Leonard Cohen rules

27 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2009-04-02 02:12

Wilf Day

Leonard Cohen rules

I can't believe no one has posted on the "Leonard Cohen: Live in London" presentation on CBC tonight.

First, I missed part of it. If this is the year of the rerun, with CBC ending all their series early and starting summer re-runs April 2, why do we have to wait until April 16 to see this programme again on Bold? Yet I can see multi episodes of Being Erica on the CBC website.

Anyway, I saw enough tonight to know that the master just keeps getting better. The way he respects his band and his audience is delightful. And his sung poems are still unique. But most of all, he's the ultimate cool. If London can think of Canada as Leonard Cohen, then the recent "Cool Britannia" image could be revived as "Cool Canada."

Long may he rule!

Thu, 2009-04-02 02:25

M. Spector M. Spector's picture

Second-rate singer; third-rate poet.

Thu, 2009-04-02 02:25

Cueball

1st rate self-promoter.

Thu, 2009-04-02 02:32

remind

I was going to wilf, I thought it was excellent too.

Thu, 2009-04-02 03:13

al-Qa'bong

I like his novels.

His poem on Eichmann is pretty good, as are quite a few of his songs.

He's coming here to play in a hockey rink. I'm not going; I'd rather see him in a smaller venue.

Thu, 2009-04-02 04:12

remind

Some of ther best concerts I have seen have been in a rink.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:05

Catchfire

M. Spector wrote:
Second-rate singer; third-rate poet.

What a silly thing to say.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:09

Unionist

M. Spector wrote:

Second-rate singer; third-rate poet.

In order for me to properly evaluate such a (to me) startling judgment, might I ask for an example of a first-rate singer and first-rate poet?

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:15

Caissa

We taped it. I missed the firt twenty minutes putting our boys to bed. Will probably watch it tonight.

And, what Unioinist asked.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:19

#10

Cueball

Unionist wrote:
M. Spector wrote:

Second-rate singer; third-rate poet.

In order for me to properly evaluate such a (to me) startling judgment, might I ask for an example of a first-rate singer and first-rate poet?

I think his poetry is false. My feeling is that he writes very idealized romantic poetry that seems risque to people under 18. This makes him an excelent pop music artist however, since writing romantic songs that seem risque to people under 18 is what pop music is all about.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:22

#11

Caissa

And a first rate singer and poet would be, Cueball?

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:25

#12

remind

Don't think anyone under 18 knows who he is, as such I think your comment is directed towards those who think he is great.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:40

#13

Cueball

remind wrote:
Don't think anyone under 18 knows who he is, as such I think your comment is directed towards those who think he is great.

You don't? "Beautiful Losers" is like standard teen coffee shop fare and will likely be so for ever.

Just not a fan. Think he is "faking it, and not really making it", which reminds me of another good singer/poet. But there is that distinction to be made between poetry that stands on its own as poetry and what makes a nice pop song, and Cohen has written some nice pop songs.

Thu, 2009-04-02 07:49

#14

Cueball

John Lydon. Gil Scot Heron. Chuck D. Ken Chin (aka Chi Pig), Henry Rollins, Patsy Klein (singer), Patti Smith (on a good day) Lemmy from Motorhead, Mirak Wanek, Natachsa Atlas (but then you can sing anything well in Arabic, and I will probably like it), Bob Weisman, Greg Keilor, Rachael Nagy... even Neil Young in his best moments is superior.

Thu, 2009-04-02 08:14

#15

lagatta

Certainly a big part of the sountrack of my life; probably the main one in English. (But of course a lot of the stuff resonates here). But then, we like idealised romantic poetry, in French or in English (and these days, yep in Arabic) here in Montréal, all the better if it is steamy in spots. ;)

Cueball, there is a lot of dreadful kitsch in Arabic too, as any of my friends from the Maghreb or the Levant will remind me!

I'm sorry I missed the concert. I have a cold that has turned into bronchitis and yesterday felt as if I had been repeatedly punched in the chest, so I went to bed early with my purring cat at my feet.

An aside, isn't Lennie the epitome of a smartly-dressed man?

Thu, 2009-04-02 08:58

#16

Cueball

lagatta wrote:
Certainly Cueball, there is a lot of dreadful kitsch in Arabic too, as any of my friends from the Maghreb or the Levant will remind me!

Of course. That is where not understanding comes in handy. Unfortunately, with English... well....

Thu, 2009-04-02 09:13

#17

Boom Boom

I've been listening to Cohen since the 60s, and I love the guy and his music. There was a Leonard Cohen in concert movie a few years ago - I think it was called "I'm Your Man" - with Cohen songs sung by other artists, and Cohen at the end. Fantastic. I missed last night's show, sadly. Will CBC show it again?

Most of his albums are quite good, but there have been bumps along the way, including that dreadful Phil Spector produced album. But, generally, he's been an innovator - and look at all the artists who have performed his material and whom have paid tribute to him. My favourite interpreter of Cohen's music is Perla Batalla, who used to be one of his backup singers, but whom has struck out on her own, earning a Grammy nomination in the process. Rufus Wainwright does Cohen material beautifully as well as seen in the Cohen concert movie I mentioned.

