Leonard Cohen album by album

(Still a work drifting in progress.....maybe she'll find me soon in a room without a gloom....)

I have long found Leonard Cohen fascinating. He was part of the singer-songwriter movement of the late Sixties / early Seventies,  which put some pop or rock music energy to a more traditional folky approach to music, and - most importantly - wrote their own songs, so there was a canon to look at, and thus a unity and cohesiveness that was quite compelling.  Cohen's music, impelled - as were most singer-songwriters of the time - by Bob Dylan and his energising of the folk movement, and in particular his bringing folk music to the masses with  his youth, his modern lyrics and attitude, and his merging of rock music into folk, was also informed by his literary background. Cohen didn't start out as a musician or folk singer, he started out as a poet and novelist.


Wikipedia:

Leonard Norman Cohen CC GOQ (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, poet, novelist, and painter. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, sexuality, and personal relationships.[2] Cohen was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honor. In 2011, Cohen received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize.

Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s; he did not launch a music career until 1967, at the age of 33. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate(1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). His 1977 record Death of a Ladies' Man was co-written and produced by Phil Spector, which was a move away from Cohen's previous minimalist sound. In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional Recent Songs, which blended his acoustic style with jazz and Oriental and Mediterranean influences. Perhaps Cohen's most famous song, "Hallelujah" was first released on his studio album Various Positions in 1984. I'm Your Man in 1988 marked Cohen's turn to synthesized productions and remains his most popular album. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, The Future, which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest.

Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, which was a major hit in Canada and Europe. His eleventh album, Dear Heather, followed in 2004. After a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2010, Cohen released three albums in the final four years of his life: Old Ideas (2012), Popular Problems (2014) and You Want It Darker (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death.

Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967) 

Cohen's debut is his most popular and most acclaimed album. It sets the template for his style, from which he has not strayed far. It contains some of his most well known and enduring songs. It's one of the great debuts, and like the Velvet Underground, while he did do decent, strong, and very popular work afterwards, he never again produced an album this brilliant and iconic. 

While this is in the folky singer-songwriter style, what Cohen adds is a particular poetic phrasing and imagery that is rare in songwriters; and he also adds a famously melancholy approach to the music and lyrical content. It is appropriate that the cover should be black, with a sombre sepia tint image of a gloomy Cohen staring out. 

A stirring, unique, and hugely satisfying album.

  

Suzanne Verdal

"Suzanne" is a reflection on  Montreal harbour, and the sailor's church there, with the statue of "Our Lady Of The Harbor" on top, and especially it's about Suzanne Verdal, a dancer that Cohen knew when she was in a relationship with Cohen's friend, the sculptor Armand Vaillancourt. He met with her several times in her house by the river in Montreal. And, according to Cohen, she gave him Constant Comment tea - which contains orange rind; or, according to Suzanne, tea and Mandarin oranges. And she was pretty, and crazy, and sad, and it is clear he loved her, and desired her. He wrote a poem "Suzanne Takes You  Down" about her,.  

  

The poem was published in his fourth poetry book, Parasites of Heaven (1966). It's unclear if he set out to write it as a poem or a song. He has said he wrote it as a song - "The song was begun, and the chord pattern was developed, before a woman's name entered the song", so it must have been so - and it may have been one of his earliest attempts at writing songs instead of poems  - certainly, 1966 marked the period after which he stopped publishing poems and instead published albums of songs. The earliest performances of the song were by The Stormy Clovers in 1966, and it was recorded by Judy Collins on her 1966 album In My Life.  

He met up once more with Suzanne in 1970 after he had recorded the song, and was now a known artist. It was an unsatisfactory meeting for both of them as Cohen made it clear he wanted her sexually, and Suzanne was not interested. In the 1990s she says she danced for him, but he probably didn't recognise her. Her dreams of becoming a dancer amounted to nothing, and for a while she lived in a Gypsy style campervan her son made for her. She is occasionally interviewed about her presence in the song. She is flighty and trivial and not too far from being a bag lady. But she was undeniably cute and attractive when Cohen knew her in 1966. 

Lyrics 

Pitchfork: 9.6

Released	December 27, 1967[1]
Recorded	October – November 1967[2]
Studio	Columbia Studio E, New York
Genre	Contemporary folk[3]
Length	41:02. 49:11 (CD reissue with bonus tracks)
Label	Columbia[1]
Producer	John Simon

All tracks written by Leonard Cohen.

Side A

1. "Suzanne" – 3:48
2. "Master Song" – 5:55
3. "Winter Lady" – 2:15
4. "The Stranger Song" – 5:00
5. "Sisters of Mercy" – 3:32

Side B

1. "So Long, Marianne" – 5:38
2. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" – 2:55
3. "Stories of the Street" – 4:35
4. "Teachers" – 3:01
5. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" – 4:23

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Jimmy Lovelace – drums ("So Long, Marianne")
• Nancy Priddy – vocals ("Suzanne", "So Long, Marianne", "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye")
• Willie Ruff – bass ("So Long, Marianne", "Stories of the Street")
• Chester Crill, Chris Darrow, Solomon Feldthouse, David Lindley – flute, mandolin, Jew's harp, violin, various Middle Eastern instruments

Wikipedia:
AllMusic: 10
Score: 10

Songs from a Room  (1969)

A fairly sparse and dull album. It does contain "Bird on a Wire", but otherwise doesn't really develop on from the debut, and is much weaker. If he'd started with this, his career might never have taken off. 

Having said that, it does feel weak coming from the first album, but as a standalone it's actually not bad.   Best song: "Bird On The Wire".  Kris Kristofferson pointed out to Cohen that he had stolen the song from a Nashville writer. Most likely he was talking about Loudermilk's "Turn Me On" as performed by Nina Simone on her 1967 album Silk & Soul. 

Pitchfork: 8.8

Released	April 7, 1969
Recorded	October 1968
Studio	Columbia Studio A, Nashville
Genre	Contemporary folk  country[1]
Length	35:38
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Johnston

All songs written by Leonard Cohen except as noted.^[12]

Side one

1. "Bird on the Wire" – 3:28
2. "Story of Isaac" – 3:38
3. "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" – 3:18
4. "The Partisan" (Hy Zaret, Anna Marly) – 3:29
5. "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" – 3:41

Side two

1. "The Old Revolution" – 4:50
2. "The Butcher" – 3:22
3. "You Know Who I Am" – 3:32
4. "Lady Midnight" – 3:01
5. "Tonight Will Be Fine" – 3:53

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, classical guitar
• Ron Cornelius – acoustic and electric guitar
• Bubba Fowler – banjo, bass guitar, violin, acoustic guitar
• Charlie Daniels – bass guitar, violin, acoustic guitar

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 5 1/2

Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (2009) 

Not released until 2009. The 1970 festival was different for performers toward the end because the crowd were tired and grumpy. Cohen came on in the early hours of the last night and the crowd warmed to him quickly. This is a wonderful recording.

Released	October 20, 2009
Recorded	August 31, 1970
Venue	The Isle of Wight festival
Genre	Folk
Length	79:35
Label	Sony  Columbia
Producer	Steve Berkowitz CD - Murray Lerner DVD

1. Introduction
2. "Bird on the Wire" (Songs From a Room)
3. Intro to So Long, Marianne 
4. "So Long, Marianne" (Songs Of)
5. Intro: "Let's renew ourselves now..."
6. "You Know Who I Am" (Room)
7. Intro to Poems
8. "Lady Midnight" (Room)
9. They Locked Up a Man (poem) / A Person Who Eats Meat / Intro
10. "One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong" (Songs)
11. "The Stranger Song" (Songs)
12. "Tonight Will Be Fine" (Room)
13. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (Songs)
14. "Diamonds In The Mine" (Love and Hate)
15. "Suzanne" (Songs)
16. "Sing Another Song, Boys" (Love and Hate)
17. "The Partisan" (Room)
18. "Famous Blue Raincoat" (Love and Hate)
19. "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" (Room)

• Leonard Cohen - vocals, guitar
• Bob Johnston – organ, piano, guitar
• Ron Cornelius – guitar
• Elkin "Bubba" Fowler – banjo, bass
• Charlie Daniels – fiddle
• Corlynn Hanney – vocals
• Susan Musmanno – vocals

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 8 

Songs of Love and Hate (1971)

Returns to the sound of the first album, but without the variety. This consolidated Cohen's reputation as a gloomy pessimist. Put on a Cohen album and pass the razor blades. This is more stressed than the debut - the songs are thinner, and the attempt to fill them out with more effort in singing by Cohen doesn't work for me. However, this is overall a more satisfying album than Songs from a Room.

Pitchfork: 8.2

Released	March 19, 1971
Recorded	September 22–26, 1970; August 31, 1970
Studio	Columbia Studio A, Nashville (Second mix) Isle of Wight, London (First mix) Trident, London (First mix)
Genre	Contemporary folk
Length	44:21
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Johnston

All tracks are written by Leonard Cohen

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Avalanche"	5:01
2.	"Last Year's Man"	6:02
3.	"Dress Rehearsal Rag"	6:12
4.	"Diamonds in the Mine"	3:52
Total length:		21:07

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love Calls You by Your Name"	5:44
2.	"Famous Blue Raincoat"	5:15
3.	"Sing Another Song, Boys" (Live at the Isle of Wight Festival, August 31, 1970)	6:17
4.	"Joan of Arc"	6:29
Total length:		23:45

• Leonard Cohen – acoustic guitar, vocals
• Ron Cornelius – acoustic and electric guitars
• Charlie Daniels – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, fiddle
• Elkin "Bubba" Fowler – acoustic guitar, banjo, bass guitar
• Bob Johnston – piano, production
• Corlynn Hanney – vocals
• Susan Mussmano – vocals
• The Corona Academy, London – children's voices

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 6 1/2

Live Songs (1973)

Cohen's first official live album. This is not as good as the later released Live at the Isle of Wight 1970. Patchy and weak. No real atmosphere on most of the songs, but now and again - the 1970 recordings particularly, a genuinely mesmerising atmosphere is created. 

Released	April 1973
Recorded	1970, 1972
Genre	Contemporary folk
Length	49:10
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Johnston

• All songs written by Leonard Cohen except as noted.
• All recorded in 1972 except as noted.

