Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Haunting, dark, reminds me of "Hurt" by Johnny Cash - very dark and touching on existential concepts with a very raspy,deep voice. Super interesting and unique, but I probably will not listen to again unless I am feeling darkness 3/5.
WHAT A VOICE MY DUDE !! He has such an insane which actually makes his songs incredible even if I'm not a huge fan of the style of his music but great work.
This was hard for me to get into at first and my initial impression was "Old man , whispering." But as I listened with a more open mind I found myself getting over those first thoughts. My favorite track is "On the Level." I doubt that I would listen again given the gravity of the album I still rate it a middle of the road 3/ 5.
A beautifully dark capsule of a dying man's final thoughts on faith and death. Cohen's aged, raspy voice is so raw and full of expression and emotion, he captures every word with grace and meaning. This is more focused than the other album released in 2016 by a dying legend, though I never find that I return as much to this than I do Blackstar. Every song is deep, profound and moving, though I don't love it as much as I expect to. Best Tracks: - You Want It Darker - Treaty - Steer Your Way Worst Tracks: N/A Rating: 7.5/10
Some really strong songs on here, but it's definitely not his strongest offering.
i liked this album but it was honestly a little too dark for me. cohen’s gravelly voice really lent itself to the subject matter, it’s extremely poetic that he died just a few weeks after the album was released. rip leonard cohen, you absolute legend.
What a voice. Need to listen to more than once to fully appreciate the poetry.
Très chillou, une voix magnifique mais pas trop ma came et les thèmes abordés sont pas des trucs qui me parlent vraiment le son reste quand même super quali
I liked it. Slow going at times, and next if you have time to hear the lyrics. I'd listen again. Three stars.
He’s a good songwriter but I would rather hear someone else sing most of his songs because he doesn’t have much range. Most of the musical compositions here are pretty simple. I think I would generally rather listen to Nick Cave if I want to listen to a singer with an ultra-low voice sing songs of pain. His compositions are more interesting.
Surprisingly there are some very moving "songs" on this album. I found it much more enjoyable than any other album of his that I've listened to!
I mean yeah, some darkly beautiful words but to be honest this was all a bit much for me.
- dachte zum Start erst "oookay das wird anstrengend" und hatte die Hoffnung, dass da noch mehr geht (Instrumental ist nicht so viel los, aber das, was da ist, ist stimmig. Gesangstechnisch dachte ich, dass es nur eine Art Intro wäre, aber auch das zieht sich so durch und ist nach kurzer Eingewöhnung gut) - im Endeffekt war es derbe entspannt und hat mich ein wenig an das Album "Love Supreme" erinnert, das ich euch mal bei 101 gegeben habe - nichts, was ich jetzt andauernd hören würde/könnte, aber insgesamt war es interessant und eben stimmig
I don't think it's just a visual thing, and I wish it didn't seem like such a sure thing, but all evidence suggests that Leonard Cohen thinks he's pretty cool. Like the fedora and cigarette.. but also just his lyrics and like low voice and subject matter.. it's just a little too much for me. I think he's a brilliant song writer. I hate to compare, but then this is a rating situation, and Tom Waits and Nick Cave just seem to have a little more dimension to them. I'm realizing just how sensitive I am to just how cool an artist things they are haha. It's such a turn off! Chill Leonard! Just be yourself! And smoking suuuuuucks 2.5
For an album that literally tells you it wants to be darker, this feels surprisingly light on impact. Leonard Cohen’s voice is at its deepest and most gravelly, practically spoken rather than sung, which gives everything a weighty, almost prophetic feel—but the music itself is so subdued that it often drifts into the background rather than demanding attention. The title track is easily the highlight, brooding and ominous with its haunting choir and Cohen’s measured delivery, but beyond that, much of the album blends into a slow, murmured meditation that doesn’t quite stick. Lyrically, Cohen is still Cohen—wry, poetic, and full of existential musings—but there’s a sense of resignation here that makes it feel less vital than some of his earlier work. The sparse arrangements, largely built around soft keys, subtle strings, and gentle backing vocals, suit his reflective tone but don’t always do much to elevate the songs. It’s not bad, it’s just a bit meh. For a farewell album, it’s certainly dignified, but it doesn’t quite leave the impact you’d hope for.
legal
Хорошая первая песня в альбоме
The gravel in the voice is unique and I've enjoyed other Cohen things but this album wasn't my favorite of his. Still solid and I don't feel like I wasted my time with it at all.
Is Nick Cave just trying to do a bad Leonard Cohen tribute act.
Decent
Y'ever want to listen to a man die?
First song caught me off when his vocals came in. Vocals are more speaking than melodic, but there are backing vocals that fill a necessary gap. His vocals remind me of Johnny Cash's late music but somehow even more gravely. The songs are pretty stripped down and leave a lot of room for the listener to focus on Leonard's vocals. Knowing nothing about Leonard Cohen, I can tell the story of Jesus was an inspiration to his music, regardless on whether you classify this as Christian music or not. I think the songs are well generally composed and produced well. There are some very beautiful moments in the album; however, I didn't feel like this album showcases Leonard in the way that he is likely known for to unfamiliar listeners. This wouldn't be something that I would listen to frequently, but I'm glad to become slightly more familiar with his work.
This was a funny album. I started out loving it, then I grew tired of how minimal it was and every song started sounding the same - and then I started loving it again. Crazy I've never listened to Leonard Cohen before this album, and I feel this probably isn't the best first one to dive into his work.
