Customer Reviews

Ten New Songs

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Leonard Cohen has again and again written poetry that is timeless, powerful, deeply and intensely profound and most especially poetry that invites the listener into a shared journey of spiritual depths and simple joys.
Profoundly wrapped in paradox, Mr. Cohen's sculptured poems range from the profane to the sacred in his "secret life" and his "rivers running dark." Each song is worth the price of admission. Each song is its own journey into longing and love; warmth and loneliness, into mystic musings of Zen, the Kabbala and Contemplation.
Whether it is "A Thousand Kisses Deep," or that "You Have Loved Enough," there is a song for each and every hearer.
Yes, simply stated "Ten New Songs."

This album is surprisingly good. If fact, its better than anything Leonard Cohen did in his so called hey-day. Strange but his voice is actulaly more appealing to me now than in the 60s when he sounded like Bob Dylan, only not as good.
The songs are different. Its not folk anymore, its much closer to RnB, but its still great. Very atmospheric and slow. All the songs are good, not one stinker in the whole album.

I loved the songs on this cd the minute I heard it. Is it possible to fall in love with a cd?

Pure emotion. Life is lived throughout this entire CD. You can't get any purer than Cohen.

I believe this is one beutiful album, and i will recommend it to anyone. It is just a great CD, with lyrics that mean so much.

This album is a must for Leonard lovers or anyone who wants a listening experience so deep that it cuts to the bone. The lyrics are so good and deeply distilled that they move you into a place of deep reflection. It isn't jolly by any means, but each song builds on the previous song to create a very particular way of looking at living, loving, leaving and death. It is sinewy and seductive. My favorite album this year.

This is the second time within a span of a year or so that this artist has utterly surprised us. The first was with the release of his concert performances from 1979 on Field Commander Cohen which wowed us with its brilliant musicality. Now Cohen has returned from a self-imposed, 6-year period of spiritual retreat in the service of his guru to stun us with this exquisite album. The modesty of the album's title is a harbinger of the simple beauty of the songs that lie within. Like a carefully constructed haiku, each song is presented with a minimum of elements and consummate restraint. Haunting melodies, poetic lyrics, spiritual yet earthbound, and quietly evocative instrumentation. Sharon Robinson has produced the CD with a light and deft touch, coloring these straightforward songs with hints of r&b and even reggae. And her airy harmonies provide the perfect counterbalance for Cohen's deep, whispered vocals which seem to emerge through the floorboards.

If you have never heard Leonard Cohen, don't expect hot musical tracks or a great singing voice. His style of background music which had always been minimal has been reduced to little more than a beat which our song meister seems to miss more often than he hits.The deep dark raspy voice has become deeper, darker and raspier to the point where it is sometimes hard to recognize a tune eminating from the artist's lips.
From reading this review,some people may get the impression that I don't like Leonard Cohen's music. They would be wrong! In this collection of songs Mr.C. does what he does best. That is to use the poetry of words to create mental imagery which will transport you into the magical realms of the mind. Seldom does such a collection of music come along by a master poet at the height of his craft. If you prefer the power of the lyric voice to the power of a guitar amplifier, this is the album for you.

I've been a Leonard Cohen fan since seeing "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" 30 years ago. The songs he is writing and singing
at nearly 70 year of age are every bit as appealing to me
as his earlier work.

I would have rated this record higher but I didn't love all the cuts. Still, comparing this cd to Cohen's others, it's one of his best. OK, why the 4 stars? Well... I actually love Cohen when I like him but when I don't like him I hate him. Leonard Cohen has genius, but he lacks continuity. I've been a Cohen fan since the 60s and I know his music pretty well. Cohen seems to wander around...as a person who is driven by life and circumstances will do. Thats the key to understanding Cohen's short comings, musically speaking. Where Dylan's lyrics are clearly secondary to his music, Cohen seems to be more lyrically focused...at least his literary side overshadows his musical abilities more often than not. I use to think he was maybe the best spokesman for my age. He's really preaching at times. Then other times you can hear his musical abilities come through. Start and stop. Stop and start. Cohen just never had the run Dylan's had, because with Dylan it's about the music always. Still Cohen's out put is overall better than Charles Aznavour, but they share some of the same structual weaknesses. In Aznavour case it's the lack of good material. Two careers, that needed good management. But like I implied, Cohen is a preacher, not a business man. I wonder if Cohen lacked good collaborators? Great musicians who could make it happen? Maybe he wasn't as lucky with friends in the business as others. Whatever it is/was I think Cohen has had very few perfect records. This one is as close as he's come in a while. So..this one may do it for you, at least in places.