You Want It Darker

I think I like his older stuff better. This album was a bit too spoken word for me.

10/10

Like a William Shatner album, but classier. Seriously, though, I was a little befuddled by this one. But still enjoyed it somewhat. Fave track was the title track.

I couldn't really get through this one.

6/10

I didn't expect to see this on this list at all. Only ever listened to Cohens best ofs/greatest hits. He died not long after this record was released and that hits home in the lyrics

I've heard of Leonard Cohen, but never listened to any of his music. From the first note I wasn't sure what to expect, but when that deep, booming yet soulful voice came at me I was taken aback. Overall it was a very dark and somber album that was ok but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to. Best: You Want It Darker Worst: Steer Your Way

Meh

I've dabbled in Cohen here and there but had not heard any of this album. Fantastic. I listened twice and will likely again.

Jag har sedan Twin Peak nådde mig på 90-talet varit ett illa dolt David Lynch fan. Har älskat att försvinna mig in i Lynch mörka, mystiska men också lekfulla världar där det bisarra och mörka får ta precis så mycket plats som helst. Precis den känslan av att kliva in i en helt annan värld får jag av denna fantastiska skiva. Titelspåret I want it darker är som tagen ur en Lynch-rulle. Cohen var 82 år när skivan släpptes och texterna känns som Cohens sista uppgivna försök att acceptera sig själv, sina livsval och kommande öde. Och precis som Lynch lyckas han leverera allt detta med inte bara svärta utan också finess ”I was fighting with temptation but I didn’t want to win”. Så, det här är vad du ska göra nu. Gör dig själv en ”damn fine cup of coffee”, släck ner och slå dig ner i en fåtölj. Stäng av allt vad digitalt heter och så lyssnar du på skivan, då, och enbart då lovar jag dig att du också får ta del av den här världen jag så varmt pratar om

Underbart, mörkt och fullständigt fantastiskt. Ett av mina absoluta favoritalbum just, och kanske även sen.

Mörkt som jävulen! Gillade den första låten bäst

Se calhar escrevo isto de uma forma emotiva, mas este álbum é qualquer coisa. Possui uma aura triste a sua volta que prende e atrai. A simplicidade e o tom da voz de Cohen enquadra se perfeitamente ao tom sombrio do álbum com um arranjo instrumental mais solene que se junta tão bem a sua voz. Não sei o que se passa, mas terei de dar um 9, fiquei muito intrigado e agradado com este álbum. Nota 9/10

Good Album, but you'd not want to be in poor form listening to it.

Voice halfway between Thriller/Hot Summer Night narration and typical singing. Dark/religious theme lyrics. Quieter music, style gets old by the end of the album. Select listening/Halloween would be good!

Dark indeed. Quite cool if viewed as poetry set to music. I might listen again on my death bed with a whiskey in hand. Did hold my attention until the end though, even on a second listen.

7/10

It's really hard not to love a Cohen album and this one reminds me a lot of Bowie and Blackstar. When you're staring death in the face, what kind of art might you be able to make? Well, this answers that question.

Wow. This was truly an experience. I'm glad I already rolled a couple of Cohen's earliest albums before I got this one. I hadn't found either particularly remarkable, but having heard them made "You Want It Darker" all the sweeter. Cohen had grown better with time, apparently; his music was now more varied, yet more cohesive; his lyrics were finally engaging; even his voice grizzled into a seductive register that perfectly matched the tone. And the end result: this album—his final album—the story of a weary, bitter man, who is finally confronting the mistakes that have haunted him all his life. He doesn't demand your sympathy; he doesn't even want it. But you give it to him, because you're still human, after all; and then it's over, and he's gone, and somehow you feel both entirely empty and overwhelmingly full. I'm going to need some more time to mentally process this one. But that's okay. It's going to stick with me the rest of my life, and I'm perfectly happy for it to do so.

I had only heard a couple of Leonard Cohen songs before this and this was my first album. What an album it is. The songwriting mixed with Cohen's haunting, deep voice makes for a really good, ominous-sounding album. Gives me total True Detective vibes. Fav songs: You Want It Darker, Leaving the Table, String Reprise/Treaty

Good songs. I wish I liked listening to L.C.

Pretty dark.

Gets too much attention simply because Leonard Cohen died shortly after this was released. That doesn't automatically mean this is good! Maybe Cohen and Tom Waits can get together at the after party and determine who had the more annoying, gravelly voice (it's no surprise that my favorite song is the instrumental closer). The only thing I want darker is my coffee. And my men.

Is this a good Leonard Cohen entry point? I bet it is

Holy hell. The power in this album, just in the first song, is haunting.

Oude man vertelt verhaaltjes. Als je er van houdt kan het leuk zijn, maar het is niet zo mijn ding. Verder ook niet irritant of zo. **

This one left me cold. Had the same Cohen vibe I like a lot, but nothing here made me want to listen again.