Speciaal, maar toch eens tof
Interesting
Celebro la voz de este tipo. Como dibuja el lamento. No es mi estilo pero todo mi respeto. Nota: 2.9
Love it
Dark, Bleak, Depressing, Decent. RIP to a legend Best Song: You Want it Darker Rating: 6.5/10 3 Stars
Voce profonda ma un po’ troppo monotona.
Enjoyed the album. Would like to listen to some of his other works.
foreboding music Drowning in melancholy And crooned mournfully
Oh it was dark…very significant album given the timeline
Ain't nobody got time for this
Like Louie Armstrong? But feels like he is talking
I read a bunch of this guy's work in university. I think there's a talking dildo at one point. (15 known/28 new)
It's not bad. Cohen's voice sounds great, the songs are fine. The whole album is a mood, but there’s nothing on here that screams “Masterpiece” or even “Remember Me Twenty Years From Now.”
Deep
Not a big fan of Cohen but got pleasantly caught by this album. Could possibly be something I'd like in the future !
71% Best: On the Level; Traveling Light Must-Hear? No. RIP though
i will admit that the first track is pretty damn good; it sounds like he's facing off against God, not in battle or fitful rage, but in a staring contest. he knows he's gonna blink, but he's going down staring him into his soul. the whole thing has a great build up to it and it's definitely one of my favorite Leonard Cohen tracks. unfortunately, i just don't think the rest of the album's up to snuff. often, i feel like the poetry treads old ground, just with the added specter of death rustling through the tracks. i really wish i liked this a little more, but it's just both dwarfed by what kicks the album off and is underwhelming at so many spots after. it's just kind of a shame -- it started off so well.
I'm very confused.
Hus voice simultaneously irritates and scratches an itch I didn't know I had
Good, quite emotional I didn’t love the modern production as much though
Echt wel grappig, prachtige lage stem ook. Denk alleen niet dat ik dit nog een keer zou luisteren
I've certainly heard Leonard Cohen's music before, but I'm not really familiar with it. I was skeptical when this album was suggested. I listened to the whole album and found it very interesting. The title track appealed to me straight away. Overall, the album is a bit too depressing for me. Apart from You Want It Darker, I probably won't be listening to any more of it. But I think I should look into Leonard Cohen's work more. 3/5
Liked first tracks then too dull
Struggled on this one, the poetry is awesome, especially considering Cohen died soon after the album was released.
Хороший альбом Будто много одинаковых песен
Very interesting. Not sure I will listen again but it expanded on what I had all ready known of this artist and I am glad to have heard it at least this one time
It's great that this exists - it helped Leonard Cohen process the rapidly approaching end of his life, perhaps it can continue to help others who are grappling with the concept of death. It's also slow, depressing, a bit too much of a reminder of how harsh life is. No escaping the senseless brutality of existence here. Short of developing a terminal illness myself, I can't see this album in my future. Sometimes three stars indicates mediocrity, sometimes it's uneven albums with a mix of tracks that might have gotten fives or ones on their own, and sometimes it's for good art I just don't mesh with. Three stars. No meshing.
A few nice bits but a bit monotonous...
Only 166 albums in and this my fourth Leonard Cohen. It was his last, will it be mine? Despite the recent overexposure to his music, this album seemed to work better than the others. More depressing and lamentable, sure, but his gravely voice and sparse music actually fit the themes of regret, acceptance of doubt, loss, and religion . The violin was a nice touch on several of the songs like Traveling Light, It Seemed the Better Way, Steer Your Way. Did I enjoy it? No, but it does make you think.
another cool posthumous album written near end of life. this one is particularly strong, but I don't think I love leonard cohen in general lol.
Pretty interesting songs, can’t really enjoy his voice.
I really enjoyed this. It's honest and emotional. I wouldn't have ever listened to it if it hadn't been for this list ... I would now be open to listening to it again.
I’ll need more time with this one—I wasn’t in the right mood for it this morning. Feels like it deserves a different kind of attention.
Middle of the road for me honestly.
I first heard Leonard Cohen from the Pump Up the Volume Soundtrack when he did Everyone Knows (also covered by Concrete Blonde). I always found his music intriguing, though not my normal likings due to the very French Noir vibe. His music was much better than I remember, but I think both of us added a few years. Traveling Light and If I Didn’t Have Your Love were key tracks, but after a while his warm Merlot voice becomes like AMSR and I just want to drift away. He would make a helluva’ Hades in the musical Hadestown (if you are unfamiliar, give it a listen: it’s worth it!).
I'm a Leonard Cohen guy and have been listening to his greatest hits albums for years but never picked up a full album. I know this is a late career album and came out just before his death. I did like the continuity of this album and the especially the reprise. I'm down with his voice and the overall tone. This one is worth another listen for sure.
old depressed guy
3 st
It's not bad, but it's not something I enjoy listening to.
"The other Blackstar". While I don't think it is fair to compare both albums given their release year and the deaths of their artists, this one does feel a bit "too moody" in the sense that a lot of the songs sound the same way.
Amazing title track that is among Cohen's best work. The rest of the album falls short for me, with lyrics that sound a lot more profound than they actually are because of the gravitas of the vocals. Not sure lines like the following actually capture anything truly meaningful in an original way. "I'm angry and I'm tired all the time I wish there was a treaty, I wish there was a treaty Between your love and mine" I put that in the same category as: "If I had Shakespeare's way with words I would write a sonnet, put your name upon it" Also, smoking isn't cool.