Side 1

1. "Minute Prologue" – 1:12 (London)
2. "Passing Through" – 4:05 (by Dick Blakeslee, arranged by Cohen) (London)
3. "You Know Who I Am" – 5:22 (Brussels)
4. "Bird on the Wire" – 4:27 (Paris)
5. "Nancy" – 3:48 (London)
6. "Improvisation" – 3:17 (Paris)

Side 2

1. "Story of Isaac" – 3:56 (Berlin)
2. "Please Don't Pass Me By (A Disgrace)" – 13:00 (London, 1970)
3. "Tonight Will Be Fine" – 6:06 (Isle of Wight, 1970)
4. "Queen Victoria" – 3:28 (Tennessee)

• Leonard Cohen : Vocals, acoustic guitar,
• David O'Connor : acoustic guitar
• Ron Cornelius : acoustic and electric guitars
• Elkin Fowler : Guitar, banjo
• Bob Johnston : Guitar, harmonica, organ
• Charlie Daniels : Bass, violin
• Peter Marshall : Double bass, electric bass
• Aileen Fowler, Corlynn Hanney, Donna Washburn, Jennifer Warne : Backing vocals

Wikipedia
AllMusic:  8
Score: 5

New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974)

Nothing much going on here. Hmmmm. There's some Randy Newman, and a sense of Cohen wanting to branch out. There's still the Dylan vibe going on, but you can feel he wants to be a little different, but is unsure in which direction to go. It's poems set to music, and the music part doesn't really work. This seems to be a constant. Somehow the sparse music and vocal quality works on Songs, but I'm not finding the lack of musical quality really working for me outside of that album... Expanding on the "musical quality" - Cohen had a beautiful sense of melody. The melodies do the bulk of the lifting in a Cohen song. There's the melody, Cohen's delivery, and the lyrics. Added to that is the music, and that, early on, was sparse, though well judged. As he went on, through the Eighties, etc, so musical production became more important. I love the music production, and clear precise arrangement and rehearsal of the Live in London album. But here, the music production is not really working for me. 

Released	August 30, 1974
Recorded	February 1974
Studio	Sound Ideas Studio, New York
Genre	Folk rock
Length	37:11
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leonard Cohen  John Lissauer

All songs written by Leonard Cohen.

Side one

1. "Is This What You Wanted" – 4:13
2. "Chelsea Hotel #2" – 3:06
3. "Lover Lover Lover" – 3:19
4. "Field Commander Cohen" – 3:59
5. "Why Don't You Try" – 3:50

Side two

1. "There Is a War" – 2:59
2. "A Singer Must Die" – 3:17
3. "I Tried to Leave You" – 2:40
4. "Who by Fire" – 2:33
5. "Take This Longing" – 4:06
6. "Leaving Green Sleeves" – 2:38

• Leonard Cohen – guitar, vocals, producer
• Ralph Gibson – guitar
• Jeff Layton – banjo, mandolin, guitar, trumpet
• John Miller – bass
• Don Payne – bass
• Lewis Furey – viola
• John Lissauer – woodwinds, keyboards, backing vocals, producer, arranger
• Gerald Chamberlain – trombones
• Janis Ian – vocals
• Emily Bindiger – backing vocals
• Erin Dickins – backing vocals
• Gail Kantor – backing vocals
• Roy Markowitz – drums
• Armen Halburian – percussion

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8 

Score: 5

Death of a Ladies' Man (1977)

Produced and co-written by Phil Spector, this has an attractive lush sound, and the approach is quite soulful. This is not quite what people associate with Cohen, which makes it all the more interesting. Contains "Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On".

Probably the most musical of his albums (music was written by Spector). And there's interesting echoes of John Lennon and Lou Reed but without quite matching those giants. I kinda like this.

Released	November 1977
Recorded	June and July 1977
Genre	Pop rock, contemporary folk
Length	42:34
Label	Warner Bros. (original release) Columbia (reissue)
Producer	Phil Spector

All songs written by Leonard Cohen (words) and Phil Spector (music).

Side one

1. "True Love Leaves No Traces" – 4:26
2. "Iodine" – 5:03
3. "Paper Thin Hotel" – 5:42
4. "Memories" – 5:59
   • Outro includes a quotation from The Shields' 1958 single "You Cheated, You Lied"^[8][9] and a reference to classic-era pop singer Frankie Laine.

Side two

1. "I Left a Woman Waiting" – 3:28
2. "Don't Go Home with Your Hard-On" – 5:36
3. "Fingerprints" – 2:58
4. "Death of a Ladies' Man" – 9:19

• Leonard Cohen – composer, vocals
• Art Blaine – guitar
• Hal Blaine – drums
• Ronee Blakley – background vocals, featured on "True Love Leaves No Traces", "Iodine" and "Memories".
• Bobby Bruce – fiddle, violin
• Brenda Bryant – background vocals
• John Cabalka – art direction
• Conte Candoli – trumpet
• Ron Coro – design
• Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
• Billy Diez – background vocals
• Steve Douglas – flute, saxophone, wind
• Oma Drake – background vocals
• Bob Dylan – background vocals
• Gene Estes – percussion
• Venetta Fields – background vocals
• Gerald Garrett – background vocals
• Terry Gibbs – percussion, vibraphone
• Allen Ginsberg – background vocals
• Bruce Gold – engineer, assistant engineer
• Barry Goldberg – keyboards
• Tom Hensley – keyboards
• David Isaac – guitar
• Pete Jolly – keyboards
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Dan Kessel – organ, synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, background vocals
• David Kessel – guitar, background vocals
• Clydie King – background vocals
• Sneaky Pete Kleinow – guitar, pedal steel, slide guitar
• Michael Lang – keyboards
• Larry Levine – engineer
• Charles Loper – trombone
• Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
• Bill Mays – keyboards
• Don Menza – flute, saxophone, wind, horn arrangements
• Jay Migliori – saxophone
• Art Munson – guitar
• Bill Naegels – design
• Ray Neapolitan – electric & upright bass
• Al Perkins – pedal steel, slide guitar
• Ray Pohlman – bass, guitar
• Emil Richards – percussion
• Don Randi – keyboards
• Jack Redmond – trombone
• Bob Robitaille – synthesizer, assistant engineer, synthesizer programming
• Devra Robitaille – synthesizer, producer
• Stan Ross – assistant engineer
• Phil Spector – guitar, composer, keyboards, background vocals, producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements
• Nino Tempo – arranger
• Bill Thedford – background vocals
• Julia Tillman Waters – background vocals
• Oren Waters – background vocals
• Lorna Willard – background vocals
• Robert Zimmitti – percussion

Wikipedia
AllMusic:  8

Score: 5 1/2

Recent Songs (1979)

The opening song got my attention, and the album held it ..... Musical and euphoric. Has the sparse and poetic feel of the first album, but with the music and production a little more developed. This is in a sense what the second album should have sounded like. 

