You Want It Darker

(5/7) essentially spoken word poetry but still enjoyed it, especially the parts with the choir

He basically talks

Bob Dylan if he sounded better, but somehow worse

I guess it's cool. To be fair didn't really have the opportunity to listen to it intentionally. Listened it while writing reports at work... But I did catch on to some good tunes, so I'll have to revisit it another time...

i appreciate this album more with the context of him recording it in a sick state and releasing it just weeks before his passing. but it’s not for me. his voice is like a more ominous version of Louis Armstrong, specifically in the first song. i did like Traveling Light.

оо та невже

I didn’t listen to it through because I was immediately bored and didn’t want to subject myself to that

It's basically spoken word poetry over some background music. Leonard has a very deep, almost creepy voice. I really don't have the patience to give this the attention it deserves (because this seems like a lyric-forward album), but I suppose if I did, I might appreciate it more. (2)

A lovely, moody, but ultimately optimistic farewell. It's a vibe album and I'll throw it on again when the vibe calls for it.

Interesting choice that out of all his albums they choose the one release two weeks before his death. Interesting lyrics and sounds straight from the 60s

This is a whole moody vibe. Quite enjoyed it, tho it definitely is an album you can only listen to at certain times for sure. 3.5

🤮

"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" UUURRRGGGHHH One of the GOATs with his epic conclusion to his incredible life

How many Leonard Cohen albums are on this list? I just don't find him very interesting

Dark enough

I never asked it to be darker, but I can't see shit now.

*This seemed like an attempt to sound like Nick Cave. *I don't get why he has so many albums on this list....just can't get into it. *The darkness almost sounds cheesy by the end of the album

Man.... I get it. Favorite Track: Leaving the Table

Wonderful

I’ve always appreciated Leonard Cohen as a great songwriter, but his voice has never really clicked for me. This is brought to its worst extreme on this album as he was at the end of his life and the substance is all but gone from his voice. The bits that were there and were tolerable have vanished. He grumbles and mumbles his way through some beautifully written songs that I’m sure could have been performed quite well by somebody else.

Not my favorite

hoped eventually he might sing or sound like he didn’t smoke 100 packs a day. not the case

Wow this was bad

ooof.

Surprisingly good. Not sure what I expected out of Leonard Cohen, especially since this is much later in his career. Didn't know there was a second Blackstar in 2016. Very atmospheric and moody, his buttery voice goes along with it very well. I'm impressed. 8/10

I can’t help loving this, even as monotonous and repetitive and non-rockin’

This is pretty good. I like the dark vibe of some of the songs, first one is great and there are other nice melodic bits. But some songs are a bit of a drag

Truly the best I’ve heard of Leonard Cohen. Is it something about impending death that brings out creative genius? Or maybe just the wisdom that comes with age. Really enjoyed this.

listened to this on release. meaningful in the context of cohen's discography (and his death), but probably an unnecessary addition to the list

Sleepy

forget the singing, I want him to fuck me

This wasn't BAD, but it wasn't great. Leonard Cohen's voice took some time to grow on me, but it was very nice! This album just tended to bore me at times, but this was well done and is a solid 2.5 or 2.75 out of 5 Liked Songs: "On the Level" , "If I Didn't Have your Love" , "Traveling Light" , "String Reprise / Treaty"

The title sets the mood, and never lets go. The songs are sparce, bleak sounding, and... rather good? There are no tracks that stand out, in my opinion. It is rather a cohesive output of solid songs. It does not vary much though, but the album is short enough that I never get bored, and the female backing vocals and the violin is a nice touch to improve upon certain songs. I can see myself listening to this again, when days are shorter and the weather is colder.

the record as a whole is not near his classics but you want it darker is one of his best tracks.

album #126 this album is as haunting as it is beautiful. it's not necessarily an album that you listen to regularly, but cohen's poetic genius really shines through. it's hard to rate this album knowing that it is the final battle of a man grappling with the end of his life and his faith. it's atmospheric and sad, but oddly freeing. definitely deserving of it's place on the list, i think. ಄ favourite track(s): you want it darker, treaty ಄ least favourite track(s): steer your way ಄ album rating: ★★★★☆ ಄ number of albums left to review: 963 ಄ number of albums i agree with being on the list: 56 (+1 You Want It Darker) ಄ albums from the list that i would consider for my list: 25 (+1 You Want It Darker) ಄ albums i would not include on my list: 101

Rate: 10/10.

i know i heard this guy's name before but i have no idea when and im almost certain i never heard his music before so i kinda went into this with no idea what it could be and like. damn. i was absolutely not expecting this voice. what the fuck...! the instrumentals for the most part im not too fussed about? and by that i don't mean that they're bad, but other than a couple exceptions in the form of the title track and "traveling light", both of which could maybe stand up on their own, they mostly just serve as an appropriately dark and brooding backing to the real star of the show: cohen's absolutely incredible voice. im not even sure how to describe it.... deep and a little raspy but like. hes nice with it. he was so fuckin nice with it dude. wow. rip to this dude.... idk anything about him but if this is anything to go by..... he might've been the grandpa of sex of all time........

The title song was amazing, but the rest of the album felt like it was chasing that high after. It became a bit stale for me.

dope as hell... what a random voice and interesting lyricist. i really liked this and im so shocked i had never given leonard cohen much more thought before. i think i would like to listen to him some more. he has a super gritty voice that i'm sure he is famous for. the production is so beautiful and haunting. it makes you feel so many things! like sadness and also love.

- Third Cohen album I have received...which does feel like a lot. That being said, this is the one I "enjoyed" the most, mainly because he seems to have realized that his raspy vocals are better when talked than properly sung. (I admit that might be a result of his health at the time.) - Legitimately think "If I Didn't Have Your Love" is a sweet song. The backing organ adds some extra romance. - Also like the backing strings on a few tracks, most notably "Steer Your Way." - Still not a Cohen fan. But I see why people like this.

Outstanding Album!!!!

Tough one for me to rate; this album has depth. The vocals are unique and unmistakable and the instrumentation wraps up Cohen's words and transports them effortlessly. But as to how much I actually enjoyed it... It's difficult. Maybe I wasn't in the mood to hear a dying man lament over mortality and God.

Didn’t love it, just not my vibe. But the lyricism and instrumental was good

moving. not the kind that touches me really though

Posthumous (or at least, near humous) albums are always difficult, but, this was interesting. I'd need to listen more.

"You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen is a late career peak album before he died in a same year. This album feel like a final statement that turns mortality and spirituality into work of art. This album feels like a haunting atmosphere and songwriting is his one of the finest in his career. The choir and female background vocals are also excellence in this album. Standout tracks for me are "You Want It Darker", "Treaty" and "String Reprise/Treaty". I think only weak track on this album is "If I Didn't Have Your Love". Other negative is the sound or voice of Cohen. I don't blame because he was like above 80 when recording. But I vocal performance is inferior in this album. Overall wonderful late album by Leonard Cohen.

I liked this more than his other album on this list!

Death got into a fistfight with a poet and I think it lost. What an unbelievably intimate album with grooves to boot. Amazing.

Wednesday, 19 August, 2026 Great album. Cohen is a master.

Mostly boring, but there were some enjoyable parts. 2.5/5.0

another slog from leonard

Maybe it's blasphemy, but at time of writing in August 2026, I've only ever heard Leonard Cohen by name. If I've ever heard his music, it is without knowing it's Leonard Cohen! The hymn choir and bass guitar at the beginning of "You Want it Darker" immediately caught my attention, then Cohen 'sang'. I've never been a fan of this talking style of lyrics, but for this track it worked; he's like calmer older brother of Tom Waits. A voice that sounds like cigarettes and coffee; it was a great way to start the album. "Treaty" made me nervous for the rest of the album, as the talking lyrical style continued. Yet, the pianos and strings were beautiful... I really hope this isn't going to be a Nick Cave situation for me. Despite this, the lyrics have real weight to them (I understand that Cohen recorded the album in the knowledge that he was dying). Considering the age and frailty, it's pretty remarkable and deeply reflective music. It gets my respect for that at the very least. "On the Level" was perfectly fine, but did nothing memorable for me. The opening chords of "Leaving the Table" showed promise, but then fizzled out for me to similar sonically to the last 2 tracks due to Cohen's vocals, only to pick back up again with the beautiful southern guitar sounds ringing out. In the end, I enjoyed this one more than I think I've given it credit for here. The funeral-esque vibe set by the organs paired with the opening lyrics of "If I Didn't Have Your Love" was beautiful, but it just lacks the variation I look for in an album against all the other tracks. This is another of those albums filled with songs that feel like they should be sprinkled across other albums. Other songs I enjoyed: "Travelling Light" and "It Seemed the Better Way". Overall, there wasn't any song I hated, but the variation is lacking in a big way for me that prevented me from enjoying it more. I'm left wanting to explore more Cohen, so that's a good sign. Lastly, I think the opening track set my expectations too high for the rest of it that possibly dampened my enjoyment.

Not my favorite album but I think I could like Leonard Cohen

I had no idea Leonard Cohen could make more boring, depressing, and hard to listen to albums than he had before. A true master of the craft (not that it's a good craft).

Musicians fall into two types: poets and composers, and very few manage to combine these two qualities. Leonard Cohen is first and foremost a poet, and a very good one at that (no joke: sixty years on stage), and that's the problem with this album. The songs here are primarily poems, in which the seasoned lyricist reflects on his life and prepares to pass away. The music here is merely a backdrop for these lyrics, very simple, a bit monotonous in places, but never overwhelming. After the announcement of this album, Cohen announced that he would soon die, but at the album's release event, he declared that he intended to live forever. And a couple of weeks later, he actually died; either the universe heard him, or he truly knew something. Thus, 2016 began and ended with the deaths of two masters. I'll listen to this album again in forty years, but for now - three stars.

well this might be a bit heavy for a monday workday it's not too bad very somber, but not overwhelmingly so 💥you want it darker

meh not my thing too dark and broody unique voice which is cool

One big long wtf. Couldn’t even get half way through it

Gorgeously deep. Where Cohen's deep voice and sometimes sloppy enunciation sometimes put me off, absolutely not so in this album. Will listen many times more. A real surprise.

Muito bom. Pesado. A voz rouca cansada dá um clima bem legal pro álbum

Always been a fan of Cohen, my mam would regularly play his early works. I had never actually checked out this album, glad I now I have.

Like the music, not the voice

Do I like this? No. Do I hate it? Again no. Beat poetry with a sort of classical accompaniment- meh. I think Cohen was an important song writer. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley is amazing. For rough smokey vocals I prefer Tom Waits.

I have only lightly encountered Leonard Cohen in the past. THose encounters have consistently left me skeptical. Plus, I lowkey hate that Hallelujah song. It's ok. Hearing something that is ok many, many times is a solid formula for turning hostile toward that song. I don't hate this album, but I definitely don't get it. And I'm not a fan.

For some reason I never really got into Leonard Cohen, although I had at least one good friend who was pretty obsessed with him for a while. He's obviously in Bob Dylan's neighborhood so it would have made sense that he would have appealed to me, but for whatever reason I never felt drawn to him. I was startled by the darkness of these songs. Yes, I know it's right there in the album title, but still I was not prepared. Then reading how Cohen was in his 80s when he recorded it and died shortly after... I don't know. A lot of feelings came up. In tone it reminded me somewhat of Johnny Cash's last album, which I listened to a lot. The title song will stay with me a long time.

Very moody and dark, not quite what I needed on a sunny August day, but there’s so lovely lyrics and instrumentation across these tracks. You can hear the cracks in his voice, the age showing through, and above all it feel real in a great way

Feeling his humanity. Facing his mortality. Gorgeous album.

My fave of his albums - absolutely love his deep voice on this.

As you commented last week, Joe, thank goodness we’re done with this band now. Our 5th of 5.

You Want It Darker Leonard Cohen 2016 Genres: Folk, Rock Styles: Singer Songwriter, Folk Rock, Ballad 1. You Want It Darker (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Cohen enfrenta la oscuridad del sufrimiento humano y su relación con Dios. La canción mezcla referencias bíblicas, violencia, culpa y una especie de aceptación de la muerte; "Hineni" expresa estar presente y dispuesto ante Dios. 2. Treaty (★★☆☆☆) -Contexto: Una canción sobre el deseo de reconciliación con alguien —posiblemente una amante, pero también interpretable como una figura divina— después de una relación marcada por distancia y desencuentros. El "tratado" representa la paz que Cohen quisiera alcanzar entre ambos. 3. On the Level (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Cohen reflexiona sobre el deseo y la tentación desde la perspectiva de un hombre mayor. No presenta el deseo como algo que haya desaparecido con la edad, sino como una fuerza que todavía lo atrae y que, en el fondo, no quiere abandonar. 4. Leaving the Table (★★☆☆☆) -Contexto: Una despedida y un acto de renuncia. Cohen declara que abandona el juego: deja atrás una relación, las disputas y las expectativas, aceptando que ya no necesita seguir luchando por nada. 5. If I Didn’t Have Your Love (★★☆☆☆) -Contexto: Una canción de amor relativamente luminosa dentro del álbum. Cohen imagina cómo se derrumbaría su percepción del mundo sin el amor de la persona amada, presentándolo como aquello que vuelve real y soportable la existencia. 6. Traveling Light (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Cohen habla de marcharse llevando poco equipaje, tanto literal como emocionalmente. Es una despedida de alguien o de una etapa de su vida, asociada con la soledad, el desprendimiento y la aceptación de seguir adelante. 7. It Seemed the Better Way (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Cohen recuerda una forma de fe que alguna vez parecía ofrecer respuestas y consuelo, pero que ahora ya no consigue proporcionarle el mismo alivio espiritual. Es una reflexión sobre la pérdida de certezas religiosas. 8. Steer Your Way (★★★★★) -Contexto: Una canción sobre atravesar conscientemente el sufrimiento y continuar avanzando pese a la oscuridad. Cohen exhorta al corazón a mantenerse en el rumbo incluso cuando el dolor, la muerte y la fragilidad humana resultan inevitables. -Fav 9. String Reprise / Treaty (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Relectura instrumental de "Treaty" que funciona como cierre del álbum. Al desaparecer prácticamente la voz y quedar las cuerdas, la canción adquiere una sensación de despedida y deja suspendido el deseo de alcanzar finalmente esa reconciliación. -TOTAL = ★★⯨☆☆ (2,72)

Appreciating the context of this release, I wonder if this album is included somewhat on a sentimental basis. No doubt the lyrical genius is still there, and his voice plumbs even new depths… In that it’s super deep on some tracks (of course) but on first listen - that I can recall anyway - this doesn’t come across as super memorable. Surely another Cohen album belongs on this list.