Very dark
Cohen's final album is, without a doubt, his best late period release. Stark and reflective without going too overboard with it. The singing is even lower and more gravely than even his mid period records, which is saying something. However, I'm not sure if this would be deemed essential had Cohen not passed away so soon after its release. Key tracks: You Want It Darker Treaty
liked the other cohen album better
Really captivating voice. I was surprised that I enjoyed this album at all. Not my usual style, but I liked the darkness.
Leaving the table is good
I do not understand why he has five albums on this list. This is probably my top pick of the five, but boy are they just meh.
Ez nagyon költői, el tudom képzelni, hogy valamelyik este Debrecenben ezt hallgatom és közben nézek ki az ablakon. Hangulat kell hozzá.
You Want It Darker is the fourteenth studio album by Leonard Cohen, originally released in 2016. This album was released very shortly before Cohen's death, which really shifted the tone of this album. It's really really raw. I think this being his final album really adds to its mystique. You can almost picture Cohen alone in his room writing these songs while actively dying. It's just so captivating and thought provoking.
Nice tunes, can’t really get into his vocals/singing style. Some really nice guitar parts and pedals/effects. Not an album I would relisten to much, if at all.
Old Leonard doesn’t sing as well as younger Leonard, but it’s the same style and good poetry. I enjoyed the songs with backing vocalists more. A solid three out of five stars.
Not bad
I've a lot of time for early Leonard Cohen. Songs like Chelsea Hotel and Bird on a Wire are great. However, at some point in the early 80s, all his songs started to remind me of Chris Rea. I like an egg in my bath as much as the next man but, musically, this isn't a good thing. The album is fine, nothing more.
Love me a bit of Cohen :)
Not the greatest from Cohen the Bardbarian but still pretty decent.
6.5/10 Look, I know this is a difficult one to be mixed or negative on. It’s the last album of a dying man, about death, recorded in the run up to his death. But it is like some of the Johnny Cash stuff: an amazing concept, well executed musically, well-intentioned, well-written. But the voice, unfortunately, could t fully keep up. I did enjoy it, but a whole album of growling didn’t work for me. Best: You want it darker
Melancholic and dark (no shit). Cohen's voice is as powerful as always, and I enjoyed this album even though I probably won't revisit it in the future.
It was alright
I dig a lot of what Leonard Cohen has done over his storied career but I'm not sure I'd include any single album of his in the Top 1001. He's a great songwriter but his delivery is slow and deep and is a lot to handle for 40 mins straight. I'd say this was included based on his lyrical poetry and songwriting more than than the overall album. I enjoyed it all, he's great to listen to and oddly calming even when the subject matter is anything but. Slow and mellow, maybe too much so. Great background music and compelling enough that you want to listen to his stories but not Top 1001 worthy.
Interesting but not my style
So gravelly.
This was interesting and unique. I liked the relaxed peaceful feel. The strings were good too. 3.5/5
Mixed bag on this one. I realize the surrounding nature of the album recording and how legendary he remains as an artist, but I can't see myself revisiting this much. Some genuinely good moments sprinkled throughout.
the last album by leonard cohen released before his death. dark but introspective album dealing with themes such as mortality, spirituality, and relationships… all deliver in cohen’s mostly spoken word style. his grizzled, aged vocals add to the authenticity of the words. an intense journey. highlights: “you want it darker” “if i didn’t have your love” “it seemed the better way”
My first Leonard Cohen album. I like those vocals but thought that they would eventually get old and I’d turn it off. But they didn’t and didn’t.
Old guy, dark music, meh
The perfect title as the election results are rolling in and the Electoral College makes its voice heard. Leonard is older now, and his voice is deeper, but it's still there. I can't say I love this one any more or less than his others because his music usually falls second to his voice. So distinct.
- 0/9 songs added to main playlist - Probably not the best place to start with such a legendary artist - Album about facing own mortality and came out before 1 month before his death. I will be less harsh - Beautiful in theme, I just don’t love the sound of it - Favorite song: Leaving the Table / String Reprise/Treaty
Interesting type of music, almost spoken word type stuff in parts but hard to rate it too highly, it all has a similar sound after a while
In general I am all for a concept that is done to perfection. Except that in this case, the end result is rather boring and even a little irritating at times, despite a few excellent songs.. (Presumably, this record was chosen over one of several LC classics that are missing in this list, as it is the final LC album...)
Light 3.5. Cool & moody.
Something different for 35 mins
I thought the album was interesting. I I know he had voice issues and he couldn't sing anymore. I enjoyed the music and the lyrics. I did think I missed singing though
I think I get it. This guy is the cool, sub-baritone, white Barry White noir film unreliable narrator type. I have to admit all of the writing and production are classy and alluring and there's nothing I can disparage, so I offer an average rating.
its ok and sure the voice is cool but it comes off as gimmicky and a bit creepy. I also think I just really hate talk singing 2.5
Granted I was in an irritated mood when I listened to this, but I thought it was pretty good! I probably owe it another listen when I’m feeling calmer and not stuck in unnecessary traffic.
Pretty boring but still beautiful at times. probably give it 2.5 stars
I don't usually like spoken word but this wasn't as bad.
Maybe the best of the Leonard Cohen albums, maybe just shy of the last one. I will say it seems he is not necessarily for me, it seems. Good enough but didn’t really grab me.
I really got a lot out of this record. It's a record made by a man who's dying and who knows he's dying. If most of the songs were as strong as the title track or Traveling Light were it'd get a 5, but I still got a lot out of the few tracks that really spoke to me. It's very heavy, ambient and atmospheric. Leonard Cohen's voice sounds like pure gravel, Tom Waits on steroids. It's a shame it came from being in a lot of pain and being very close to death but it's a very, very beautiful last work to leave this world with.