Released	September 27, 1979
Recorded	April – May 1979
Studio	A&M (Hollywood)
Genre	Contemporary folk
Length	52:55
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leonard Cohen, Henry Lewy

All songs written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.

Side one

1. "The Guests" – 6:40
2. "Humbled in Love" – 5:15
3. "The Window" – 5:56
4. "Came So Far for Beauty" (Cohen, John Lissauer) – 4:04
5. "The Lost Canadian (Un Canadien errant)" (Traditional, Antoine Gérin-Lajoie) – 4:42

Side two

1. "The Traitor" – 6:16
2. "Our Lady of Solitude" – 3:13
3. "The Gypsy's Wife" – 5:13
4. "The Smokey Life" – 5:19
5. "Ballad of the Absent Mare" – 6:26

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Mitch Watkins, Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Perez – guitar
• Everado Sandoval – guitarrón
• Abraham Laboriel, Roscoe Beck, John Miller – bass guitar
• John Lissauer – piano, arrangements
• Garth Hudson – Yamaha piano, accordion
• Bill Ginn – electric piano
• Randy Waldman – organ
• Steve Meador – drums
• John Bilezikjian – oud
• Raffi Hakopian, Agostin Cervantes, Armando Quintero, Luiz Briseño, Miguel Sandoval – violin
• Paul Ostermayer – saxophone
• Edgar Lustgarten – cello
• Jose Perez, Pablo Sandoval – trumpet
• Earl Dumler – oboe
• Jennifer Warnes, Jim Gilstrap, Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Roger St. Kenerly, Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
• Jeremy Lubbock – string and horns arrangements and conductor
• Luiz Briseño – Mariachi band conductor

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 6

Various Positions (1984) 

This contains "Dance" and "Hallelujah". Two good songs.  "Dance Me To The End Of Love" is done better by Madeleine Peyroux, though having listened again to the rivals, I do think Cohen does "Hallelujah" better than Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke, and Rufus Wainwright, etc.  k.d. lang's version is quite sweeping but overdone. John Cale was the first to cover  it, and to fix the verses for all 300 versions that followed, after he had Cohen fax him all 80 verses, and selected the ones he liked best. Great song. Pretty bloody awesome actually. 

Released	December 11, 1984 (Canada) February 1985 (US, Europe)
Recorded	June 1983
Studio	Quadrasonic Sound, New York
Genre	Soft rock, contemporary folk
Length	35:29
Label	Columbia, Passport
Producer	John Lissauer

All songs by Leonard Cohen.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dance Me to the End of Love"	4:38
2.	"Coming Back to You"	3:32
3.	"The Law"	4:27
4.	"Night Comes On"	4:40

Side two

No.	Title	Length
5.	"Hallelujah"	4:39
6.	"The Captain"	4:06
7.	"Hunter's Lullaby"	2:24
8.	"Heart with No Companion"	3:04
9.	"If It Be Your Will"	3:43

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, guitar, photography (Polaroid shot)
• Jennifer Warnes – vocals
• John Lissauer – piano, keyboard orchestrations, backing vocals
• Sid McGinnis – guitar
• John Crowder – backing vocals, bass guitar
• Richard Crooks – drums
• Kenneth Kosek – fiddle
• Erin Dickins – backing vocals
• Chrissy Faith – backing vocals
• Ron Getman – backing vocals
• Lani Groves – backing vocals
• Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals
• Merle Miller – backing vocals
• Anjani Thomas – backing vocals

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 7

I'm Your Man (1988)

Contains as the opening song, "First We Take Manhattan". The album is not bad for an 80's album - production is a little lush, but not too overdone. Songs are perhaps a little weak compared to the rest of Cohen's output. 

Released	February 2, 1988
Recorded	August–November 1987
Studio	Studio Tempo, Montreal (Quebec) Rock Steady, Los Angeles (United States)[1]
Length	41:00
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leonard Cohen, with Jean-Michel Reusser on "Take This Waltz", and Michel Robidoux on "Everybody Knows"

All songs were written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"First We Take Manhattan"	Leonard Cohen	6:01
2.	"Ain't No Cure for Love"	Cohen	4:50
3.	"Everybody Knows"	Cohen Sharon Robinson	5:36
4.	"I'm Your Man"	Cohen	4:28

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Take This Waltz"	Federico García Lorca Cohen	5:59
6.	"Jazz Police"	Cohen Jeff Fisher	3:53
7.	"I Can't Forget"	Cohen	4:31
8.	"Tower of Song"	Cohen	5:37

• Leonard Cohen – keyboards, vocals
• Jude Johnstone – vocals
• Anjani Thomas – vocals
• Jennifer Warnes – vocals
• Mayel Assouly – backing vocals
• Evelyine Hebey – backing vocals
• Elisabeth Valletti – backing vocals
• Jeff Fisher – arrangements/all music on tracks 1, 6 (with additional drums from Vinnie Colaiuta), and arrangements/keyboards on track 2
• Jean-Philippe Rykiel – arrangements and keyboards on track 5
• Bob Stanley – guitar
• Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
• Peter Kisilenko – bass
• Tom Brechtlein – drums
• Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• Michel Robidoux – drums, keyboards
• John Bilezikjian – oud
• Richard Beaudet – saxophone
• Raffi Hakopian – violin

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9

Score: 5

The Future (1992) 

A bit of R.E.M. creeping in now. A vague album. More pop than poetry. 