The old rogue does it again. I've long suspected that Cohen left the heavy lifting of creating decent, listenable music to others, adding gloss by way of his basso profundo doggerel. But he is the most charming of frauds on this album, and he possessed a voice that, pitched between old man Tom Waits and old man Kris Kristofferson, is quite irresistible

That voice. THAT VOICE. Fave track - The title track is absolutely badass. "Traveling Light" takes second place...

7,5/10 Muito bom

It was alright. Nothing really noteworthy. I had didn't hate it. A lot of just speaking the lyrics.

The You Want It Darker song is probably the best one from this, but there are some other good ones

very Leonard Cohen

better than I was expecting, I had a rough time with the first few songs sorry, I love Leonard Cohens older stuff but his voice felt really jarring on this album, with some songs it worked really well but with others it was just too awkward although the more I listened through the album, the more I warmed up to the vocals what I really loved about it was the composition of these tracks beautiful, beautiful instrumentation I think Traveling Light really stood out to me, that was really cool production Also that String Reprise was really nice Overall a really great album, while I had trouble with the vocals I think the rest of the album sells it for me - 9/10

En 81-årig Leonard Cohen sjunger sitt avsked. 17 dagar efter att albumet släppts dog han. Och vilket avsked! Det är mörkt, stämningsfullt, och otäckt. Cohens mörka basröst ackompanjerar den minimalistiska produktionen perfekt. Och som alltid när det gäller Cohen (top-3 bästa låtskrivare någonsin) är texterna och poesin i fokus. Lyssna till exempel på hur han använder rim för att skapa rytm i titelspåret You Want It Darker. Titelspåret, som inleder albumet, är fantastiskt. Andra höjdpunkter är den sorgsna kärlekslåten Treaty (inklusive sista spåret String Reprise/Treary), samt Traveling Light, med ett klassiskt Cohen-tema om ensamhet och bohemliv. Faktumet att Cohen dog kort efter releasen gör texten i Leaving the Table ännu mer mörk: "I don't need a reason For what I became I've got these excuses They're tired and lame I don't need a pardon, no, no, no, no, no There's no one left to blame I'm leaving the table I'm out of the game" Bästa låt: You Want It Darker.

Salmer med bedre tekster og lyd. Men stadigvæk lidt kedelig til tider.

some good poems here

it was so good! jk. it was awful. no offense, i know this guy was close to passing but another reason why it should not have been made. when i heard the first song i thought okay mhm maybe it’s just a bad one but then it never stopped. sorry 😢

I don't want it darker. I want it to be better. Jesus H Christmas...he sounds like I do when I mumble to my dog in the dark when she wakes me up too early in the winter.... AH wait! There's the "darker" part! I respect that a fair set of people consider Leonard Cohen to be a visionary genius and I'm in no position to refute this - perhaps he is ... in the written word. But holy hell, I'd 100% rather give a shot to reading a book of his poetry rather than listen to this gravel dump truck set to song; and even if I could get by the vocals... the music itself I find dull and unimaginative. Hard no. 2/10 1 star.

Deep and meaningful

Am album I feel like I could sit down with, and contemplate everything. Cohen's lyrics are simple, sometimes to the point of either brilliance or inanity. Love the feeling of the record, somewhere between hymnal and drunk older man singing at a dead bar. Favorite tracks: "You Want It Darker", "Leaving the Table", "Traveling Light"

Необычно, но не мое

so spooky

Cohen's farewell album. It's his later work so there's more electronic bubbling than acoustic folk. All that's left to say is thanks Leonard; you made us all want it darker throughout your career. Best Tracks: You Want It Darker; On The Level; Traveling Light

Like Bowie's Blackstar earlier in the year, Cohen's swansong was released just days before his death. He stares into the void and growls his goodbyes over sparse instrumentation; when it comes to the forefront, it warbles, just like the man singing from a therapy chair in his living room. Cohen said what he had to say and bowed out, and his unflinching contemplation of mortality is left for us to consider. Best track: You Want it Darker

Le fait que cet album soit posthume m'a mis extrêmement mal à l'aise pendant toute la durée de l'écoute. J'avais en effet la certitude que Léonard Cohen allait décéder d'un moment à l'autre. Ceci explique la frayeur que j'ai pu ressentir au long du dernier morceau lors duquel la voix de Leonard Cohen est absente des deux premières minutes. "Il est mort... Il est très probablement mort..." pensai-je tout bas. Soudain, alors que j'avais perdu tout espoir, la voix du chanteur s'éleva pour grommeler ses idioties habituelles: "I wish there was nianiania". Quel soulagement...

