Reviews |
"Leonard Cohen "Songs From The Road"" by Jurek Gibadlo, Students.pl, November 19, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen" by Josef Vlcek, Hospodárské Noviny, November 12, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: Bird On A Wire and Songs From The Road" by Adam Gold, American Songwriter, November 5, 2010.
"lemez - LEONARD COHEN: SONGS FROM THE ROAD" by kyt, Magyar Narancs, November 4, 2010.
"Zlota Plyta dla "Songs From The Road" Leonarda Cohen", CGM, October 30, 2010.
"Rutas y poesía 40 ańos después" by Facundo Pereyra, La Gaceta, October 27, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: Songs from the Road" by Daniel Sylvester, Exclaim, October 20, 2010.
"Visszataps: Leonard Cohen - Songs from the Road" by Kovács Gellért, MR2, October 20, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: Zwei neue DVDs über den großen Dichter und Songwriter" by Arne Willander, Rolling Stone (Germany), October 19, 2010.
"Songs From the Road", FM Rock and Pop, October 19, 2010.
"DVDs: Leonard Cohen-Palooza! (And More)" by Michael Giltz, Huffington Post, October 15, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen apresenta 'Songs From the Road'", Diario do Para, October 16, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: Songs From The Road." by Harri Aalto, Nasze Miasto, October 11, 2010.
"Mistrz wraca na wyzyny popularnosci. Leonard Cohen wystapi w niedziele na Torwarze", Nasze Miasto by Lucjan Strzyga, October 7, 2010.
"Najnowszy album oraz koncerty Leonarda Cohena!!!!", Student News, October 6, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen's Songs From the Road review" by Michael Dunaway, Paste Magazine, October 1, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen - Songs from the Road" by Erik Oudman, Podium Info, September 30, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen is better than ever" by Matthew Welch, Tufts Daily, September 29, 2010.
"Novi album Leonarda Cohena!", Radiocelje, September 29, 2010.
"Koncertní ohlédnutí mistra Leonarda" by Tomáš Polívka, T-Music, September 27, 2010.
"New Music / LEONARD COHEN" by Morley Walker, Winnipeg Free Press, September 25, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: Songs from the Road" by Andrew Gilstrap, Pop Matters, September 24, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen - Songs from the road" by Philipp Hainzl, Epoch Times, September 22, 2010.
"Cohen's latest a must-have for fans" by Adam Davis, Times & Transcript, September 21, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen: boucler bellement la boucle" by Alain De Repentigny, Cyberpresse, September 18, 2010.
"Music CD/DVD Review: Leonard Cohen - Songs From the Road" by Richard Marcus, Blogcritics, September 16, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen - SONGS FROM THE ROAD", Rockol, September 15, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen's 'Songs from the Road'" by Justin Richards, NY Press, September 13, 2010.
"Edwyn Collins, Leonard Cohen, Mavis Staples, Paul Heaton, Phil Collins and The Script album reviews" by Gavin Martin, Mirror (UK), September 10, 2010.
"A cascade of CDs, DVDs about Leonard Cohen", US Daily Trends, September 10, 2010.
"Album: Leonard Cohen, Songs from the Road (Sony Music)" by Andy Gill, Independent, September 10, 2010.
"Leonard Cohen — Songs From The Road" by Kate Harper, CHARTattack, September 13, 2010.
"Music Vinyl Review: Leonard Cohen - Songs From The Road" by David Bowling, Blogcritics, September 8, 2010.
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ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen "Songs From The Road"
Students.pl
- November 19, 2010 by Jurek Gibadlo
Gdy w eterze zawrzalo: "Leonard Cohen wydaje plyte!" podchodzilem do tego spokojnie. I slusznie - Kanadyjczyk (znowu) nie daje nam niczego nowego...
No, moze nie do konca - "Songs From The Road" to pierwsze tak profesjonalnie zrealizowane DVD artysty. Na tym jednak koniec nowosci... Warto dodac, ze do wydawnictwa dolaczono plyte CD, bedacym po prostu zapisem audio wystepów Leonarda Cohena. Jako, ze daniem glównym jest material video, wiec album CD grzecznie pomine w opisie.
Aby tytulowi stalo sie zadosc, "Songs From The Road" to zbiór 12 piosenek zagranych w przeróznych miejscach (od londynskich Royal Albert Hall i O2, po Ramat Gan Stadium w Tel Awiwie) oraz w relatywnie dlugim okresie czasu (od pazdziernika 2008 do listopada 2009). W przypadku Cohena ciezko jednak o uznanie tej rozciaglosci za przesadnie duzy walor - facet jest na scenie ponad czterdziesci lat, wiec 13 miesiecy doprawdy nie zmienia go ani troche. Tym bardziej, ze na wiekszosci koncertów z omawianych tras artysta prezentowal dobrze znany i ograny material.
LIRYCZNIE
Co my tu mamy? Starszego pana, który mruczy swoje piesni; czasami nieco zwawiej w "Closing Time" czy tez "Lover, Lover, Lover", czasami akustycznie (Cohen + gitara - a wiec faktycznie na niej gra!) jak w "Avalanche" i "Suzanne", nie gardzi równiez bluesem ("Bird On The Wire", "Famous Blue Raincoat"). Buczenie pana Leonarda sprawia, ze sluchacze koncentruja sie na opowiadanych przez niego historiach, a nie melodiach. Bo te w wiekszosci zlewaja sie ze soba...
Cohen przewaznie stoi na scenie (scenach) troche wyprany z emocji. Od czasu do czasu na jego twarzy pojawia sie dowód na to, ze jednak zyje: przezywa zalatujace country "Heart With No Companion" (kapitalne pejzaze dzwiekowe pedal steel!), unosi sie nad ziemia w Kalifornii grajac "Hallelujah" (BTW: za kazdym razem, gdy slucham ja w oryginale, zyskuje przekonanie, ze Jeff Buckley wykonywal ja milion razy ciekawiej). Ba, Cohen czasami sie nawet usmiecha! A to zartuje zapowiadajac "That Don't Make It Junk", a to cieszy sie gdy dostaje kwiaty po "Heart With No Companion", a to dziarsko klania sie po "Closing Time". Nie jest to moze wulkan energii, ale przeciez nigdy nim nie byl.
Leonard Cohen zawsze stawia na atmosfere - intymna, tajemnicza, smutna (w wiekszosci); i to bez wzgledu na miejsce w jakim wystepuje. Wspomniane wczesniej miejscówki to wielotysieczne hale i stadiony, dlatego umiejetnosc zlapania widzów za gebe i "zmuszenie" ich do lirycznego odlotu to szczyt scenicznego kunsztu. Mimo 76 wiosen na karku Cohen nie ma z tym problemu.
TECHNICZNIE
Mam problem z jednoznaczna ocena efektów pracy techników, którzy przygotowali DVD. Ok, dziek jest naprawde piekny, w DD 5.1 brzmi odpowiednio przestrzennie, ujmujaco i czysto. Brawa. Ale juz obraz w czasach High Definition pozostawia sporo do zyczenia. Co jakis czas uderza widza pikseloza, kolory sa wrecz przesycone, co bardzo meczy. Z drugiej strony - moze wlasnie o to chodzilo? Cohen nie mial jeszcze na swoim koncie porzadnego DVD, a ze nie jest artysta kojarzonym z byciem nowoczesnym, postanowil zrobic je nieco w starym wizualnie stylu.
Takie podejrzenia mozemy miec patrzac tez na prace kamer. Obraz zmienia sie tak leniwie, jak leniwa jest muzyka Kanadyjczyka; nie mamy mozliwosci wyboru ich ustawienia, ale ogladajac te wystepy dochodzimy do wniosku, ze nie jest nam to w ogóle potrzebne. Tak samo obeszlibysmy sie bez filmu dokumentalnego przedstawiajacego kulisy tournee Leonarda.
Ujmujac rzecz calosciowo - dobrze, ze wreszcie mamy DVD z muzyka Cohena, choc wydaje mi sie, ze fani artysty zamiast tego wydawnictwa woleliby dostac zestaw nowych utworów. Cóz, jak sie nie ma co sie lubi...
[3,5/5]
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen "Songs From The Road"
Students.pl
- November 19, 2010 by Jurek Gibadlo
When the uproar in the ether: "Leonard Cohen album seems!" I approached it quietly. And rightly so - Canadian (again) does not give us anything new ...
Well, maybe not quite - "Songs From The Road" is the first so professionally made DVD of the artist. But that's the end of the news ... It is worth noting that the included CD-ROM publishing, which is simply an audio recording of performances by Leonard Cohen. As the main course is a video, so I'll skip the CD album politely described.
To do justice to the title, "Songs From The Road" is a collection of 12 songs played in a variety of settings (from London's Royal Albert Hall , and O2, the Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv) and the relatively long period of time (from October 2008 to November 2009.) If however, Cohen's hard to recognize the extent of the overly large value - the guy is on stage for over forty years, so 13 months really does not change it anymore. The more that the majority of these routes of concerts with the artist presenting a well-known and material bodies.
LYRICALLY
What we have here? Old man who mumbles his songs, sometimes a bit zwawiej in "Closing Time" or "Lover, Lover, Lover", sometimes acoustic (Cohen + guitar - so its actually a game!) as the "Avalanche" and "Suzanne"do not despise the blues ("Bird On The Wire", "Famous Blue Raincoat"). Mr. Leonard buzz that makes the audience focus on the stories told by him, not melodies. Because most of these blend together ...
Cohen usually stands on the stage (stages), washed with little emotion. From time to time his face appears on the proof that, however, alive zalatujace country experiencing a "Heart With No Companion" (paramount soundscapes pedal steel!), hovers above the ground in California, playing "Hallelujah" (BTW: every time, when I listen to it in the original, Gain convinced that Jeff Buckley made it a million times more interesting.) Ba, Cohen sometimes even smiling! A joke is announcing , "That Do not Make It Junk", and it enjoys when he gets flowers after the "Heart With No Companion", and it bravely bowing to the "Closing Time". It's not a volcano of energy, but then it never was.
Leonard Cohen has always put on the atmosphere - intimate, mysterious, sad (mostly), and this irrespective of the place in which it occurs. These spots are already many thousands of halls and stadiums, so the ability to capture the audience as the mouth, and "forcing" them to the departure of lyrical craftsmanship is the top stage. Despite the 76 springs in the back of the neck Cohen has no problem with that.
TECHNICALLY
I have a problem with a clear assessment of the effects of the work of technicians who prepared the DVD. Ok, Dean is really beautiful, the DD 5.1 sounds suitably spatially, engagingly and clean. Applause. But the picture in times of high definition leaves much to be desired. Every now and then strikes the viewer pikseloza, the colors are quite saturated, which is very tiring. On the other hand - maybe that's what it was? Cohen has not yet had to his credit a decent DVD, and that there is an artist associate with being modern, they decided to do a bit of the old visual style.
Such a suspicion we may have seen it work the cameras. Picture is changing so slowly, as the Canadian music is lazy and does not have a choice of settings, but watching these shows come to the conclusion that we are not at all necessary. Likewise obeszlibysmy without documentary film depicting scenes tour of Leonardo.
Put a whole - well, that we finally have a DVD with music Cohen, although it seems to me that fans of the artist instead of the album rather have a set of new songs. Well, as you do not have what you like ...
[3,5 / 5]
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen
Kanadský zpevák a básník vydal presvedcivé živé album.
