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2.0 out of 5 stars
I'm so ashamed..., Jan 13 2004
I don't know what to say; I really don't. Ordinarily, I delight in having contrarian opinions (but only when I feel they're warranted, thankyouverymuch), but here...what can I say? I'm a big Cohen fan; I have all his stuff, and his first album may well be my favorite CD ever. But...geez. No matter HOW many times I listen to this, I simply CANNOT get into it. It's my least favorite of his albums, by far. That is not, of course, to say there's nothing I like here; indeed 'Story of Isaac' is very possibly my favorite Cohen song--it's simply an incredible piece of music. "Thought I saw an eagle/but it might have heen a vulture" just sends chills down my spine every time. Along with a number of other parts. Furthermore, okay--'...Nancy,' 'The Partisan,' and 'Tonight will be Fine' aren't bad (I almost feel obligated to include 'Bird on a Wire' in that list, but I'm just not feeling it--it would almost certainly be my least favorite track on any given Cohen 'best of'). The REST though--my god, it gives new meaning to the word 'bland.' And even the lyrics--which, at least, are usually a high point even in a bad Cohen song--seem pretty monochromatic. Or maybe not--when I see them written out, I think, okay, that's not bad, but in the context of the songs...there just ain't no life in them. A shame. Out of ten songs, one classic, three 'okays,' and six that might as well have been left off. Thus, two out of five. Though I want to emphasize again that I'm not happy to have this opinion. It's just that...well, what can I say? Would it make up for it if I noted that I think Death of a Ladies' Man is a great, underrated album? Probably not, eh? Well, it's true. I'd buy that one before this, although 'Story of Isaac' alone makes it ultimately worth the purchase for the committed.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
I am the one who loves changing from nothing to one, Feb 25 2003
Cohen followed up his debut album with another masterpiece, this collection of magnificent songs of solitude, despair and resignation. Besides The Partisan, a song about the French resistance with its beautiful French verses and female vocals, all compositions are by Cohen. The most popular number here is Bird On A Wire that has been covered by artists as diverse as Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Judy Collins, Rita Coolidge, Tim Hardin, The Neville Brothers and Jennifer Warnes. For some reason, the opening lines of Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes makes me think of Frodo's journey to Mordor (in Lord Of The Rings): "A bunch of lonesome and very quarrelsome heroes/Were smoking out upon the open road." Other highlights include The Story Of Isaac and The Old Revolution, in both of which Cohen's characteristic Biblical imagery surfaces, and the somber Lady Midnight with its many levels of meaning. Seems So Long Ago is a wistful confessional dirge whilst You Know Who I Am is a delicate love poem with esoteric undertones:"I am the one who loves changing from nothing to one". The mood lightens up on the closing track Tonight Will Be Fine with its catchy melody, driving rhythm and erotic lyric to end the album on a more optimistic note, although even here the sadness is just a sigh away. Cohen's sublime music has a transcendent, spiritual quality. These haunting songs "from a room" have lost none of their poetic impact after 3 decades; their grace, elegance and beauty shine on.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
"Even damnation is poisoned with rainbows", Aug 25 2001
Although not as good as his debut, Songs From A Room is an even darker and more melancholy affair. Cohen's near-monotone, backed with the sparse, vague musical accompaniment delivering Cohen's stark, bitter, heart-wrenching lyrics make for a near-claustrophobic atmosphere. Bird On A Wire still stands as one of Cohen's best compositions, and it has been covered countless times by other artists. Other standout tracks include Story of Isaac and Lady Midnight. The rest of the songs are good, especially when taken in the context of the album, but, personally, I don't like this as much as his other albums that I own. This is not a detriment to the album, it is a testament to the quality of Leonard Cohen's catalog as a whole. Leonard Cohen once wrote a book called "Beautiful Losers." It was in the pre-recording artist stage of his career, but it might as well have been describing his songs. As another reviewer has said, "They are beautiful; they're just not pretty." Many people still don't know Leonard Cohen, but, some day, he will be recognized right up there with Bob Dylan as one of the greatest songwriters of the century; this album being another gem in his canon.
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