing album. This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to find when I started this project. Top Tracks - You Want it Darker – Lead track coming to terms with God and death. Smooooth bass. - Treaty – Good summation of the themes of reconciliation/surrender of the whole album. - Leaving the Table – Most raw track on the album. - Traveling Light – Love the Greek instrumentation. A beautiful farewell to a past love and friend.
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.
Melodias e melancolias envolventes para um lirismo arrebatador.
Boring musically and his voice makes me uncomfortable
Favorite Songs: You Want It Darker, Treaty, On the Level, Leaving the Table, Traveling Light, Steer Your Way, String Reprise Least Favorite Songs: It Seemed The Better Way Much like David Bowie's 'Blackstar', here we have an artist with a rich catalog of material reflecting on their life, career, and eventual death (which would come 17 days after the release of 'You Want It Darker'.) These songs are brooding, sweet, subtle, and yes... dark. You can hear a man who has loved so many say his goodbyes. A man who was deeply spiritual make peace with a creator. A man who has done alot of reflection on what went wrong and how to cope. On a musical level, there's a minimalist approach to many of songs here. Even when a choir erupts, a guitar plucks along, a violin is bowed, or a piano jangles it isn't anything but a backing track to the words and gravel coming from the main event: Mr.Leonard Cohen.
Gravelly voiced old man spoken word half singing from his death bed. Not my cup of tea.
Not for me.
Cool & Kinda boring. 3 and a half
Liked it unexpectedly. Very sad but strong album.
I heard this album when it first came out but never really gave it a second listen. I'm glad I got the opportunity to revisit it. Cohen's voice may not be what it once was but the poetry is as vivid as ever, and the backing music, especially the chorus, is enchanting throughout this wonderful album.
They lyricism is great. But it's still just an old man whispering over violin and acoustic guitars.
Lenny!!!! His face in MTL should be bigger lol
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
This is some form of divine pathetic fallacy intervention for me today. The deeply ominous sounds of this album perfectly mesh with the broiling internal rage I'm currently experiencing because of shitty workplace motherfuckers that have pushed me beyond my capacity for patience. Well done, Leonard, you know what it's like when people be hasslin' and harassing you. Travelling Light is the way to go it seems, good life philosophy.
I'm a sucker for smokey singing voices.
Leonard Cohen never went into dotage. This album is beautiful and powerful.
Not particularly a fan of Cohen's recorded stuff, but this knocked me for a loop. Absolutely mesmerizing. 4/5.
Excellent final sendoff album. Gonna need to revisit 👍
Was not my cup of tea but very riveting listen.
Raspy ass spoken word album
The music was great but this was such a strange album.
I'm a sucker for smokey singing voices.
not an uplifting album; heavy on the blues
i had previously listened to "i'm your man," cohen's 1988 album, as part of this project. it became one of my favorite albums, and i realized this album will become the same halfway through my first listen. cohen's lyrics are just as beautiful, thought provoking, heart wrenching as before. so many songs focus on death and come across as authentic. he wears his heart on his sleeve. you feel his pain ("i'm angry and tired all the time") and acceptance (i'm ready, my lord") as he finds himself closer to death. i was struck by how simple "traveling light" was, yet his meaning is clear ("i'm running late/they'll close the bar/i used to play/one mean guitar"). i loved each line in this lyrics, honestly. there's a thread of religion throughout the album. "make it darker" contained hymns and jewish imagery, and "treaty" was about his relationship with (and love for) his god, among others. for someone as spiritual as cohen, incorporating this into his album while nearing the end of his life must have brought him some level of comfort. his voice is deeper on this album, lending to a further emphasis on death. his tenor had always created the focus on his lyrics but more so here. there's minimal background accompaniment; while beautiful, its simplicity allows the focus to be on the lyrics. and somehow, the violins sound like they're crying. the "string reprise" section was unparalleled in its beauty. he's still with his usual folk sound, but there are some blues sounds as well. this remarkable album is meant to break you. it's dark and deep, and it can be rough. it's beautiful and truly a piece of art.
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.
What a beautiful album. A masterpiece for him to end his legendary career. His poetry here allowed him to look back on his mortality and the string reprise was the official goodbye. Very dark and sad, but beautiful in its essence, as he did say bye a month after its release.
What a wonderfully unique goodbye from Leonard, in a way just he could have done it. Simplistic background with a Blues Touch, paired with pretty much only melodic speaking and storytelling. Great atmosphere
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
I can respect what he's doing, but the self-important talk singing just doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me.
No
It’s okay
Music is decent overall but Cohen just kind of reminds me of a B level movie soundtrack. Not my cup of tea.