Díky albu Songs From The Road máme konecne dokument o jednom z nejkrásnejších koncertu, které kdy prošly pres území naší republiky. Petasedmdesátiletý básník, zpevák a entertainer Leonard Cohen tehdy v tríhodinovém show vytvoril nenapodobitelnou atmosféru harmonie, na niž se nedá zapomenout. Práve vydané Songs From The Road jsou jen výnatkem z okouzlující podívané, sestaveným pouze z dvanácti písní cili jen zhruba z poloviny koncertu. Každá z písní navíc pochází z jiného vystoupení, z jiného mesta.
K našemu žalu v nich také chybí rozsáhlejší sóla jednotlivých muzikantu, která (aspon pri pražském vystoupení) posunula Cohenovy melodicky jednoduché folkové a countryové melodie do multižánrového rozmeru. Postrádáme také blok Webb Sisters, folkového dua, které bylo víc než jen sboristkami, spíš andelskými hlasy, schopnými promlouvat v Cohenove láskyplném duchu i k nejzatvrzelejším duším. Musíme ale uznat, že jiste bolestivé orezání vzniklo s citem pro poslech zvukového nosice, na nemž bez obrazu pusobívají nekteré koncertní speciality až príliš ploše nebo rozvlekle. I tak si skoro každý z muzikantu na zmenšené ploše najde prostor, aby elegantne alespon naznacil, co dovede.
O Cohenovi básníkovi bylo napsáno hodne a z tohoto hlediska deska nic nového neprináší. Každý cohenolog ocení, že si umelec vybral skladby ze všech fází své tvorby - od nezbytné Suzanne pres dnes ješte slavnejší Hallelujah až po That Don't Make It Junk z roku 2001. Kupodivu na nich nezní o moc víc stare než na puvodních nahrávkách. Hlubší hlasy se totiž tolik nemení.
Pozdní sber
Zhruba rok pred vydáním Songs From The Road se na trhu objevilo jiné koncertní album, záznam Cohenova slavného vystoupení na festivalu na Isle of Wight v roce 1970. Cohen byl tehdy na vrcholu sil, atmosféra doznívajícího kvetinového hnutí udelala také své, ale dnes ve srovnání s novým albem pusobí z hudebního hlediska nezajímave.
Zatímco pred ctyriceti roky to byly hezké písne v country rockovém balení, dnes má zpívající básník za sebou fantastický soubor s globálním hudebním záberem. S trochou nadsázky se dá ríct, že je to hudba pro celou planetu. Koreny jsou nepochybne angloamerické - folk z britských ostrovu, k tomu country a místy i jazz a gospel, ale aranžmá šéfa kapely Rosco Becka navíc casto reflektují hudbu španelských cikánu, klezmer nebo balkánskou a arabskou kulturu. Tak se zrodila košatá a do sebe dokonale zapadající stylová smes, z níž nejvíc na povrch vystupuje virtuózní hrác na ruzné stredomorské strunné nástroje Javier Mas, sólista na dechové nástroje Dino Soldo a starý westcoastový rockový a pop jazzový harcovník Neil Larsen, jehož Hammondovy varhany spolu s Webb Sisters vytvárejí písním prostredí skoro nebeské. Pro nekoho muže být výsledek nekdy až na hranici cukrkandlu, ale tím se vyrovnává obcasná horkost Cohenových veršu.
Hudba pro pokrocilé
Cohen má za sebou od konce šedesátých let už šest koncertních alb. O jeho neutuchajícím tvurcím potenciálu svedcí fakt, že nová deska nejenže neupadá do klišé a staré známé skladby predstavuje v novém, aktuálnejším hávu. Jeho dnešní styl není nijak avantgardní, ale v každém prípade originální. Presto, pokud ješte existuje nekdo, kdo Cohena nezná a chtel by se s jeho dílem seznámit, mel by zacít s nejakou jinou deskou. Tohle je deska pro pokrocilejší znalce díla kanadského básníka, kterí ocení, že slyší duverne známé veci v novém kontextu. Když nás vitální starý pán dokázal bavit tri hodiny pri svém vystoupení, smekali jsme s obdivem klobouk nad jeho energií. Ted patrí klobouk dolu nad jeho ochotou nezustávat ani v pozdním veku u úspešných klišé a hledat nové pohledy na staré veci.
Elegantní bard
Leonard Cohen (1934) patrí i pres svuj vek k nezastupi-telným hlasum na hudební scéne. Jeho básnická kariéra se zacala odvíjet již v padesátých letech, aby již v šedesátých letech zazáril jako citlivý popový zpevák, který dodnes neztratil nic ze své síly, což potvrzuje poslední živá nahrávka Songs From The Road
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen
Canadian singer and poet delivered compelling live album.
With the album Songs From The Road we finally have a document on one of the finest concerts ever passed through our country. Petasedmdesátiletý poet, singer and Entertainer, Leonard Cohen, then the three-hour show created a unique atmosphere of harmony, to which we can not forget. Just released Songs From The Road is only an excerpt from a charming spectacle, drawn up by only twelve songs, or roughly half of the concert. Each song comes from the addition of another show, another city.
To our sorrow in them is also a lack of extensive solo musicians, which (at least at the Prague show) Cohen moved melodically simple folk and country music ringtones to multi-genre dimension. We lack a block of Webb Sisters, a folk duo, which was more than just a chorus girl, more angelic voices able to speak in Cohen also nejzatvrzelejším spirit of loving souls. But we recognize that certainly painful trimming was created with a passion for listening to audio media, for which no image pusobívají some concert specials to your desktop or too slow. Even so, almost everyone from musicians to find a reduced surface area to at least gracefully suggested as I can.
The poet Cohen was written a lot and in this sense is nothing new album brings. Each cohenolog appreciate that the artist chose songs from all phases of his career - from Suzanne necessary today even more famous through the Hallelujah to That Do not Make It Junk in 2001. Surprisingly, they do not sound to much more than the old original recordings. Deeper voices does not change much.
Late harvest
About a year before the release of Songs From The Road came on the market another concert album, Cohen's famous record of performance at the Isle of Wight in 1970. Cohen was then the peak of his powers, the atmosphere of the fading flower of its movement has done well, but today, compared with a new album of works from a musical standpoint, uninteresting.
While forty years ago, it was a nice song in country rock package, now has a singing poet in another set of fantastic music with a global focus. With some exaggeration we can say that this is music for the entire planet. The roots are undoubtedly the Anglo-American - from the British Isles folk, to country and sometimes even jazz and gospel, but the head band arrangement Rosco Beck often reflect the Spanish gypsy music, klezmer and Balkan and Arab culture. Thus was born a spreading and fading into each other perfectly blend style, from which most of the surface of the performs a virtuoso player on the Mediterranean variety of stringed instruments, Javier Mas, a soloist in the brass instruments and old Dino Soldo westcoastový rock and pop jazz harcovník Neil Larsen, a Hammond organ with Webb Sisters songs create an environment almost heavenly. For some, the result may be sometimes to the point of candy, but it compensates for the occasional bitterness of Cohen's verses.
Music Advanced
Cohen has had since the late sixties for six live albums. Its ceaseless creative potential is the fact that the new board not only does not fall into clichés and old familiar songs in a new, more recent guise. His current style is not avant-garde, but in any case the original. Yet, even if there is anyone who knows Cohen and would like to know his work, he should start with another plate. This board is for the advanced expert work of Canadian poet, who appreciate hearing familiar things in a new context. When our vital old man who could talk for three hours at their performances, we have hats hat in admiration at his energy. Now is the hat down over his willingness or not to stay late at the age of cliches and successful search for new perspectives on old things.
Elegant Bard
Leonard Cohen (1934) is, despite his age to nezastupi-telným voices on the music scene. His poetic career began to unfold during the fifties to the sixties, has shone as a sensitive pop singer, who has not lost none of its power, which confirms recent live recording of Songs From The Road.
Leonard Cohen: Bird On A Wire and Songs From The Road
Bird On A Wire
(MVD Entertainment Group)
Rating: * * * *
Songs From the Road
(Columbia/Legacy)
Rating: * * * 1/2
If you liked Don’t Look Back, you’ll love this: A true testament to a legend’s artistry, director Tony Palmer’s (200 Motels) Bird On A Wire is an utterly essential addition to any Leonard Cohen-o-phile’s collection. Last year, having found and painstakingly restored original footage long thought lost in the sands of time, Palmer has now finished this intimate depiction of Cohen nearly four decades after starting it. The shockingly candid film takes you on a backstage journey with Cohen, his band, handlers and hangers-on, as they trek from Ireland to Israel on a 20-date tour in 1972.
While riding shotgun with Cohen & Co., you witness the songwriter reading poetry, uncontrollably wooing women, swimming in the nude, eating acid on his way to the stage and other road-worn indulgences. But that’s not what makes this such a compelling rock doc. Of course, there are the 17 spellbinding performances of outright Cohen classics like “Avalanche,” “Chelsea Hotel” and “Famous Blue Raincoat” – each as bone-chilling and hauntingly serene as their original recordings, if not more. But, those aren’t what most compel the viewer either. What makes Bird On A Wire so engrossing is the way it captures Cohen’s growing unease and anxiety while he was ascending to the peak of his popularity.
As the tour progresses through malfunctioning sound systems, unruly audiences and bumbling interviewers, Cohen struggles to come to grips with the gravity of his own success. It’s a struggle that increasingly finds its way to the stage, plaguing some performances and yielding sheer brilliance in others – culminating in Jerusalem, where Cohen has a mid-show meltdown. Claiming he “can’t fake it,” he retreats to his dressing room, deathly afraid to return to the stage, beyond which thousands of fans feverishly wait. He’s eventually talked off the ledge and persuaded to finish the show, which he does with a stunning rendition of “So Long, Marianne” that ends with him in tears.
At 73, Cohen seems a little more well-adjusted on Songs From The Road, a more traditional tour souvenir. It’s a live CD/DVD combo featuring 12 performances, culled from his acclaimed 2009 world tour. If you saw him play in the flesh, here’s a chance to relive a dozen memories. And if you’re still kicking yourself for not pulling off a diamond heist to get enough money for tickets, here’s a glimpse into what you missed. On those terms it’s well done, but Songs doesn’t offer the revelatory riches and fascinating insights into Leonard Cohen, the man, that dominate Bird On A Wire. Still, despite a misplaced alto solo here and there, the 2009 performances – taken from locales as widespread as Tel Aviv and Coachella – show Cohen crooning in the moments of vocal tenderness and well-aged beauty that made his high-ticket prices worth every last penny.
ENGLISH VERSION.
lemez - LEONARD COHEN: SONGS FROM THE ROAD
Cohent alighanem mindenki bírja, azt a végtelenül érzéki, zsíros hangját, azt a magára növesztett egykedv és fegyelmezettség mögül elokúszó méla és borongó fájdalmat, amely a legtöbb dalára jellemzo. Nem állítom, hogy szorosan követtem az immár 76 éves kanadai énekes pályafutását, viszont ott volt mindig is stabilan az örökké elo-eloveheto, újrahallgatható oskedvenceim sorában. Az újabb felvételeivel sem volt különösebben bajom, de nem is tapadtak meg bennem igazán - a 2001-es Ten New Songs volt az utolsó, amit hallottam, és tessék, nem ismertem föl ezen az élo felvételen az innen átvett That Don't Make It Junkot. Azt viszont, hogy nem voltam ott a tavalyi budapesti koncertjén, hamar megbántam, hiszen mindenki csak dicsérte éneklésének, színpadi jelenlétének a minimalizmusa ellenére is átüto erejét. És ezt az erot, a turné hangulatát valahogy ez a lemez is megorizte, nem is tudom, hogyan: Cohen - persze megkopott - hangjának rezdülésein keresztül, netán épp a kopás érzékeltetésével, amirol mi más is juthatna eszünkbe, mint a mulandóság. De legalább ennyire fontos elemnek tunik a kíséro zenészek - természetesen hibátlan - játékának visszafogottsága, halk alázata, ahogy egyáltalán nem hivalkodik a felfrissített hangzás, a bevezeto ütemek hol latinos, hol countrys megszólalása. És persze Cohen csendesen merengo hangja - milyen kár, hogy nem hallgathatom meg ezen a lemezen a The Partisan után, hogy mit kezd mostanában a Who By Fire-rel!