Comme vous le savez, j'ai une bonne dizaine d'albums a rattrapper suite a une semaine de vacances bien méritées sur la côte Atlantique. J'ai donc des preoccupations bien plus importantes que d'analyser l'album du cadavre de Leonard Cohen

Track 1- No Thanks. Track 2- I now remember how much I dislike Leonard Cohen as a performer. Track 3- This isn’t really for me. Track 4- Would be a really good song he actually sang it. Track 5- I would really love this song if someone else were singing it. Beautiful Lyrics but sounds like its being sung by Lurch from the Addams Family. I get that’s supposed to be his appeal, but it’s not working for me. Track 6- See notes for Track 5. Track 7- “Seeing a better way” to my heart if this were covered by someone. Track 8- A solid song. Love the fiddles. It’s got a good beat. I can dance to it. Would love to hear this without the vocals and just scrolling lyrics across the screen. Track 9- I do like the concept of the reprise. Bookends everything. The album is engineered beautifully- and you can hear every nuance of his voice (which for me is unfortunate.) Overall, I respect this man for everything he’s created. He wrote some amazing songs. The Jeff Buckley cover of ‘Hallelujah’ is one of the most amazing songs ever. Also I have a special place in my heart for Canadians. If I were a troubadour looking for songs to cover there’s a treasure trove here. I simply don’t like his vocal styling. Thanks for including me! I promise I’m not a contrarian!

The first time I listened to Leonard Cohen, better than two decades ago, was a transformative day for me and I can still remember the incense smell of the room the first time I put needle to wax and the sepia tones of the Seattle front yard that I sat in when I played it a second time immediately afterwards. This is not that album and I only mention it as I may never get to write about that record and as a primer to say I may not be able to be objective about Leonard Cohen and these tracks. He is unassailable to me. His late in life gravel voice is simultaneously profoundly comforting while inducing heartache. He opens me up and strips away all my armor. I am never more open to my feelings then in the moments following a close LC listen. The three albums that he put out over the seven years leading up to You Want It Darker laid the groundwork for this release. Cohen was a man who had lived an incredibly full life, who was ready to die, but still had so much to say and give to his fans. This album was released just a few week's before Cohen died and this record was his beautiful parting gift. He was a poet that remained in top form all the way to the end.

I can appreciate Leonard Cohen as a lyricist, but as a singer/musician, not so much. Reading his words, I am a fan. Listening to him perform them, I am not. I just can't get into the talking over the background sounds, which always seem slightly religious. The mood is like being in a dimly lit cathedral where some creepy cult is going to jump out of the shadows. I think this was among his last albums, and perhaps he was trying to excise some demons because he knew his time was limited. I know I should probably like Leonard Cohen, but I don't.

No

- first Cohen I've heard and blown away - strong cohesive direction but doesn't overstay it's theme - variety but also very powerful.

This entire album sounds like Frank Zappa trying to do a Fat Albert Impression. And it’s pretty good. Nothing else to say here 4 stars

Bien mais un peu déçue. Après avoir tant entendu parlé de l'artiste je m'attendais à quelque chose de grandiose. L'album est très très calme et assez monotone.

Fabulous. Cohen has the lyricism of Dylan and the musicality of Waits and is way more than the sum of those two parts. He is a national treasure and for all the credit he already gets, it doesn’t seem enough. All of his albums are amazing and this one is near the top.

It's interesting hearing this compared to Songs of Leonard Cohen. His voice is like whiskey over gravel here in the best of ways. The production is so much more elaborate and fantastic too. Love the lyrical themes of struggling with religion and aging.

This absolutely blew me away. What took me so long?!

A beautiful swan song from one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time. R.I.P.

Oscurísimo, excelente.

five stars all day long

It's a collection of poems that lure you into the darkest stages of human nature, passing through it's beauty as well. A fine work of art saved for certain moments, like a fine wine.

I didn't finish this one admittedly but holy hell is his voice the lowest of gravelly tones as possible. Here for it. And here for the religious content—at first seemed almost satanic? Felt like the devil was whispering in my ear. Made me want to watch True Detective all day.

Not expecting back to give back to back 2 star reviews for Leonard Cohen. Too dark for me. In the words of Tom Hanks “I want something peppy, something snappy”…

THIS IS THE LEONARD COHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR! Incredible. This guy is f***in' cool!

good background music.

Didn't expect this. It was really good. I do want it darker, Leonard. You should have done this years ago. Dead now though, eh. You silly bollocks.

Good this. I do want it darker. I want SHACK being left in charge of a pack of boy scouts levels of darker. Let's see if you can match that for darkness Leonard.

Spock was better

One of our best

Only one of us was real.

Once I got over the initial weirdness factor, I actually didn’t hate it!

He comes off as using other songs to jump start his, then doing a tom waits voice over impression. The arrangements and assembly are top notch however. Does he do anything not sleepy on the edge of creepy?