Released	November 24, 1992
Recorded	January – June 1992
Genre	Contemporary folk, soft rock
Length	59:42
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leonard Cohen, Steve Lindsey, Bill Ginn, Leanne Ungar, Rebecca De Mornay, Yoav Goren

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"The Future"	Leonard Cohen	Leonard Cohen	6:41
2.	"Waiting for the Miracle"	Cohen  Sharon Robinson	Cohen  Yoav Goren	7:42
3.	"Be for Real"	Frederick Knight	Steve Lindsey	4:32
4.	"Closing Time"	Cohen	Leanne Ungar  Cohen	6:00
5.	"Anthem"	Cohen	Cohen  Rebecca De Mornay	6:09
6.	"Democracy"	Cohen	Cohen	7:13
7.	"Light as the Breeze"	Cohen	Bill Ginn  Cohen	7:14
8.	"Always"	Irving Berlin	Lindsey	8:04
9.	"Tacoma Trailer"	Cohen	Ginn	5:57

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, programming
• Bob Metzger, Paul Jackson Jr., Dean Parks, Dennis Herring – guitar
• Freddie Washington, Bob Glaub, Lee Sklar – bass
• Steve Lindsey, Greg Phillinganes, Jeff Fisher, Randy Kerber, John Barnes, Jim Cox, Mike Finnigan, Stephen Croes – keyboards
• Steve Meador, James Gadson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Ed Greene – drums
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• David Campbell – orchestra arrangements, conductor
• Brandon Fields, Lon Price – tenor saxophone
• Greg Smith – baritone saxophone
• Lee Thornburg – trumpet, trombone
• Bob Furgo – violin
• Anjani Thomas, Jacquelyn Gouche-Farris, Tony Warren, Valerie Pinkston-Mayo, Julie Christensen, Perla Batalla, David Morgan, Jennifer Warnes, Edna Wright, Jean Johnson, Peggi Blu – backing vocals
• The L.A. Mass Choir – choir; directed by Donald Taylor
• Jennifer Warnes – vocals

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 4 

Cohen Live (1994)

An attractive live summary of some of Cohen's best songs, sung with intimate warmth. There is little of the theatre and art that one gets with the major singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, but it is quite homely in a middle-of-the-road way.  I like it.

Released	June 28, 1994
Recorded	1988, 1993
Genre	Contemporary folk, soft rock
Length	71:50
Label	Sony
Producer	Leanne Ungar, Bob Metzger

All songs written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.

1. "Dance Me to the End of Love" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
2. "Bird on the Wire" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
3. "Everybody Knows" (Vancouver, July 29, 1993) (Cohen, Sharon Robinson)
4. "Joan of Arc" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
5. "There Is a War" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
6. "Sisters of Mercy" (Toronto, June 18, 1993)
7. "Hallelujah" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
8. "I'm Your Man" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
9. "Who by Fire?" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
10. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" (San Sebastian, May 20, 1988)
11. "If It Be Your Will" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
12. "Heart with No Companion" (Amsterdam, April 19, 1988)
13. "Suzanne" (Vancouver, July 29, 1993)

• Leonard Cohen – guitar, keyboard, vocals
• Perla Batalla – vocals
• Julie Christensen – vocals
• Bob Furgo – keyboards, violin
• Bob Metzger – guitars, pedal steel
• Steve Meador – drums

Musicians 1988

• John Bilezikjian – oud, mandolin
• Tom McMorran – keyboards
• Stephen Zirkel – bass, trumpet, keyboards
• Roscoe Beck – musical director

Musicians 1993

• Jorge Calderón – bass, vocals
• Bill Ginn – keyboards
• Paul Ostermayer – saxes, keyboards

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 5  

Score:  5

  

Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 (2001)

Cohen's biographer has quoted Cohen as saying that the tour of 1979 was his "best ever", and so it has passed into lore. This is a record of two UK gigs from that international tour - London and Brighton.  There is a smokey jazz feel about the delivery of these songs. Either you'll like that, or you don't. It's not really classic Cohen - indeed, it's not really in the style of Cohen. It's an oddity. It's somewhat flat and boring.  But, hey, Cohen liked it....

Released	February 20, 2001 (copyrighted 2000)
Recorded	December 4, 5, 6, 1979 at the Hammersmith Odeon, London and December 15, 1979 at the Dome Theatre, Brighton
Genre	Contemporary folk
Length	63:03
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leanne Ungar

• Written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.

1. "Field Commander Cohen" – 4:25
2. "The Window" (violin solo by Raffi Hakopian) – 5:51
3. "The Smokey Life" (duet with Jennifer Warnes) – 5:34
4. "The Gypsy's Wife" (violin solo by Raffi Hakopian) – 5:20
5. "Lover Lover Lover" (oud solos by John Bilezikjian) – 6:31
6. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (violin solo by Raffi Hakopian) – 4:04
7. "The Stranger Song" – 4:55
8. "The Guests" (violin solo by Raffi Hakopian) – 6:05
9. "Memories" (sax solo by Paul Ostermayer) – (Cohen, Phil Spector) 4:38
10. "Why Don't You Try" (duet with Sharon Robinson, solo by Paul Ostermayer) – 3:43
11. "Bird on the Wire" (guitar solo by Mitch Watkins) – 5:10
12. "So Long, Marianne" – 6:44

• Leonard Cohen – vocals and guitar
• Jennifer Warnes – vocals
• Sharon Robinson – vocals
• John Bilezikjian – oud and mandolin
• Raffi Hakopian – violin

Passenger

• Roscoe Beck – bass
• Bill Ginn – keyboards
• Steve Meador – drums
• Paul Ostermayer – saxophone & flute
• Mitch Watkins – electric guitar

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 3 1/2 

  

Ten New Songs (2001) 

First album of new songs since 1992's The Future.  Unremarkable. 

