A One-Paragraph Review of Every Leonard Cohen Album

Discography Digest: Leonard Cohen

[This is the third entry in a series — including David Bowie and Pearl Jam — in which I listen to an artist’s entire discography of studio albums in chronological order over the course of a week.]

Leonard Cohen’s death on November 7, 2016 was an overlooked footnote — coming just one day before the US presidential election and in the same year as icons such as David Bowie, Prince, Muhammad Ali and Gene Wilder (to mention only a few).

But he left behind a catalog that stretches across 49 years influenced countless artists from Kurt Cobain to R.E.M. to The National to Rufus Wainwright.

Although one of the most celebrated artists of his time, he was certainly not a man of his time. Having previous found success as a poet and novelist, Cohen was 33 when he released his debut album — at least a decade older than most artists launch their recording careers. Moreso, he never presented himself as a young man. He never wore blue jeans, and — although being a true artists’ artist — he viewed himself as a craftsman. He got up every day and went to work for eight hours. He didn’t wait for inspiration. He sought it out.

So now I’m sitting down to listen to Leonard Cohen’s entire discography of studio albums. And away we go …

Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967) — It seems odd to say that Cohen began his career with a bang — given that his debut is a sparse, lovelorn album that features little more than an acoustic guitar and vocals — but “Songs of Leonard Cohen” includes many of his most celebrated and beloved songs including “Suzanne”, “So Long, Marianne” and “Sisters of Mercy”. It’s simply mind-boggling that someone’s first collection of songs can be so masterful.

Favorite Song: “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” (It was the first Cohen song that I fell in love with, and it holds up.

Songs from Another Room (1969) — The sophomore album is very similar to the debut album, but it manages to be even darker and sparser. While it feels like a natural follow-up, it lacks the same punch as “Songs of Leonard Cohen”. “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes” ends as a full-band rock-and-roll song that serves as the first indication that Cohen might be interested in stretching to a fuller sound.

Favorite Song: “Seems So Long Ago, Nancy”

Songs of Love and Hate (1971) — This might be called “Songs of Love and Hate”, but it’s heavy on the latter and light on the former. Cohen seems angrier on much of this album — notably as he scream-sings his way through “Diamonds in the Mine”. Other than the odd inclusion of a live track toward the end of the album, this seems like his most focused album yet.

Favorite Song: “Avalanche”

New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974) — This is the first real diversion. On a cosmetic level, it’s the first album that doesn’t include “Songs” in the title and doesn’t feature Cohen’s face on the album cover. Although many songs are classic Cohen, he begins bringing in new instruments and sounds. It’s also a lighter album — relatively speaking … which means that it’s still really dark and somber.

Favorite Song: “Chelsea Hotel #2”

Death of a Ladies’ Man (1977) — Prior to this listening experience, this was my favorite Cohen. Listening to it in the context of his career, it’s so strange. He made four albums that were relatively similar, then BAM! It’s a boozy, lounge, superficial fun collection of groovy tunes. “New Skins …” gave a few indications of where he’s go on “Ladies’ Man”, but this album largely feels completely out of left field. It should surprise no one that this brilliant piece of weirdness was produced by Phil Spector.

Favorite Song: “Iodine”

Recent Songs (1979) — We’re now really moving the new phase of his catalog. Saxophone, lots of background singers, synthesizers. When compared to Cohen’s early albums, this feels like a wild departure. When compared to “Ladies’ Man”, it feels like a mellow, controlled return to form. Parts remind me of a similar-era Tom Waits album. This was a really pleasant and sleepy surprise.

Favorite Song: “Came So Far for Beauty”

Various Positions (1984) — What would happen if one of the planet’s greatest songwriters recorded an album just using a Casio keyboard? This is the biggest gap in time between record so far, and it feels like it. This cheesy, highly synthesized production is something that I never understood from Cohen. For an artist who often feels like he exists outside of his time, this exists within its time far too much. It’s not a surprise that several of these songs — “Hallelujah” and “Dance Me to the End of Love” — are beloved for cover versions. Cohen’s voice is noticeably deeper on this album as well.

Favorite Song: “Hallelujah” Duh.

I’m Your Man (1988) — This was the first Leonard Cohen album that I really got into. It has the same awful, Casio production of “Various Positions”, but the songs are just too good to ignore. After a decade of listening to this album, I still love the songs and hate the way they’re recorded. Regardless, “Everybody Knows”, “First We Take Manhattan” and “I’m Your Man” are three of the coolest songs imaginable.

Favorite Song: “Everybody Knows”

The Future (1992) — These albums continue to showcase increasingly larger range. The early albums had little variation, and now he’s all over the board. I’m not sure how I feel about. By Cohen standards, much of this is a fun and pretty groovy. There’s a lot of Canadian white-boy blues on it. It’s his only album of the ’90s, and it’s pretty enjoyable.

Favorite Song: “B for Real”

Ten New Songs (2001) — Fast-forwarding nine years, Cohen is now in his late 60s. From other artists, albums like this would be easy to dismiss as easy listening, aging Baby Boomer, elevator schlock, but the songs themselves are just too good. This was produced as co-written by Sharon Robinson, which might explain its polished and clean sound. This bright, smooth pop production works better when juxtaposed with Cohen’s dark songwriting, which this album lacks.

Favorite Song: “The Land of Plenty”

Dear Heather (2004) — Honestly, I find this jazz-pop version of Leonard Cohen a bit boring and flat. I’ve complained a lot about the strange production and instrument choices, but we’ve reached a new limit with this album’s inclusion of a Jew’s harp.

Favorite Song: “Tennessee Waltz” Probably because it’s a live track that’s unlike anything else on the album.

Old Ideas (2012) — It took an eight-year hiatus from studio recording, but Cohen is finally doing something that I’m really interested in again. He’s always sounded, but he now really sounds like an old man. But in a good way. This is clearly his best album since “I’m Your Man”, and it ditches the jazz-pop sound that I disliked on the last few albums.

Favorite Song: “Going Home”

Popular Problems (2014) This final stretch of albums is really terrific. This really feels like a continuation for “Old Ideas”, and I feel very similarly to it.

Favorite Song: “Nevermind”

You Want It Darker (2016) — As Leonard Cohen’s final album — released just weeks before his death — it’s easy to romanticize this album, and it’s easy to over-interpret it as “The Last Will & Testament of Leonard Cohen.” That said, it’s his best album since “I’m Your Man”, and you can hear that Cohen is a man in his eighties who knows that death is approaching. “I’m traveling light. It’s au revoir.”

Favorite Song: “Steer Your Way”

Final Analysis

• Most Essential: Either “Songs of Leonard Cohen” or “I’m Your Man”. They’re too different to choose between.
• Least Essential: “Dear Heather”
• Overlooked Gem (Album): “Death of a Ladies’ Man” — Some people hate this album. Those people are wrong.
• Overlooked Gem (Song): “Iodine”
• Best Moment: The first note of the first song on the first record. He started his recording career with “Suzanne”. That’s a power move.

Catalog Observations

• Bingeing on Leonard Cohen is a bad idea. Not only is it too dark for your mental well-being, but it doesn’t serve his music well. There’s such lyrical depth to these songs, that they require the kind of focus that you can’t get when listening to them one after another.