Leonard Cohen finally clicked for me on this album - I always acknowledged he was a great artist before, but he never did it for me. This album, released shortly before his death, is dripping with all of the emotions that you expect from a man at that stage of his life; grief, loss, awareness, regret, exhaustion, love... Here's a man who's on borrowed time, being able to reflect on his life from the outside in, and the result is kind of special. It reminds me of Bowie's Blackstar in that respect - an opus to outlive himself, by design.

Very good. A fitting sweet last goodby.

This sounds like something I'd hear on a radio in a movie directed by Guillermo del Toro. I'll listen to it if it's in the background of something else I'm concentrating on, but as an album it's not very interesting. Favorite track: Leaving the Table

Praticamente a quest'album ho dedicato più di qualche ascolto. Musicalmente sembrava abbastanza lontano da ciò che mi colpisce solitamente di un album, ma alcuni testi mi hanno lasciato una sensazione strana ma bella, ed ho sentito la necessità di ascoltarlo ulteriormente coi testi sotto mano. Mi piace quello che scrive e come lo fa anche in maniera semplice. Calcolando che quest'album è uscito prima che morisse, lo rende come una sorta di testamento recitato con la sua voce roca e profonda. Sono partito con un 3 al primo ascolto, ma con il secondo penso di averlo interiorizzato (anche troppo) tanto che mi sono emozionato.

Not into spoken word albums

2 1/2

Big shock here, but 47 years on from the last album I got of his and Leonard Cohen is still painfully boring to listen to. Talking a lot, and not saying anything at all worth being said.

This is Leonard Cohen at his gravelliest. The sense of pathos in every song bears the weight of a long, full life.

Nice existential late-night chill

It was alright. The instrumentation was pretty good paired with Cohen's voice, but I just didn't vibe that hard. Highlights: 1, and 4.

This was enjoyable, highlight track was traveling light for me, its not the best driving to work on Friday morning music but can see myself listening too again.

This very much could've just gotten me interested in Leonard Cohen. I've never listened to him before, but hearing Hallelujah in many soundtracks was annoying. I really loved title track You Want It Darker, Travelling Light and Steer Your Way.

The last album of Leonard Cohen is about saying goodbye and leaving it all behind. Very impressive with moving lyrics and a voice so low and broken it is almost not human anymore.

Very cool, modern. Love the deep richness to his voice

Yes. The first time I heard this album, it hit me hard. Instantly my favourite Cohen album. Exhaustion at the end of life is not something I feel, but the basic feeling of just being exhausted by everything, that I get. This has some of Cohen’s best lyrics. “I struggled with some demons; they were middle-class and tame.” 27/10 album. Favourite track: “Steer Your Way”

It starts great and it ends perfectly, it's a shame that the middle of the album is one long drone of boredom.

Questo album è quello che mi ha messo più in crisi forse in assoluto. Leonard Cohen era nella mia lista di gente che aspettavo alla resa dei conti. Questo disco però è un macello da giudicare, è stato scritto e registrato con lui che manco se reggeva in piedi. Da una parte è evidente che la voce ti al secondo pezzo già diventa irritante (ma appunto poraccio c'ha delle attenuanti), dall'altra comunque è il disco di una persona matura che probabilmente sa pure che non gli rimane molto da vivere e quindi ti aspetteresti qualcosa di incredibilmente profondo. E infatti suona come un disco profondo, però secondo me ci suona e basta e la cosa mi irrita pure. A me sto disco sembra pretenzioso, magari un giorno rivaluterò questo voto quando avrò più esperienza per giudicare ma per ora me dispiace tanto Leonard RIP è 2.

A me la voce di Cohen piace e questo disco potrebbe annoiare di più ma non lo fa e alla fine scorre abbastanza tranquillamente. Mi piace come il cantato si appoggia sull'arrangiamento minimale, il risultato l'ho trovato cinematico ma non scontato. 3.5 pieno.

Nope. Just nope. There were no highlights here. I didn't like anything about this album. I like some of his older work, but this is not it.

Ah

4/15

Very dark and slow. Gravel vocals in no hurry. Best over a groovy beat, there's a few. Simple but solid lyrical writing.

Feels a bit unfair to review this as I could have paid more attention to it but in the right mood it would probably gain more stars. Recognised ‘Treaty’ from the recent Your Honor tv series and caught various lyrical gems that other writers would murder for. Pretty dark.

Cohen at his most earthy and percussive. Not my favorite Cohen era, but there's still lots to love here!

It finishes strongly but ultimately the title track sets expectations that aren’t met. Nonetheless it’s a beautiful and heartbreaking piece of work.

The song I already knew was the best one. A pleasant listen but nothing much stood out that I didn't already know. I find elements of the arrangement and production distracting.