Some critiques go waaaaaay too far. Don’t explain the meaning to me. The dude who says you want it darker is what you say before making love needs to find a woman and STFU. Shut it off after a minute and a half.

To boring

An older Leonard Cohen with his age evident in his voice, which only adds to the air of intimacy. Lyrically poetic as always and musically delicate. I really loved the understated use of strings as a sort of percussion, especially on "Treaty" and "Steer Your Way". A very welcome suggestion from the generator. Edit: I have been listening it non-stop since the first time. I love it.

Not his best, but the cosiest album about death I can imagine, as such a kind gift on parting. My eldest is beginning to ask us about mortality, and later on this would be a good way to demonstrate how to face it well.

Like the dark twin of "I'm Your Man", or the older cousin of "Blackstar". First song is a fitting epitaph, and the rest keep up the doom perfectly. What a terrible year was 2016.

Love how he evolved over his career. This is such a heartfelt album.

i think i finally understand him

No way I needed to hear that before I die

First song is fantastic. I’m really fascinated by the music artists make when they know they are dying. I don’t know that this would be among the Cohen albums I’d pick out of the 2(?) on this list? But no doubt it is moving.

kinda boring

I’m sure some idiots will think this is genius but this is just some senior citizen reading poetry over the simplest of melodies.

50 years into his career and this might be his best album...

Стоило ожидать что за 2 хороших альбома подряд есть своя цена. Как и предыдущий, этот оказался никакой. Мелодия вроде хорошая, поёт тоже мелодично, но так, как будто выдавливает из себя через силу.

Последний альбом Коэна с релизом за 17 дней до его смерти. Скорее всего поэтому он и здесь, альбом ровный, но у него были вещи и покруче. Отметил для себя удивительное сходство с Гребенщиковым в некоторых местах. Топ-1 - Leaving the table Топ-2 - It seemed the better way

Such a unique voice and the lyrics were amazing on this album. Really made you want to sit and think about what he's saying.

I feel bad because this album definitely caught me on the wrong day. But I couldn't get behind the depressing weathered old man thing when it's so sunny outside

Good song writing, good instrumentals, don't like his singing

дед круто поет музычка топ

Eerie, haunting, reflective, like the grim reaper was looking over his shoulder and also now mine too

His voice is great, I think this is the first non-Hallelujah music of his I’ve listened to.

Haunting music and lyrics really matches his voice.

pretty sad stuff, not really my vibe but good stuff

One of the lucky artists whose voice just got better as life went on. His low growl sets up the sparse instrumentals and chorals for success. Highlights: "You Want it Darker", "It Seemed the Better Way", "Steer Your Way"

Really liked the backing music but his voice really kills it for me. That being said I think I liked this album more that his previous entries I’ve had. 2.5/5

I don't really want it darker, or at all.

[4/5] spoken word folk. poetry in gravel! sounds like how the guy on the perfume ads wants to sound; i believe every word he says. this album is a haunting acceptance of the end of life and a battle with religion. track notes: 1. ready to sing hymns then the perfume ad voice comes out. hallelujah 2. marching towards the end 3. contentment and acceptance 4. spooks me out a bit listening to it knowing he died shortly after. slipping away 5. a warmer song about the importance of love 6. powerful bouzouki got me drinking olive oil and smashing plates 7. feels like a ritual. philosophical lyrics 8. violin really adds to the feeling of ending 9. damn we got the strings out and they are emotional

Dark

Beautiful, poetic and poignant.

3.5

I’ve given this a couple of listens and it’s just too 1-dimensional, he needs to step back from the mic for a couple of songs. Every track sounds the same

Pleasant voice, wish he told me a bedtime story.

No I thought it was already pretty dark thank you for your concern tho

Leonard Cohen has really been growing on me lately. I have a big soft spot for his music

Meh. Pretty samey. That first track is great though.

He had a pretty nice voice. Seems like he’s read the Bible.

You’re right, Lenny. I do want it darker. Thank you for delivering. Not too dramatic, understated vocal and instrumental delivery. Symbolic lyrics that leave room for interpretation and a deep bass voice tickles the right part of my brain.

I hate comparing this to Blackstar, but it’s hard not to. While I love the voice and the atmosphere, it’s a little one-note. It also doesn’t help that the album peaks with the opening title track, “You Want it Darker.” This is good, but there are better Cohen albums.

Melodies so low over strings so sad, they sound like moans from the center of Earth. Desert Father has left us this scattered tome wherein every sparse line signifies revelation.

This was probably my least favourite cohen album we’ve listened to. It was just a bit too moody for me.

Turns out I'm a a Leonard Cohen fan these days. All the records we've had here have been so good. this one felt a bit like Nick Cave, completely different mood and style to the others we've had. Loved the atmosphere.

It's Leonard Cohen, and even though I have very limited knowledge of his music I wasn't expecting upbeat, but given the circumstances that's understandable. However, despite the plaintive delivery and subject matter of the lyrics, there is a lot of beauty to this album. This is a man who's coming to terms with his fate - he's moving on, leaving the table, getting ready to face God, he was sad about some things but he's satisfied that he's let them go. There's no point being angry. The penultimate track, Steer Your Way, even has a bit of jaunty feel with it's violin dancing around the wisdom of his words, and that leaves the orchestral reprise of Treaty to send our songwriter away. A fitting Finale. 4 stars.

I listened to this while waiting for a flight on 0 hours of sleep over the past day and a half and finally was able to fall asleep for about 30 minutes, so thanks Leonard In all seriousness, I did listen to this one again while fully awake and it’s pretty fascinating to see how he made this one work. As with anyone in their 80s, their voice is rough, but the way he sings with such that soft, growling accent makes it sound more than decent. There’s something very haunting about some of the lyrics, especially with the knowledge this came out about two weeks before he died, but as always with him those lyrics are the strongest part of the album. The religious themes and motifs make this one pretty memorable It’s a little too ambient for me to fully appreciate; there’s not a ton to talk about when it comes to instrumentation and the overall energy is pretty consistent between songs even though emotions are pretty varied. He’s a great performer for a guy who’s 82, but the vocals are obviously rougher than his earlier stuff Still though, pretty fascinating to compare his style here to what we had in the last album of his we had which was almost 50 years before. I gotta admit I have a ton of respect for him continuing to put out great music this late into his career, am so used to seeing music from washed up legends just be total garbage. Definitely one of the better lyricists and songwriters in history

Like, y'know kudos to the guy for making music while actively dying. also mega shoutout to the producer for making him sound actually somewhat decent and not crusty. I don't know how they pulled that off. but yeah, once you get over the whole mortality thing you're left with gravelly whispers and not much else. also i think my biggest ick is whispering in your ears in a song. its just so weird and i hate it

