Album of the Evening

[Kal Rubinson]

38 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

Ok.. I feel I should explained myself - I broke the rules of this thread - I only checked out some fragments before posting this recommendation for the album (I hope the OP won't ban be from this thread..😉), seems I was a little overenthusiastic indeed..

I'm very glad there are really attentive and vigilant people here though!  😎

No problem.  I've often formed a strong opinion based on first or limited exposure, only to change my mind with continued listening.  I like Leonard Cohen (the man and the music) so I found this on Qobuz and gave it a try.  My wife and I became annoyed at the unvarying low energy of the songs, none of which were terrible or inappropriate but which, as a group, were simply repetitious.   Gets a pass from us.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Leonard Cohen - Music to bleed-out to. 
 

I’m a big fan though. In fact, I’ll put this one on now. 
 

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, Kal Rubinson said:

No problem.  I've often formed a strong opinion based on first or limited exposure, only to change my mind with continued listening.  I like Leonard Cohen (the man and the music) so I found this on Qobuz and gave it a try.  My wife and I became annoyed at the unvarying low energy of the songs, none of which were terrible or inappropriate but which, as a group, were simply repetitious.   Gets a pass from us.

My evaluation of an album when I have access to its entire content and 5-10min is usually quite good (decades of experience and thousands of albums) especially if it's not classical music. It doesn't work that well with 30 sec fragments though..

 

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Leonard Cohen - Music to bleed-out to. 
 

I’m a big fan though. In fact, I’ll put this one on now. 
 

A good, Dutch friend of mine, a musician, composer, conductor and an owner of more than 2 dozens instruments (for a time being his tabla is mine which is great) hates L Cohen. He says (remembering his teens and 20's) "all of them, my friends, were seducing, kissing and caressing girls while I had to play and sing all those goddamn Cohen's songs!" 😂

[Jud]

5 hours ago, Kal Rubinson said:

No problem.  I've often formed a strong opinion based on first or limited exposure, only to change my mind with continued listening.  I like Leonard Cohen (the man and the music) so I found this on Qobuz and gave it a try.  My wife and I became annoyed at the unvarying low energy of the songs, none of which were terrible or inappropriate but which, as a group, were simply repetitious.   Gets a pass from us.

 

I actually like it. Was surprised at the quite decent job Sarah McLachlan did on Hallelujah.

 

But I can understand that the interpretation of the songs by the backing band (same on every track, I believe) might feel repetitious when listening to the album straight through.

[lamode]

Getting into the Christmas spirit...

 

Mahalia Jackson - Silent Night: Songs for Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

Noticed the album after @Jud mentioned it in another thread. Listened to it a few times, brilliant!

 

https://open.qobuz.com/album/t7dp4v1lnxada

 

[DuckToller]

[TubeLover]

7 hours ago, Kal Rubinson said:

No problem.  I've often formed a strong opinion based on first or limited exposure, only to change my mind with continued listening.  I like Leonard Cohen (the man and the music) so I found this on Qobuz and gave it a try.  My wife and I became annoyed at the unvarying low energy of the songs, none of which were terrible or inappropriate but which, as a group, were simply repetitious.   Gets a pass from us.

Kal, I have to agree with you on this one. The repetitious lack of energy was indeed an issue. I also felt there was a complete lack of anything resembling a moving performance of these many superb songs that Leonard gifted us with. I will agree with Jud that Sarah McLachlan's version of Hallelujah was the only slightly bright spot here. 

 

In addition, I too have been a Leonard Cohen fan for decades. In my mind, he is the poet of a generation and many of his songs are priceless in conveying incredible depth and understanding. I've honestly been disappointed with every collections of songs where varied artists supposedly pay tribute to him. Perhaps only Judy Collins, with a her many superb versions of his songs, particularly "Priests" the late Jeff Buckly with his incomparable version of Hallelujah, and Jennifer Warnes with "Famous Blue Raincoat" has ever really delivered truly worthwhile contributions.   