Like pouring a fine aged brandy into a small, new glass.

Yawn. Steer Your Way was ok. Bout it for me. Not my cup of tea

interesting seeming to chronicle his wrestling with the end of his life, death, and religion. I am not a huge fan, but respect the content. Probably 3.5

Good album. Speaky.

Inmortal.

Don’t listen when on a downer!

So bad

Wirklich tolles Album.

Wirklich gutes Spätwerk. Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass ich da mal sage aber i want it brighter

Отличный альбом, думаю стоит вернуться полностью слушая лирику. Traveling Light / You Want It Darker зацепили с первого прослушивания.

Very peculiar

This man's voice! Good lord, it does things to me. Didn't have my favourite leonard cohen song which is 'i'm your man' but still a really good album, love the dark/existential themes

An album that lives up to its name! There is a time and place for this album and I'll give it this - he's good at picking interesting lyrics. I kept finding myself guessing what he was going to say and kept being wrong. The lyrics can be... obtuse. Dude speaks in metaphors constantly. I loved the addition of backup singers and collabs. If the whole album was this guy, I think it would be a two. It's a solid three though and deserves to be heard.

Dark, bluesy on places, great feel voice. Good.

Rarely do I even give much thought to lyrics in an album, but this one earns its 5 on the lyrics alone. The beautiful sparse instrumentation and haunting voice Leonard brings are just icing on the cake.

Blues/lyrical with instrumental/tango. Cynical retrospective love/sex lyrics with heavy biblical themes at beg and end of album. Growl-y bass. Sounds like Hades in Hadestown. Listened to while working out, which, surprisingly, worked.

Leonard Cohen is always fake and gay

It finishes strongly but ultimately the title track sets expectations that aren’t met. Nonetheless it’s a beautiful and heartbreaking piece of work.

Fantástico

A dark journey though a man's struggles to accept that he's at the end. Haunting.

Incredible - deeply moving.

Wonderful stuff - originally wasn’t expecting what I got - will be back to this for sure

Great lyrics and some great tunes but gets tiresome quickly.

Not bad

Wonderful stuff - wasn’t expecting what I got - will be back to this for sure

An incredible listen. Really bowled over by it from start to finish. Fully felt the weight of a man facing the end. Superb.

Such a great voice from Cohen. Some songs were great, some od them probably won't stuck in my head.

Another one for Nic

You Want It Darker is not an unqualified triumph, but I still enjoyed it, mostly because of Leonard Cohen's take on mortality, (not) coming to terms with God, life and impending death. I'm sure I missed a few, but here's one memorable line: "As He died to make men holy Let us die to make things cheap" A short laugh out loud, followed by an internal groan. Sadly, the music actually diminished the impact of Cohen's poetry. It's old-fashioned in all the worst ways. It's overbearing when it should be spare, sentimental where it should be cold and bleak. Imagine the impact if Leonard Cohen had hired someone like Boards of Canada to do the music. Leonard Cohen was never much of a guitarist, but his accompaniment for Songs Of Leonard Cohen was a good fit for his poetry. If you want the full impact Leonard Cohen is capable of, watch McCabe and Mrs. Miller, a fable about our wonderful and plucky free enterprise system, which has the songs of Leonard Cohen as its soundtrack. By the end of the movie, you may want to kill yourself, but then again, Leonard Cohen was always tuned in to the more melancholy currents of life. On Accuradio, I used to hear a version of Democracy, a relatively modern Leonard Cohen tune, that I've never been able to find. That version was ghostly and gorgeous, deepening the themes of Cohen's poetry. The released version was a horrible patriotic march, intended as irony, I'm sure. You Want It Darker isn't as bad as that, but I regard it as a missed opportunity.

Mature excellence

First time listening to this. I love Leonard Cohen. Such a gorgeous album. That man knew how to write a song.

Useless cunt

I like it!!!!! :)

What a Lovely deep gravelly voice.

Oh..dark

A little somber, great deep voice tho! More references than I expected to gambling...?

Fande das sterbe Album von Jonny Cash besser.

Good for a listen, lots of raw emotion, but not something I'd listen to on the regular.

Enjoyed the music to this but couldn't get on with the vocals for a whole album. Was ok though, surprise surprise another 2*.

Quality album written by a dude who knew he was dying. Sad and awesome at the same time.

Wonderbar. Treaty / treaty reprise standouts.

Ja, dit album kan ik niet luisteren zonder het in de context te zetten. Wat een prachtparel over het leven en de naderende dood

Leonard Cohen isn’t necessarily a good singer although like the really deep half-talking on most of this album. It sounds like an entire album created by Hades from Hadestown which is kind of cool. I don’t think I could put most of these songs on playlists but the album is definitely still good. Also Cohen is a fantastic songwriter and the arrangement is always tasteful. Leaving the Table stands out to me as a good song that might be better with more normal vocals but there are also songs like You Want It Darker and It Seemed The Better Way that are certainly elevated by Cohen’s haunting vocals. Favorite songs: Treaty, On the Level, Leaving the Table, It Seemed the Better Way Light 8/10

Not really my cup of tea but I respect it.

i can see why people like it, but i cant imagine listening to it often

Geweldig plaatje. Ken niet zo veel van Cohen, maar viel niets tegen.

Nooit echt mijn ding geweest. Moest ooit Suzanne zingen bij zangles. Wat een hel! Wel een mooie Peaky Blinders sfeer, dus toch drie sterren

He’s got a very deep voice hasn’t he.

Beautiful. What an incredible voice. You Want it Darker is such a tune, love that bass line. Treaty and Reprise/ Treaty are heartbreakingly beautiful. What an album to leave the world with

Lekker donker - zoals het prachtige eerste nummer al meteen duidelijk maakt. Mooi en sfeervol. Ik zou voor 3 sterren gegaan zijn, maar nadat we het net samen nog een keer luisterden kwam Nieke tot de conclusie dat haar 3 sterren er eigenlijk 4 hadden moeten zijn. Dus die extra ster krijgt Leonard dan bij deze van mij.

‘You want it darker’ is natuurlijk een fantastisch nummer. Verder had ik op iets meer zang en iets minder gepraat gehoopt.

Dark but great

Pretty cool 80 year old. It was a good listen, but not one I’m likely to go back to, save the first track. “As he died to make men holy, let us die to make things cheap” was an interesting lyric

Leonard Cohen never resonated with me and this album, despite its themes, doesn't either.

I wasn’t surprised to see that the dude died shortly after this was released. It had some interesting composition pieces, but his voice is mostly speaking and the mood a bit melancholy instead of how I think of Jonny Cash toward the end of his life.

good! Great songwriting and really intense themes. it’s an interesting listening experience bc everything is so overt and lyric focused without being too in your face or being at the expense of the music. 4.5 very good and I’ll probably listen again but nothing really floored me

Okay it was rainy and cloudy and I went for a walk listening to this and the vibes were impeccable. Fantastic as an album, but not a whole bunch of situations I'd really enjoy listening to it? 4.5 stars

I certainly do not like the weird deep voiced man (Leonard Cohen) speaking at me. If this is what the whole thing is, I will be disappointed because the music happening actually has some potential. The words also have potential as a brief google search has informed me that this is poetry or spoken word or something. This is not what I’m looking for in “music” so I’m giving it a bad review.

Another Leonard Cohen. Again, nice to listen to. 3/5

Said some interesting things, and didn't overstay its welcome. Liked it enough that I want to relisten to it and think it over more

Somehow manages to be both interesting and boring

Weird, not my thing, but better than other album I had to listen...

One of best posthumous albums ever!

INT. Abandoned Cathedral, 5:30 A.M. A thin ray of light shines on an organist wearing black robes with a Grey stole. He appears to have been awake all night. It is apparent he is playing what appear to be the final chords in a grand symphony. I love this very much.

Amazing album

“You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen (2016) If you want to hear music written, sung, and recorded by an 82-year-old Canadian Jew sitting in his living (dying) room crippled by fractures in his spine and counting the few painful moments he has left, then this album is for you. And if you don’t want to hear music like that, then shame on you and this album is for you anyway. The expression “You want it darker” is typically what a lover might say to his beloved at the outset of their lovemaking—his accommodation to her sensitivity as he presents himself to her in the darker-ness and says with his mind and body, “Here I am”. For Cohen, this image serves as a prayer to God. Cohen is dying, and God wants it darker. It’s a touching reversal of the God/man Lover/beloved metaphor, and the poet/prophet pulls it of with beauty and horror. This is going to hurt. Death is like lovemaking, and Cohen is ready. “Hineni” (Hebrew for “Here I am”), he says, in resignation to the supreme Will, and with the courage of the prophet (Isaiah 6:8), he faces, embraces the agony. If there’s to be a lullaby, it’s a “lullaby for suffering”. It doesn’t get any darker than that. Cohen wishes there was a “Treaty” between God’s love and his own (There is one [Jeremiah 31:31-14], but I’m not sure Cohen signed it—there are hopeful hints in “Seemed a Better Way”, as he advises himself, “I better lift this glass of blood”, but “not today”). At least he takes it seriously. “My ‘don’t’ was saying ‘do’”, he complains of the temptation contest, but he is quitting the game (“Leaving the Table”) anyhow. And through it all, God’s love has made it real (“If I Didn’t Have Your Love“). Cohen is setting out on the road to death, but he’s “Traveling Light”. His parting advice on his way out the door (to his heart, but more importantly, to you, in case you’re not getting it), is that you should “Steer Your Way” one year/month/day/thought at a time. The outro of the closing track reprises “Treaty” with compelling mystery: “We were broken then but now we're borderline”. So where will you (we? me?) be tomorrow? His voice has been reduced, through age and pain, to whispers punctuated by well pitched basso profondo. But he retains his famous timbre, which compellingly invites the listener to consider, to ponder, to figure it out. It beckons, and you’d better not decline. It’s not just excellent poetry—it’s poetry that grabs you and shakes you a bit. It goes beyond—all the way to the declarative prophetic focus on the past and present in the face of an unknown future. Prophets were generally and unjustly disregarded. Here is your opportunity to rectify. There are negative things to say about this album. But not by me. Leonard Cohen died three weeks after its release. 5/5