The biggest problem I had going into this was that I don’t really know Leonard Cohen’s discography all that well, so it’s hard to judge where this fits. Is it a big departure from his earlier work? Is it the result of where his music had been heading for years? Or is this just what a Leonard Cohen album sounds like? Either way, I think it works pretty well on its own. The title track is easily the highlight. It feels new for someone at this stage in his career, and while nothing else quite reaches that same level, the rest of the album sticks closely to the same theme, making it feel really cohesive. Between the piano, violin, Django style guitar, and all the religious imagery, heavy organ, monk chants, etc. it creates this really cinematic atmosphere. My only real issue is that after such a strong opening, a lot of the songs start to blend together. They all build on the same ideas, but none of them quite hit as hard as the title track. Dropping it to a 2 would probably be a little harsh, especially considering the context of the album, but I can definitely see this connecting much more with longtime Cohen fans than someone like me who's just getting into his music. That said, I still think it's a really satisfying final album, and if anything, it just makes me want to dive into the rest of his catalog.

cool voice

I didn't like this album. Just not for me. Too depressing.

his growling voice muses through topics of life and death, loneliness, regrets and the bleakness of reflecting on your past. It's heavy, it's somber, it's melancholic and his voice carries the weight associated with the feelings I mentioned. I think it's an important listen, not every artist reaching this part of their career. For that reason I think it deserves it's spot on the list of music that should be listened to before you die. I will say, if I encounter a lot of these types of albums on this list, I will be adjusting the ratings as necessary. I think that there are other albums out there that will do either better or much worse in a similar context. I'm not sure where to rate this. It's too minimalist to be a 5/5 for me, the voice is something that you have to like in order to enjoy the entire project at it's fullest. You have to be ready for the somber feeling across the entire runtime. I think it's around a 7/10, so I'll be giving it a 3/5 for now.

Not for me

I liked the music, but I did think that Leonard had reached a time in his life where he needed to quit doing his own singing. He didn't have much of a voice in this album and a lot of the time, he seemed to be more talking in front of the music rather than actually singing. Best song, "Leaving The Table". There was a lot of emotion and actually pain in this album.

after the first track i thought that was pretty cool but then it was too much of the same

You Want It Darker is a masterclass in late-career artistry. It avoids cheap sentimentality, offering instead an unblinking, beautifully composed look at the end of the road. Alongside contemporary swan songs like David Bowie’s Blackstar, it stands as a monument to an artist who maintained his creative fire and poetic genius right up until his final breath.

Leonard clearly intended Popular Positions to be his swan song, but then he lived a little awkwardly longer and wrote some new songs. Some are great (the title song), some are okay, it's all lugubrious but it's all terrific because it's the sound of a guy who thought he'd said everything he was going to say finding out that he still has more stuff to say.

These are objectively good songs. It is SO hard to get past his rough, flat voice. I understand he is literally on his deathbed recording this, but I can’t ignore it.

I absolutely despise Leonard Cohen and have given all 3 of his early records on this list a 1 star review. However, I have to admit that the themes and atmosphere on this album elevate it. And I guess my feeling is that he's earned this album at this point. He's much older and he's had a long life. And I feel like this type of record was due.

Ohhhh. Audible reaction to getting this. Leonard Cohen’s last album released in his lifetime, and a quite interesting development. Much more spiritual than anything else he’d previously put out, much darker (heh), and much more thoughtful in a way. He is no longer talking to one person when he talks to “You,” or at least not to a human. He is no longer talking about life and death in a sense of dramatized brooding, as he did in Songs Of Love And Hate; no, this is all real now. Where previously, each song would be a staircase, one that you would climb up until you reached the apex of the song, and that would build until you reached the peak of the album. In Songs, the peak was the niggun at the end of “One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong,” and in Love and Hate, it was the niggun in “Joan of Arc.” Here, the songs are not stairs but pillars, pillars that Cohen stares at for some time before walking away, forfeiting each fight he still has, and surrendering himself to G-d. And that is in fact what he does here, even if it’s not completely evident; G-d is all around us, in us, and is us. G-d is everything, and everything is G-d. When we die we do not stop being G-d and G-d does not leave us, in fact, we only leave the sight of others. We are merely converted in our forced submission to nature. Leonard Cohen knows this, and so instead of fighting against it, instead of even going with it, he recognizes that he must accept it. He lets go of everything he still holds onto, and musters up the strength to send out one last work out into the world, literally staring into the darkness (which can be interpreted as death, the past, or the darkness of the living world) on the cover, before submitting, and fulfilling his life. 10/10

It wasn't my style of music. It was very moody, but I get 100% if someone likes this kind of music.

Slightly better than solid but not really relistening so still a 2

I don’t know if it can get much darker. I listened to Eminem yesterday. I predict that I’m going to get Nine Inch Nails tomorrow.

ADORE

I appriciate the poetry and might come to like it more by the years but right now this is not what im really looking for at all

It definitely is dark. Quite beautiful too.

This seems to be Cohen's equivalent of David Bowie's Blackstar. Essentially, it's him crafting this album as a farewell to the world and his fans before he kicks the bucket. While listening to it, you can hear how much his voice has changed since his youth, and in a way that makes the album more poignant. You can feel the resignation and acceptance of fate throughout the album, from the soft yet touching musical arrangements to the poetic lyrics. This album is not a comfortable listen, but none of Cohen's best work ever really is. While it's very different musically from Blackstar, they share a unique beauty in their confrontations of mortality. Both artists knew it was time to say goodbye, and both were able to express it in brilliant songwriting that ranks among the best they've ever done. This album moved me emotionally, perhaps more than any other album on this list ever will. This is essential listening for everyone to hear at least once(alongside his 1971 masterpiece Songs of Love and Hate). This album is ranked #2 of 4 albums released in 2016. Other 2016 albums rated by me: Blackstar(1/4)-4 Konnichiwa(4/4)-3

It’s a good record but not one of his best. Many better records omitted from the list.

love it, added to rotation

4.5

First Listen Favorites: Traveling Light Steer Your Way String Reprise / Treaty

You can't go wrong with Leonard Cohen. Even as he was getting closer to death he puts together an incredibly personal album.

Stunned and emotional about this one, memories of listening to his debut a couple of years ago.

definitely good, but not one I'd listen to over and over

A beautiful and sad album in the same bucket as Bowie's Blackstar.

Nope. You're not tricking me into listening to Christian music.

Saved his best for last.

This is pretty groovy. You can only hear it when there isn't too much other noise because it's so low

Very chill relaxed album despite some of the themes

Beautifully dark and brooding. An album that should have gotten simmilar attention to Bowie's Blackstar in it's full pelt approach to death - but seems to have passed people by, perhaps due to it releasing later in the same year. Cohens voice is beautifully soothing here and is accompanied by simple yet beautiful instrumentals. Very much enjoyed it.

Not really my type of music. Basically 36 minutes of a Man with a deep voice talking over a slow Jazzy/soul instrumental. ITS NOT BAD but i dont like it.

The silent, soulful and atmospheric instruments + cohen's beautiful voice are very great. 4 stars only because some tracks are weaker

I respect the artistry of his old man spoken word poetry, but this album seems scientifically designed to put me to sleep.

Bit slow. An unsuccessful Tom Watts interpretation. He did indeed make it darker, and we were not a fan.

Dear lord 😭😭😭 I don’t like the first two songs I don’t think im gonna give it a chance I just hate this type of music

I had heard the Jeff Buckley version of Hallelujah before, but writing the original was all I really knew Leonard Cohen for. So this album really surprised me, mostly because of how deep Leonard Cohen's voice is. He sounds like Patrick Page in Hadestown, it was a lot of fun to listen to. I feel like this is the sound of someone who has truly accepted that the end is here for them. Favorites: You Want It Darker, On The Level, Traveling Light

Considering this is his last album before he passed away, Leonard Cohen never lost his edge. The poetry, the somber and earnest delivery, it’s all still there.