Deep voice
I find Leonard Cohen much more interesting in theory than in practice. He was a much more interesting writer than musician.
I liked this. His voice is similar to Mark Lanegan and matched the mood of the songs. It could’ve done with kicking on a bit but well worth a listen.
A cool smooth trip through some great songwriting- we do indeed want it darker
can't finish it. very sophisticated and well crafted lyrics and music, but hearing the same growling, low vocal of cohen for more than 10 minutes bored me to death
Much better than anticipated after hearing the first song. The man is pure gravel
Well, it's darker. Funereal. Cohen was a brilliant lyricist with an interesting voice. This is the last studio album made before he sadly passed. Not his best, I don't think.
A conversation with my daughter: -I have to listen to the rest of that Leonard Cohen. -Aww, not him… -You know him? -Yeah...?! He's that really weird guy. -What's weird about him? -He doesn't sing. He just talks about stuff like blood, and stars, and love. -Yeah, you know him. This is a fascinating album considering that it was released just a couple ofweeks before Cohen passed away. Thematically he seems to be directly dealing with his impending mortality. In one song, the chorus chants הִנֵּנִי (hineni - "behold, G-d, I am here and ready"). I always think that Leonard Cohen is poetry first and foremost, just set to music. And I like it as poetry. This revisits his well-explored heavy themes of religion, spirituality, love, lust, etc. Musically, for most artists this would be considered stripped down, but for him it is more production than I have heard on other of his albums. His voice is old and creaky and weathered. Respect to him for creating his art to the very end. 3.5
This was good got me through my run
The dark voice really makes this record. I mean the message that he has surrendered to the lord would have been quite lame were it not for him sounding like a demon himself. And yk also because he was on the verge of death
Not so into the album, but the playlist it generated was awesome!
A Canadian classic. Not really my thing.
Nunca he sido un gran fanático de la música de Leonard Cohen. Sin embargo, su influencia en el panorama musical angloparlante es innegable. "You Want It Darker" es el último LP que el escritor y poeta alcanzó a grabar antes de fallecer, y en efecto, es bastante oscuro. Sin embargo, los paisajes sonoros que dibuja son bastante monótonos en comparación a otras "canciones del cisne" (como por ejemplo "Blackstar" de David Bowie). De todas formas, la corta duración del trabajo hace que se sienta como un complejo cuadro gótico, crudo y visceral que tiene en su delantera la rasposa voz de un cansado Cohen, quien, claramente, no perdió su genio hasta su muerte. Recomendable, escúchelo.
Definitely a challenging album. I don't seek out this style of music out but I'm glad I listened to it.
I like the vibe here and the poetry is haunting and moving at the same time. It’s a lot of the same tone and sentiment and no songs really stand out to me. The songs are obviously very limited by the voice. Not 80 year old Leonard’s fault but it does cap the album at a 3 for me.
I dont have a ton of clear thoughts on this album. The title track is haunting and cool. The broad middle of the album was largely forgettable for me and occasionally boring. It feels like Cohens music is about the lyrics and emotional delivery. Probably not the ideal choice for a 2 hour drive. Besides You Want It Darker, It Seemed The Better Way and Leaving The Table were cool. Ill have to revisit this later
Rough old voice (in a good way). Haunting, enjoyable, but nowhere near Leonard Cohen's best work.
It's Leonard Cohen so of course the songwriting is great but I felt that the production overshadows everything. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I had to look it up and apparently it was his son Adam. Completely makes sense and makes me a little sad.
I always liked his lyrics but never could get used to his vocal delivery and then on some of his older albums it would be paired music that I felt didn't fit at all, like one of his albums on this list with a lot 80s sounding electronic-type music. I think his age finally caught up to his vocal delivery and they paired it well with ominous orchestral style of music on this album. I think it all works really well here, very eerie.
Most of this I would never listen to again, but the poetry is just real good
That's a difficult one. I really like Leonard Cohen as a person and whenever he's played somewhere I think "Cool! Leonard Cohen". His voice and his style are unmistakable, but I found listening to a whole album where every song sounds like a requiem quite exhausting. You have to be in a very special mood for that. Nevertheless, there were some very good songs, I love "You Want It Darker".
Pretty impressive for an album so late in life. I guess when your style is pretty much spoken word you can sustain it for a lifetime.
First listen Saved 4/9 Top track: You Want It Darker
Very very deep voice. Not so much my style but appreciated anyway.
Leonard Cohen is a name I've heard, but never really heard his work. Go figure that the first album of his that I'll listen to was apparently his last recorded album. I'm sure I can expect some dark subject matter. Due to Cohen's unfortunate health issues later in his life, he was subjected to recording this album from his living room, and it certainly sounds the part. Very personal and stripped down, with Cohen's noticeably aged and low delivery. Everything is obviously introspective and poetic, as Cohen and co. were well aware that this would be his swan song from the music industry. Hard not to be reminded of David Bowie's "Blackstar" from earlier that same year, with very similar circumstances and theme. These "swan song" albums are never easy listens, but there's a certain charm to the end product we receive when an artist knows that his or her time is running out. It really allows them to step outside their comfort zone and get more artsy and self-reflective with their work.
Had no idea he was so recent with the opening song. Also that he had been such a prolific artist.
Hard to believe this came out in 2016. That was the same year as Closer by the Chainsmokers, for context. For additional context, Cohen was born a year before Elvis. Wild. Cohen also died 3 weeks after this came out. I went and read a quick summary of his life after listening and I would highly recommend it. Extremely interesting person.