This is sort of a tough one to rate. It's a Leonard Cohen album, no doubt about it. It's certainly not my favorite Cohen album. Like most of his works (at least the ones that I've listened to), the album is heavy on the poetry and light on the music. There's nothing wrong with that, since even in his waining days, Cohen could still carry an album on the strength of is poetry and his voice. His albums always leave me wanting something more. I've not heard any that I didn't like, but this one especially feels a bit stripped down. It's good, but also not in the same galaxy as Blackstar by Bowie in terms of albums made during an artist's dying days. Setting that comparison aside, this album is worth a listen, though not one that I'm likely to come back to 4/5
Chilling echo's or Bowie's Blackstar in that this album was recorded with Leonard Cohen knowing that his time was short. A suitability dark Leonard Cohen album it understandably is missing some of his almost trademark sardonic humour. I was too sad about his passing to give this a proper listen when it came out. Listening to it now I am struck by how sparse it is, but this suits the themes and the lyrics perfectly
musikalisch und textlich interessant, Stimme und Sprechgesang furchtbar
It's OK, I guess? If you've never heard Leonard Cohen before, this is a pretty good example of his sound. That said, his sound is kind of hit or miss.
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
I think the author of the book took the "before you die" part of the assignment a little too literally.
like the dark twin of I'm Your Man, or the cousin of Blackstar. First song is incredible, and the rest keep up the doom perfectly. What a terrible year 2016 was
Pretty Dark...
Kudos to whatever studio forced this one out of Leonard before the poor old fart died – the cigarette on the cover is fitting, as the man sounds like he's on death's doorstep with how onerous he croaks out each verse. The range and dynamism of his earlier vox are clearly out of reach on this one, and even if the vocals were at their previous peak the dollar-bin production and instrumentation would damn this LP anyway.
Magical
If I wanted to listen to somebody croon I’d listen to Lana Del Rey
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.
I was waiting for Leonard Cohen to appear on this list. So we all know he has HIS sound, but man does he come across as tired and exhausted on this album. This is my first time hearing it and reading about it and apparently he recorded this in his living room after touring a ton and having medical issues for years. Then the release of this album came out only like 2-3 weeks before his death. It's fitting that the first track's main hook is "I'm ready, my lord." "Leaving the Table" is really amazing. It's such a Leonard Cohen song. Lyrics are really A+ for me. You can tell that he knew this was his last one, and it of course brings a sadness to that fact, but I love his tongue and cheek humorous acceptance. "Traveling light It's au revoir My once so bright My fallen star I'm running late They'll close the bar I used to play One mean guitar"
El álbum realmente no es algo a lo que acostumbro a escuchar, tiene buenas letras pero me parece que con alguna connotación religiosa, su voz no es muy de mi agrado y es muy tranquilo y calmado para el ritmo que me gusta. No es lo que me gusta escuchar y tampoco me parece un álbum reluciente.
"You Want It Darker" is Cohen's 14th album and the last one released during his lifetime. These songs seem to be about some aspect of his impending death and limited time left whether it's addressing his current and former spirituality and God, saying a farewell to lovers or looking back at relationships and comparing that to himself now. Cohen speaks his lyrics with his deep voice which is musically progressed with strings, piano or guitar....very sparse. All these songs are worth listening to just for his lyrics alone. "You Want It Darker" has organs, minimal drums and a background male choir giving the song almost a church chamber feel. "If I Didn't Have Your Love" is a staight-forward love song looking back at a lover. "Traveling Light" has a spanish-style guitar and strings. Cohen lyrics have a dual meaning about traveling light in former relationships and also now as he is departing. Surprisingly, I did not find this album depressing or extremely dark at all but rather spiritually uplifting in his lyrics and especially the background male and female vocals; it gave some of the songs more of a soulful feel. Similar to my comment on Wire yesterday, everything I've heard from Leonard Cohen is worth checking out to some extent.
as much as i find leonards music to be quite boring, this was a beautiful send-off. rip
Disco con el estilo característico del cantante en sí. Melancólico, triste, y más que cantado, narrado. En ocasiones, un tanto deprimente. Tiene algún buen gesto, pero demasiado plano y similar entre sí
haunting songs and voice
S'écoute bien mais pas son meilleur, je sais pas pourquoi il était nécessaire dans les 1001
I made the mistake of trying to listen to this on a sunny day. Had to try again in the evening. Being old definitely suits him but there weren't quite enough musical ideas or great lyrics to sustain the whole thing
Not my cup of tea in any sense.
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.
Olin vähän skeptinen sen suhteen että näin uusi LC levy vois olla hyvä mutta hei mitä vittuu. Täähän oli ihan loisvaa synkistelyy ja vähän komiikkaankin! Jatkoon! 4/5
Okei nimikkobiisi oli aika hyvä, ja Traveling Light joka oli vähän samantyylinen. Ehkä pitää vielä kuunnella uudestaan ja keskittyä enemmän lyriikoihin.
Onhan tää kaunis. Artistin top3-levyjä varmasti.
Itse mestari. Cohen on tehnyt pohjatyönsä vetämällä 70(?) vuoden uran ennen tätä levyä, mikä antaa hänelle suvereenin oikeuden pohtia kuolemaa ja uskontoa eri tavalla kuin muut. Levyn avausraita on musta mestariteos upeassa ristiriitaisuudessaan, ja myös Treaty on kova veto. Leaving the Table ja Travelling Light on teksteiltään hyviä, mutta musiikillisesti levyn loppupuoli ei koskaan oo saavuttanut musta alkupuolen huippua, joten jätetään nyt 4/5.
So this is my third Leonard Cohen album now and it's still just fine. I like it but don't love it. Obviously this album being recorded just before he died makes it interesting and his voice sounds actually really great and I quite like it. But again you kinda get the same sounding song repeated over and over again.
Notes from the front from a Sole Survivor. Somber, gripping and unexpectedly poetic. Required.
Absolute dogshit.
Leonard Cohen is perfect. This album might be his best.
Dark and brooding, nice
p943. 2016. 5 stars Gravel voiced old man ruminates on death and produces final work of power and beauty. Lyrically, still light years ahead of the competition, and this time we've got decent tunes and quality production to match the words. Not a weak track on it. I am guessing this will resonate more with an older audience.
Another easy 5, long time fan. Such an incredible album, like a self written eulogy. Absolutely amazing. You Want it Darker is superd, Travelling Light, and Treaty are also sublime.
This man can write. His gravel voice delivery works for most of his material
Bit weird. Better than the other one on the list.
This was way better than I expected. I had briefly listened to his older material which didn't click with me. Here, it's most likely from age and his deeper vocals that his delivery and way with storytelling has changed to something more weary and reflective than before. The album is of course contrasted with his recent death after release, making it as equally prophetic as Bowie's last record. Overall, it was a warming listen.
What a beautiful and heartbreaking album. Released just a few weeks before he passed. Ugh. He still had it til the end.
Not my cup of tea
I liked the other Cohen albums that I listened to along this list, but this specific one I didn't like too much. It looks like a poetry reading session more than an album. Maybe I'm not in the vibe.
and old man talking with transformers voice talking for 36 minutes and 12 seconds. boring asf. 1/5
04/25/2022 Darker ≠ Better
love the man but his voice is just too close to ASMR here and it's actually hard to listen for me
I never really listened to Mr. Cohen much before. I wasn't particularly enthralled with what I had heard. However, I rather enjoyed this for the most part. There's a Tom Waits-ish quality, but much less "out there" than what Waits might do. It's also incredibly moving given the context of the album. The only downsides were that sometimes some of the songs were a bit too slow moving and mundane and well, it's just a downer of an album. It's not something to throw on anytime and enjoy. I'd give it a 3.5. Bumping to 4 of course.
Why ?
2016. You Want It Darker, Leaving The Table, String Reprise/Treaty
I’ve never given Leonard Cohen much thought, so I guess it’s ironic I would get his last album, his “death” album as my first taste. At first it felt pretentious, but maybe that’s just Cohen. Half way through I felt I knew him and could identify. I like the global feel of the music, the darkness and starkness of the vocals and sound. I could listen to this a lot more.
The title track is on one of my favorite playlists I made and to which I listen with some frequency. What incredible texture and flow. And the rest of the album is a work of poetic beauty and intrigue. I love it.
It's like a cross-between Tom Waits and David Carradine in Kill Bill and so laid back he's basically horizontal. I understand he was in a lot of pain and near the end and that this like his spoken-word poetry but his early stuff is so much more worth listening to. I felt guilty in giving a low score so listen to it again. It does get better and maybe it's a mood thing so one night I'll play it again and get more out of it. Weirdly the attempt to jazz it up with gospel singers and organs has the opposite effect- surely it would be better more stark?
It was good! Love his voice.
I wouldn't call myself a Cohen fan by any stretch of the imagination, being more familiar with his songs as performed by other artists. I bought this album on the strength of the use of the title track as the theme for the Black Earth Rising TV series, but in the end the whole album captivated me. In places Cohen sounds old and frail, but that only adds rather than detracts. It reflects on his past life and offers advice to those he leaves behind. It's an outstanding album to sign off with, his Blackstar.
I really didn't understand the appeal of Leonard Cohen until i listened to some of his earlier records, which I thought were quite good. Later in his career, he had a bit of an revival and attracted new fans and treated his old fans with new material. This music i have less interest in, unless you're old and/or female, it's not for me. Listenable, but I prefer his back catalog.