Just so sad that I would never want to identify with this as a senior

Beautiful album the first two tracks were the best

Brillant. A deep dive into a man's soul.

Cohen manages to represent the skills he has masterfully honed across his career and applies them to end-of-life issues, ponderances, observations and still of course love. It is a truly engaging and rewarding listen. As was almost always the case, the album is musically satisfying despite presenting Cohen as a poet more than a singer of pop songs. The music is steeped in tradition and offers few surprises allowing the focus to remain on the words. It’s not a difficult mission since Cohens gruff whisper, with just a suggestion of melodic lilt, leaves the listener little choice but to hang off every syllable. That’s not to say the music is superfluous, rather it veers toward respectful delicacy yet avoids blandness and predictability. The words show thoughtfulness, sharpness of mind, humour, intelligence, and a suggestion of enlightenment and acceptance. They offer solace, hope, and the wisdom of a life lived but soon to be extinguished. It’s clearly not a party album, but as we know from his famous “Anthem”, Leonard Cohen knew the importance of light, and across (even) ‘You Want It Darker’ he still succeeds in letting let the light in.

siguen saliendo albumes de leonard cohen y no termino de conectar, en este la voz tan grave me incomodó y no vibee 6/10

Wow, the first song immediately caught my attention. So different from the other Leonard Cohen album I got and wasn’t really into. And, omg, after looking it up I had no idea this was released 27 days before Cohen passed. Wow. That gave me shivers. I started unexpectedly tearing up when Treaty started. I feel like his soul was channeling something before leaving his body through this album. And I have literally been made to cry every. single. song. I don’t think I have had that happen on this album journey so far. This is a masterpiece. One of my absolute favorites so far. Some of the best lyrics ever I’ve ever come across. This is a spiritual, transcendent experience (and I’m saying that completely sober).

Some poignant moments - I need to dig further

I am not the biggest fan of Leonard Cohen; he is obviously a great lyricist but I couldnt really get into his voice. Still, I liked this album. It;s always so interesting to listen to the last recorded album of an artist where you can really feel them reflecting on life (and/or death).

Apparently I want it very dark. I really like this

Excellent album, très cohérent avec l'œuvre globale de Cohen

Such a fitting swan song. I added “If I Didn’t Have Your Love” to my playlist.

362/1089 you want it darker (song) has such a strong atmosphere and Leonard’s voice on it is SOOO good. think i first heard it on AHS probably which was perfect this whole album was pretty solid, i was mostly just hypnotised by his voice but it was cool faves: You want it darker, traveling light, steer your way /100

Got me in the feels. Haunting.

Hauntingly beautiful songs. I'm giving an extra point for the men's choir.

The is guy could voice act every video game BBG. Big Ketheric Thorm energy

This was pretty solid. You can feel that he was putting everything into this one.

I highly recommend blasting this in the car wash while your toddler is in the back seat. The existential dreariness and themes of religion and dimming the flame of the world pair well with a child’s fear of the unknown - in this case that’d be the pre-tri-color-foam high pressure soak. This was a wild listen. Poetic and dreary. I liked it, but I can’t say I’m gonna throw it on for any parties - not any I’d like to frequent, anyway. For me, typically 4+ is reserved for albums I think I’ll come back to from time to time, but I can’t say I have a desire to do so with this one after two listens. But then again, the gritty vocals keep drawing me in and I keep finding myself intrigued by the first half in particular. Low 4

Well, this was the first Leonard Cohen full album that I've ever heard, which I acknowledge was probably a bad starting place to really dig into his discography. This just didn't really do it for me overall. There were some kind of cool spots where the music felt like 2010s era Peter Gabriel stuff with the orchestra and gravelly vocals, and I appreciate that he seemed to come at the topic of death head-on. I did find it to just be a long drag, with very little differentiation between all of the tracks, and wholly unmelodic. Maybe it was bad timing, as I got Bowie's death album literally the day before, but I found that one to be just so much more engaging and unique than this. Ah well. RIP bro.

Another Lenny Cohen already? I just did his 3rd album like 3 or 4 days ago. Damn i forgot how deep his voice was since like the mid 80’s, and this was released so close to his death so its bittersweet and eerie in that way (i know there was a posthumous release but this feels like the real last album), could be compared to Bowie’s Blackstar in that way albeit that was even closer to death. Also modern production on a Cohen album is strange but very beautiful and well used. I loved this more than i thought i would, even moreso than some of his earlier albums. Standouts are the title track, Treaty, On The Level, If I Didn’t Have You Love, It Seemed The Better Way and Steer Your Way.

Excellent songwriting but the vocals make it almost unlistenable

Little too slow, good when the instrumentals are there

Me dió la sensación de mucho polvo en una cabaña de madera con restos de whisky en los vasos

If a dying old man asks you to sit and listen to his life stories and wisdom at the end of his life, just say yes. It’s almost always worth it. That’s what we’re working with here. Cohen has captured that experience in a bottle and invited anyone willing to listen to hear what he has to say. In the moment, you will sometimes feel like those tales go on for far too long, but when you look back you will wish the times had lasted just a little bit longer. Luckily, You Want It Darker has been captured for eternity, so you can lend Cohen an ear whenever you feel like it.

Loved the poetry and music of this album

Love his voice. It's like Hades from Hadestown was singing to me!

Cohen new he was dieing. What a wonderful way to go.

A couple memorable songs here, but his really "old" voice just gets tiring very quickly. It definitely gets points for having that "haunting" vibe to it given that this was recorded when he was basically on deaths door, but it just was nowhere near interesting enough from an instrumental standpoint either to keep me engaged. Maybe I wasn't the target audience though and need to revisit this when I'm also 80. 2/5

Cool

This album parses what are beautiful orchestra arrangements with Leonard Cohen's rather grating and boring voice.

The production on the album as well as the instruments is what makes this a good album. The lyrics are good but nothing to write home about. The vocals are why this won't go on any playlists as I find it quite grating. If it were sung with a Joan Baez type of voice and vocals I would love this album.

No! ... and I can't stress this enough... Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ in part Revisit ❌️ ★☆☆☆☆(2/10) Total reviewed : 376 Already owned : 83 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 270

How many songs can he whisper through? 1, 2 maybe 3. Nope, everyone.

his music is just unlistenable, the deep voice is just irritating. It gives me the sensation of someone whispering into my ear and I don't want some middle age dood straight whispering in my ear so ahh idk how people like ts. This should genuinely be taken off of album a day, 5 Leonard Cohen albums for what? I could go my whole life happy not knowing who this man is. Do I want it darker? Hell no boi I don't want it at all

First song was really cool, the rest seemed pretty lackluster in comparison. His voice is Tom Waits-y, lots of religious themes. Best song: You Want It Darker Notable(s): It Seemed the Better Way

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Not my kind of music, I'd rather be sung to than talked out, but again I got into it. You want it darker and travelling light are pretty good. Reminds me of Johnny Cash in his christian era.

4,5 if i could, such a beautiful album.