Translated by Google Translate
Disc - LEONARD COHEN: SONGS FROM THE ROAD
Cohen is probably everyone endures, the sensual, unctuous voice of the discipline itself and grown egykedv elokúszó behind the gloomy melancholy and pain, which is typical of most of the song. I do not claim to have followed closely by the now 76 years old Canadian singer career, but there was always firmly in the ever-eloveheto, újrahallgatható oskedvenceim row. The recordings were not particularly new problem, but did not really stick with me - in the 2001 Ten New Songs was the last I heard, and here, I did not recognize her here on this live recording is taken from That Do not Make It Junkcent. He, however, that I was not there a concert in Budapest last year, quickly regretted, because everybody just praise singing, stage presence, despite the striking power of minimalism. And this power, the atmosphere of the tour, this album is somehow preserved, I do not know how to: Cohen - of course worn - through the vibration of sound, or even just to wear to illustrate what else we could play our mind, such as transience. But it seems at least equally important element of the session musicians - of course, correct - play of restrained, quiet humility, as the revamped sound does not ostentatious, the introductory rates, sometimes Latin, sometimes countrys sound. And of course, Cohen quietly brooding voice - what a pity that they do not listen to this album in The Partisan , after what now begins to Who By Fire-rel!
ENGLISH VERSION.
Zlota Plyta dla "Songs From The Road" Leonarda Cohen
CGM
- October 30, 2010
Album ukazal sie w wersji CD, DVD oraz Blu-ray
Najnowszy album Leonarda Cohena "Songs From The Road" w miesiac po swojej premierze otrzymal status Zlotej Plyty.
Leonard Cohen – artysta, którego twórczosc uksztaltowala muzycznie wiele pokolen powrócil z charakterystyczna dla siebie niezwykla pasja do studia nagraniowego oraz na scene koncertowa. Owocem tego wielkiego powrotu jest koncertowy album "Songs From The Road" na którym znalazlo sie tuzin najbardziej popularnych piosenek Leonarda z ostatnich swiatowych wystepów w najbardziej znanych salach koncertowych, na festiwalach czy stadionach od Tel Avivu po Londyn. Ten wyjatkowy zbiór 12 piosenek dostepny jest na CD, DVD i Blu-Ray – jako bonus do wydan DVD i Blu-ray zostaly dolaczone wywiady "zza sceny" z czlonkami zespolu, przeprowadzone przez córke artysty Lorce Cohen.
Wydania te zostaly dodatkowo wzbogacone o dwa atrakcyjne dodatki. Jednym z nich sa napisane przez Leona Wieseltier’a, redaktora The New Republic eseje w ksiazeczce dolaczanej do plyty kompaktowej. Drugi to szczególowy komentarz "track po tracku" stworzony przez Eda Sandersa, realizatora nagran dzwiekowych i montazu oraz producenta i rezysera nagran audiowizualnych, który powiedzial: "Bylem na kazdej próbie, na kazdej próbie dzwieku, na kazdym koncercie".
Sluchajac utworów zaspiewanych przez Leonarda na plycie "Songs From The Road" nie sposób nie oprzec sie wrazeniu, iz jak pisal irlandzki "The Independent" w czerwcu 2008 roku "Gdy legendarny Cohen wchodzi na scene mozna jego wystep uznac za kulturowe przezycie w wymiarze biblijnym".
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Gold Record for "Songs From The Road" by Leonard Cohen
CGM
- October 30, 2010
The album was released in CD, DVD and Blu-ray
The latest album of Leonard Cohen's "Songs From The Road" in the months after its launch has received Gold Record status.
Leonard Cohen - an artist whose work has shaped many generations back musically with characteristic passion unique to the recording studio and concert stage. The fruit of this return is a great live album "Songs From The Road" on which there were a dozen of the most popular songs of Leonard's recent performances in the world's most famous concert halls, festivals and stadiums from Tel Aviv to London. This unique collection of 12 songs is available on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray - as a bonus to release DVD and Blu-ray were included interviews, "behind the scenes" team members, conducted by the artist's daughter, Lorca Cohen.
These editions have been enhanced with two attractive extras. One of them are written by Leo Wieseltier'a, editor of The New Republic essays in the booklet that accompanies the CD. The second is a detailed commentary "track after track of" created by Ed Sanders, the contractor and the installation of sound recordings and film director and producer of audiovisual recordings, which he said: "I was at every rehearsal, at every rehearsal sound at every concert."
Listening to the songs sung by Leonard on the album "Songs From The Road," one can not escape the impression that the Irish as he wrote, "The Independent" in June 2008, "When the legendary Cohen takes the stage, his performance can be considered as a dimension of cultural survival in the Bible" .
ENGLISH VERSION.
Rutas y poesía 40 ańos después
La Gaceta
- October 27, 2010 by Facundo Pereyra
Volvió a la carretera con sus canciones de siempre, después de 15 ańos de no girar, y grabó todo. Cuatro décadas de carrera, su ingreso al Salón de la Fama del Rock, y la inquietud musical que lo convirtieron en ícono del country-folk norteamericano revivieron en cada concierto.
Poeta, escritor, músico y cantante, incluyó en este CD+DVD arreglos de último momento e improvisaciones en vivo que le aportan frescura a esas canciones de lírica emotiva y construcciones literarias complejas que se recuestan en el amor, el sexo y la religión como temas centrales.
"Songs from the road" (Canciones desde la carretera) incluye grabaciones registradas entre 2008 y 2009 en auditorios y festivales de Tel Aviv, Europa, Estados Unidos y su Canadá natal.
El editor literario del diario "The New Republic", Leon Wieseltier, aporta textos explicativos, y el productor del disco, Ed Sanders, da explicaciones sobre cada uno de los temas, su historia y qué ocurrió en el show donde se grabó.
El álbum incluye clásicos como "Suzanne" (del debut "Songs of Leonard Cohen", 1967) y "The Partisan" (1969) hasta "That don’t make it junk" (2001).
Para los seguidores de Cohen es la oportunidad de un reencuentro ansiado. Para los demás, la oportunidad de conocer un artista diferente, que con su voz grave y su prosa ajustada influyó a varias generaciones de músicos en todo el mundo.
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Routes and poetry 40 years after
La Gaceta
- October 27, 2010 by Facundo Pereyra
The road again with his songs ever, after 15 years of not turning, and recorded everything. Four-decade career, joining Hall of Fame Rock and musical restlessness that made him an icon of American country-folk revived at every concert.
Poet, writer, musician and singer, included in this CD + DVD last-minute arrangements and improvisations in vivo that adds freshness to these songs of lyrical emotion and complex literary constructions lie down on love, sex and religion as topics plants.
"Songs from the road" (Songs from the road) includes recordings made between 2008 and 2009 at venues and festivals in Tel Aviv, Europe, USA and his native Canada.
The literary editor of the newspaper "The New Republic, Leon Wieseltier, provides explanatory text, and the album's producer, Ed Sanders, gives explanations on each of the issues, history and what happened in the show where it was recorded.
The album includes classics like "Suzanne" (the debut "Songs of Leonard Cohen", 1967) and "The Partisan" (1969) to "That Do not Make It Junk" (2001).
For fans of Cohen is the opportunity of a long-awaited reunion. For others, the opportunity to meet a different artist, whose voice low and tight prose influenced several generations of musicians worldwide.
Leonard Cohen: Songs from the Road
Exclaim - October 20, 2010 by Daniel Sylvester
The events that led Leonard Cohen to hit the road after a 15-year break are inauspicious at best. But what has seemed like a never-ending tour for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has turned out to be a blessing for fans and Mr. Cohen alike. Picking through the best of the best, Songs from the Road (his sixth live album) features a dozen stoically fervent, well-conceived performances from London, England's Royal Albert Hall, London, ON's John Labbatt Centre, Tel Aviv, Helsinki and Coachella. As expected, the dusty-voiced, loner poet of old is long gone. Instead, audiences are met with a live show that features background singers, trained musicians and smaltz galore. Of course, songs like "Suzanne," "Hallelujah" and "Bird on a Wire" are as stirring as ever, but it's rarely performed tracks like "Lover, Lover, Lover," "Avalanche" and "Heart With No Compassion" that make Songs from the Road a keeper, smaltz and all.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Visszataps: Leonard Cohen - Songs from the Road
MR2
- October 20, 2010 by Kovács Gellért
Egy újabb koncertalbum Leonard Cohentol. Lemezajánlónk.
Ha bárki másról, ismétlem, ha bárki másról lenne szó, ingatnánk a fejünket, hogy minek egy újabb koncertlemez - hiszen még az elozo is ott visszhangzik legbelül. De Leonard Cohen nem akárki. Hanem az egyik legfontosabb Valaki.
Poéta, dalszerzo, mormogós hangú prédikátor - a kanadai legenda magába és belénk nézo életmuve hosszú-hosszú évek óta lényeges hivatkozási alap, ha a költészet és a popkultúra metszéspontjait keressük. Cohen idén volt 76 éves, s nála jobban senkinek sem áll jobban a ránc. Bár sohasem volt éppenséggel babaarcú, a korosodástól csak még hitelesebbnek tetszik. Visszatéro (tán búcsúzkodó?) turnéján mi, magyarok is láthattuk-hallhattuk, ahogy a Cohen-dal éloben betölti a legnagyobb teret, s olyan klubtemplomot varázsol elénk, ahova gond nélkül beférnek tízezren is. De most komolyan: ebbol az élménybol hogyan is lehetne elég?
Úgyhogy hiába jött ki tavaly a koncertkörút szigetországi csúcsfellépését megörökíto Live in London, a Songs from the Road-nak is csak örülhetünk. Egyrészt azért, mert így lesz kerek az élmény, hiszen a 12 trackbol nyolc az elozo anyagon nem szerepelt: itt van például a Lover, Lover, Lover; Heart With No Companion vagy a Famous Blue Raincoat. Ráadásul ahány dal, annyiféle közönségzaj: Tel Aviv, Göteborg, Helsinki és még sok más város népe hallgatja a prózában szukszavú mestert, olykor már-már vallásos áhítatban, két dal között komoly ovációval. No persze tévedés ne essék: nem Cohen a bálvány, o „csak” közvetíto. Viszont olyan mágneses erovel bír, amelyet csak piros betus ünnepnapokon tapasztalni koncertszínpadokon. Megragadja a mikrofont, s vele a lelkünket is szorongatja.
A Songs from the Road nagy pillanata például, ahogy a kaliforniai Coachella Fesztivál közönsége a fülünk hallatára éri el a totális katarzist a Hallelujah fináléjában. Nem tudom, hogy a szabad ég alatt volt-e a koncert, de ha nem, a tisztelt publikum biztosan szétszedte a házat. A Teremto pedig fentrol integetett mindehhez. Egy szó mint száz, Cohenbol sosem elég: ha van még a kiadónál néhány felvétel a turnéról, nyugodtan adják ki azokat is, nagy baj nem lehet belole. Bár a borítókép, amin a kalapos nekünk háttal kószál elfele, szomorkás jövoképet ígér. De ne legyen igazam: vegyük ezt csak muvészi beállításnak. Mindenesetre jót tenne nekünk, ha Cohen még néhányszor meggondolná magát, s felsétálna a színpadra énekelni kicsit. Mert amit tud, arra egyre nagyobb a szükség.