Wow, darker it is. This is the sound of a man close to the end of his life, and he knows it. Clearly, he was in a lot of pain, but there is joy and quiet celebration here to. The production is understated and sympathetic (not universal amongst Cohen's albums). I hear a lot of metaphors about war and conflict in here, but often with a quiet resolutions through diplomacy, treaties, spycraft and quiet agency. It is impossible to separate this from the circumstances of its recording and release, 17 days before his death, putting it in with Warren Zevon's final album and Bowie's Black Star in that small group of albums that face imminent mortality.
what's not to like, still can't believe I missed a chance to see him live
Really enjoyed this, need to come back to Leonard!
Envie de crever un peu Prefs: You Want It Darker, Treaty, Leaving the Table, If I Didn't Have Your Love, Traveling Light Moins pref: It Seemed the Better Way
I’ve been listening to some Cohen recently so it was fun to see this pop up. As usual, lyrics are introspective and pseudo religious, with some straightforward but not too simple backings.
Great, I thought. Another Leonard Cohen album. How do 3 of these make a 1001 list? But, my goal was to challenge myself to listen to music I was not exposing myself to... Reading the wiki notes about this being close to the 'finale' life-wise for Cohen made me curious. The pathos of the lyrics and voice here added a quality that made me enjoy the album as a farewell note.... Would have been slightly better as a night time listen.
This is such a beautiful album. I really can't imagine a more fitting final work for an artist with the depth of Leonard Cohen. Musically, it's spare and stripped down with songwriting that is contemplative, intimate, and dark. Not an album I could listen to every day, but really excellent. Fave Songs: Leaving the Table, Steer Your Way, Treaty, You Want It Darker, Traveling Light, String Reprise/Treaty
Very solid album, I like it. Songs start to blend together, but the melodies are unquestionably brilliant.
Very cool
Wow, the title of this album was truly apt- bleak, mournful, reflective. A perfect epitaph to a musical legend
Puro Cohen
loved it!
As I have said before Leonard is one of my musical heroes. I love his poetry and his sardonic, wry lyrics. His use of top notch musicians to back him is also a credit. This is obviously a sad sad album being his last studio album before he died (There is a posthumous album completed by his son Adam "Thanks For The Dance") Love "You Want It Darker" "Treaty" (I wish there was a treaty between your love and mine!) "Leaving The Table" (Shadows of Roy Orbison on the guitar here) "Traveling Light" These are all songs of love, life and coming death, beautiful in their simplicity and more powerful when you realise that the man was suffering in great pain from his ailments and the vocals were recorded at his home whilst his collaborators were working in studios elsewhere. (lockdown before lockdown eh!) Farewell Leonard my musical friend for the last 40 years! Rightfully on the list I believe.
An album that stops you in your tracks, the penultimate album from Leonard Cohen is the sound of an artist bidding farewell but driven to continue making music and art and is a privilege to listen to. The wisdom, the insight, the emotion all strike you to the core. Not a note is wasted. The music is perfectly pitched to support the breathy, quiet vocal. A heroic effort and one for the ages. (An alternative take from my daughter: ‘Kind of sounds like Lego Batman’)
This album will forever and always reminds me of Budapest. I adore this record.
Ugh - never liked him, don't understand how he's held up as a legend
Hauntingly Beautiful. I love the choirsong. 5
Not for me
Sad!!
Feels bad to say, but although i get the emption of the situation and lyrics, the voice and arrangement do less than nothing for me.
I don't claim to be intimately familiar with his discography, but this seems like a master work. His poetry is so unique, and his voice is so dark and rich, the mood meets the words so well. A powerful listen.
I deeply revere his 60s and 70s albums, but for me personally, he has a sharp cut off date in the 80s. His voice got flatter then and his style of arranging changed to where I no longer enjoyed the sound. Still a great songwriter all the way through to the end but honestly I'd rather hear other people interpret these songs. Hearing him croak them out on his deathbed is just sad. While listening to this album I just kept trying to imagine the songs being sung in his youthful voice.
This album compares and contrasts well with Black Star in different, morbid ways. I feel like they are both sort of reaching the same conclusion, but approaching it a bit differently as they age and mortality creeps closer. I feel like "You Want It Darker" and "Treaty" are the stand-out tracks. You Want It Darker is a better-than-average but feels like an intro that doesn't stand on its own as a track. Treaty I do like a lot. It reminds me of something Tom Waits would do, which is great in my book. From here after Treaty, it falls a bit short of what I'd want. Maybe I'm just not old enough, but it's just ok for me. The spoken-word delivery gets older and older the longer the album goes for me. I don't dislike it, but I want a lot more out of it.
Much more listenable than I feared it might be! What a turn of phrase that man had.
Haunting. Appropriately dark for these tragic and uncertain times.
Gonna get 5 stars. Leonard Cohen is brilliant
Didn't like it
Inesperado
My grandma loved him. His vocals are mixed so high on this record it feels silly. I know that's the point with Cohen. But, I mean, we get it, man. It's distracting and I honestly didn't get into this record as a result. Hoping for more early-period Cohen on this list. All the instruments sound superb. And the lyrics (especially given his subsequent death) are prescient. It feels like a final farewell.
