166. Songs From a Room - Leonard Cohen

It is hard not to love a bit of L-Co, as no-one has called him, ever. Whilst depressing may undersell him, there is an honesty and integrity to what he does, including touring after his accountant/lawyer left him broke, and with no other  way of raising money.

Bird on a Wire is always going to take some beating as he standout on the album, and the delicacy of the string section over the acoustic guitar hints at the subtlety of the album as a whole. The lyrics are semi-oblique, but conjure vivid images, and the music seems to support them, rather than distract from them. 

Folk is at its best, in my opinion, when there is a real narrative, and that's what you get with many of the songs contained on this album. From Story of Isaac through to The Old Revolution, it leaves you wanting to know more about the characters, and their back stories. It's as close as I've ever really got to engaging with poetry properly, and I don't feel the need to explore beyond this.

Overall, it's not a stellar album, but it is absorbing, in a way that many albums cannot manage. I felt that I knew the tracks well after only a few listens, yet gained more upon each subsequent listent. I don't naturally choose folk-pop music as a go to, but when I'm in the mood in the future, I can well imagine reaching for this particular one.

Chloe's album rating: 6
Chloe's favourite track: 2. Story of Issac
Olly's album rating: 6
Olly's favourite track: 2. Story of Isaac

Next week is 51. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan.