leonardcohenforum.com

So, I've got a little bit of itunes gift card money, and I've been drifting more and more toward buying a Leonard Cohen album. I've listened to a good assortment of his songs by various means of youtube and song previews and Pandora, but I'm certainly not very well versed on Cohen's music as a whole.

So, my question to you who know Cohen's music better than I, what would be a good album to start with? I want to buy an entire album, so I'd really rather not pick and choose individual songs, and I'm only going to buy one. So, recommend me something?

Hi Beetle Soup,

You could start with his first album "Songs Of Leonard Cohen" but an overall compliation to get would be "The Essential Leonard Cohen" - in Australia it is a 3 CD set. Then there is my personal all-time favourite album "Field Commander Cohen Tour of 1979-2001" (it is an album of live songs over that period) and if forced to choose just one studio album it would probably be "Recent Songs". I do warn you that when you buy your first album, just know that there is no turning back. You say that you are only going to buy one - I have news for you - Leonard will be caught up in your heart and soul from that moment on and as you will undoubtedly find out, not a bad situation to be in. I doubt that you will stop at one album.

You will probably find everyone has a varied opinion. Good luck with your choice.

If you want a compilation album, I would recommend The Essential Leonard Cohen. If you don't want a compilation album, I would recommend Ten New Songs as an example of his 'recent' work.

Avoid Death of a Ladies' Man and Dear Heather which are not representative.

I concur - 'Essential', which covers a variety of songs and eras - then you will be able to narrow down exactly what you want based on your preferences from this compilation. Welcome to the forum Beetlejuice (what a great movie) and hope you let us know what you chose.

Best regards,
Mary

One more vote for 'The Essential'. That one will get you started, and then, after you have purchased every album there is (and believe me, you will), you can pass 'The Essential' on to someone else who hasn't yet been touched by LC's music. .

Yes, I recommend "The Essential Leonard Cohen" as well. It's a 2-disc set. I made selections from this album to create the vlog, http://tv1.com/vlogs/212/posts/481.

Hi Beetle Soup, "The Essential" will give you a fine listen to Leonard Cohen over four decades, but if you would rather like to learn his music from the beginning, then start with Leonard the young troubadour in the late sixties and buy "The Songs of Leonard Cohen" or "Songs from a Room". That's where we, the life-long fans, all started and where he won our hearts. From there on you will either buy all the rest of his albums one by one, or you will turn to other music (and thereby cause immense harm to your soul).

Gerrida

I'm a Spanish middle age, and if I were confined to buy only one I guess I'd surely feel depressed.
I've been listening Leonard half of my life. I've never been disappointed, so hard task to choose just one.

To answer this thread I choose " I'm your man" as my best. Not only because Lorca is on it, but in some way I find myself
in almost every theme.

Grettings from Spain to all of fans of Leonard Cohen.

"Songs of LC" if early Leonard is appropriate and "I'm You're Man" if later is required. "The Essential LC" if they're a part-timer, who will only ever buy one album)!

Now, perhaps, we can add 'Songs From the Road', especially when accompanied by the DVD - for the visual aspects. 'Essential' still, because it gives a great overview of all his decades of music.

Best regards,
Mary