This album is wonderfully melancholy. I'm not sure anyone else could pull this kinda thing off without it sounding like a pretentious beatnik poetry wannabe. But, somehow, Cohen's simple melodies and talk/sing vibe is just cool. I can't explain it - which is good.
It is de facto a concept about God... Such an amazing last album. (7/10) FT: You Want It Darker, Leaving the Table, Traveling Light
Preferred this over Songs Of Leonard Cohen. Not exactly uplifting though
Overrated. For people who like poems more than they like music. Can't sing at all - there comes a point at which not being able to carry a tune is an actual problem when it comes to calling yourself a musician. I like the title tune kinda sorta - thanks to the actual singers in the background. Basically, I don't want to listen to Grandpa croak at me.
Excellent!
Good voice, a tad too slow
Loved this one. I was supposed to be working while I had this on but his voice kept making me stop and actually *listen* to the songs. The Wikipedia article was an interesting read too -- I ended up going to the Wikipedia page about Leonard Cohen as well and learned that my album for today has a link to my album from yesterday: a song on Nirvana's "In Utero" album references Leonard Cohen. 10/10 to the music, 3/10 to my own productivity.
You Want It Darker is the fifth album from Leonard Cohen that I have reviewed for this list. I think I liked this album perhaps all of the other albums so far. I was still left wondering at times if Cohen is actually singing on this album. I have not yet reached a full appreciation of Cohen. I am primarily just getting through the albums. This album does have some guitar work that adds to the mood of the album. The overall mood of the tracks is okay and interesting even if I don't get in sync with Cohen's work. The lyrics to "You Want It Darker" are dark, but the track was a good opening for the album. I think I enjoyed "If I Didn't Have Your Love" and "Traveling Light". This album gets three stars because it was okay with a few additional bright moments spread over dark themes.
A lot better than I was expecting
Eh, cool, but not really into Liam Nieson-esc vocals.. 6/10
Only Leonard (and Bob) could make an album so current without referencing modern events in the slightest. Draws upon archetypes and metaphor to perfectly critique the human condition and the role of society. Cohen's last album and maybe his best.
mesmerising
A dying battery. A vegetable garden at the end of autumn. A human heart. What are the odds that immediately upon casting my vote of 1 star for Leonard Cohen’s 1988 release, 'I’m Your Man,' the very next assignment I received was another Leonard Cohen LP! The music review gods are fucking with me. That is, if you believe in said gods. One would gather that Leonard Cohen would advise against such indulgences for the greater sake of discovering the truth, no matter how sorrowful. But I don’t believe Cohen is the atheist people want him to be. In fact, I don’t think he’s an unbeliever at all. I think he’s a wounded believer. An unbeliever has no logical reason to address God, as Cohen does from the get-go (and has throughout his career) with a brashness so endemic to his peculiar tradition- Here I am, Lord. I can take as much as u can dish out. And in spite of lyrics like ‘I’m so sorry for that ghost I made you be. Only one of us was real, and that was me (‘Treaty’),’ the more accurate lyric from the same song seems to be, ‘I’m angry and I’m tired all the time. I wish there was a treaty… between your love and mine.’ Again, on the following track (‘On the Level’), ‘I heard the snake was baffled by his sin, he shed his scales to find the snake within. But born again is born without a skin, the poison enters into everything!’ Cohen’s on the other side of the remaining western (wailing) wall in Jerusalem, lamenting both God’s seeming abandonment of him, but more so his own of God, his loss of faith. Or, perhaps, the consequential loss that choosing to not believe any longer brings. And how the music is a perfect reflection of that, too, as if it’s aged along with Cohen’s human body, and retained only the parts necessary for essential functioning- a piano here, a guitar there. Gorgeous stringed instruments with a bit of a middle eastern/Mediterranean flare, in minor keys, of course. A banjo never even got close to this LP, thankfully. And be advised to have a box of Kleenex on hand for the closing lullaby. Leonard, from my own troubled faith, also not easily reconcilable with human existence, I believe I have not heard the cry of the needy on your prior recordings, and I confess to a missed opportunity to practice the understanding my discipleship requires. This is a deeply, profoundly moving work of art- and creativity beyond- that you have shared and I’m both humbled by and grateful for its passion. I still think 'I’m Your Man' is dreadful, but I doubt you care, nor should you. This one- 'You Want It Darker'- paradoxically, is the one that truly illuminates your gift. Leonard Cohen presumably died, integrity intact, rather than with/in the false, illusionary hope (and comfort) of his own faith tradition. Is that always the right course of action? The Rolling Stones, following Altamont, seemed to intentionally shed a little light into the prior darkness they had been nurturing, choosing against integrity for the greater sake of, quite literally, saving lives. Loving life, even. The next several years and LPs released remain their very finest period as well as some of the finest rock n’ roll records ever recorded. Who’s to say?
Boring
Excellent, loved the gravelly voice, You Want it Darker was my favorite song
Masterpiece. This is the perfect album to test out a brand new pair of speakers.
Not used to this genre, but grew to like it towards the middle. A nice sombre album
Weird that this album was on the list, considering how late it is. And not that great?
Oh that was superb. First listen just floored me. An easy 5/5.
4. Classic lyricist/poet with a great time-worn voice.
I want it meistens gar nicht. Nicht euer Ernst, oder? Texte gut, Musik Schrott.
Get this man a throat lozenge and a cup of lemon tea! Jokes aside, this is a beautifully intimate album. The backing band is a tight and dynamic collection of instruments, that is varied from track to track but cut down to just the essential pieces within any given track. Leonard's vocals whisper, growl, rumble and occasionally claw their way up into the lower musical register. The lyrics are quintessentially Cohen; poetic, built on a frame of relatable narrative and decorated to the hilt with evocative imagery and metaphors. I entered into the album thinking I wasn't in the mood for it. Turns out I was wrong.
Loved this.
I've listened to this album several times before. Not much voice left in him, but what a voice. Great feel for the music.
Not my style of my Music, wouldnt listen again, but it is its good music
Definitely grows on you
That deep rasp tho 😍. Really really enjoyed it!
Loved the voice loved the mood 3.5/5
RIP Stripped back Lenny ❤️
Massive fan of his earlier stuff, still love this album and reckon it will grow on me further in due time. Couple of songs that show he never lost his writing ability even right up to the end <3
Po prostu Cohen, nastrojowy niski głos. Spokojny, wyważony całkiem ciekawy.
I appreciate the music, but I don’t really enjoy Leonard Cohen.
Beautiful final album from a beautiful poet.
I know he's a popular guy but this was a little too monotonous for me.
Holy smokes, that voice was out of nowhere. Having only been familiar with his 'Hallelujah' I was not expecting that entrance. He just strolled right in and without effort commanded attention. Entire album reads like a letter or a prayer; struggles with aging and religion; an older man haunted by his past, now staring into the void of what's next. Very sombre, melancholic, personal and thoughtful. The lyrics are absolutely littered Judeo-Christian themes and religious references, which continues into the musical structure itself with inescapable hints of gospel, choral, chanting and traditional 'Jewish' sounding melodies. I couldn't help notice the similarities with David Bowies 'Blackstar'. Both albums wholly referencing mortality; both albums released the same year, the year of their deaths. This doesn't diminish either album, they're both unique masterpieces in my opinion, just a curiosity.
היה ממש כיף ושקט ואני צריך לישמוע אותו עוד פעם ליפני השינה
Mörk röst swag
Pretty hard to seperate from his death shortly following the album’s release, obviously by design. His low voice is really captivating here. I wish it went harder on the strings
Väldigt bra, kraftfullt skrivet och gillar produktionen väldigt mycket.
The experience of this, the nearly-final Leonard Cohen project, suggests that my weakness for old-man-death-albums is fixed. This is absolutely going on my list to listen again, though the second track drags an already slow album and the penultimate song's fade is early and redundant. Not much thematic variety, but it doesn't need that: Cohen's inflections and the subtle changes in instrumentation are enough.
1001 already sent us Bowie's Blackstar album recorded in the last year that he was looking at the blades rather than the roots, and now we get Leonard's similar offering. I never thought that so many artists spent there last year recording a final album. I know John Lennon also did this but it's not quite the same case. This album is reminiscent of his early albums in that the arrangements and production are very simple. Gotta love the line in Traveling Light: "I use to play a mean guitar" That's right up there with "I was born with the gift of a golden voice" I was surprised to see Alison Krauss doing background vocals on "Steer Your Way". I'm not sure what the story is behind her and Leonard becoming acquainted but he has always managed to find excellent background vocalists.
I guess for comparison you could listen to Bowie's Black Star, in terms of albums that were conceived and recorded while the artists were dying, but I think Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind would be a better comparison since they’re both around 80, i.e. well past their best-before dates. I would say by comparison, Cohen is still on his game. While he sounds tired (half-dead actually) his spoken words are less cryptic, more powerful and relevant, especially in songs like It Seemed the Better Way and You Want it Darker (even though he sounds a bit like he's channeling William Shatner in that one). The songs are sad and the lyrics pull you in. I like the way the violin creeps into the last three tracks and the final is instrumental until the very end. A lovely finish.
Mama always told me that if you can’t say anything nice…. And seeing that this album was completed only 17 days before his death, I’ll bite my tongue. Suffice to say I’m still not a Leonard Cohen fan.
Second Leonard Cohen album to show up. His older gravelly voice gets a bit much for this long but I enjoyed it still.