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Visszataps: Leonard Cohen - Songs From The Road
MR2
- October 20, 2010 by Kovács Gellért
Leonard Cohentol a new live album. Lemezajánlónk.
If anyone else, I repeat, if anyone else would be involved, ingatnánk our heads to what a new LIVE recording - as yet there is an echo of the previous inside. Leonard Cohen, but not anyone. But one of the most important someone.
Poet, songwriter, preacher voiced mormogós - Canadian legend himself and us the viewers a long, long life-work has been an essential reference for when the search for intersections of poetry and pop culture. Cohen was 76 years old this year, and better than he is nobody better in the crease. Although it was never actually babaarcú, the more credible korosodástól just like it. Return (bidding farewell perhaps?) Tour, we Hungarians have seen, heard, as the Cohen-song live on the largest load space, and a klubtemplomot conjures up before us, where tens of thousands can fit in without any problem. But seriously now: how it could be enough to élménybol?
So I came out last year despite the island csúcsfellépését memorial concert tour Live in London, the Songs from the Road's only rejoice. Both because it will be a round of pleasure, because eight of the 12 trackbol material was not included in the previous: here as Lover, Lover, Lover, Heart With No Companion Famous Blue Raincoat or. In addition, the number of songs, so many közönségzaj in Tel Aviv, Gothenburg, Helsinki and many other people of the city listening to the laconic prose master, and sometimes an almost religious devotion, the two songs is a major ovation. Well of course, make no mistake: Cohen is not the idol, he is "only" mediator. However, has a magnetic force that only experience a red-letter koncertszínpadokon holidays. He grabs the microphone, and with it the soul is also distressing.
The Songs from the Road is a great moment, for example, as California's Coachella Festival, the audience heard in the ears reach the total of catharsis Hallelujah finale. I do not know that the sky was free to the concert, but if not, the esteemed audience certainly dismantled the house. Creator and waving from the top of the music. Than one hundred words, Cohenbol never enough, even if the publisher has some footage of the tour, feel free to give them too large can not be wrong with it. Cover the bar, on which the hat to hang around with his back to us away, sad vision of promise. But I'm not: take this art only option. In any event, would be good for us, even if Cohen change your mind several times, and felsétálna on stage to sing a bit. Because we know that there is a growing need.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen: Zwei neue DVDs über den großen Dichter und Songwriter
..."Songs From The Road" ist eher eine Begleitgabe als ein Nachklapp, denn die große Abschiedstournee des weisen Gurus ist ja noch nicht beendet. Zwölf Songs aus zwölf Konzerten in zwölf Städten in den Jahren 2008 und 2009 wurden hier zusammengestellt, was gar nicht auffällt, denn Hut und Anzug bleiben ebenso gleich wie die Musiker und die Interpretationen. "Lover Lover Lover" wurde erst spät ins Programm genommen; "That Don’t Make It Junk" ist eine gelinde Überraschung; sonst hören wir "Chelsea Hotel No. 2", "Suzanne", "Avalanche", "Bird On The Wire", "Hallelujah", "The Partisan", "Closing Time". Die Hinter-der-Bühne-Dokumentation von Lorca Cohen zeigt sehr freundlich Gitarren-Techniker und Musiker. Vater Cohen eilt schnell in die Tiefgarage und steigt in den Jeep: Er will seine Ruhe haben, heute wie 1972. (Voiceprint; Sony)
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Leonard Cohen: Two new DVDs about the great poet and songwriter
..."Songs From The Road" is more a companion than a gift Nachklapp, for the big farewell tour of the wise guru is not yet finished, yes. Twelve Songs of twelve concerts in twelve cities in the years 2008 and 2009 were compiled, which is not noticeable, because in suit and hat as well stay the same as the musicians and the interpretations. "Lover Lover Lover" was taken late in the program, "That Do not Make It Junk" is a mild surprise, otherwise we hear "Chelsea Hotel No. 2.", "Suzanne," "Avalanche," "Bird On The Wire "" Hallelujah, "" The Partisan, "" Closing Time ". The behind-the-scene documentary by Lorca Cohen shows very friendly guitar technician and musician. Cohen's father quickly passes into the garage and get in the jeep: He wants to have his rest today, as 1972nd (Voice Print, Sony)
ENGLISH VERSION.
Songs From the Road
* * * * * 5 stars
Poco después de celebrar sus 40 ańos como artista, Leonard Cohen anunció su primera gira en 15 ańos. En ese tour surgió Songs from the Road, un álbum compuesto por un CD y un DVD en el que se incluyen una selección con las canciones más conocidas del músico grabadas en vivo.
Además del set de 12 canciones, el DVD incluye una entrevista de 20 minutos detrás de escena con cada uno de los miembros de la banda. Las entrevistas fueron hechas por la hija de Leonard, Lorca Cohen. El álbum también incluye un ensayo escrito por Leon Wieseltier -editor literario del diario The New Republic- y comentario que detalla cada una de las pistas escrito por Ed Sanders, el productor de la grabación de sonido y edición y director de la grabación de video.
En Songs from the Road están representadas todas las décadas del su vida como artista, desde los ańos 60 (Suzanne de su álbum debut de 1967, Songs Of Leonard Cohen; Bird on the Wire y su interpretación de The Partisan pertenecen al segundo álbum de 1969 Songs From a Room) - hasta sus trabajos más actuales (That Don't Make it Junk del álbum de 2001, Ten New Songs).
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Songs From the Road
* * * * * 5 stars
Shortly after celebrating his 40 years as an artist, Leonard Cohen announced his first tour in 15 years. In this tour came Songs from the Road, an album consisting of a CD and a DVD which includes a selection of the best-known songs recorded live musician.
In addition to the set of 12 songs, the DVD includes a 20-minute interview behind the scenes with each of the members of the band. The interviews were conducted by Leonard's daughter, Lorca Cohen. The album also includes an essay by Leon Wieseltier, literary editor of The New Republic, and commentary that details each of the tracks written by Ed Sanders, producer of sound recording and editing, and director of the video recording.
In Songs from the Road are represented every decade of his life as an artist, since the 60 (Suzanne from her debut album in 1967, Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Bird on the Wire and his interpretation of The Partisan belong to the second album, 1969 SFrom a Room NGOs) - to her most current (That Do not Make It Junk 's 2001 album, Ten New Songs).
DVDs: Leonard Cohen-Palooza! (And More)
Huffington Post - October 15, 2010 by Michael Giltz
SONGS FROM THE ROAD ($24.98 BluRay or $17.98 CD/DVD; Sony Legacy) -- Oh how times have changed. Cohen has grown from thanking someone for pushing him into a bad publishing deal to having to push himself out onto the road to make some money after another so-called friend bilked him out of funds and left Cohen broke. But out of this sad circumstance came a heartening world tour in which Cohen played and sang with more assurance to more fans than ever before. This concert picks and chooses the best performances (12 in all) from the entire tour, so a song from 2008 at the O2 Arena in London is followed by another one year later in San Jose, California. It all flows smoothly because of a relative lack of unnecessary editing (by today's standards) and the eternal presence of Cohen and that voice and those lyrics. Perhaps the biggest change is how his public persona has evolved so gracefully. A man who has spent so many decades showered with praise might understandably be even more solemn and serious and full of himself. Instead, Cohen is revealed as puckish, self-deprecating and generous of heart time and again. The result is a fine keepsake from probably the last tour of this magnitude he'll ever take.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen apresenta “Songs From the Road”
Quem se deixou arrebatar pelo ótimo “Live in London’’ (2009), registro de uma apresentaçăo de Leonard Cohen realizada em 2008, irá se surpreender com o repertório e com o teor de sua nova coletânea ao vivo, “Songs from the Road’’, que sai em CD e DVD nos Estados Unidos.
Enquanto o anterior comprovava a eficácia das suas músicas mais conhecidas ao vivo, este traz uma abordagem amadurecida e sofisticada de temas menos óbvios, extraídos de 11 shows que aconteceram entre 2008 e 2009. “The Future’’ e “Dance Me to the End of Love’’ săo ausęncias notáveis.
O músico priorizou o cancioneiro de sua fase trovador, vivida entre os álbuns “Songs of Leonard Cohen’’ (1968) e “New Skin for the Old Ceremony’’ (1974), período no qual suas composiçőes se desenvolviam em longas narrativas de alta densidade poética e diferenciavam-se pela singeleza da interpretaçăo. O que lhes atribuía um inegável tom confessional.
Mas, como Bob Dylan, Cohen se recusa a servir de fantoche para o passado e todo o seu repertório passa pelo crivo de suas preferęncias estéticas (e de suas capacidades técnicas) atuais.
E as variaçőes se dăo em todas as esferas, de andamento e arranjo ŕ estrutura básica de algumas cançőes, como um verso completamente novo que foi acrescentado a “Bird on a Wire’’.
Temas imortalizados no formato voz e violăo ganharam novos instrumentos como guitarra de 12 cordas, alaúde, flauta e bandolim.
Este último é responsável pelas introduçőes de “Lover, Lover, Lover’’ e “The Partisan’’, que ganham um inegável verniz de flamenco.
A compassiva “Chelsea Hotel’’, em que Cohen canta acompanhado por órgăo, torna-se um gospel suave e ainda mais intimista.
Uma das mais gratas surpresas do disco, “Heart with no Companion’’ tem coro feminino e slide guitar, assemelhando-se a um country de bar de caminhoneiros.
Mais do que um trabalho de reciclagem, “Songs from the Road’’ apresenta uma noçăo de unidade capaz de amarrar suas 12 faixas como se elas compartilhassem o conceito de um álbum.
Tanto que as famigeradas “Suzanne’’ e “Waiting for the Miracle’’, além de “Bird on a Wire’’, misturam-se facilmente ŕs demais.
Além de fazer um importante registro do músico na maturidade, a coletânea atiça ainda mais a expectativa para o novo disco de inéditas de Leonard Cohen, prometido para 2011.
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Leonard Cohen presents "Songs From the Road"
Who is left for the great snatch "Live in London''(2009), record a presentation by Leonard Cohen performed in 2008, will be amazed at the repertoire and with the content of his new live compilation,"Songs from the Road", out on CD and DVD in the United States.
While the former proved the effectiveness of their most famous songs live, it brings a sophisticated and mature approach to less obvious subjects, taken from 11 concerts that took place between 2008 and 2009. "The Future" and "Dance Me to the End of Love" are notable absences.
The musician has prioritized the songbook of his minstrel stage, lived between the albums "Songs of Leonard Cohen"(1968) and "New Skin for the Old Ceremony" (1974), during which his compositions were being developed for long narratives of high poetic density and were distinguished by simplicity of interpretation. What gave them an undeniable confessional tone.
But as Bob Dylan, Cohen refuses to serve as a puppet to the past and through his repertoire is filtered through his aesthetic preferences (and their technical capabilities) today.
And the variations occur in all spheres, progress to the basic structure and arrangement of some songs, like a whole new verse was added that the "Bird on a Wire."
Themes immortalized in the format and voice gained new instruments such as guitar 12-string guitar, lute, flute and mandolin.
The latter is responsible for issues of "Lover, Lover, Lover" and "The Partisan," winning an undeniable veneer of flamenco.
