REVIEW POTPOURRI: Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room
Leonard Cohen
by Peter Cates
Leonard Cohen
Songs from a Room
Columbia/Legacy-88697047402, CD, recorded 1968.
Quebec-born singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was arguably most well-known for Hallelujah but, back in the 1960s, his Suzanne and That’s No Way to Say Goodbye held their own as very frequently sung.
The lyrics dealt with politics, loneliness, integrity, faith – the themes underlining a life worth living, whatever side of the drawn line. The titles in the above 12-track collection suggest much in subject matter – Bird on a Wire; Story of Isaac; A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes; The Partisan; You Know Who I Am; Tonight Will Be Fine; half dozen others.
Jennifer Warnes
For me, what sustains this second of his many albums is the beauty and moral power of the selections; the singing, arrangements, and repeat listenability. Very highly worth hearing and having.
His long time musical colleague and friend Jennifer Warnes devoted her worthwhile 1987 release, Famous Blue Raincoat to his songs .
Quote – “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
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