A striking meditation on god, love, and death. Leonard Cohen has always had tension throughout his work, but this album sees the tension unresolved and left to us, the listener. His voice and the subtle instrumentation command attention and leave the listener with a profound sense of loss.
Peculiar album
This has to be one of the most spine chilling albums I've ever heard....Leonard's voice is pretty haunting anyway and add to that the fact he is on deaths door and writing quite openly about it. Really interesting album and a nice collection of songs
Incredible that in the same year as Bowie's Blackstar another legendary artist released an album days before his death, apparently in the knowledge that it would be his last, and delivered it with such poise. Both the darker and the more soulful numbers therefore come with added gravitas, (helped by Cohen's badass old man voice ofc), and his gift for dispensing great wisdom in pithy phrases is evident throughout. 'As he died to make men holy, let us die to make things cheap'. Yep. 4.5
So so gruff! Really beautiful poetry, though the low voice is stepping on the toes of Tom Waits / Hades from Hadestown. Enjoyable swan song from the lyrical ledge. I'll revisit it at some point
I have heard some Cohen on a soundtrack once. It was ok. The album has some nice ambiance in some songs but his singing style is kinda repetitive as its more like talking.
David Bowie, great in his own right, released his last album in life "Blackstar", and passed away mere days later. As if he also knew his time was up, great Canadian folk artist Leonard Cohen followed suit in the same year. You Want It Darker, Cohen's last album in his life time, came out October 21, 2016. 17 days later, he died. There's not much left of Cohen's voice on You Want It Darker. What he has, though, he leans into. The titular song and opening track is, in fact, dark. Cohen sings about death in a very religious way. Similar to Balckstar, it's as if Cohen knows his time is up. Unlike Blackstar, Cohen prefers to keep things simple with his last album. This subdued sound is nice, but can lose steam after a few songs on account of sounding samey. Cohen is really dwelling in this sombre, grizzled mood the whole time, so you'll really need to be in the mood for that.
3/5 beautiful to hear, but not enough to buy it.
Oh Leonard, the Darker the better! Cheers brother, I'm sure you are up there still singing. Thanks for all you gave us.
Leonard's Swan Song. According to folklore, swans sing most beautifully before they die, and hence this phrase came to be used to describe someone who was leaving in style. Wonderful album. 4/5.
More interesting musically than Songs From A Room, but the same evocative lyrics full of pathos and perfectly honed turns of phrase. Peak Cohen in my opinion.
halleljewha
Really Good, the sound of this thing is incredible, like Midnight Mass in an ancient church
Dat zijn stem zijn uithangbord is, staat als een paal boven water. Muzikaal vind ik dat album net iets minder. Aangenaam om te luisteren, maar geen hoogvlieger
Leonard Cohen's a legend. This album isn't my usual cup of tea, but I'm glad to have experienced it.
The title of this album is perfect. I had said in my notes on “Songs of Love and Hate” that I was really interested in listening to more early Leonard Cohen, since the album I had been most familiar with was from the 80s. Why didn’t I pay attention when he made music in the 21st century? I didn’t even really aware of this later work. It was rather amazing to jump almost 50 years in his career. His voice still mesmerizes me. His words are still somewhat inscrutable but always intriguing. The composition, instrumentation, and backing vocals are amazing and beautiful in this. I think it’s interesting that the composer of the title track’s music is the co-writer of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” It has more in common than I would have thought. I love the organ and backing choir. The religious feel is intense. It’s a feel that carries through the rest of the album. “Treaty” carries so much pain and regret it’s hard to listen to. And then “Leaving the Table” comes on with even more...although there seems to be some relief in letting go. But that’s still pretty heavy. Come to think of it, “Traveling Light” also has a similar story. “If I Didn’t Have Your Love” at least suggests an intense love, but focuses on a pretty dang dark “what if?”. We then get in to some interesting religious pain and regret territory with “It Seemed the Better Way” and “Steer Your Way.” Mind you, I love these songs so much that you may find me in a dark room listening to them again and again, and it may be a good idea to get me outside in the sunshine.
I was not familiar with this album, but after Songs of Love and Hate, I have been intrigued with LC. This album did not disappoint. I didn’t expect the spoken lyrics, but I though that the tone with the accompanying music was beautiful. What a treasure.
Sublime. I've been to church. I am stunned and grateful.
