leonardcohenforum.com

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For some reason, Hey there Delila (Plain White T's), gets me in an L. Cohen groove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4kMbg4QAQk

I would definitely recommend Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, sorry if they have been mentioned before but could not find them. Both albums are just so good and I am sure most Cohen fans would go for their music. You'll hear the relevance to Cohen and their unique individuality, enjoy!

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... rk-lanegan


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQS4K8Pg0U4

Helen xx

It's hard to name artists that are similar to Leonard Cohen. I only can think of Nick Cave, but sometimes it feels a bit like he is copying Cohen. I'm not really a fan of CCave.

My favorite songwriters besides Cohen are:
Michael Hurley
Daniel Johnston
Jackson C. Frank
Townes van Zandt
Bill Fay
Tom Waits
Will Oldham

Nowadays I also listen a lot to Celtic music, such as Fairport Covention, Steeleye Span, Sandy Denny and such. Again, I wouldn't compare it to something other unique as Leonard Cohen.

thanks to this thread i have been inspired to listen to Mark Lanegan and Tindersticks. I can't believe I hadn't heard of either of them. I am becoming slowly obsessed with all of Mark Lanegan with Isobel Campbell the gutter twins, screaming trees. Gutted to find out that tindersticks are going to Dublin and not to Belfast in November.

I'd agree with evey artist already listed that I recognise. I'd like to add one singer/song-writer who isn't that similar in style but who is of a similar quality, Ani Difranco. She started singing in bars when she was 10, started her own record label at 17 and releases a new album every time I blink. It is the quality of the poetry though that links her to Leonard in my view.

http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/dilate ... leface.asp
http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/rev_re ... ldmove.asp
http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/imperf ... ngsong.asp

And if you are Scottish, Dick Gaughan.
For the Welsh, Tracey Curtis.

Definitely Will Oldham.... ( Bonnie 'prince' Billy)........... Also Chris Eckman of the Walkabouts. Williard Grant Conspiracy. Nick goes without saying. Check out Black Heart Procession.... not like Leonard but if you love him, these are who i listen to too.

UrPal wrote:If you are looking for someone who is doing something musically which has a lot of the features of Cohen's early work, and who has a similarly deep voice, then you might try the music of Jim Yamouridis, an Australian of Greek descent now living and plying his trade in France (at least last time I looked). He's a friend and long time working associate of Conway Savage, pianist with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. You can try some of his music on stream here:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... c301b109b5

OMG How eerily similar

Hi MaryB, I'm glad you noticed.

Here is a youtube of Jim in action. I expect female Cohen fans will also enjoy his not unsimilar dark, angular looks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI_oCeDI3mI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3yugLp9vAQ

I'd recommend seeking out his albums (and those of his previous band, The Stream), though they are hard to come by. Like Cohen, the songs are slow burners. On first listen, they sound a bit monochrome, but after a couple of listens the full colour makes itself plain and burns into your retina to stay.

I have often thought that if LC was a country singer he would have looked, acted and sounded like Don Williams. Couple of live clips:


You're ny Best Friend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWGDeBFLsf8

Till the Rivers all Run Dry (with great shots of Africa wild)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqSWhQHfXKE


p.s. and Good Ole Boys Like Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzGx_XzxDeM

tupelo wrote:Gianmaria Testa, what a voice, it makes me melt. I don't speak Italian, so have no real idea what he sings about, but when I first heard 'Da Questa Parte Del Mare' (album) it totally blew me away. I also really like the instrumentation on his songs.

You can check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/gianmariatesta

Play 'Seminatori Di Grano'

I can totally recommend the above album.

That's pretty tight, thanks for the tip! Seminatori di grano is kinda raunchy too LOL, it's about the men and women in a field getting ready to sow grain, with a lot of sexual allusions in the lyrics. This guy has the classic Italian raspiness too--they have a certain grainy sound that you can't mistake for anything else.

Wow that Italian guy really sounds good, although I don't understand a thing.

Nick Drake..I completely agree with Undertow.

Both Leonard and Nick are subtle and elegant in a similar way. Although they write different songs, there is something about the feelings they transmit that brings them together.

Personally, I agree with some of what has been posted here already: For while I like a lot of other bands / singers / songwriters, especially, for example, Johnny Cash or Kris Kristofferson, the only one individual musician so far whom I have come across with similar qualities as Leonard regarding voice, lyrics and apt musical arrangement (well, almost always), the one singer with the same authenticity, with songs with the same depth, a full universe of hidden meanings, profound darkness and a great sense of humour at the same time, for me, too, is Jacques Brel. So, yes, in a way, Scott Walker also comes to mind, which is why I am really grateful that John Etherington has brought Scott to my attention, too...
And, Minna, I am definitely going to check out the Israeli guy, too! Do you know Arik Einstein and Aviv Geffen? They may not be Leonard, but I still like listening to them a lot...
Oh, and tempral_twilight, thanks for the Josh Ritter - hint, too! I wonder how I could have missed him until today, he seems great...