Thu, 2009-04-02 09:40

#18

Catchfire

Well, I think that Beautiful Losers is one of the greatest Canadian novels ever published, and I also think it is poetry. And while I certainly can't deny that part of my love for Leonard Cohen derrives from a teenage infatuation with his greatest hits album, I didn't read Losers until well into my twenties with what I hope is enough critical distance to appreciate it.

He's certainly a romantic--but a lot of these bullish, casanova types from the sixties were: Vidal, Updike, Kerouac--it might come across as faux-risqué now, but in its context readers found it quite liberating. Montreal's postwar anglo poets are among the most important Canada has ever produced: A.M. Klein, P.K. Page, Irving Layton, Louis Dudek. Cohen was essential to this cohort and to dismiss him as 'third-rate' is grossly ignorant. I would never say you have to love Cohen, or any writer for that matter--indeed, Cueball's criticism is quite just (although a matter of taste) and many feminist critics have a lot to say about Cohen's sexual entitlement, etc.--but to deny his critical and international impact, well, that's teenage stuff.

Thu, 2009-04-02 13:12

#19

lagatta

And unlike a lot of the postwar anglo poets and other writers, Cohen has always maintained ties with the cultural ferment in francophone Québec. Beautiful Losers has a lot of the same themes as found in francophone novels of the same period ... and of course Suzanne was a real, francophone artist (a dancer, Suzanne Verdal). Her then husband Armand Vaillancourt, an important sculptor here, is unfortunately not so well known in English-speaking Canada.

(Suzanne and Lennie were NOT lovers, by the way).

Funny, Vaillancourt has been much more explicit in his political commitment, but has more than a bit of that same sexual entitlement. It was really a plague among creative men at the time, suppose it always was, but it was a downside of sexual liberation, though the latter remains positive in many other facets.

Thu, 2009-04-02 13:20

#20

Boom Boom

CBC-TV did a profile of Suzanne Verdal about a year ago, I found it fascinating. She's an extremely talented person, but living close to poverty IIRC from that show. I wish I could remember the name of the show - I'll do a search and see what I come up with.

Thu, 2009-04-02 23:06

#21

Wilf Day

Catchfire wrote:
many feminist critics have a lot to say about Cohen's sexual entitlement, etc.

Leonard Cohen certainly was ubiquitous, in his day. Maybe still is.

He had a long connection with the Matador in Toronto, the near legendary after-hours nightclub that inspired his "Closing Time." It was run for many years by Ann Dunn, with help from her daughter Charmaine Dunn. After Charmaine got back from a stay in Burkina Faso, West Africa, with a then partner, she bought a cottage on the beach in Bowmanville (which I think she still has), and to recharge her batteries after that break-up she lived in it for a while in 1988. Always ready for a new adventure, she ran for the local school board that fall, and (amazingly) was elected to one of the two seats from Bowmanville. I cannot say whether or how often Leonard may have visited Charmaine's beach house, but we all had lots to talk about at coffee break during the three years Charmaine was a Bowmanville school trustee.

Ubiquitous, eh?

Sat, 2009-04-04 00:35

#22

al-Qa'bong

remind wrote:
Some of ther best concerts I have seen have been in a rink.

I've had some fun at rink concerts myself. Trooper in '78 and The Boomtown Rats/Teenage Head in '81 come to mind. But Lenny Cohen? His type of show is too intimate for a stadium venue. How can magic be afoot while singing about Jerusalem at the blueline?

Hmmm...maybe it's possible, but Johnny Bower would have to be singing.

Wed, 2009-04-08 23:31

#23

Boom Boom

CBC is showing the Leonard Cohen concert in London on CBC Victoria right now instead of the Just For Laughs anniversary special. It's great - especially the extended version of "Hallelujah". "Bird On A Wire" was also terrific. Glad to catch it, finally.

Wed, 2009-04-08 23:39

#24

Boom Boom

The band and the backup singers are awesome, but the drumming on "First We Take Manhattan" sounds a bit awkward. The drums are excellent on all the other songs. Cohen usually manages to get the best out of everyone who works with him.

Thu, 2009-04-09 00:01

#25

Boom Boom

The finale - "I've tried to leave you" - is sublime, with excellent solos from everyone. I think I'll be ordering this on CD.

Fri, 2009-04-10 08:34

#26

ennir

Courtesy of a friend we have box seats for his show here, this will be the third time I will get to see him and I am thrilled. He is fabulous live with stories to tell and a wonderful sense of humor.

Mon, 2009-04-13 01:08

#27

Frmrsldr

Look around you:

We are at the start of another Great Depression. We have two major wars - Afghanistan and Iraq - and a third one threatened - Iran, as well as numerous lesser wars and violent social and political instability.

Capitalism has failed. Democracy is failing and being either threatened or replaced by fascism (one need look no farther than the U.S.A. and Canada) and Marxism around the world.

I would say that makes Leonard Cohen more relevant than ever.

Hey Boom Boom, which album(s) would you say are Cohen's most brooding and foreboding?