Bye leon
Very cool deep voice although tbh the album bored me a bit. Might have got it at the wrong time.
Not my fave LC album, but I do love him.
Read poetry over a musical background. Somehow, it works. It sounds good and it's very calming. There is something mesmerizing about Leonard Cohen's deep voice. It makes you focus only on what he is saying.
Very beautiful music and lyrics unfortunately sung by a much too old Lenny
Late Leonard Cohen had a quite unique and interesting style with his whispering-like and bassy "singing". Hearing this record it really feels to me like Leonard was always a poet first, and a musician second, which is also beautiful in a way because poetry was how it started from him before he got into music. Unfortunately for me, I'm not moved much by poetry and words, so this becomes a bit of a dull. Still, I'm impressed that he managed to create something fresh and different even at the very end of his career and life.
Surprisingly better than the others we have heard from Cohen. Can’t decide if I like the soft spoken/singing on this album. It is a somber album from a man closing out his life and retrospective, which was nice to listen into.
So this is the last Leonard Cohen album I have had to listen to. I am glad about that but he actually put forth a fairly decent album. It was the best one of the list. I didn’t like the raspy not talk not fully singing he was attempting to do. The lyrics I actually enjoyed a little bit. Takeaway: It is true for Leonard Cohen he saved the best for last despite his overall failures on his previous albums which were awful.
Weird like Tom waits. I’ll have to try and finish it later.
Good
Liked some of it. I feel like this might be an album more than any other album we've heard here, where it really benefits from hearing the artist's earlier work to get the context of this. I'm glad I procrastinated on this and waited for "Songs of Leonard Cohen" to be randomized at me.
i love knowing that someone was stuck listening to this full album on the car radio at 7am. a real 50/50 for me. 2.5
It was calming. Almost too calm for me. Tim loved him.
Great ASMR voice. Very musical album as well. Not into all of the religious under/overtones.
He has a unique voice and the songs didn’t stick around too long. However I just couldn’t get through it because I was scared. I guess this is a sign of powerful art but it’s not for me in this moment
111 albums in, my third Leonard Cohen. I have to confess, I was not excited about drawing this today. I like it a bit better than Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate, but... this style is still not really my thing.
Kelpo musiikkia, jota ei tule itse uudelleen kuunneltua.
I guess one must be a fan of Cohen to appreciate this album. It is quite interesting how he combines his "murmuring" with the music. And the songs are quite ok. With another singer it would probably be better - for everybody except the Cohen fans.
It's a hard voice to get used to, but this had good instrumentation and the lyrics were good.
Dark and moody. A LOT of religion and poker themes that kind of made me chuckle after a while. An entertaining listen. Do not listen to this while tired.
Great voice. Not my favorite Cohen stuff, but enjoyable.
Very different, enjoyed the baritone but became tedious after a while.
Quite slow and darker than expected
STANDOUTS: You Want It Darker Treaty On the Level OVERALL: 3.5/5
Second Cohen album and this one is weaker than the first. The album does not really get going. The instrumentals are very good but I feel like Leonard Cohan is breathing, not singing, into my brain. 3/5
It's a very dark album. He knew his time had come, so this was about the ending. Most lyrics are just spoken, or better whispered, so there is not much singing on this besides the background singers. No easy listening, so I think you have to be in the right mood to listen to this.
3+
It's OK. I kind of like it, but it's definitely one of those things where I have to be in a very specific mood. 3 stars.
Pretty weird album. Wasn't all that into it.
Interesting album. Title track is great but rest are too similar.
The vocals are good, but this style of music is boring. I could see these songs being cinematically, though. Pass. 2.5 stars.
Better than expected
Much more moody compared to the seductive tone to I’m Your Man and I preferred this.
Pretty decent not great for me.
If Cohen had lived longer, no one but whales and moles would be able to hear his singing. The dude sounds like he’s singing from his grave on this record. Moribund and beautiful just like The Man Comes Around by Cash. Not a cheer-you-up kinda record.
- you want it darker - treaty
You Want It Darker
I love his work, but a whole album at one time? Not without Xanax
Raspy, slow, and dark. With a knack for lyricism, Leonard demonstrates that even in old age he still has the ability write solid spoken verse blues.
I have a ton of respect for Cohen, obviously. Especially being from Montreal, he’s like a god, who literally looks over the city. At his best it’s fair to say he might be the best songwriter ever. One more than one occasion at a concert, I thought the best song an artist played was a Cohen song, and not even a famous one All that said, You Want It Darker isn’t his most riveting. He sounds like Tom Waits. The album is so dark, virtually every song about his impeding death. 3rd star for lifetime achievement 5.9/10
Nunca lo escuché mucho. Solo la voz del primer tema ya merece la pena. Creo que al final es más el mito y las letras que el músico. Tiene su mérito forjar una carrera de prestigio y respetada por la crítica y el público.
Dark moody poetry
A bit boring
B You Want It Darker 4 Treaty 3 On The Level 3 Leaving The Table 3 If I Didn't Have Your Love 3 Traveling Light 3 It Seemed The Better Way 3 Steer Your Way 5 String Reprise / Treaty 3 I immediately recognized You Want It Darker because it sounds identical to the intro for True Detective S2, but it turns out it's a different Leonard Cohen song. So I didn't actually recognize it. Sniffle, sniffle.