Released	October 9, 2001
Recorded	late 1999 – mid 2001 mixed at Still Life Studios,[1] Los Angeles; Small Mercies studio,[2] Hollywood
Genre	Contemporary folk, soft rock
Length	52:41
Label	Columbia
Producer	Sharon Robinson

All tracks are written by Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson

No.	Title	Length
1.	"In My Secret Life"	4:55
2.	"A Thousand Kisses Deep"	6:29
3.	"That Don't Make It Junk"	4:28
4.	"Here It Is"	4:18
5.	"Love Itself"	5:26
6.	"By the Rivers Dark"	5:20
7.	"Alexandra Leaving" (based on "The God Abandons Antony", a poem by Constantine P. Cavafy)	5:25
8.	"You Have Loved Enough"	5:41
9.	"Boogie Street"	6:04
10.	"The Land of Plenty"	4:35
Total length:		52:41

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, cover photography
• Sharon Robinson – vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, programming, arrangements
• Bob Metzger – guitar on "In My Secret Life"

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 4 

   

Dear Heather (2004) 

A raspy old man breathing out soft rock/pop songs. It's not unpleasant, but it's borderline trivial.  "Because Of" works, but on the whole an album best overlooked. 

 

Released	October 26, 2004
Recorded	1979, July 9, 1985, 2002–04
Genre	Soft rock, contemporary folk
Length	49:27
Label	Columbia
Producer	Leanne Ungar, Sharon Robinson, Anjani Thomas, Henry Lewy

All tracks are written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Go No More a-Roving"	Lord Byron		Robinson	3:40
2.	"Because Of"			Leanne Ungar	3:00
3.	"The Letters"		Cohen, Robinson	Robinson	4:44
4.	"Undertow"			Ungar	4:20
5.	"Morning Glory"			Ungar	4:20
6.	"On That Day"		Cohen, Anjani Thomas	Thomas	2:04
7.	"Villanelle for Our Time"	F. R. Scott		Ungar	5:55
8.	"There for You"		Cohen, Robinson	Robinson	4:36
9.	"Dear Heather"			Ungar	3:41
10.	"Nightingale"		Cohen, Thomas	Thomas, Ed Sanders	2:27
11.	"To a Teacher"			Ungar	2:32
12.	"The Faith"		based on "Un Canadien errant"	Ungar, Henry Lewy	4:17
13.	"Tennessee Waltz"	Redd Stewart	Pee Wee King	Cohen	4:05
Total length:					49:27

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, guitar, Jew's harp
• Sharon Robinson – vocals, arrangements
• Anjani Thomas – vocals, backing vocals; piano on "On That Day", "Nightingale" and "Tennessee Waltz"
• Bob Sheppard – tenor saxophone on "Go No More a-Roving"
• Stan Sargeant – bass on "On That Day" and "Nightingale"
• Johnny Friday – drums on "On That Day" and "Nightingale"
• Sarah Kramer – trumpet on "Dear Heather"
• Mitch Watkins – guitar on "The Faith" and "Tennessee Waltz"
• Garth Hudson – accordion on "The Faith"
• Roscoe Beck – bass on "The Faith"
• Bill Ginn – piano on "The Faith"
• Raffi Hakopian – violin on "The Faith"
• John Bilezikjian – oud on "The Faith"
• Paul Ostermayer - flute on "The Faith"
• Ron Getman – steel guitar and vocals on "Tennessee Waltz"
• John Crowder – bass and vocals on "Tennessee Waltz"
• Richard Crooks – drums on "Tennessee Waltz"
• Jeremy Lubbock - string arrangement on "The Faith"

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 3 1/2 

  

Live In London (2009)

Having all his money stolen from him by his manager, Cohen was obliged to come out of retirement to tour. He did so with good humour and charm. It's a lovely album. A bit long - would be better as a single disk - but a solid memory of a warm performer. 

Released	March 31, 2009
Recorded	July 17, 2008
Venue	The O2 Arena (London)
Genre	Soft rock, contemporary folk, folk pop
Length	151:28
Label	Columbia
Producer	Steven Berkowitz, Edward Sanders

Disc 1

All tracks are written by Leonard Cohen except where noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dance Me to the End of Love" (from Various Positions (1984))		6:20
2.	"The Future" (from The Future (1992))		7:20
3.	"Ain't No Cure for Love" (from I'm Your Man (1988))		6:16
4.	"Bird on the Wire" (from Songs from a Room (1969))		6:14
5.	"Everybody Knows" (from I'm Your Man (1988))	Cohen, Sharon Robinson	5:52
6.	"In My Secret Life" (from Ten New Songs (2001))	Cohen, Robinson	5:02
7.	"Who by Fire" (from New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974))		6:35
8.	"Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (from Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967))		3:47
9.	"Anthem" (from The Future (1992))		7:20
10.	"Introduction"		1:29
11.	"Tower of Song" (from I'm Your Man (1988))		7:07
12.	"Suzanne" (from Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967))		3:46
13.	"The Gypsy's Wife" (from Recent Songs (1979))		6:42
Total length:			73:50