I put on this album weeks after struggling to connect with Leonard Cohen’s third album, "Songs of Love and Hate." I expected a similar experience here. "You Want It Darker" grabbed me from the first notes of the choir with its incredible bass line, the lyrics and vocal performance. The song takes us into a holy space as it unfolds as a prayer. A prayer that critically interrogates the very roots of the religious traditions it references. "Treaty" is heartbreaking. Haunting lyrics, incredible arrangements and an emotional delivery perfectly capturing my disillusionment with Christianity and religion. ‘I do not care who takes this bloody hill. I’m angry and I’m tired all the time. I wish there was a treaty, I wish there was a treaty, between your love and mine.’ "On the Level” explores the emotions of letting go. 'They ought to give my heart a medal for lettin' go of you.' The piano… beautiful. The back up singers… angelic. Cohen… perfect. 'I'm old and I've had to settle on a different point of view. I was fighting with temptation but I didn't want to win, A man like me don't like to see temptation caving in.' Cohen has put words to feelings I've begun to have in a way that I could never hope to do. "Leaving the Table" digs deep into a break up: drifting apart ('I don't know the people in your picture frame'), regret/resentment ('If I ever loved you it's a cryin' shame'), resignation ('You don't need to surrender, I'm not taking aim'). Deep within the darkness "If I Didn't Have Your Love" unfolds into a startlingly beautiful love song. This album may be dark but like the rest of the album it is far from cynical. These songs flow with the undercurrents of a mature, deep love. "Traveling Light" pairs incredible mandolins and strings along with the electric piano while the lyrics tell of shedding parts of our lives as we approach its end. Cohen's exploration of religion in "It Seemed the Better Way” hit me in a deeply personal way. After spending a lifetime losing my religion this album has made me reflect on my religious journey more deeply than ever before. ‘Sounded like the truth, but it’s not the truth today. I better hold my tongue. I better take my place. Lift this glass of blood. Try to say the grace.' In "Steer Your Way" Cohen captures other aspects of my own journey as I steer away from so many of my beliefs, foundations, and trust in the world. He offers no replacement but hearing this song gives me strange comfort. 'Steer your heart past the truth that you believed in yesterday, such as fundamental goodness and the wisdom of the way.' Damn. "String Reprise/Treaty" is largely an instrumental string piece with Cohen reprising “Treaty” at the very end. After the last note faded I sat in silence for several minutes grieving Leonard Cohen's passing from this world just a few weeks after this album’s release... and rejoicing that Cohen left this incredible gift. Where last month I struggled to relate to a young Leonard Cohen, I felt an instant deep connection to him here at the end of his life. This album lead me into some very dark personal places - but Cohen's warmth and humanity never left me feeling alone. So rarely have I encountered an artifact of a life that had such a seismic effect on me. Leonard Cohen was right… I do want it darker.
Hm
Like the title suggests this a dark plodding album that is still quite fulfilling ecause of Cohen's incredible lyrical sense and dramatic delivery. The music matches the lyrical themes perfectly. I found something to enjoy in most every song. Thouvh in the end s little monotonous t ate higher than 3.5🌟
Stórkostlegt verk!
Let's keep it on the level When I walked away from you I turned my back on the devil Turned my back on the angel, too They oughta give my heart a medal For letting go of you. When I turned my back on the devil Turned my back on the angel, too At first I thought you would need to be in the mood to listen to this. But this album just stopped me in my tracks no matter what I was doing. There's something about Cohen that just grabs me and makes me listen. The coolest dude ever. The lyrics and that amazing growling voice hit so hard. The melodies are heartbreaking. Instrumentation is surprisingly varied for each song, but it's never too much. Just enough to complement and amplify the song and the words. What a way to go, Mr Cohen. Stand outs: You want it darker, On the level, Leaving the table, Traveling light, Treaty (both versions)
Like the title suggests this a dark plodding album that is still quite fulfilling ecause of Cohen's incredible lyrical sense and dramatic delivery. The music matches the lyrical themes perfectly. I found something to enjoy in most every song. 4 🌟
It not my music
Would be a 5 if there was a bit more singing, but really good either way.
From the first track Cohen's vocals were like wrapping yourself in a warm fluffy blanket of "zero fucks given". Would pair well with whisky and a nice cigar
Perhaps never the artist to listen to if you're feeling a little down. Leonard's remarkable voice is always worth it though. Could listen to him read the phonebook.
This is the guy that does the true detective intro songs! Not something I would listen to a lot but a cool sound
Artistic and poetic, but I really can’t listen to album after album of depressed muttering
On sillä Leonardilla aika möreä ääni. Tunnelmallisia biisejä ja lämpimiä tunteita. Treaty(t) jäi tästä parhaiten mieleen. Sen verran vahva like, että pakko antaa vitonen!
Hieno levy! Cohenin tuotannosta tuttua oli oikeastaan vaan Hallelujah-hitti mutta tämä yllätti oikein positiivisesti. Todella vähäeleisen tyylikästä tunnelmointia. Hieman Nick Caven tyyppistä mutta rauhallisempaa ja vähemmän angstista. Varsinkin jouset toivat upean dramaattista tunnelmaa kappaleisiin. Erityismaininta levyn lopettaneelle kauniille instrumentaalikappaleelle (vaikka joitakin sanoja kappaleen loppuun löytyykin).