A beautiful swan song from one of the most legendary songwriters to ever live. RIP

✸ In my mind Leonard Cohen and Ron Perlman are in a competition for deepest voice. ✸ Unfortunately this isn't my musical taste, so this is a more challenging listen (I'm tempted to just skip songs, or scrub through them). ✸ Trying to remember that what I like about this project is that it stretches your capacity and experience, surfacing things you might have not listened to otherwise.

One of the masters of song writing.

6/10

you can tell it's his last album. It is fairly somber and melancholy sounding. Beautiful music but honestly I could not stand his "singing" voice. I can respect the art though.

Not really my thing but the title track slaps

A good album, I liked You Want It Darker and Traveling Light the most.

great, my type og shit

Too slow for me

You want it darker 2/5 Treaty 4.5/5 On the level 3.5/5 Leaving the table 5/5 If i didnt have your love 4/5 Traveling light 3/5 It seemed the better way 3.5/5 Steer your way 4/5 String reprise 4.5/5

Instrumental and vocals are evil as fuck. Love that bit of organ and choir throughout the title track. Treaty has some heartfelt lyrics but I find Cohen’s vocals don’t match the vibe of them. The instrumental carries this for most of it. On the Level is a little more upbeat but only slightly. It has some nice female group vocals that add alot. Leaving the Table has a simple guitar and strings but changes to some piano. His vocals are starting to do less for me as it goes along. Track five has similar problems too but the music worked more this time. Traveling Light starts strong but it’s the vocals that do less and less for me. Better Way is pretty similar to the title track which I enjoyed the most. Even if it feels repetitive it’s still solid. And that violin is fire. Steer Your Way has all the pros of the previous track. His vocals go hardest here for sure. The last track feels like a credits roll moment that is fine while it’s on.

Opening mournful church choir, deep bass chords, subtle organ and such a looming, fathomless voice in "You Want it Darker" delivers. Anyone else in the mood to watch the Sopranos? The sorrow continues with "Treaty" and it seems Cohen captures a hollow shell of himself without Ariel. Suprise, his struggles carry on in "On the Level." However, the soulful piano/organ and background singers create a bluesy beauty. I have to admit, with onslaught of despondency, Cohen feels like an old, tired, and suffering dog and may be best put to him out of his misery. "Leave the Table," just leave already. He wallows on with lyrics like, "That's how broken I would be" in the track "If I Didn't Have Your Love." At this point, move on already. There's musical talent here, but this dark album blocked light highlighting the gifts within this album. If you're wistful, this is likely your jam, but then again, "Mea Culpa."

Wow. I think this is the closest. I’ve listened to lyrics yet. And those vocals, so haunting! Granted, he was on his deathbed when he made this album. I think. Also, what a lesson for me as a performer in being understated. Wow. I listened to this twice. So many elements that play here for me.

You Want It Darker - 3.5/5 Treaty - 4/5 On the Level - 3/5 Leaving the Table - 3/5 If I Didn't Have Your Love - 3/5 Traveling Light - 3.5/5 It Seemed the Better Way - 3/5 Steer Your Way - 3.5/5 String Reprise / Treaty - 2.5/5

Correcto

WTF is this bullshit Wenn ich einen Podcast hören möchte melde ich mich

...puh kann man aus dem Kotext vielleicht verstehen (Alterswerk 1 Monat vor dem Tod) .. aber das haben vor von Johnny Cash 100mal besser gehört

I love this album. I always love his writing and poetry but his mature voice really works for these songs.

Ooh what is this. Gravelly spoken word but so clearly mixed vocals, over gentle choir and groove. I dig this. Ah the gravelly voice does get a little bit grating after a few tracks. It feels like Leonard is actually whispering into your ear, a bit too personal. I guess he was too old for full throated singing. Lots of piano arpeggios, vaguely in the style of Hallelujah. Some nice string quartet sections on Steer Your Way. And the spoken word suits this track very nicely. Best track - You Want It Darker, Steer Your Way 3.5 stars - at the start the style is so unexpected it's fun, but the effect can't be maintained for a whole album. Where it works it is magic though

Enjoyed it, but dont see myself coming back to it regularly

if u want a boxer ymileww sewyee

"C'mon guys! The awful abject foreverness of death is making its big push, and we gotta help Leonard Cohen push back!"

A hauntingly beautiful record that I will probably never have the heart to listen to again. The poetry Cohen writes is top notch. It’s clear this is his final act. The last track gave me chills. 4/5

Backing this up with a Tom Waits album did challenge the inner Fall Out Boy fan in me, but I did enjoy it. This guys voice is actually fucking crazy and I don’t think many people could pull of being listenable with that kind of ‘singing’ style. In fact, I did find myself toeing the line of cringe and creative with Leonard from time to time in this album of depressing darkness. Good stuff Leonard.

Makes me bummed I never got organized to see him in his final era. More compelling takes on religious complexities than most priests.

Like almost all Cohen albums, great. Gets a little boring at times though.

I have really liked Leonard Cohen in the past but this swan song just did not do it for me. It felt like he was fading away and just doesn’t hold a candle to his previous work

Dit begint echt interessant en heeft opzicht nog wel mooie stukken, maar ik kan niet tegen die gravitas die hij zichzelf geeft. Het voelt allemaal zo een beetje onnodig zwaar en donker aan.

The extreme end of what we'd define as music. Poetry reading with instrumentals in the background? Grovely voice, no real singing. Hard to listen to. I'm not much of a lyrics guy and this definitely drove that home for me.

Hated it ngl (why is he reciting a poem💔)

Very chill album! I liked the haunting background chorus sounds. I admit that most of his songs sound the same, but I like them!

Occasionally this album dips into too-gravelly-for-me territory, but mostly it’s raw and dark. It touches on a deep connection with life-love-loss, a dying mans last message in a bottle to span generations through a gift of poetry and music. Calling out to the infinite ‘what now?’ Beautiful. You want it darker - gets me everytime.

When a person is close to death you are conscious of the fact that every interaction with them is, on some level, on their terms; whatever of their limited time and attention they choose to give you is what they give you, and you've no right to demand anything more. Whatever they want to talk about is what you're going to talk about. If they want to try and settle up with God and their children and their lovers and their affair partners of decades past then you will sit and dutifully take notes and make any necessary phone calls. And if all the voice they have left is a low rumble then so be it; singing was never their strength anyway. All of Leonard Cohen's music is about impermanence in one way or another; people tumble into bed and out of love with each other, grow together, grow apart. And it's easy to argue that this may have been self-fulfilling, that Cohen's acute awareness that every relationship has a shelf life was in fact what caused the end of those relationships. It hurts nonetheless, and no more so than at the end of Cohen's life, as he confronts the loneliness of his next step. "Steer your way through the pain that is far more real than you," he counsels, having diagnosed himself but unable to turn back time and heal himself. On this album he confesses his cowardice, acknowleges he has no right to any end other than the one he's getting, tries to make his peace with it, succeeds somewhat. Temporarily, of course - respite always is with a restless soul like him. This is a difficult listen and not exciting - but it matters, and if he's going to give us this last little bit of his attention then perhaps we owe some of ours in return.

Don't know how much darker this can get! Cohen's final album features sparse, often acoustic arrangements with fleeting bits of strings and choirs thrown in for good measure.

I have heard so much negative talk about Leonard cohen but never heard any of his stuff. I was excited to see why I’ve heard so much hate for him and rather enjoyed this.