I have no idea how to rate this album. Part of me feels like I’m being read a bedtime story by someone else’s grandpa. Strange but yet still comforting. The other part of me thinks it’s one of the most beautiful & unique pieces of music that I’ve heard in a while. So I guess that means it’s a 3????????
3/5 - I just find his sound exhausting. It’s like listening to molasses. I like molasses, but this is just unrelenting molasses.
Cool
The somber vocals laid over the haunting music made this a powerful, reflective, melancholy record.
Just pretty grumbly but had some nice bits. Not super into the gravelly talk/singing which is pretty much all this is.
The songs are good and if I listened to them one at a time theyre all 4s. But listening to the entire album is ALOT
I really love Leonard Cohen and enjoyed the lyrics but I was disappointed everything was very talky instead of singing. I thought about Johnny Cash and how he still sang on his final albums even if it wasn’t the same as his younger years and wish there was a little more of that. I did enjoy the melodies from the back up singers in the latter half of the album.
Darker and deeper voice. Cohen a classic...3/5
The allure of Leonard Cohen for me is that he is an uncompromising artist. He pursued his passion and was unapologetically himself. His journey is absolutely intriguing. That being said, this album for me was very one note. His words are always strong and the core of what he does. That is there, the music is minimal and subdued.
A very interesting album full of moments to contemplate.
Not a huge fan of late era Lenny but he certainly has a style about him.
Len was into Late Style early, so at the very end this is unsurprisingly an impossibly severe exercise. The voice is reduced to a whispery speech-song, the instruments are hushed and the actual tunes evaporate almost as they are played. Expertly done, but rather a tough listen.
Good record.
I almost like Traveling Light
Good album, a fitting farewell
It's something. That's for sure.
In his last few months before his death, Cohen curses God and all He represents. The compositions are minimalist. Very slow and simple, it's a focus on Cohen's repeated motifs (like the flame of flowers), and the despair in his aged voice. The strings and back vocals match the vibe well. It seems like he wrote the lyrics first as poetry, and requested what kind of accompaniment he wanted. It works well, but the instrumentals sound purely supplementary which often leads to a forgettable experience if you weren't particularly moved by his words. "You Want It Darker" is a powerful opener, and likewise "Steer You Way" and the "String Reprise" beautifully and solemnly close the record. Everything else could've been stronger in some way. But nevertheless, a beautiful listen, just as long as you pay attention. Favorites: You Want It Darker, Steer Your Way
I can see why someone would like this, but to me it wasn't a very enjoyable listen. The lyrics were good, really good even, but the actual music itself was kinda boring. Not a fan overall, but it wasn't bad either.
Having never heard them before surprised me with the arrangement and lyricism. All really good. Would listen to again.
That felt much longer than it was. He has a good voice and the strings were a nice touch, but there was nothing interesting or challenging on this album. Very straightforward. 3/5.
Kinda spooky
Though I knew the name, and likely heard his music, I couldn't have named one Cohen song. At all. This album reminded me of Tom Waits, though that may be unfair, as I don't know who came first. Slow, but not dull, the lyrics and music blend to set mood. Well done.
Can I have it even darker?
Found it lyrically interesting but musically lacking.
This was actually pretty good, the style is not my go to and won't start now. Was a good listen tho Will I listen to again: 5%
Really unique. Slow and throbbing. Sooooo far outside of other music I listen to, but genuinely quite enjoyable.
Sounds like him
Made me sad :(
Not really. This is dark enough. Gentle night music with the soon to die LCs poetry over a sparce melodic background. You've really gotta be in the right mood for this.
Easy listening, more spoken word than singing
Nice instrumentation. I'm not really a fan of spoken word, but I could think of it as a poetry recital. It does fit
Soothing background music. Probably quite poetic if you listen closely enough.
I'm torn on how I feel about this album. It's so unique that it's hard not to like it for that alone. Cohen's voice is very powerful, every word he says feels like it has weight. Unfortunately, as a musical number it feels very flat. Especially in the first half. His cadence doesn't really change over the course of the whole album. His "singing" consists of just barely changing the inflection in his voice. It's a weird dichotomy where the lyrical content is very emotional but the delivery of those lyrics is very emotionless. Songs with some extra flare and background vocals like "Traveling Light" helped break up the monotony. I think Cohen just needed some more variety to accent his one-note vocal style.
I liked the first song because of the halo soundtrack. Otherwise, Leonard’s style isn’t really for me. 6/10
I feel like I am inside his throat. He’s got a great old person voice. Good backing music. Lyrical style was very repetitive to the point I thought I was listening to a duplicate song. Not as good as the first album we had of his. Definitely have to be in a certain mood for this kind of music. 6/10
Okay, not a mood I often find myself in
Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker is a drowsy, solemn epilogue. Really, he is basically just talking on the album, but that isn’t necessarily horrible for the tracks. Sometimes, the comfortable and relaxed production, which is evident on all the songs, takes over and nicely balances with his voice. Other times, Leonard just talks with no evident cohesion. Highlights include It Seemed the Better Way and String Reprise / Treaty. All in all, You Want It Darker is an alright album. Best Song: String Reprise/Treaty Worst Song: You Want It Darker
I still think, Cohen is better as a poet than as a singer. He brilliantly creates a dark atmosphere, but I probably won't listen to the album again.
Somber, dark, decent
Music to examine your mortality by. Cohen has never done it for me but this is an experience. I don't think I'd ever listen to this again but I'm not mad that I did.