 

JC

[The Computer Audiophile]

OK, cool Atmos mix on Hallelujah. Will listen to the rest.

 

[mlauria]

I guess I am the odd man out here, I really enjoyed this and think its the best tribute thus far. 

[kumakuma]

16 minutes ago, TubeLover said:

 

In addition, I too have been a Leonard Cohen fan for decades. In my mind, he is the poet of a generation and many of his songs are priceless in conveying incredible depth and understanding. I've honestly been disappointed with every collections of songs where varied artists supposedly pay tribute to him. Perhaps only Judy Collins, with a her many superb versions of his songs, particularly "Priests" the late Jeff Buckly with his incomparable version of Hallelujah, and Jennifer Warnes with "Famous Blue Raincoat" has ever really delivered truly worthwhile contributions.   

 

JC

 

I agree and would add KD Lang's versions of Hallelujah to this list.

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

8 minutes ago, mlauria said:

I guess I am the odd man out here, I really enjoyed this and think its the best tribute thus far. 

I'm kind of with you so far. I like it.

[mlauria]

I must also admit, there are specific single covers of some of these songs that I prefer, e.g, Suzzanne, Hallejulah.

[sphinxsix]

The truth, nothing but the truth and the whole truth (if it's only possible)..😎

 

46 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

OK, cool Atmos mix on Hallelujah. Will listen to the rest.

 

Seems we were listening to it at the same time and that was actually (truth!) my first listen to the album in its entirety. When I posted it I wanted simply to recommend you, guys a new thing which sounded good to me in fragments (now Chris can ban me..😉).

I like the concept of the 'jazzy Cohen' album, IMO this is a good band and in general good vocalists well performing the songs. I don't hear tons of invention packed into these pieces, that's true but despite that I tend to agree with those who said it's the best Cohen covers album yet. I can't stand 2 pieces on it (both sung by men). I think maybe part of the problem of this recording (checked out of curiosity ratings on allmusic) is that it is addressed to two not necessarily in 100% the same camps - Cohen fans know and want mostly Cohen, Blue Note fans are a bit more into more jazzy stuff. As for accusations that it's not lively or upbeat enough - c'mon guys, these are Cohen covers, not metal or techno. A bit more individualization of songs IMO would be welcome although I like the album and I think it's good as it is.

[Kal Rubinson]

53 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

As for accusations that it's not lively or upbeat enough - c'mon guys, these are Cohen covers, not metal or techno.

Cohen can be down, depressed, angry, regretful, rueful, mournful, etc. but he was always intense, poignant and powerful in ways that none on this album are.  IMHO, of course.

[The Computer Audiophile]

[sphinxsix]

This time visual AotE, Live in London.

 

 

[Allan F]

25 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

This time visual AotE, Live in London.

 

 

As you are probably aware, there is an excellent two disc set of Cohen's Live in London concert.

[Jud]

2 hours ago, kumakuma said:

 

I agree and would add KD Lang's versions of Hallelujah to this list.

 

 

 

That lady will raise the hair on the back of your neck.  Here's another version by her (I believe this may be from the Tower of Song tribute concert, but am not certain):

 

 

[Daccord]

As long as it's Artist Night in Canada, here's another from k.d. lang. I saw her during the Calgary Stampede (in Calgary, of course) in the mid-80s, and again in a small room upstairs at the now defunct Brunswick House in Toronto a year or two later. In addition to that voice, she's such a great entertainer.

 

There are couple of Leonard Cohen songs on this one. My first introduction to Cohen was in the mid 70's when my high school English teacher (a WW2 vet) played one of his albums as an introduction to his poetry.

 

[AnotherSpin]

 

https://open.qobuz.com/album/5034202204558

[Allan F]

8 hours ago, Jud said:

That lady will raise the hair on the back of your neck. 

 

So true! Her duet of "Crying" with Roy Orbison is another absolute classic of hers.

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

[WAM]

Could not resist this bargain (and a few others) on Qobuz:

 

[jiminlogansquare]