The compassionate "Chelsea Hotel," where Cohen sings accompanied by organ, it becomes a smooth gospel and even more intimate.
One of the most pleasant surprises of the album, "Heart With No Companion" is a female chorus and slide guitar, resembling a bar of truck country.
More than a recycling work, "Songs from the Road" has a sense of unity that can tie its 12 tracks as if they share the concept of an album.
Both the infamous "Suzanne" and" Waiting for the Miracle", and "Bird on a Wire", mingle easily with others.
Besides making an important record of the musician at maturity, the collection stirs up even more anticipation for the new album of new material by Leonard Cohen, promised for 2011.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen: Songs From The Road.
Satakunnan Kansa
- October 11, 2010 by Harri Aalto
Loistelias Live In London viime vuodelta saa jatkokseen toisen konserttiäänitteen. Yleisesti tiedossa on, että petollinen manageri vei hienon kanadalaisen runoilijan ja lauluntekijän Leonard Cohenin elinikäiset säästöt, mutta onko tämä jo vähän voiton maksimointia?
Toisin kuin yhdessä konsertissa äänitetty edellinen tupla-cd, Songs From The Road on koottu lähes tusinasta konsertista maailmankiertueelta 2008–2009. Tunnelma on siis vääjäämättä hajanaisempi, mutta eihän se vähennä yksittäisten biisien ja niiden ainutkertaisten tulkintojen arvoa.
Edeltäjästään poiketen albumi sisältää myös Cohenin vähemmän tunnettuja biisejä, kuten yllättäväksi kiertuehitiksi nousseen Heart With No Companionin tai That Don’t Make It Junkin. Ja onhan mukana tietysti Helsingissä syksyllä 2008 äänitetty The Partisan.
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Leonard Cohen: Songs From The Road.
Satakunnan Kansa
- October 11, 2010 by Harri Aalto
Regal Live In London last year is followed by another concert recording. Widely known is that the manager took a treacherous fine Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen's life savings, but whether this is already a bit of profit maximization?
Unlike with a concert recorded in the previous double-CD, Songs From The Road brings together nearly a dozen global concert tour in 2008-2009. The atmosphere is, therefore, inevitably more fragmented, but hey, that deprives the individual songs and their unique interpretations of equality.
Unlike its predecessor the album also includes Cohen's lesser-known songs, such as the surprising tour hit risen Heart With No Companion , or That Do not Make It Junkin. And, of course, of course, involved in Helsinki in the autumn of 2008 recorded in The Partisan.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Mistrz wraca na wyzyny popularnosci. Leonard Cohen wystapi w niedziele na Torwarze
Nasze Miasto
- October 7, 2010 by Lucjan Strzyga
Do salonów muzycznych trafil wlasnie nowy album Leonarda Cohena "Songs From The Road", zebrany tuzin jego najpopularniejszych piosenek w wersji koncertowej. Artysta zarejestrowal je w ciagu ostatnich dwóch lat podczas wystepów w najbardziej znanych salach koncertowych, na stadionach i festiwalach, od Tel Awiwu az po Londyn. Wzbogacona wersja krazka zawiera ponadto krótkie wywiady zza sceny, które z czlonkami Cohenowskiej trupy przeprowadzila córka muzyka Lorca Cohen.
Fani sentymentalnego barda sa zapewne w siódmym niebie, sceptykom trudno zas nie odniesc wrazenia, ze koncertowy album przypomina po trosze skok na kase i zylowanie sentymentu wielbicieli. Uprzedzajac to drugie, wspólpracownicy muzyka natychmiast dorobili do plyty stosowna filozofie. Czasami zadziwiajaca. Na przyklad o utworze "Chelsea Hotel" (nagrano go w londynskim Royal Albert Hall 17 listopada 2008 r.) Ed Sanders, glówny montazowiec i producent Cohena, tak oto opowiadal dziennikarzom: "To genialne wykonanie. Leonard jak w transie cwiczyl w garderobie na dlugo przed wyjsciem na scene i musze przyznac, ze przekonuje mnie jego tlumaczenie, ze czul obecnosc »Kogos« podczas wystepu".
Kim byl ów "Ktos", trudno dociec, Cohen zachowal publiczna dyskrecje, ale - majac na uwadze wyjatkowe uduchowienie artysty - musial to byc ktos znaczny. I jesli dobrze wsluchac sie w 12 hitów z "Songs From The Road", ma sie wrazenie, ze muzyk z tego powodu nie odbebnil jedynie zadanej koncertowej lekcji, ale solidnie sie przylozyl do ostatecznego efektu. "Suzanne", choc zbanalizowana setkami wykonan, brzmi naprawde swiezo, podobnie jak "The Partisan", no i oczywiscie "Hallelujah", które przy mistycznych rewelacjach Sandersa nabiera zupelnie innego wymiaru.
Pozostanmy jeszcze na chwile w tej quasi-religijnej atmosferze. Gdy w 2008 r. Cohen wstapil w prestizowe progi Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i z tego powodu powiadomil fanów o swojej pierwszej od 15 lat trasie koncertowej, irlandzki "The Independent" dal naglówek "Wraca Mesjasz gitary". A gdy zaczely sie pierwsze koncerty (niektóre piosenki z nich znalazly sie na nowej plycie), na lamach gazety mozna bylo przeczytac: "Gdy legendarny Cohen wchodzi na scene, mozna jego wystep uznac za kulturowe przezycie w wymiarze biblijnym". Trzeba zatem przyznac, ze zaliczenie za zycia do grona patriarchów (chocby tylko muzycznych) to wyczyn, który nie kazdemu sie udal w tak spektakularny sposób.
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Master returns to the heights of popularity. Leonard Cohen will perform in Sunday Torwar
Nasze Miasto
- October 7, 2010 by Lucjan Strzyga
Musical hit showrooms just a new album of Leonard Cohen's "Songs From The Road", gathered a dozen of his most popular songs in its live version. He registered them in the past two years while performing in the most famous concert halls, stadiums and festivals, from Tel Aviv to the London. Enriched version of the disc also contains brief interviews from behind the scenes that members of the troupe moved Cohenowskiej daughter Lorca Cohen music.
Fans are probably the sentimental bard in seventh heaven, while doubters are not hard to receive the impression that the live album reminds a little jump on the money and sentiment strand admirers. Anticipating the second, co-music album immediately earned the appropriate philosophy. Sometimes amazing. For example, the song "Chelsea Hotel" (it was recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall 17 November 2008), Ed Sanders, the chief montazowiec Cohen and producer, so he told reporters here: "It's brilliant performance. Leonard in a trance as practiced in the closet for a long time before going on stage and I admit that convinces me of his translation, he felt the presence of "someone" during a performance."
Who was this "someone", it is difficult to investigate, Cohen has retained a public discretion, but - bearing in mind the unique spirituality of the artist - he had to be someone significant. And if you just listen to the 12 hits from "Songs From The Road", one gets the impression that the music for this reason not only to set the concert odbebnil lesson, but it is solidly put to the ultimate effect. "Suzanne," though trite hundreds of performances, sounds really fresh, like "The Partisan" and, of course, "Hallelujah," which, in the mystical revelations Sanders takes on an entirely different dimension.
Let us for a moment in this quasi-religious atmosphere. When, in 2008, Cohen joined the prestigious thresholds Rock Hall of Fame and, therefore, informed the fans of his first 15 years the tour, the Irish, "The Independent" today headline "The Messiah returns guitar." And when they began their first gigs (some of them were songs from the new album), the newspaper could read: "When the legendary Cohen takes the stage, his performance can be considered as a dimension of cultural survival in the Bible." We must therefore admit that the credit for life among the patriarchs (even music) is a feat that not everyone has gone in such a spectacular way.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Najnowszy album oraz koncerty Leonarda Cohena!!!!
Na sklepowych pólkach gosci juz najnowsze dzielo Leonarda Cohena – album „Songs From The Road” , na którym znalazlo sie tuzin najpiekniejszych wystepów Leonarda z ostatnich swiatowych wystepów w najbardziej popularnych salach koncertowych, na festiwalach czy stadionach od Tel Avivu po Londyn zebranych na CD, DVD i plycie Blu-ray.
Zapowiadany na 4 pazdziernika katowicki koncert Leonarda Cohena wzbudzil tak duze zainteresowanie, ze organizatorzy zdecydowali sie na dodatkowy - tym razem w Warszawie. Leonard Cohen wystapi wiec równiez 10 pazdziernika na warszawskim Torwarze.
Leonard Cohen od 4 dekad jest jednym z najbardziej cenionych twórców. Jak sam o sobie mówi: przede wszystkim jestem poeta. Pierwszy tomik poezji wydal w 1956 r., pierwsza powiesc w 1963, pierwsza plyte ("Songs of Leonard Cohen ") w 1967 i natychmiast okrzyknieto go niekwestionowym talentem muzycznym.
Nagrywa plyty i koncertuje od ponad 40 lat, niezmiennie wywolujac owacje na stojaco. Jego glos oraz rzadko spotykana w muzyce popularnej tak wysoka jakosc tekstów czynia go jednym z najbardziej charakterystycznych wykonawców na swiecie. W swoich utworach czesto eksploruje tematy religii, izolacji, seksualnosci i relacji miedzyludzkich, ale - co szczególnie charakterystyczne dla Cohena - najwazniejsze pozostaje miedzy wierszami.
Jest twórca wielu przebojów, które mimo iz powstaly nawet kilkadziesiat lat temu, nadal sa sluchane przez kolejne pokolenia. Jego piosenka "Hallelujah" doczekala sie niezliczonej liczby coverów na calym swiecie, w tym m.in: Rufusa Wainwrighta, U2, K.D. Lang, Justina Timberlake'a, Jeffa Buckleya, Sheryl Crow czy Bon Jovi.
Gdy w 2008 r. Leonard Cohen byl przyjmowany do Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lou Reed powiedzial, ze jest to jeden z "najwazniejszych i najbardziej wplywowych artystów na swiecie".
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His latest album, and concerts of Leonard Cohen!!
Score on the shelves already Leonard Cohen's latest creation - the album "Songs From The Road" on which there were a dozen of the most beautiful performances of Leonard's recent performances in the world's most popular concert halls, festivals and stadiums from Tel Aviv to London collected on CD, DVD and Blu-ray.
Announced on 4 October, Katowice, Leonard Cohen concert attracted so much attention that organizers decided to further - this time in Warsaw. Leonard Cohen, so there is also 10 October in Warsaw Torwar.
Leonard Cohen from four decades is one of the most respected artists. As he says about himself: I am primarily a poet. The first book of poetry published in 1956, the first novel in 1963, their first album ("Songs of Leonard Cohen ") in 1967 and immediately hailed him niekwestionowym musical talent.
Records CDs and performing for over 40 years, invariably resulting in standing ovations. His voice, and rare in popular music as high quality of the texts make it one of the most distinctive artists in the world. In his works often explores themes of religion, isolation, sexuality and relationships, but - what is especially characteristic of Cohen - the most important remains between the lines.
He is the creator of many hits that have arisen, even though a few decades ago, are still listened to by successive generations. His song "Hallelujah" to survive until countless covers worldwide, including m.in: Rufus Wainwright, U2, KD Lang, Justin Timberlake, Jeff Buckley, Sheryl Crow and Bon Jovi.
When in 2008 Leonard Cohen was taken to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lou Reed said he is "one of the most important and influential artists in the world."