Disc 2

All tracks are written by Leonard Cohen except where noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Boogie Street" (featuring Sharon Robinson; from Ten New Songs (2001))	Cohen, Robinson	6:57
2.	"Hallelujah" (from Various Positions (1984), with changes on Cohen Live (1994))		7:20
3.	"Democracy" (from The Future (1992))		7:08
4.	"I'm Your Man" (from I'm Your Man (1988))		5:41
5.	"Recitation" (with Neil Larsen)	Cohen, Neil Larsen	3:53
6.	"Take This Waltz" (from I'm Your Man (1988))	Cohen, Federico García Lorca	8:37
7.	"So Long, Marianne" (from Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967))		5:24
8.	"First We Take Manhattan" (from I'm Your Man (1988))		6:15
9.	"Sisters of Mercy" (from Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967))		4:56
10.	"If It Be Your Will" (featuring The Webb Sisters; from Various Positions (1984))		5:22
11.	"Closing Time" (from The Future (1992))		6:15
12.	"I Tried to Leave You" (from New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974))		8:33
13.	"Whither Thou Goest"	Guy Singer	1:27
Total length:			77:48

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
• Bob Metzger – lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
• Javier Mas – bandurria, laud, archilaud, 12-string acoustic guitar
• Roscoe Beck – bass, backing vocals, musical director
• Sharon Robinson – vocals
• Neil Larsen – keyboards, accordion
• Dino Soldo – saxophone, clarinet, harmonica, keyboards, backing vocals
• Rafael Bernardo Gayol – drums, percussion

The Webb Sisters:

• Charley Webb – backing vocals, guitar
• Hattie Webb – backing vocals, harp

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 6

Old Ideas  (2012) 

This is the first of a trilogy of raspy old age albums Cohen made and released in the last four years of his life - to which can be added the coda of Thanks For The Dance, a compilation released by Cohen's son after Cohen's death of recordings made during Cohen's final sessions. They're all quite similar, and are all attractive without being special.  

Released	January 31, 2012
Recorded	October 2007, January–August 2011
Genre	Folk
Length	41:44
Label	Columbia
Producer	Patrick Leonard, Ed Sanders, Anjani Thomas, Dino Soldo, Mark Vreeken

All songs written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.

1. "Going Home" (Cohen, Patrick Leonard) – 3:51
2. "Amen" – 7:36
3. "Show Me the Place" (Cohen, Leonard) – 4:09
4. "Darkness" – 4:30
5. "Anyhow" (Cohen, Leonard) – 3:09
6. "Crazy to Love You" (Cohen, Anjani Thomas) – 3:06
7. "Come Healing" (Cohen, Leonard) – 2:53
8. "Banjo" – 3:23
9. "Lullaby" – 4:46
10. "Different Sides" – 4:06

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 5

  

Popular Problems (2014) 

There is an attractive pathos in these last albums. There has always been a certain notorious and gleeful melancholy about Cohen's albums; though originally it was playful and poetic. Here that melancholy, for pretty much the first time, actually feels real, and genuinely moving. It has echoes of the last albums by Johnny Cash and less so by Bowie. And there's a richness to the gravel in Cohen's voice which, combined with the genuine sense of melancholy, gives an authenticity to these later albums that somehow has been lacking before. Cohen previously felt a little detached and sardonic (or gently mocking) - he came across a little like Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park: amusing, polite, gentle, intellectual, uninvolved, and a little debauched. Lacking in genuine passion - more like an elderly man sniffing around for any woman who would succumb to his charm and polite, romantic poetry.  Here - the delivery feels closer, more intimate, slightly regretful. 

Released	September 19, 2014
Recorded	2013–14
Genre	Contemporary folk, folk pop, soft rock
Length	35:56
Label	Columbia
Producer	Patrick Leonard

Written by Leonard Cohen and Patrick Leonard, except where indicated

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Slow"		3:25
2.	"Almost Like the Blues"		3:28
3.	"Samson in New Orleans"		4:39
4.	"A Street"	Cohen, Anjani Thomas	3:32
5.	"Did I Ever Love You"		4:10
6.	"My Oh My"		3:36
7.	"Nevermind"		4:39
8.	"Born in Chains"	Cohen	4:55
9.	"You Got Me Singing"		3:31

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 5

   

You Want It Darker (2016)

 

The last album that Cohen purposively recorded and released in his lifetime. The album that followed consists of songs recorded during the same sessions, selected by Cohen's son, who said that it's not an album of rejects, but should be considered a continuation, even though it is not an album overseen by Cohen himself.  To be fair, the two albums are similar. 

Released	October 21, 2016
Recorded	April 2015 – July 2016
Studio	Leonard Cohen's house in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles
Genre	Folk rock
Length	36:07
Label	Columbia
Producer	Adam Cohen  Patrick Leonard

All lyrics are written by Leonard Cohen

No.	Title	Music	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"You Want It Darker"	Patrick Leonard	Adam Cohen	4:44
2.	"Treaty"	L. Cohen	Leonard	4:02
3.	"On the Level"	Sharon Robinson	A. Cohen	3:27
4.	"Leaving the Table"	L. Cohen	A. Cohen	3:47
5.	"If I Didn't Have Your Love"	Leonard	Leonard	3:35
6.	"Traveling Light"	Leonard A. Cohen	A. Cohen	4:22
7.	"It Seemed the Better Way"	Leonard	A. Cohen	4:21
8.	"Steer Your Way"	L. Cohen	A. Cohen	4:23
9.	"String Reprise / Treaty"	L. Cohen	Leonard	3:26
Total length:				36:09

Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score: 5

  

Thanks For The Dance (2019) 

Compiled by Cohen's son from recordings made during the same sessions for Cohen's last album before his death, You Want It Darker.  It's maudlin, yet pretty, in the way that Cohen does well. There's nothing special here, but it works better than I expected, and I like it. 