M'agrada molt Leonard Cohen, hi ha àlbums seus que em porten a la infància i a la adolescència, i la seva poesia em sol emocionar profundament. Podria enumerar desenes de cançons seves que col·locaria en una hipotètica llista de les meves preferides. Però amb aquest àlbum (que desconeixia tret de la cançó titular) no hi he connectat. Me'l guardaré per fer una escolta atenta en el futur, però la primera impressió ha estat més aviat tíbia.

His voice freaks me out from time to time but overall interesting to hear a Leonard Cohen album with modern production standards and strong backing vocals. Some of the songs kinda reminded me of The Division Bell purely because of how the backup singers sounded but pretty good overall.

The title track is great. Cohen is an interesting guy because you can really tell he's a poet/writer first. The rest of the album is still good although it stands out less than You Want It Darker.

Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It was really crazy listening to very early Leonard Cohen after listening to this album.

Cohen is good when you first encounter him but like Nick Cave, I've kind of grown tired of his schtick.

One of his best. It's amazing that an artist can be this strong at the end of his career. Album gives me chills.

One of the greatest poet/lyricists of all time.

OSCURO, MAJO

This album warranted you kit-out your headphones to maximum bass, for his vocals alone. Very much enjoyed to slow sultry tones of a man on the way out

impressive 4/5

Es emotivo porque es poesía muy bien musicalizada. Leonardo es un personaje oscuro y aunque el disco es muy bueno, no es su mejor presentación. Destaca traveling light

Tres bon. Different des anciens mais il y aune touche special 4.25*

No puedo con esa música. Serán poemas profncos, pero musicalmente es un tostón.

Are you depressed because of a global pandemic? Don't worry! Leonard Cohen latest album will help you jump off a cliff!

Good but like you get ir by the third track

¡Fantástico!

almost a 4

3 - Musik, die man allein beim Rauchen hört.

Wenn man zu alt zum Singen ist, sollte man vielleicht 2016 kein Album mehr aufnehmen. Hoch dich in deinen Sessel und sauf dein Weizen wie ein normaler Opa, Leonard. Halbert an Alterschwäche krepiert während den Aufnahmen der gude Moh. Lasst's ihn halt in Rente gehen zefix. Besabbelt der eigentlich seine eigene Beisetzung aufm Neuen Ostfriedhof? What ever. Unerträglich.

Wer sonst hat das Bedürfnis, nackt zu sein?

Well, new Leonard Cohen certainly isn't my fave and this less little impression on me. Some nice bits and as ever, the poet over the song writer.

Decent.

graveliest voice

Siempre he sentido que había dos Leonard Cohens, los dos son poetas consumados, uno es romántico, sensible, profundo y nostálgico; el otro es pesimista, muy muy oscuro, espiritual, cansado y reflexivo. El segundo es mi favorito y este es uno de los dos discos que mejor siento lo representan. Hablan mucho de cómo Dylan es un poeta y en mi opinión aunque es muy brillante para escribir sobre situaciones de su vida y para armar canciones la musicalidad propia de las palabras, la verdadera poesía del sentir un significado ulterior de una frase que lleva a algo más profundo la manejaba muchísimo mejor Cohen. Un disco inteligente sin sentirse presumido, con corazón y con un sentir de verse cercano al fin. Minimalista y con un gran peso emocional. La música cumpliendo su función como siempre en sus canciones no es la parte central pero tampoco deja nada a deber, calmado acompasado y con coros crea el ambiente correcto en cada canción. The Future me sigue gustando más pero éste es un disco con grandes ejemplos que recuerdan que la música puede tener un verdadero valor literario y, si me apuran... ese Nobel estuvo dado incorrectamente incluso.

deep voice

It's darker alright. I like it decent enough. 6-7/10

Think of Johnny cash but down one octave. A little slow for me, but good album.