Love the title track, and Treaty always gets me. I think the existence of this album is more compelling than the actual musical quality. Will inevitably come back to this, even though it's more spoken word than song
prettyyyyy pretty good. starts very strong, kind of gets monotonous after awhile
Cohen experienced some kind of revival when Old Ideas came out. His humour and sense of self-awareness made him relevant again. You Want It Darker is certainly the best of his three most recent albums and a fitting way to say goodbye. But outside of two or three tracks, Cohen just fails to capture my attention and nothing really sticks with me. The biggest advantage this one has over his other albums is that the production is actually nice for a change.
Old man talking about old man stuff.
To me, it's not a remarkable or grandiose album, but it still contains some heartfelt and well produced songs that are worth listening to.
Another bleak, elegant Leonard Cohen album.
Very chill.
Some badass lyrics. Can't help thinking I'm listening to a very religious batman tho. 3 stars.
Great lyrics, but enjoy his older songs more
Even better on the 2nd listen
Such a smooth album. I love the introspective nature of the music and the lyrics. It sounds wise. His super low voice caught me off guard at first. I dig it. It's a bit slow and sad so I don't know if I'll ever revisit it but I definitely appreciate it.
Pretty good songwriting, but the vocals were rough.
Poeh. Een albumpje met zo’n ontzettende duistere/spirituele toon. Cohen bewijst op de valreep van sterven nog maar eens dat ie een meesterlijke songwriter is. Z’n stem is op dit album een beetje op een oude Iggy Pop beginnen te lijken. Soms is dat wel moeilijk om naar te luisteren. Maar ja, mag het even, 2 weken na de release lag ie tussen 6 planken. Dan mag je als een aardbeving met een 11 op de schaal van richter klinken. Tis geen album die je ff voor de leuk opzet. Ik vind de oude zooi van Cohen een stuk boeiender. Ookal speelt hij in dit album open kaart en opent hij z’n hart en kaart lastige thema’s aan, zoals leven, dood, religie en spiritualiteit. Highlights: Treaty, You Want it Darker Rating: 7/10
You Want It Darker is dé definitie van een zwanenzang. In hetzelfde jaar dat Bowie iedereen verrast met een afscheidsplaat, zegt ook Cohen de wereld vaarwel met een album een paar dagen voor zijn dood. Ik moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik de hele plaat eigenlijk altijd een beetje heb vermeden. Wanneer heb je hier nou zin in, wetende wat komen gaat? Maar nu ik de plaat een keer de tijd en aandacht heb gegeven vind ik het een indrukwekkend werk. De stem van Cohen in You Want It Darker is waanzinnig vastgelegd en komt echt binnen (mits luisteren met goede koptelefoon of oordopjes). Treaty, het tweede nummer op de plaat, vind ik ook prachtig. De nummers daarna zijn wat meer 'klassieke' Cohen nummers, en wat minder bijzonder. Traveling Light vind ik erg mooi, met name door de kleine beetjes viool en de wat middeleeuws-klinkende gitaar. Een hoogtepunt op het album. In It Seemed the Better Way ook een viooltje, maar dit nummer lijkt teveel op You Want It Darker. Dat de violen halverwege het album hun intrede doen is natuurlijk geen toeval. Dit is natuurlijk het begrafenis-instrument bij uitstek. In het slotstuk is er geen Cohen meer, maar zijn de violen er nog wel. Een uitvaart, zo ervaar ik het. Tot Cohen toch weer even begint te zingen... dat was wat vreemd. Tijdens het luisteren kon ik de gedachte niet onderdrukken: laat alstjeblieft T. Waits ook een zwanenzang-album maken voordat hij sterft. 7.5/10 Highlights: You Want It Darker Treaty Traveling Light
Placeholder. I’m interested in hearing more Leonard, but I didn’t have time to listen today. Will revisit
Maybe this will slap more when I'm older
An interesting and (very) dark album about a man who's life is clearly now in the rearview mirror. You best find something uplifting to listen afterwards to pull yourself out of being clinically depressed. I'm not saying it's bad, you just have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it.
Fine if you're in the right mood. I was not
Dark, unique, interesting.
I wasn't familiar with him surprisingly. It was interesting.
Sullen, beautiful, poetic and mysterious. Of course, Leonard’s voice is iconic. Each track feels like a story is being told to me. The music is haunting, yet keeps me engaged and focused on the tale being told. A legend in his own right.
More of a spoken word album than music. Kinda enjoyed it as mood music.
I can appreciate the poignancy of an album about aging and mortality that was released right before the artist's death. And the album has a vibe. Unfortunately, there is a sameness across the songs that made it hard to get too lost in it.
Appreciate getting exposed to someone I had zero familiarty with prior to now. Still not sure I'd seek out his music otherwise.
super distinctive voice, the album didn’t do much for me but i know of how iconic Cohen is
Not his best work.
Very beautiful music. Not something I really ever see myself wanting to listen to more, but so far I'm surprised by the variety of the songs despite simultaneously all sounding exactly the same. Not my cup of tea, but I can respect it. 3/5.
more albums should have a reprise at the end
T’was fine. A good 3 star.
Surprisingly deep voice and good lyrics too
Okay
I had not listened to this album before. It was a bit of a challenge.
Great songwriting, production was a little strange. He seemed almost to be caricaturing himself a little with this one.
Perhaps not his finest hour, but his final album which renders it important IMO. Overall I found it moving and loved the first and penultimate track, but they are probably the only ones I’ll revisit. Amazing poet, glad we had him for as long as we did.
Definitely dark
As the title states, this is dark. An artist's final words at the end of a long career. Ugh.