Released	November 22, 2019
Recorded	2016
Length	29:17
Label	Columbia  Legacy
Producer	Adam Cohen

All lyrics are written by Leonard Cohen

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Happens to the Heart"	Adam Cohen	4:33
2.	"Moving On"	A. Cohen Patrick Leonard	3:11
3.	"The Night of Santiago"	A. Cohen	4:15
4.	"Thanks for the Dance"	Anjani Thomas	4:13
5.	"It's Torn"	A. Cohen Sharon Robinson	2:57
6.	"The Goal"	A. Cohen	1:12
7.	"Puppets"	A. Cohen	2:39
8.	"The Hills"	L. Cohen	4:17
9.	"Listen to the Hummingbird"	A. Cohen	2:00
Total length:			29:17

Wikipedia

AllMusic:

Score: 5

Discography

Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
Songs from a Room (1969)
Songs of Love and Hate (1971)
New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974)
Death of a Ladies' Man (1977)
Recent Songs (1979)
Various Positions (1984)
I'm Your Man (1988)
The Future (1992)
Ten New Songs (2001)
Dear Heather (2004)
Old Ideas (2012)
Popular Problems (2014)

You Want It Darker (2016)

Best albums

* Observer - All albums ranked
* Rolling Stone Reader's Poll 10 Best
* Telegraph - The 14 studio albums ranked
* Stereogum - The 14 studio albums ranked
* BEA
* RYM - The 14 studio albums ranked 

Best songs 

1. "Suzanne" (1967) ***** ***** **
2. "So Long, Marianne" (1967)  ***** ****
3. "Famous Blue Raincoat" (1971) ***** ***** *
4. "Bird on the Wire" (1969) ***** ****
5. "Hallelujah" (1984) ***** ****
6. "Chelsea Hotel #2" (1974) ***** ***
7. "Dance Me to the End of Love" (1984) ***** **
8. "Everybody Knows" (1987) ***** 
9. "Tower of Song" (1988) ***** 
10. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (1967) **** 
11. "First We Take Manhattan" (1987) **
12. "I'm Your Man" ***
13. "Sisters of Mercy" (1967) ***
14. "You Want It Darker" (2016) *** 
15. "Anthem" (1992) **
16. "Who by Fire" (1974) **
17. "The Future" (1992) **
18. "Master Song" (1967) **
19. "The Stranger Song" **
20. "Avalanche" (1971) **
21. "The Partisan" (1969) * 
22. "A Thousand Kisses Deep" 
23. "Memories" (1976) *
24. "Dress Rehearsal Rag" 
25. "The Smokey Life" (1979) 
26. "Paper thin Hotel" (1977) 
27. "Tonight Will Be Fine" 
28. "Waiting for the Miracle" 
29. "Closing Time" 
30. "Almost The Blues" 

* Guardian - 10 best songs 
* Greatest Hits 2009 

* Songwriter 

* Rolling Stone readers' poll 

* MusicThisDay 

* EW 

* Far Out 

* Spin 

* Paste 

* Newsweek 

* Ranker 

* Uncut 

* UCR 

 Links

* Lyrics
* New Yorker Article 

* Set Lists 

* LeonardCohen.com 
* Leonardcohenfiles.com 
* Leonardcohenforum.com

Summary 

[Note: Aspects which go toward final score are given a rough percentage figure of how much that aspect may have influenced the overall score. However, some bands may well exceed that percentage, particularly if their main focus is in that area.]

Voice/Musicianship (15%)

There is a quiet, understated musicianship in his guitar playing. It is Cohen's voice that calls attention. Not the greatest singer, not the most attractive of voices, a very limited range. Yet he has a distinctive and very telling voice which is a significant part of the hold his songs have. (8)

Image/Star quality (5%)

There's an image. An allure. But he's not quite a star - though the success of "Hallelujah" (as done by others) pushed into public view. However, he remains a cult interest. (2) 

Lyrics/Music (20%)

The music is sparse, simple, used to support the lyrics. But the music works. It does enough. And the melody, as with Dylan, is often surprisingly good. The lyrics are special. (18)

Impact/Influence (10%)

Cohen was part of the singer-songwriting movement that came along in the wake of Dylan. People have covered his songs, and, though by and large he is unique in his approach and delivery, AllMusic gives an impressive list of artists whom they feel have been influenced by him. (6)

Popularity (5%)

Always respected by critics, other songwriters, some hippies and intellectuals, Cohen has never been what one might call popular. He was a cult artist for all of his career, though the success of "Hallelujah" toward the end of his life found him a slightly wider audience. (2) 

Emotional appeal (5%)

Oh yes. The romantic and intellectual emotions are where Cohen works. (4)

Authenticity (15%)

True. There is little artifice or commercialism in his work, albeit he went into songwriting because he could see the success of Dylan, and wanted some of that glory and money. And later got back into touring and writing because he needed the money, rather than he had a creative impulse to do so. But he has been disarmingly honest about these things. (11) 

Art (5%)

Yes. Pure art. (5)

Classic albums/songs (5%)

The first album, and most of the songs on it. Plus a handful of others. (4)

Originality/Innovation (5%)

He has always been in the shadow of Dylan, though Cohen was clearly his own man. (2)

Legacy (10%)

He should be remembered. Old cults never really die. (5)

Total: 67/100

***

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