Lyrically, like with most Leonard Cohen, a masterpiece, but suffers from a lack of creative producing. He needs a foil to the straightforwardness of his melodies and smaller vocal range.

Wow that was depressing.

The poetry was beautiful. Idk if I cared for the music or songs as much. Love Leonard abundantly - brilliant poet and songwriter. This one, as heartbreaking as it is, doesn’t catch me as his other works do. Title track is absolutely life altering, though. Listening to Leonard Cohen makes me want to live as long as I possibly can on this hell rock just to keep experiencing the greatest feeling of love over and over and over again. Although this album doesn’t hit me like his other works, I’ll never deny the precious and delicate genius this man had.

5 Legendary singer releases his final album in 2016 and dies days later. Sounds familiar. A really good album, haunting almost. Death is universal but not an aspect of life that you hear artists reflect on so much, especially from someone who knows its so close at hand

I came to this one almost entirely cold, and with a long-standing problem: the received idea of Leonard Cohen had put me off him for decades. Miserable bloke, black polo neck, student gloom, Neil from The Young Ones sighing into a bowl of lentils. That sort of thing. Well, that cliché lasted about thirty seconds. You Want It Darker is not soggy bedsit miserabilism. It is one of the most dignified late-life recordings I have ever heard: synagogue, blues, cabaret, soul, prayer, doubt, desire, judgement and bass. Proper bass, too. The opening title track does not shuffle in asking to be admired as an important old-man statement. It has propulsion. It moves. The bass leads like a dark engine, while Cohen’s voice sits underneath the earth, measured and immense. The whole album feels like bargaining: with time, God, death, darkness, love, the body, and the end. But it is not bargaining in the sense of denial. Cohen knows where he is. He knows the summons has arrived. The power comes from the fact that he still insists on naming the terms. That is what makes it such a powerful spiritual record. There is belief here, but not tidy belief. It is faith as argument, covenant as dispute, man going toe to toe with God. The album is full of religious language, but it is not pious in the meek sense. It is pious in the dangerous sense: I am here, now explain yourself. The album brims with musical confidence. The melodies are simple and ungilded. They do not strain to prove anything. Cohen has no interest in showing off, and the arrangements understand that completely. They frame him rather than embalming him. Organ, piano, bass, choir, violin, mandolin, strings, backing voices: everything is sparse, but nothing is thin. The record has mass. It also has extraordinary restraint. Cohen knows what not to give. He does not belt, plead, or perform frailty. He withholds, and that withholding becomes authority. There is still desire here, still humour, still sensuality, still old rogue self-knowledge, but all of it is controlled. He sounds physically reduced, but artistically immense. The album keeps returning to the idea of settlement. A treaty. A ceasefire. Not triumph, not romance restored, not transcendence. Terms. That is where the emotional force sits. Cohen is angry and tired, but he is not collapsed. He is still composing the argument, still filing the grievance, still trying to make the darkness answer properly. And in the middle of all this reckoning, love remains the great organising force. Not sentimental garnish, but structure. Love transforms the way you see the world. It works over distance like gravity. Without it, reality itself starts to lose weight. By the later stages, the album has become more than a deathbed statement. It becomes old man’s advice to the living. All the grand systems are compromised: religion, politics, romance, doctrine, the body, the self. So keep watch. Move mindfully. Correct your course. Steer. It is not comfort. It is better than comfort: usable severity. The ending returns to the desire for a treaty, first with strings that give the music gravity and mass, then with Cohen himself coming back one last time. That matters. The voice is not simply absorbed into tasteful elegy. He returns as the claimant. The peace was not signed. The dispute remains open. This is the difference between this and a lot of other late-life albums. I like some late Johnny Cash, but by comparison this feels like something more authored from the inside out. Cash’s late records can be moving, but they often feel like a great performer placed inside a powerful curatorial frame. Cohen feels like an auteur. The theology, bass register, humour, sensuality, anger, dignity, restraint and final moral weather are all emanating from the same source. It is not moving because he is dying. It is moving because, while dying, he is still in command. An unexpected five. Not necessarily a “play every week” five, but a complete artistic statement five. An “I’m not done yet” album made by someone very near the end, still bargaining with eternity, still arranging the furniture, still making sure the last words are good ones.

Poetry put to music, Leonard reflects about his impending death in a harsh, touching, vulnerable, resentful dialogue with god. This record is art of a different level.

Leonard Cohen visits common themes of love, rejection, and Judeo-Christianity on his last album. It's hard not to feel the weight of finality in his lyrics and vocals knowing he died a few weeks after the album's release. Lyrically as poignant as ever with each song working as a stand-alone poem. "If I Didn't Have Your Love", in particular, is one of his best poems set to music. Sonically, he relies (as always) too much on pre-programmed drums but uses a backing choir, strings, and some klezmer-esque instrumentation to great effect. Probably not an album I will listen to over and over but it is a beautiful reflection on an incredible artist's life.

i dont know how i feel about this one. the story behind the album is compelling of course it’s his last work before he died and the pain he felt can be heard through the lyrics and vocals(?) but it seems like more of a personal project than anything. i’m not sure i’ll come back to it, but it was worth the initial listen.

The background vocals were doing a lot of heavy lifting on this album. Leonard Cohen has always been an epic songwriter but a subpar singer. This album would not been on this list if he wasn’t near the end of his life. I admire the bravery it must have taken to write and record when death was so close at hand. But, his voice is really awful.

Interesting at first, but got really boring really quickly. I liked the story telling , poem driven method but will never listen to it again tbh

Christian themes and raspy voice, just not my style unless i have a cigar

You want it darker - 3 Treaty - 3 On the level - 4 Leaving the table - 3 If i didn't have your love - 3 Traveling light - 3 It seemed the better way - 3 Steer your way - 4 String reprise / treaty - 3

I don’t understand some of these reviews. Clearly you want it darker but I’m not sure how much darker it can be. You see, we killed the flame.

just not for me

Why do people like this?

From title to execution this feels.. manufactured. It feels like someone knew there was limited time left, but that someone was an exec at a label and not Leonard .

Feels like an old man i saying a poem

Me pareció bastante nostálgico, melancólico y existencialista. La voz del cantante es bastante caricaturezca y dramática, pero el álbum parece una conversación constante con dios, con la muerte y el mismo, refleja resignación y aceptación de la muerte y lo que fue su vida

Wasn't good, at all.

24/06/2026

Back to back Leonard but this one was a bit better.

This is a dark farewell album, Cohen's voice was always deep but man this is even gruffer. It is haunting on the verge of depressing, songs from a man who knows his days are numbered. I like the music and the songwriting but not a fan of spoken word singing. I am glad I got to hear this but not something I will be relistening to a lot.

Honestly, I can't stand his voice. It's just not for me, in the slightest. I'm sure he's a songwriting genius. To each their own--if you dig the voice, awesome.

Down tempo, somber, melancholy, introspective, and very listenable, even with his unusual approach to vocals.

One of the best

this is one of those works that made listening feel like a chore. i could barely stay awake, my eyes were burning and i was very bored. i also felt like if i actually went to sleep id have nightmares with this playing in the background. definitely not for me.

His voice is very relaxing and calming, I love it. At first listen, the album can seem a little repetitive, but I found it interesting. I love the violin. I didn't reallt digest the lyrics yet

Powerful album. Pretty touching actually.

