Leonard Cohen
Songs From a Room - Columbia 1969
Tracks: 1. Bird On The Wire / 2. Story Of Isaac / 3. A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes / 4. The Partisan / 5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy / 6. The Old Revolution / 7. The Butcher / 8. You Know Who I Am / 9. Lady Midnight / 10. Tonight Will Be Fine
Comments:
For this, his second album from 1969, Cohen chose Bob Johnston to produced. Johnston had made a name for himself with great productions for Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. This choice vey succesful as Johnston’s discrete arrangements perfectly fit Cohen's melancholy songs and with the Spanish guitar and his vocals as focalpoints.
As with his debut album you will here find some of Cohen's most beloved songs; this applies especially to "Bird on a Wire" has become one of Leonard Cohen's signature songs. This is also one of his most often covered songs.
Other big songs include "Story of Isaac" - note the recessed organ which helps to provide extra atmosphere to this almost entirely acoustic song. One of the finest tunes is "The Old Revolution", a song where you once again meet Johnston’s discrete organ.
Among the more ”upbeat” songs there is "Lady Midnight" which probably is also one of the best-known songs on the album. "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" seems somewhat related to "So Long Marianne", but stands out as the most "produced" track with both electric guitar, drums and keyboards .
There are no really weak songs, even though I tend to feel that "The Butcher" musically is pretty unexciting , and that "Tonight Will Be Fine" seems somehow ”unresolved”. I had never really noticed this fine song until I heard Teddy Thompson's fine interpretation on the soundtrack for " I'm Your Man" – a good example of a cover version that outshines the original.
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