Ok, i was late on this one, but i thoroughly enjoyed it! I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but oh man did i make a mistake on not listening to this sooner! the lyrics were poignant and sung with such a rawness and feel to them that they can almost cut you and make you feel simultaneously. the music is brilliant, i mean, they aren't deep, like, say, John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, but still great in their own right.

Refrescante ver a alguien haciendo un disco de 9 canciones y 36 minutos. Directo a lo que va a decir y punto. Lleno de reflexiones de una persona entrada en años, este disco se siente honesto y directo, con un mensaje claro sobre lo único que pareciera seguir importando al final, las relaciones de pareja y con dios. Resignado donde debe y cuestionando lo que queda claro, es un disco muy personal. Es el segundo disco que escucho en esta lista y fue una experiencia completamente diferente. Discazo.

Beautiful album, a fitting final album released before his death. 4 stars.

This one was okay. I don’t really prefer albums where the person is sort of speaking the song, so I guess I didn’t like it as much as the other album by him that I’ve listened to with this project.

Interesting, but I can't see actually listening to it repeatedly

Not my style at all but so beautiful I'll revisit it for sure!

how his voice so deep yo

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It could have been the alcohol.

Good ol' "new" Cohen. Quite alright but nothing spectacular.

La primera vez que escuché a Leonard Cohen fue en el soundtrack de Watchmen. De inmediato me atrapó la voz, una voz muy profunda y grave, como la de Barry White, pero en el lado triste del espectro. ¿Qué puedo decir sobre el disco? Es una chingonería, quizá con excepción de alguna canción por ahí que está medio meh. Es importante mencionar que el disco me agradó no sólo por la voz, la voz es un complemento de la música y la melodía, y en la mayoría de las canciones la combinación de ambas proyecta un sentimiento melancólico, pero a la vez poderoso, casi como una súplica.

Que discazazazazo, solo recuerdo a otra eminencia recitando poesía mientras hay música (In My Life cover de Sir Sean Connery). Leonard siempre tan sombrío y explorando esos sentimientos que muy pocos se atreven. Aparte entra en una side list de los discos que se grabaron poco antes de la muerte del artista (ya pasó con Bowie y espero esté Cash)

Me gustó lo tremendamente melancólico que es en algunos puntos, aunque creo que ese es el sello de Cohen. Sorpresa que un álbum relativamente tan nuevo esté aquí, hace obvio que al menos habrá uno o dos más de él.

Bit over the top but I really liked Travelling Light.

Végig lenyűgözött, szövegek elképesztők, hangulat kell hozzá, de nyári estéhez bármikor.

Actually really enjoyed it. Really high quality production and some very interesting musical ideas

Simple yet meaningful, poetry

Dark, gravely voice. Melodic album, you’d really have to be in the mode for this one, not a listen on loop thing.

Nada mal, mesmo sendo quase todo falado. Dá a impressão de palavras finais, com tom mais macabro e só um pouco ébrio.

My least favorite LC album, though his voice still sounds buttery.

Really interesting and dramatic. What a deep voice.

That was spectacular, I bloody loved it. I only really knew Leonard Cohen's 'hits' but this album was amazing. And released just 3 months before he died.

What a voice, what great lyrics. The last strings track was beautiful

Great lyrics

I found it quite good actually. I like Leonard Cohen, it's slow but I like it.

This man can craft some devastating songs. Does his voice sound smooth or pristine here? No, but that's not the point.

Too slow and too much talking for me

Great album, such a stark, haunting yet beautiful tone throughout. 'Leaving the Table' is the highlight, but it's definitely worth a full listen.

He saves his best fo last, great album. Montreal's greatest export!!

Late classic Cohen.

It’s like a story book opera. Leonard Cohen is one of a kind

eh

I think I've listened to enough growling old dudes but this was fine. There was one track on it that I really enjoyed

absolutely incredible album, really enjoyable listen and definitely lives up to it's title. Treaty is a particular highlight

Dark

Okay, honestly? This was absolutely gorgeous. One of the 5 star surprises of this whole listening process. I expected to be turned off, since Leonard Cohen's voice is an acquired taste in my opinion, but this was melodically so beautiful. Like, it was an EXPERIENCE.

7/10 FT: You want it darker

12/8 Certainly dark, a coming to grips with certain demise album. Lot of religious themes, which I guess you get into at that stage of one's life. Standout Tracks: You Want It Darker, If I Didn't Have Your Love, Traveling Light, It Seemed the Better Way, String Reprise / Treaty

Awful.

I know people think the "sad old man" routine is deep, but it bores me. I don't even think I liked Johnny Cash's version of it, and I genuinely like Cash. Cohen is just like an older generation's Nick Cave - style over substance, impresses hipsters. There were moments of vague coolness but mostly this was a chore. I was bored by the second song. 2/5.

Good album... probably requires listening in a different time and space to the one I currently reside though.