Leonard Cohen's Songs From the Road review
Paste Magazine - October 1, 2010 by Michael Dunaway
Leonard Cohen’s new concert DVD Songs From the Road just shouldn’t work. Its subject is a rock star who is 75 years old who never quite fit the rock-star mold in the first place—Canadian (okay, cheap shot there), poet, introspective, reserved, a crooner with a weird voice. Onstage he just sort of—well, stands there and sings, usually with eyes closed and face half-obscured by a completely un-ironic fedora. He and his musicians hardly move. His most famous song, “Hallelujah,” is revered, but usually in cover form courtesy of the beautiful, tragic voice of Jeff Buckley. His influences range from traditional Eastern European ballads to folk to cabaret to sacred music. And no two songs sound the same.
And what songs they are. Sanders wisely chooses to hit audiences early with “Bird on a Wire.” Those who are not already fans of Cohen may only be vaguely aware of the song, but it’s a masterpiece (Kris Kristofferson once said he wanted the song’s first line inscribed on
his tombstone). A perfectly curated mix of old (the classic “Suzanne”) and new (“That Don’t Make it Junk”) follows, with a killer one-two closing punch of the aforementioned “Hallelujah” (I still like Cohen’s own version better than any of the covers) and “Closing Time” (the Cohen song, not the Tom Waits song).
Fans will recognize the film’s title as an homage to Cohen’s classic album Songs From a Room. It doesn’t quite live up to those lofty standards, but for those unfortunate enough to have missed Cohen’s monumental tour last year, this film is the next best thing.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen - Songs from the Road
Podium Info
- September 30, 2010 by Erik Oudman
* * * * out of 5
De befaamde singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen heeft inmiddels de leeftijd van bejaarde en de carričre van een nooit te vergeten grootheid bereikt. In 2008, de artiest had toen al vijftien jaar niet meer opgetreden, besloot Cohen dat het goed was om het podium weer te bestijgen voor een nieuwe tour. Een tour naar 84 verschillende podia. Inmiddels treedt de zanger, die ooit bekend werd met bijvoorbeeld ‘Suzanne’ en het later door Jeff Buckley vertolkte ‘Hallelujah’, vaker op dan de gemiddelde rockartiest van twintig. Op cd-gebied hebben de afgelopen tien jaren voornamelijk in het teken gestaan van live-registraties van de ingetogen zanger. Vanaf 1997 verschenen er maar liefst zes officiële albums van dit kaliber. Songs From the Road is een nieuwe aanvulling op het uitgebreide genre en bestrijkt de periode 2008-2009.
De opnames voor het nieuwe album werden gemaakt in Tel Aviv, Glasgow, Londen, Oberhausen, Helsinki en nog enkele andere grote steden. Er kan veel gezegd worden over Leonard Cohen, maar niet dat hij in kwaliteit verslechterd is. Nummers zoals ‘Famous Blue Rain Coat’ en ‘Chelsea Hotel’ mogen dan iets heser gezongen worden dan vroeger, de uitgebreide begeleiding van saxofoon en achtergrondzangeressen doet de nummer veel goeds. Ook ‘The Partisan’ dat Cohen zelf ooit coverde, heeft niks ingeboet aan kracht en authenciteit. De zanger neemt ons mee door de tijd, waarin ook recentere nummers zoals ‘That Don’t Make it Junk’ vertegenwoordigd zijn. Anders dan zijn live-registratie uit Londen (2009) is dit album van een continu kwalitatief hoogstaand niveau. Het is dan ook meer een soort Best Off live album in tegenstelling tot een concertregistratie van één concert.
“Wat ontbreekt er nog aan dit album?” zou je haast stellen. Het antwoord op die vraag is een track van het jaren ’80 album ‘I’m Your Man’. Bijvoorbeeld ‘First We Take Manhattan’ of ‘Take This Waltz’ hadden niet misstaan op deze aaneenrijging aan hoogtepunten.
Cohen is levend en zingt alsof hij nooit gestopt is. Als één van de weinige artiesten die zich in de tweede helft van hun zeventiger-jaren bevindt kan Cohen met trots zeggen dat hij niet aan kwaliteit heeft ingeboet. De warme, nasale stem is niet of nauwelijks te onderscheiden van zijn eerdere albums. Songs From The Road is dan ook een aanrader voor fans van het eerste uur, maar ook voor nieuw publiek.
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Leonard Cohen - Songs from the Road
Podium Info
- September 30, 2010 by Erik Oudman
* * * * out of 5
The famous singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen has since the age of retirement and career of one unforgettable greatness achieved. In 2008, the artist already had not occurred fifteen years, Cohen decided that it was good to climb the stage again for a new tour. A tour to 84 different venues. Now enters the singer, who was once known for example, "Suzanne" and later performed by Jeff Buckley 'Hallelujah', more often than the average rock artist of twenty. CD-area the last ten years mainly dominated by live recordings of the modest singer. Since 1997 there appeared no fewer than six official albums of this caliber. Songs from the Road is a new addition to the extensive genre and covers the period 2008-2009.
The recordings for the album were made in Tel Aviv, Glasgow, London, Oberhausen, Helsinki and several other large cities. Much can be said about Leonard Cohen, but not that he has deteriorated in quality. Songs like "Famous Blue Raincoat 'and' Chelsea Hotel 'may be something heser sung than before, the extensive support of saxophone and background vocals, the song much good. Also 'The Partisan' that Cohen himself once became this, has nothing lost power and authenticity. The singer takes us through time, which also more recent songs like "That Do not Make It Junk" represented. Unlike his live recording from London (2009), this album is of a continuous quality level. It is more like a live album Best Off unlike a concert recording of a concert.
"What is missing on this album?" Would almost set. The answer to that question is a track from the 80's album I'm Your Man '. For example 'First We Take Manhattan "or" Take This Waltz "would fit in this concatenation of highlights.
Cohen is alive and sings as if he never stopped. As one of the few artists in the second half of their year-seventies is Cohen can proudly say he has no quality lost. The warm, nasal voice is hardly distinguishable from its previous albums. of the first hour, but also to new audiences.
Leonard Cohen is better than ever
Tufts Daily - September 29, 2010 by Matthew Welch
Music Review | 3.5 out of 5 stars
Not everyone can be a vocal athlete. For singers who strain to get their range to a certain octave, embracing sincerity is the next-best alternative.
Just ask Leonard Cohen. Since his 1967 debut with "Songs of Leonard Cohen," Cohen has established a reputation as one of the world's most insightful singer-songwriters. While his voice can hardly be considered beautiful, it has delivered some of the most compelling lyrics of the last 50 years. His songs unerringly reveal the beauty and the absurdity of human relations; "Bird on the Wire" is as much a pledge of loyalty as it is a confession of past transgressions.
Now at age 76, Cohen is as probing as ever in his music. His new live album, "Songs from the Road," contains recordings of his live tours from 2008 and 2009. Happily, his voice has improved with age.
While Cohen awkwardly skirts the baritone range in his earlier recordings, more than 40 years later, he's hitting the low notes with seductive, raspy zest. Cohen's stage presence jumps right through on the recordings, delivering the lyrics with a conviction absent in the studio versions.
Those looking for reiterations of Cohen's solo acoustic days will not find them on this album. Every Cohen classic, with the exception of "Avalanche," is rearranged with a full, live band. Band members vary between songs; the Spanish guitar of Javier Mas and Dino Soldo's woodwind work provide the most compelling instrumentals on the album. Their solos between Cohen's progressions give the songs a musicality they lacked in their initial versions. Mas's introductory solo to "Lover, Lover, Lover" adds an exotic tinge that invigorates Cohen's performance.
The glossy musical additions don't always benefit the songs, though. Though Cohen's backup singers provide gorgeous accompaniment throughout the album, their contribution at times feels inappropriate. The heavenly harmonies on "Bird on the Wire" come off as more than a little incongruous with the lyrics, "Like a baby, stillborn / Like a beast with his horn / I have torn everyone who reached out for me."
Matching aesthetic to message might have been an easier task for Cohen when he only had to worry about his own guitar accompaniment. With a larger band, he seems to have difficulty complementing the song with its sound.
Regardless of these occasional discrepancies, the song choices on the album are very strong, including Cohen's now-famous version of "Hallelujah" from Coachella 2009. They offer a great balance between Cohen's earlier songs and his more production-heavy work from the '80s to the present. Cohen's entire catalogue is cohesive, and the singer can easily pick and match songs from completely different parts of his career.
The only seriously questionable song choice is the opening track, "Lover, Lover, Lover," in which Cohen's crowd can be heard clapping jovially, but horrifically off rhythm. This cacophonous start is hardly the best way to kick off a live album, especially when the producers could have picked from 20 other live recordings of the song.
"Songs from the Road" concludes with equally soulful renditions of "Hallelujah" and "Closing Time." Unlike some of the earlier songs, both of these versions show the instruments working in perfect equipoise with Cohen's voice.
The bluesy organ passages between verses of "Hallelujah" never infringe on the weight of the lyrics, and in "Closing Time," Cohen sings spiritedly over the country-tinged backup band to the audience's delight. The crowd's obvious enthusiasm is one of the best parts of the album.
One generally doesn't see acoustic folk heroes inspiring the same fevered cries as a stadium rock band, but maybe that's just another part of Cohen's magic.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Novi album Leonarda Cohena!
Radiocelje
- September 29, 2010
Z zacetkom leta 2008 se je Leonard Cohen prvic po petnajstih letih ponovno odpravil na koncertno turnejo. V sklopu turneje, ki ga je popeljala po cudovitih in prestižnih prostorih malodane celega sveta, prihaja naposled tudi v Ljubljano
Na prodajnih policah že lahko najdete njegov novi koncertni album ''Songs from the Road''! Naj se ogrevanje pricne!
Po izredno uspešnem albumu ''Live in London'' iz turneje 2008/2009 je to že drugi koncertni album, na katerem je zbranih ducat v živo odigranih pesmi iz nastopov po dvoranah, arenah in stadionih Kanade, Nemcije, Izraela, Skandinavije, Velike Britanije in Amerike med letoma 2008 in 2009.
Hiti, kot so 'Lover, Lover, Lover', 'Bird On The Wire', 'Chelsea Hotel', 'Suzanne', 'The Partisan', 'Hallelujah', 'Closing Time' so le nekatere Cohenovih kultnih pesmi, s cimer novi album zagotovo še pridobi na vrednosti tako za ljubitelje Cohenove glasbe, kot za tiste ki ga ne poznajo, a ga bodo že v kratkem vzljubili.
Za najvecje Cohenove privržence je v prodaji tudi CD/DVD izdaja z bonus DVDjem, na katerem je 93 minut materiala. Med drugim tudi 20 minutni intervju, 'behind the scene' posnetki … Za bonus materiale je poskrbela Cohenova hci Lorca Cohen. V knjižici so spremni teksti producenta Eda Sandersa ter urednika Leona Weiseltiera iz The New Republic:
Sanders: ''Med tonskimi vajami in nastopi je Leonard Cohen v svoji garderobi pogostokrat igral na kitaro.''
Wieseltier: ''Med nastopi ni bilo nikoli najbolj jasno, cigava hvaležnost je vecja – od publike ali Cohena.''
V dvorani Stožice lahko 12. oktobra tako pricakujemo še enega njegovih dih jemajocih nastopov, ki so z leti postajali vse boljši in boljši, ter mu tudi po tako dolgem mirovanju omogocili takojšnjo vrnitev na pota stare slave.
Kritik irskega casopisa ''The Indipendent'' je takole opisal svoja koncertna opažanja: ''Kadarkoli legendarni Cohen stopi na oder se lahko nedvomno nadejamo kulturnega dogodka biblicnih dimenzij.''