I’ve been waiting/looking forward to some Leonard Cohen to come up, unfamiliar with more than his name, but knowing my dad was a big fan. Wasn’t quite ready for it today but still listened for much of the day and actually found it really good company. Kind of comforting some how. Fave track is the title track. 4

At first I didn’t like the album because it wasn’t the “vibe” I was looking for. But upon continuing I gained a massive respect for Cohen. The style of what feels like poetry with music in the background isn’t for me but I appreciate it now. I was surprised to find out he sang Hallelujah so I had to give that a listen!

No me gusta esa voz toda grave. En el otro disco que escuché estaba mejor. No sé, era más escuchable. El que me genera más curiosidad es el primero, pq con ese se despegó este tipo, entonces me intriga.

More spoken word than singing, I feel like it may be time to hang up the blue raincoat…

cant stand his voice

Boring

2.3/5

75

I keep thinking I'll like the next LC album more than the one I just heard, but it's been the exact opposite. 0-3

I didn’t know this album. It’s like a slightly more accessible alternative to his great album The Future. I loved it.

Oh fuck off. How many times do I have to write some iteration of great poet, shit musician?

very good. voice is just not my personal style

Dark, moody, and thoughtful. Perfect for a stormy day, or when you're drinking, smoking, and drinking coffee at the all night dive down the street.

Quiet, dark, and meditative

Great poetry, but definitely not an album to "just have on in the background"

Not my style of music, but done really well. Beautiful deep voice

Oh you want it darker? okay im gonna mumble monotone the same exact way through every song with some understated boring ass music in the back FUCK leonard cohen album cover goes hard

Somber but still pretty good. Continue to feel like I just want to listen to a better singer cover every song Leonard Cohen records.

Gorgeous and sweetly wistful.

I don't, apparently. This was too moody and slow for me. Knowing the context behind it, it feels like he made his own funeral procession.

The rhyme schemes were a bit rudimentary, but effective in their way. Crazy to get back to back Cohen. This one is not the most cheery haha. Maybe came out around trumps election, which explains a lot. Also one of his last albums at the sunset of his life/career, I respect this, but don’t think it’s an all time effort.

This album is really fucking weird?? It is the most best poetry thing I've ever listened to and like it's cool and all but it was not hitting for me. I feel like this kind of thing is maybe best live for the full vibes

It is beautifully written. No doubt there. Instrumentals are questionable but the vocals are gorgeous. Mr Cohen passed a few weeks after this album was released. Maybe I'm bias for sad stuff like this but last song on it pulled it into a 5 for me.

i dont wanna grow up!

Too slow and not musically sound enough for my tastes. I feel like this album would go well with the people that like a dark and gruff voice. I am not one of those people.

This grabbed me more in the tracks where there was more than a single instrument, or other singers, or what have you. I get this man is a legend, but this did not grab me at all.

Beautiful elegy of a man reflecting on his long life filled with regrets.

It would be a true failing to deny Leonard Cohen’s song writing ability. Every song is beautiful and poetic; somber and full of regrets of a life long lived and a love completely lost. The instrumentals are enthralling, rounding out a great accompaniment. My only critique of this album comes from what is clearly an older and worn out voice. I’m not completely familiar with Leonard’s previous works, but he could only somewhat carry a tune on this album. Each song was more talk-sung in a manner that I’m sure Ron Perlman could replicate perfectly at any karaoke night. I don’t wish to disparage Leonard, but it was hard not to notice out the gate that this album is a testament to an aging musician who has many regrets. The biggest being his lost love(s).

Jesus what a jumpscare. This dudes voice is so unsettling. I get that kinda goes hand in hand with the vibe of the record, but holy hell this feels like another Bowie final record type deal. Why’s everyone glazing? When y’all ever gonna play this? This sounds like me ranting about how down bad my life is after a pack of red 100’s. Maybe it’s too real, but if I can’t enjoy any musical elements of a record it’s a tough sell. Sorry cohen Stans.

I can’t bro I actually can’t. I don’t want to say much The steadiness of life can’t dare to comprehend the ugliness of noise ruining what could be a calm scene as to say a nice view is ruined by cars and horns and people talking and Leonard cohen somehow surpasses the terribleness of torture with wet socks. I never want to ever hear that man speak for that is the day I pay for what I said. Leonard cohen goodbye forever yikes :@

Seriously dark and seriously funny croaking sardonic almost songs about death. Spare and spooky. Respect but repeat listen

Deadpan and gorgeous, morbid but with a light touch. What a feat.

leonard cmon man

This is probably my favorite Leonard Cohen record that’s cropped up here. It’s got the gravitas that I appreciate without the goofball Casio keyboards that I struggled through with I’m Your Man; it’s like the music here more matches the intensity of the lyrics. This one is a winner for me. 9/10

Not his best, but still an exceptional record, especially given the circumstances surrounding its recording and release. Loved it.

Beautiful in every way

Very sad and heavy, it was such a deep album and his voice was just… art

I needed a few days to gather my thoughts on this one. Cohen’s voice was never a thing of beauty, and hearing it reduced to a death rattle just underlines what this album is all about. The music has a few more connections than usual with his Jewishness, from the synagogue choir on a couple of tracks to a touch of klezmer on Traveling Light. And of course his Jewish/Buddhist spirituality is at the forefront in a way we hadn’t heard so much on his other records. It isn’t always quite clear whether he is singing of God or a woman, or both – he always seemed to worship the women he loved, at least in his songs. But one thing that stands out for me is how unadorned these lyrics are. They sound condensed, considered, and sometimes hard-won: the words he had earned when his life ended. Some of them sounded like the truth, and all of them were poignant

I get that he’s a great songwriter, but I can’t stand his voice and it just ruins it for me

A pretty dark, sparse record reflecting on life and death. He has a bit of a Tom Waits vibe going on with his voice, but rather liked it. Highlights: "Treaty" and "Traveling Light"

Creepy voice

Always enjoyable with a very distinct voice and mood.

nao gostei nem um pouco, sorry.

J’aime bien les mélodies dans l’ensemble, mais je suis pas très fan de Léonard Cohen en fait je pense. Je trouve ça assez plat. Je n’apprécie pas assez les paroles pour passer outre Quand même le début de chaque chanson me prend. Juste c’est un vieux quoi Je sais apprécier la beauté de cette musique mais j’y reviendrai jamais 6/10

This is one of those things where I wish I got it, but I don't, not really. I know there are lots of folks that hold Leonard Cohen in high regard, and I even understand the issue. For example, I really like the Grateful Dead, like, a lot. I also have a soft spot for Bob Dylan. Much like black licorice or coffee, these are acquired tastes. People who love them, love them. People who don't get it, don't. Unfortunately, while I appreciate the quality and the effort, this isn't my bag. Dig it?

This was such a surprise to how good it was. It made me feel like I was in a smoky basement room, having a nice scotch, while one of the greats sat on stage and read to me his own eulogy. A man at the end of his great life full of accomplishments looking at me and telling me all of his regrets. It's an amazing album, it rewards a critical listen. And the title track is an absolute banger.

Banger, har ikke så god tid til lige at reviewe mere, men STÆRK 4'er. Ved ikke havd der skulle til for at det får 5, måske et par lytninger mere...

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