Can’t see going back to it. It was fine
Great music
Loved his voice, the first song was def the best one went a bit down from there…
Not for me, appreciate the story
Dark and emotional album
Duplicate
Second of five Leonard Cohen albums reviewed. In a nutshell: Leonard Cohen not-really-sings-he-recites-poetry-in-his-baritone-voice about being ready to die. Again, Cohen is reliable for creating memorable lines. The music arrangement is consistent (the bass, bass synth, melotron, stripped back drums, strings etc) although cliched in my opinion. Overall: 6/10
liked it better after I read the reviews
His voice is amazing first of all but also not bad music though I haven't listened to this type much before
Slow gravelly songs about death and God. Released shortly before his death
A bit dark
I really respect and appreciate his music, but I just have a hard time actually listening to Leonard Cohen 3.5/5
This was better than the previous Cohen albums I reviewed. I prefer the melancholic jazz with Cohen's dour poetry over the fluttering folk he did in the sixties. That said, there's too much Cohen in this book.
3.4
I liked it way more than I expected to
More interesting than the other late Leonard Cohen albums I've heard. Goes for a fatalistic & sarcastic Coheny mix of religious/interpersonal often, seems to have less range that way than other albums. Some neat turns of phrase, steeped in nihilism in a way that bothers me more than it used to. There's a song where he sings just a little & it sounds very good. I do wish that older Leonard Cohen had sung a bit more often. music: ok. (⌐⬤_⬤)
His deep voice singing almost seems like a joke, it’s like Ralph inneson when he’s on a podcast and it feels like it’ll damage your speakers. It was pretty good though.
Too dark for me.
Different
Enjoyable and unique, Leonard's voice contributes a cool niche sound, but it would be nice to see some more variety in his delivery and less of a one-trick-pony approach
Sounds like music from a man at the end of his career/life.
I liked this significantly more than the early era Cohen we got a few weeks ago. The songwriting is strong here, and although Cohen's voice is not necessary an easy listen, it suits the atmosphere of the music well. A pretty strong three.
Siempre a favor de abuelo con voz ronca cantando con música del chill. Y más aún si es el de Aleluya.
weird! started bad weird but once you got used to it it becomes good weird
Man, if this was any more bleak it would just be a picture of the Dust Bowl. I mean, it's probably more of what I associate with Cohen, but... man. It is just so dark and depressing. Maybe it's the vocals? I was not expecting super uplifting, but it just... wow, super downer. For me, it crossed the line from darkly beautiful to overly depressing. Maybe I was just not in the right mood? I don't know. It was good, but just... man. Not something I want to listen to over and over again.
This is a hard listen. Finely structured songs. But as with most of his output it is difficult to warm to his delivery.
Klingt Recht düster, hat gute Themen und Lyrics, aber durch den gleichbleibenden Stil fühlt sich das Album länger an als es ist, nichts zum durchhören
Never got into Cohen despite being encouraged to by my fellow Jeff Buckley fans. I hadn’t been huge on what I’d previously heard but I appreciated the artistry. You can’t argue with the artistic merit of the man who wrote Hallelujah. With that said, speak-singing is not my thing, man. I like the bluesy elements and gospel touches, Cohen always brings religious imagery to his art which I never object to. This project has very tasteful instrumentals and it’s very well produced, but I can’t get behind the vocal delivery, which makes this hard to enjoy. Cohen is much more a poet than a singer and his words are wonderful. It’s just not for me. The title track was a great, refreshing introduction that got my hopes up, but the rest of the album had comparatively little to offer. As albums by singer-songwriter legends from 2016 go, this is unfortunately no Blackstar. Maybe I’ll like this album more when I’m seventy. Best track: You Want It Darker Worst track: ? 3/5
Loved the title track. The rest is all much of a muchness
It’s old white mans spoken word. It’s such a good soundtrack if you’re coming home from the factory to only go home surrounded by fighting and arguments, you eat the same bland meal and you have your one beer to fight the depression and after doing the usual you hop in bed your wife gently holding you but your lying on your back staring at the ceiling wondering to yourself what have I done, is this it? This is the soundtrack for whatever that is.
To me, this is more poetry than music. It’s beautiful and sad this was his last album.
Sad talking. Not for me.
Slow and moody
Pretty good but weird and kinda gloomy
é legal mas a voz dele me incomoda
Pretty melancholy, but great songwriting.
3.5
not bad, a little too brooding for me, but Cohen is a great song writer!
Hard to say
Sparse album that lets you really focus on the vocals and lyrics. An album that needs the full attention to listen to. Great but difficult.
Every song just sounds like the same brooding, gravely, voice of his. It's not offensively bad or anything but it isn't anything special to me.
first Leonard Cohen album for me, and I enjoyed but nothing stands out as all that great. 2.7/5
Learning the backstory behind this album made it better, has a beautiful ending as well. Length was good, but I’m not gonna be coming back to it all the time
Really reminds me of johnny cash. More about love and sorrow I suppose? Empire of dirt comes to mind when hearing this. Wasn't too crazy for this one, but good music
Interesting, not my style but got a few head bops - Spoken word mostly
Very Hurt by Johnny Cash but with a much deeper voice. A lot of religious imagery. Definitely see some songs being in movies. Not particularly for me, but it's nice.
Groovy and indeed quite dark. Spooky deep old voice, bro definitely died of lung cancer. Super different vibe from anything I’d normally listen to. He was talking more than actually singing. Nice and short though.
Very sad very powerful
It's pretty good, not sure if I would listen to again however
Somber, easy listening Distinctive, deep, and gravelly voice