Leonard Cohen is a poet, not a musician. It's interesting to pair this against his later work. This album is like the naive, dough-eyed kid who's finally set foot outside his boyhood home alone for the first time. Whereas, The Future (1992), sounds closer to a Bukowski book, reflecting a jaded folk singer with crushed dreams and regret. This album, SoLC is a wholesome coming-of-age listen on par with a Simon / Garfunkel album. I especially enjoyed So Long, Marrianne, which carries the S&G feel all the way through.