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Concert hindsight Vinci
Radiocelje
- September 29, 2010
By the beginning of 2008, Leonard Cohen for the first time after fifteen years of re-embarked on a concert tour. As part of the tour, which took him to its beautiful and prestigious places almost all over the world finally comes in Ljubljana
Already on the shelves you can find his new live album''Songs from the Road''! Let the heat begin!
After the extremely successful album,''Live in London''from the tour 2008/2009 is the second live album, which brings together a dozen songs played live in concerts in halls, arenas and stadiums, Canada, Germany, Israel, Scandinavia, Great Britain and America between 2008 and 2009.
Hiti, such as "Lover, Lover, Lover ',' Bird On The Wire ',' Chelsea Hotel ',' Suzanne ',' The pARTisan ',' Hallelujah ',' Closing Time 'are just some Cohenovih cult songs, so new album certainly obtain the values for both music lovers Cohenove than for those who do not know, but will very shortly be loved.
The major Cohenove followers have also sold CD / DVD edition with a bonus DVD, which is 93 minutes of material. Among other things, a 20-minute interview, 'behind the scenes' clips ... The bonus material was provided by Cohenova daughter Lorca Cohen. In the booklet accompanying texts producer Ed Sanders and Leona Weiseltiera editor of The New Republic:
Sanders:''The tone rehearsals and performances by Leonard Cohen in his dressing room often played guitar.''
Wieseltier:''During the performances there was never more clear by whom gratitude is greater - from the audience or Cohen.''
The hall may 12th Stožice October so expect another one of his breathtaking performances, which over the years became better and better, and it even after such a long rest to allow the immediate return to the path of glory.
A critic of the Irish newspaper The Indipendent''''is like describing their concert observations:''Whenever a legendary Cohen comes on stage can certainly look forward to a cultural event of biblical dimensions.''
ENGLISH VERSION.
Koncertní ohlédnutí mistra Leonarda
T-Music
- September 27, 2010 by Tomáš Polívka
Kanadský písnickár Leonard Cohen se již podruhé vrátil živým albem a DVD ke stejnému turné. Jenže v jeho prípade to vubec není pouhé tahání penez z kapes fanoušku za další „zbytecný" titul. Oba koncertní záznamy, jak novinka Songs From The Road, tak lonské dvojalbum Live In London, jsou výborné. A navíc každý jiný. Cohen nastrádal za svoji kariéru tolik evergeenu, že se do jedné kolekce proste nevejdou.
Legendární (u Cohena tohle nadužívané slovo doopravdy sedí) bard využil oba krajní prístupy, jak sestavit koncertní album. Zatímco lonské 2CD/DVD zachytilo jediný kompletní koncert, s charakteristickou dramaturgii a vývojem atmosféry, novinka predstavuje sestrih nejvydarenejších momentu z nekolika destinací.
Pri výberu repertoáru pro nové CD/DVD byl kladen duraz na skladby, které na lonském vystoupení v Londýne Cohen nezahrál. Samozrejme, pár skladeb se prekrývá. Težko by mohly chybet hity jako Suzanne nebo Hallelujah. Nicméne plných osm z dvanácti písní Songs From the Road se s obsahem Live In London neprekrývá, vcetne natolik zásadních jako Lover, Lover, Lover, Famous Blue Raincoat nebo The Partisan. A byla by vecná škoda jejich nastudování pro turné 2008/2009 nezaznamenat. Aranžmá se casto lišilo od studiových verzí a „živá" podoba dodala známým kouskum novou atmosféru. Jedním z vrcholu Songs From the Road je treba písen Avalanche, pusobive deklamovaná jen nad akustickou kytarou a tichým zvukem „vzdálených" varhan.
Co se týce DVD, po vizuální stránce sluší Cohenovým poselstvím „civilní" kamera. Netreba žádných efektních pohyblivých obrázku, ostrých strihu, svetelných kreací. Emotivní písne unese pouhé charisma jejich interpreta. Jediný „trik" predstavuje zarámování DVD úvodní a záverecnou cernobílou sekvencí, která dodá koncertnímu filmu puvabnou patinu.
Titul Songs From the Road existuje ve trech verzích. Jako audio CD, jako DVD ci limitovaná edice CD+DVD. Co je lepší? Zdarilý zvuk CD podporuje vnímání samotných písní, nejlépe se zavrenýma ocima. DVD zase pochopitelne víc zprítomnuje zážitek z koncertu, sugestivne vykresluje moudrého a šaramantního pana Cohena. Pokud patríte k Cohenovým ctitelum, co zvolit?
Nejlépe oboje a nejlépe zmínenou limitovanou edici. Ne proto, že se v ní skrývá veštecká rybka, která údajne prozradí, když si ji položíte na dlan, zda jste zamilovaní, žárliví ci prolhaní. Ale vlastne - možná i proto. Taková malá poutová blbinka, fungující na jednoduchém fyzikálním principu, ale jak dokonale zapadá do cohenovské poetiky tajemna, puvabu cikánského kocování a dálek, svetabolu i vášní...
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Concert hindsight Vinci
T-Music
- September 27, 2010 by Tomáš Polívka
Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen is back for the second live album and DVD on the same tour. But in his case it's not just pulling money from the pockets of fans for another "useless" degree. Both concert recordings, both new Songs From The Road, and last year's double album "Live In London are excellent. And everyone else. Cohen for his accumulated evergeenu career so that one simply does not fit the collection.
Legendary (with Cohen this overused word really fits) bard used both extreme approaches, how to make a live album. While last 2CD/DVD captured the only complete concert, with a distinctive and dramatic evolution of the atmosphere, a new haircut most successful moments of several destinations.
In choosing songs for the new CD / DVD, emphasis was placed on the tracks at the last show in London, Cohen heated. Of course, some tracks overlap. It would be hard to miss hits such as Suzanne and Hallelujah. However, the full eight out of twelve songs, Songs From The Road with a "Live In London overlap, including such essential as Lover, Lover, Lover, Famous Blue Raincoat and The Partisan. And it would be great pity for the preparation of their 2008/2009 tour recorded. Arrangements are often different from the studio version and "live" version added a new atmosphere of well-known pieces. One of the highlights of Songs From The Road is to be a song Avalanche deklamovaná effectively only over a quiet acoustic guitar sound "distant" organs.
As for the DVD, visually suits Baron Cohen's message is "civil" camera. Needless to say no flashy moving images, sharp cuts, lighting creations. Emotive songs can carry just the charisma of the artist. The only "trick" the DVD is framed black and white opening and closing sequences, which concert film gives a lovely patina.
Title Songs From the Road is available in three versions. As an audio CD, DVD or as a limited edition CD + DVD. What is better? This successful audio CD supports the perception of their own songs, most with their eyes closed. DVD revives again, of course, more experience of the concert, evocatively portrays the wise and šaramantního Mr. Cohen. If you are one of Baron Cohen devotees, what to choose?
Both Top and most mentioned a limited edition. Not because it hides the seer fish, which supposedly tells you when you put it on your hand whether you're in love, jealous, or lying. But actually - maybe that's why. Such a small fairground blbinka, working on a simple physical principle, but how perfectly fits cohenovské poetics of mystery, charm and Gypsy migration distances, svetabolu and passion ...
New Music / LEONARD COHEN
LEONARD COHEN/ BIRD ON A WIRE (CONVEYER CANADA)
LEONARD COHEN/ SONGS FROM THE ROAD (SONY MUSIC)
Taken together, these two projects offer a fascinating comparison of an artist at the birth of his renown and at the peak of his fame.
The first is a DVD of a 95-minute film which the celebrated British music documentarian Tony Palmer made of Cohen's European tour in the spring of 1972. The second is a 12-song live album cherry-picked from dates in the U.S., Canada and Europe during Cohen's landmark tour of 2008-'09.
The Cohen whom Palmer followed in 1972 had already released three brilliant albums, but at 37 he was better regarded in Europe than in North America. Despite the idolatry shown him (especially by women) both onstage and off, he appears insecure and painfully modest about his talent.
In one segment, he and his bandmates (including the great producer Bob Johnston, who played organ on the tour) agonize over whether they should return their fans' money because their concert sound system proved inaudible.
Fast forward 36 years, and technology has improved to the point where Cohen's live shows, including the one in Winnipeg in April, 2009, are marvels of sonic purity, and the man himself, his voice a couple of registers deeper, but his graciousness intact, occupies a top rung in the tower of song.
Interestingly, half the classics on Songs From the Road date back to 1972 or earlier, even though he has produced a catalogue of mid and late-period masterpieces to equal them. Two numbers are taken from the same set that resulted in Live in London, his marvellous 2009 concert album from the same tour, and there may be uncharitable souls who argue that one live album per tour is enough for any artist.
But listen to the sax solo on Bird on a Wire or the bandura on Famous Blue Raincoat. You can't argue with perfection.
Both: 5 stars
Leonard Cohen: Songs from the Road
Pop Matters - September 24, 2010 by Andrew Gilstrap
When Leonard Cohen announced his first tour in fifteen years, it was only natural to view it for a split second as a cash grab. The tickets weren’t cheap, and the tour came on the heels of Cohen learning that an ex-business manager had embezzled the majority of Cohen’s fortune. It was pretty obvious that his dire financial straits were pushing him to tour, especially since he hadn’t felt compelled to hit the road in support of recent albums.
Once the shows started, though, rapturous reports made every Cohen show sound like a giant lovefest. Adoring fans filled the seats as a grateful Cohen took the stage, and goodwill from both parties met and mingled into something resembling a religious experience for many. So even if Cohen was refilling his coffers, he was giving just as much as he took. That was only fitting. Throughout his career, one of Cohen’s enduring traits has been a feeling of reverence for his subjects, not to mention for the act of singing and writing and creation itself. Even at his most rakish, Cohen always gave an impression of being an equal partner in something sacred and rapturous. Maybe it’s his way with words. Maybe it’s that voice that sounds old and wise enough that it could have narrated the birth of the universe. Whatever the case, fans of Cohen’s work have always detected something strange and different in his work.
The give-and-take of Cohen’s recent tour has already been preserved for posterity on the excellent Live in London, which captured a single night at London’s O2 Arena. Already a cornerstone of PBS pledge drives, Live in London felt like a perfect testament to Cohen’s strengths as a songwriter and performer, so why do we need another live disc? Well, for one thing, a catalog as deep as Cohen’s doesn’t get covered in a single show: Of Songs from the Road‘s twelve songs, only four appeared on Live in London. For another, it’s possible, just possible, that other nights held better performances. Songs from the Road (which comes with a matching DVD of its performances) sets out to collect some of the tour’s most magical moments.
After listening to it, it’s hard to argue. From the nimble and spirited “Lover, Lover, Lover” that opens the disc to the version of “Closing Time” that rounds it out, there’s really not a bum moment to be found here. “Chelsea Hotel”, anchored by soulful organ, strikes a perfect note of weathered nostalgia, and its closing line, “I don’t even think of you that often,” continues to kill. “The Partisan” is a showcase for both Cohen’s vocals (especially the way he growls his way through the French portion of the lyrics) and Javier Mas’s amazing bandurria playing. “Famous Blue Raincoat” strikes with a delicate blend of accusation and forgiveness, aided by Dino Soldo’s light saxophone work. Throughout the disc, it’s striking how Cohen makes you not only reconsider songs you might have dismissed as lesser efforts (such as “That Don’t Make It Junk” from 2001’s Ten New Songs), but also marvel at how songs you’ve heard a thousand times before (such as “Hallelujah”, “Suzanne”, or “Bird on the Wire”) continue to offer something new.
