Cohen Live

Artist: Leonard Cohen
Label: Sony
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Live
Media: Audio Cassette

UPC: 074646632741
EAN: 0074646632741
ASIN: B000002AQP

Release Date: 1994-06-28

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General

| Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General

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Contemporary Folk

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| Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters

| Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Dance Me to the End of Love
Bird on a Wire
Everybody Knows
Joan of Arc
There Is a War
Sisters of Mercy
Hallelujah
I'm Your Man
Who by Fire
One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
If It Be Your Will
Heart With No Companion
Suzanne

Similar Items:

Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979
Various Positions
Live Songs
Recent Songs
New Skin for the Old Ceremony

Customer Reviews:

the concert to be missed.......2007-02-11

If you want clasic Cohen, albums that rank as some of the best music has to offer over the past 50 years, then I suggest buying Songs Of Love and Hate or Songs From A Room or New Skin. This "live" cd was recorded over a six year period and is a labor to listen to, it is one of the few cds I own (out of thousands) that I am very tempted to fast forward. All the brilliant attributes that Cohen brings in many of his previous studio albums from the early days is entirely voided in this live experience. This cd is overproduced and has a slumber like quality, heck, I would go as far as saying that it feels like Spector was behind the production (we all know Death Of A Ladies Man was lame and Leonard acknowlegdes this himself). I would recommend this cd to die hard Cohen fans who must have every cd from his carrer (like myself).

Classic Cohen .......2006-11-28

A recent viewing of the superb "I'm Your Man" inspired me to go back to hear the master in his absolute prime. By any standards Leonard Cohen is on a short list of the greatest living songwriters on terra firma. Back in the days when I could sit cross-legged I listened with reverence to his first album as a wannabee hippie and ever since his songs have taught and inspired me without fail. Here in the Twenty-first century I am still "discovering" songs I missed the first time through, including "Heart With No Companion" and "Ballad of the Absent Mare." Like Twain said about his father "the older I get, the wiser he becomes."
It's amazing that the gospel of Cohen (an aptly titled future show at UCLA) is being spread by several generations, principal among them Perla Batalla who appears here as a backup singer along with the marvelous Julie Christenson. Besides being a great songwriter Cohen became an expert producer and realized he needed more than his, brilliant songs and oak solid voice to carry a show. Like Johnny Cash, Cohen has two notes; low and lower but with the seemingly limitless ranges of Batalla and Christenson alongside him, he is able to express almost every shade and depth of emotion his songs contain. Thus, we have a collection here of true classics, performed with deep passion, in front of exhilarated crowds. It's hard to imagine a better live album in the genre.
Since this recording many of these songs have been brought to light again by contemporary singers, who apply their own stamp but hearing the master sing them from his heart demonstrates his full meaning to each. From the opening strains of a spirited "Dance Me to the End of Love" to the treasured "Suzanne" Maestro Cohen gives goosebumps, insight and wisdom in his words. The music is as good as it can ever be with the powerful voices of Christenson and Batalla working as one gorgeous, descriptive narrator. Despite going on to a stellar career Batalla and Christenson provide possibly the classiest "backup" on record. When you hear the poetry of "Joan of Arc" or "If It Be Your Wil" you are connected to a great soul and great music.

Several Good Tracts.......2006-11-05

At first I didn't care for this cd. but after listening more to it, I've found several tracts which have become favorites: "There Is A War", "Dance Me To The End Of Love", "Who By Fire", "Heart With No companion".

A Mesmerizing CD .......2006-07-17

Okay, I have not listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen performing over the past. I got the Ten New Songs album on LP and there are a few wonderful songs on there. I have an old Best of Leonard Cohen LP with some lovely songs, but I find that the delivery is often too dry. On the other hand, I have heard covers of his songs, one of the best being Joe Cocker's cover of Bird On a Wire from the Mad Dogs and Englishmen live album.

A friend burned me a copy of this CD and I sat down in front of the speakers. The songs and the performances absolutely mesmerized me. I don't find that this happens too often, but when it does, I take notice. Most of these songs are extraordinary and beautifully performed. Yes, his singing is not going to win any awards, but the performances and arrangements are just right, with just enough space to show off his backup singers and musicians.

This LP should be a used as a classroom example of what real songwriting craft is all about, what with all the processed and non-processed, computer generated pablum that exists in the singer/songwriter arena today. I'm generalizing, but name anyone younger than thirty two consistently turning out this many songs of sustained quality.

I highly recommend this, as you might surmise.

buyer beware: all the other reviewers are nuts!.......2006-04-21

Ok, Leonard cohen is a nice little songwriter who wrote a few catchy melodies with good lyrics. I am not reviewing to bash Leonard Cohen, I own a few of his CDs, but I am not a fanatic. However, all of these other "5 stars" reviewers are fanatics, and though they probably feel this Cd is awful in their true heart, they feel somewhat guilty denying their hero a good tip. The album on paper is a nice idea. He selects a few tunes from each album, and in short it could be called "his greatest hits live". To Leonard cohen fans of any sort, that sounds very attractive. However, since half of the songs are recorded 6 years after the other half, there are inconsistencies within the musicienship, and the albums feel. This CD could not be recorded at a worse time as it is filled with cheap, sell out, synthesizers and blazign electirc guitars with heavy metal basses by the backing band that takes out any integirty out of Leonard Cohen's songs. you sort of get the idea that they don't care about the songs that they are playing. It sounds very 80's. His voice has aged a lot and he is rarely on pitch. The lyrics are very hard to decifer without the liner notes, and when you read the lyrics, I have to say, they are quite trite - nothing like dylan or Paul Simon. Honestly people, save your money and possibly get the 1979 field commander tour CD which I do not own, but probably still sounds like Cohen. This is a wasteland.

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