Customer Reviews
Soulfood Essential - By: pikeyboy, 23 Aug 2008 
This is as fine an introduction to the works of Leonard Cohen as could be imagined. The track list, selected by the man himself, covers almost every period of his recorded output (Cohen is not prolificin the way, say, Bob Dylan is, or Neil Young), but I do feel some truly great stuff has been overlooked, i.e. the hushed, but haunting version of 'Story Of Isaac' from 1973's LIVE SONGS, which is one of the most profound things that anyone has ever written, the great live recordings from FIELD COMMANDER COHEN: Tour Of 1979, which admittedly was not released until after THE ESSENTIAL LEONARD COHEN appeared. Of those songs, I feel the title track is as good & epic a song as any he's recorded, & the version from NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY would have sufficed over e.g 'Take This Longing' which already appears on his GREATEST HITS. As for the Passenger version of 'Lover Lover Lover', what can I say? It is blistering! Likewise (from that same album) versions of 'The Window', 'The Smokey Life', 'The Stranger Song', 'The Gypsy's Wife' (long since a staple of the live act) & an unforgettable reading of 'Memories' from the unfairly-maligned DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN, are all worthy of inclusion. In fact, it's true to say that all Cohen's output is essential, but I would also have included 'Ballad Of The Absent Mare' & 'Came So Far For Beauty' from RECENT SONGS, 'The Old Revolution' from SONGS FROM A ROOM (if only for discovering it had been a minor hitin the UK: hats off to Dale Winton for pointing that out to me!), the live 'Joan Of Arc', 'One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong' & 'Hallelujah' from 1993's COHEN LIVE, 'Coming Back To You' & 'The Captain' from 1984's VARIOUS POSITIONS, but the greatest omission surely has to be the Lorca-inspired 'Take This Waltz' from the brilliant I'M YOUR MAN. I could eulogise forever. Suffice to say, if your not familiar with the man's work, this is the perfect place to start. After that, buy THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN, his debut (perhaps, alongside Jeff Buckley's GRACE & THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO, the greatest debut of all time, for my money).
It's like sipping your best brandy whilst puffing on a quality cigar - By: Music Man, 04 May 2007 The voice is the first thing you notice. The early poetic renditions on such classics as "Suzanne", "Sisters of Mercy" & "Famous Blue Raincoat" are presentedin a voice that is deadpan but not as gruff asin later years. This was at a period when he was a well kept secret & with a style & presentation that not everyone took to. Move onto disc 2 & you notice how the voice deepens & the songs become bigger. One thing that Cohen has never failed to deliver is quality songs with curious stories to tell. He has an almost hymn-like or gospel touch on a lot of his work, usually enhanced by superb backing singers & wondrous musicians & arrangements.
I move between both of his periods with equal ease, but I find the latter stuff more appealing these days. Some people could sing the contents of the telephone directory given the right voice, he is one of them. "Democracy", "Tower of Song", "First we take Manhattan" & "Hallelujah" are stand out tracks but I defy anyone not to get lostin "Closing Time". This is by far my favourite. A fun song, with so many catchy hooks it just pulls you off your seat & invites you to dance with the nearest partner. You can almost smell the smoke & alcoholic fumes as if you are drinkingin the bar with him. A tremendous talent......but what great assistance from his backing singers.
This is a great selection of his work. If you are a fan, you'll want itin your collection. If you are just curious, buy it.........it's a great introduction.
A lesson for what really music is - By: linaonamazon, 02 Feb 2007 There's nothing missing from this collection. Not the quality, not the deep, truthful voice, not the fully poetic & inspirational lyrics, nothing. My boyfriend bought this CD & we can't get enough of it- especially DISC 2.
Cohen is & will remain uniquein this industry, mainly because he has something solid yet so delicate to say, because he is a musician, because he possesses the gift to sing stories instead of 'telling a song'. Great music, great lyrics, great singer.
Simply Blown Away.....New Convert - By: Mr. Ian Gillibrand, 27 Nov 2006 Well I cannot believe I have lived for 42 years without listening to a Cohen Album.I tried this on spec seeing the reviews & having been a big Dylan/Springsteen fan for many years.For me this album has been like meeting a soulmatein a slightly run down but all too comfortable bar & wishing you had met them much earlierin your life!!!!!
Songs like "Democracy" & "I'm Your Man" cover the dark side of politics & personal relationships superbly & the former should be essential listening for the Neo-Cons of the White House.
I will not go over everything already written but this double disc set seems a top introduction to Cohen's development & style.I have already ordered 2 more albums from his back catalogue & I feel this discovery could hit my bsank balance hardin the near future.Totally recommended.
A wonderful cross section of Cohen's music - By: Paul Dalheim, 18 May 2006 This album is superb value, two generous discs crammed with very special music. It spans the whole range of Cohen's output (up to "Ten new songs") & you can hear his voice becoming deeper & more melancholy as the tracks go by.
Whilst everyone will have his favourite Cohen track, it must be said that there is not a bad trackin the collection. Whilst all are clearly "Cohen", there is within that heading a tremendous range of moods & styles from the driving rhythms of "Democracy" to the more reflective favourite "Suzanne". In the later songs Sharon Robinson (the co-writer) plays a big part, but I find these songs just as good as the "pure" Cohen:in any case one of Cohen's strengths is that he changesin style, but still remains distinctly himself.
As always the lyrics are superb & blendin perfectly with the music: really the two cannot be separated. For me the very ambiguity & different possible interpretations of the words of such songs as "Alexandra leaving" add to their universality & give them an appeal to so many people (and make them suitable for so many moods).
When I purchased this disc I had not listened to Cohen for some time & had forgotten just how much I liked him & just how unique he is. I regard it as one of the best discsin my collection