I suppose there are some Cohen fans who cringe at the smoothness of his live sound, its instrumental edges sanded down so that it’s all on Cohen’s shoulders to summon forth the shadows, but that seems a little silly at this point. Cohen hasn’t trafficked in brooding folk in at least twenty years (brooding pop, sure…). If anything, Cohen’s current sound can be seen as a recognition of the openheartedness and humor that’s often been overshadowed by his darker material. With Songs from the Road—which, along with Live in London, comes pretty close to capturing all the Cohen catalog you might be craving—we continue to get a fuller portrait of one of our best and more enigmatic songwriters.
Rating: 8 of 10
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen - Songs from the road
Epoch Times
- September 22, 2010 by Philipp Hainzl
Seit 2008 schon bereist Leonard Cohen mit seiner Band Konzertsäle und Stadien rund um den Globus. Bereits 2009 wurde mit „Live in London" ein Konzertmitschnitt dieser Tour auf CD und DVD gebannt, über zwei Stunden Hits und Klassiker des „Man with the Hat".
Nun ist aber mit „Songs from the road" eine weitere CD/DVD erschienen, mit Aufnahmen von verschiedenen Konzertschauplätzen in Europa, USA und Kanada. Kritiker und böse Zungen mögen nun behaupten, Herr Cohen brauche Geld, daher die lang Tour und der neue Release. Angebliche Insider und selbsternannte Experten sollen das auch bestätigen. Nun der Beweggrund für Leonard Cohen und sein Management für Tour, CD und DVD soll hier niemanden interessieren, zumal er hier auch nicht erläutert wird.
„I'm your man"
„Songs from the road" ist ein weiters nettes Dokument einer langen, erfolgreichen und noch immer andauernden Tour.
Die DVD ist in ihrer Qualität zwar in Ordnung, doch leider ist die Show eher unspektakulär, sodass man sich nach fünfminütiger Betrachtung Leonard Cohens und seiner Band etwas zu langweilen beginnt. Denn passieren tut auf der Bühne eigentlich gar nichts. Daher: lieber die CD einlegen und ein gutes Buch nebenbei lesen. Schließlich liebt man Cohen ja auch wegen seiner unverkennbaren Stimme und seiner von Herzschmerz triefenden Lyrik.
Auf den ersten Blick möchte man meinen, dass die meisten Lieder auf diesem Album weniger bekannt sind, fehlen doch „So long, Marianne", „First we take Manhatten", ... doch das täuscht. Die Songtitel wurden zum Glück so gewählt, dass sie sich nicht komplett mit dem Konzert „Live in London" überschneiden, sondern nebst den obligatorischen Hits wie „Suzanne" und „Halleluja" auch Juwele wie „Famous Blue Raincoat", „Avalanche" oder „The Partisan" bietet. Leider verlieren die alten Nummern ein bisschen ihren Charme, da die hervorragende Band ihnen das Rauhe und Kratzige nimmt. Wer die ganze Intensität und Kraft von Cohens Songs spüren möchte, dem wäre daher mit früheren Konzertmitschnitten mehr geholfen - „Live at the Isle of Wight, 1970" oder „Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979".
„Songs from the road" ist gleichermaßen eine gelungene Ergänzung für Cohen-Fans und -Sammler und ein guter Einstieg für Interessierte und Neugierige, die wissen wollen, was denn so besonders ist an Cohen und seiner „golden voice".
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen - Songs from the road
Epoch Times
- September 22, 2010 by Philipp Hainzl
Since 2008, Leonard Cohen has traveled with his band, concert halls and stadiums around the globe. Already 2009 has been averted with "Live in London" a live recording of this tour on CD and DVD, over two hours of hits and classics of the "Hat Man with the".
But now, with "Songs from the Road" is another CD / DVD appeared, with recordings from various concert venues in Europe, USA and Canada. Critics and cynics may say now, Mr. Cohen need money, hence the long tour and the new release . Alleged Insider and the self-proclaimed experts to confirm it. Now, the motivation for Leonard Cohen and his management for tour, CD and DVD will interest anyone here, especially since he is not well explained.
"I'm your man"
"Songs from the Road" is a further nice document of a long, successful and still ongoing tour.
The DVD is in quality, although in order, but unfortunately the show is rather unspectacular, so that after five-minute observation Leonard Cohen and his band began to get bored a bit. For on the stage actually does happen at all. Therefore: Insert the CD and would rather read a good book in passing. Finally, Cohen yes we love because of his distinctive voice and dripping with heartbreak lyrics.
At first glance one might think that most of the songs on this album are less known, but missing "So Long, Marianne", "First We Take Manhattan", ... but this is deceptive. The song titles were luckily chosen so that they can not complete with the concert "Live in London" overlap, but in addition to the obligatory hits like "Suzanne" and "Hallelujah" and gems such as "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Avalanche" or " The Partisan "offers. Unfortunately, the old numbers lose a bit of its charm, as the outstanding band they take the rough and Scratchy. If you want to feel the full intensity and strength of Cohen's songs, which would be helped with earlier recordings of music more - "Live at the Isle of Wight, 1970" or "Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979".
"Songs from the road" is equally a perfect complement for Cohen fans and collectors and a good introduction for those interested and curious people who want to know, what is so special to Cohen and his "golden voice".
Cohen's latest a must-have for fans
Leonard Cohen
Songs From The Road
Featuring 12 live tracks captured during his last world tour, Leonard Cohen's new album Songs From The Road is a must-have for fans of this musical legend.
From Tel Aviv to London, Ontario, the album features some of Cohen's greatest songs performed at some of the greatest venues including the Royal Albert Hall in England and an amazing version of Hallelujah performed at the Coachella Music Festival. I know that song's been covered to death in the last decade but Cohen manages to reclaim it in such a way that listeners can forget all other attempts.
As for the sound Cohen surrounds himself with great musicians and his famous mellow, deep voice sounds untarnished from age. From early classics to later hits as much of Cohen's career is captured on as could be fit in a 12-song package.
This is a great collection for any Cohen fan and a bit of comfort for anyone who wasn't able to get tickets to his show at the Capitol Theatre two years ago.
Highlights include: Chelsea Hotel, Waiting For The Miracle and Hallelujah.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen: boucler bellement la boucle
Cyberpresse
- September 18, 2010 by Alain De Repentigny
Le concert de Leonard Cohen filmé au O2 Arena de Londres, le 17 juillet 2008, témoignait de la beauté et de l'émotion de la tournée de retrouvailles de l'artiste d'origine montréalaise. Mais la caméra, le montage, la réalisation faisaient un peu beaucoup amateur. Ce qu'on ne pourra reprocher au nouveau DVD Songs From the Road.
Ed Sanders, le réalisateur de Cohen, estime que cette soirée en début de tournée était tellement réussie qu'elle méritait d'ętre immortalisée sur le Live in London, męme s'il devait se contenter essentiellement des images projetées sur les écrans géants dans l'aréna. Voilŕ toutefois qu'au moment oů s'achčve cette mémorable tournée de plus de deux ans paraissent un DVD et un CD live de 12 chansons qui bouclent bellement la boucle.
Cette fois, Sanders a pu choisir parmi les chansons d'une quarantaine de concerts, filmées pour la plupart ŕ l'automne 2008 dans différentes villes par une équipe de pros, en haute définition. Huit d'entre elles n'étaient pas du spectacle de Londres dont quelques classiques de Cohen, admirablement réinventés. Je pense ŕ la magnifique The Partisan et ŕ Famous Blue Raincoat, l'une de ses chansons les plus populaires.
Pourquoi avoir choisi The Partisan chantée ŕ Helsinki plutôt que dans des villes (Paris, Québec męme) oů le propos et les paroles en français auraient eu une résonance particuličre? «Nous avions plusieurs critčres de sélection, répond Sanders. Dont la qualité sonore et vidéo, le jeu des musiciens... Comme je le mentionne dans le livret de l'album, je me souviens trčs bien que ce soir-lŕ, en rentrant ŕ l'hôtel, Leonard et moi étions ébahis par The Partisan, en particulier le jeu de Javier Mas.»
Songs From the Road comprend également deux autres chansons parmi les plus belles de Cohen,Avalanche et Chelsea Hotel. Cette version d'Avalanche est hantée comme elle l'était sur l'albumSongs of Love and Hate, la voix et le jeu si particulier du guitariste Cohen prenant toute la place. Quant ŕ Chelsea Hotel, qui raconte une rencontre intime avec Janis Joplin, Cohen a dit ŕ son entourage qu'il avait senti une présence en la chantant ce soir-lŕ au Royal Albert Hall de Londres.
Sanders tenait également ŕ inclure quatre chansons qui étaient au programme du Live in London. La joyeuse Closing Time, qui trouve tout naturellement sa place en fin de spectacle, et trois classiques qu'auraient voulu voir et entendre ceux qui n'ont pas acheté le DVD précédent:Suzanne, Bird on the Wire et Hallelujah. Cette derničre, un moment de grâce de chacun des spectacles, prend ici une tout autre dimension quand Cohen la chante au festival rock californien Coachella. Alors qu'ŕ la plupart des concerts de la tournée, la majorité des fans ont les tempes grises, ŕ Coachella, ce sont des dizaines de milliers de spectateurs beaucoup plus jeunes qui scandent le prénom de Cohen avant son arrivée et qui chantent avec lui, hypnotisés, le refrain de cette chanson qu'ils ont peut-ętre entendue pour la premičre fois dans la bouche de Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave ou Rufus Wainwright. Du bonbon!
Cohen est complčtement rétabli des maux de dos qui l'ont forcé ŕ reporter des concerts l'hiver dernier. Il chante présentement en France et s'arrętera en Allemagne, ŕ Moscou, en Océanie et męme au Cambodge avant de donner deux derniers concerts ŕ Las Vegas en décembre. Par la suite, il travaillera ŕ un nouvel album de chansons originales qui, si tout va bien, pourrait ętre lancé l'été prochain. Un disque de chansons écrites avant et pendant la tournée, dont trois qu'il joue déjŕ en concert.
Le počte, qui fętera ses 76 ans mardi, a donné pendant plus de deux ans des concerts de trois heures ou plus devant des foules plus nombreuses que jamais auparavant. Peut-on espérer qu'il remette ça dans un avenir rapproché?
«Je ne gagerais pas que non si j'étais toi, répond Sanders. De toute façon, ça ne pourra pas se faire avant l'automne 2011. Parce que pour le moment, le nouvel album est sa priorité.».
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen: loop the loop beautifully
Cyberpresse
- September 18, 2010 by Alain De Repentigny
The Leonard Cohen concert filmed at London O2 Arena, July 17, 2008, reflected the beauty and emotion of the reunion tour of the Montreal-born artist. But the camera, editing, realization were a bit much amateur. What we can blame the new DVD Songs From the Road.
Ed Sanders, the director of Cohen, said that early evening tour was so successful that she deserved to be immortalized on the Live in London, although it was mainly just images projected on giant screens in the arena. That, however, that when completed this memorable tour of more than two years seems a DVD and a live CD of 12 songs that beautifully buckle loop.
This time, Sanders was able to choose among the songs of some forty concerts, filmed mostly in autumn 2008 in various cities by a team of professionals in high definition. Eight of them were not performing in London with a few classic Cohen, beautifully reinvented. I think the wonderful The Partisan , and Famous Blue Raincoat, one of his most popular songs.
Why choose The Partisan sung in Helsinki rather than in cities (Paris, Quebec itself) where the words and the words in French have had a particular resonance? "We had several criteria, Sanders replied. Whose quality sound and video game musicians ... As I mentioned in the liner notes, I remember very well that night, returning to the hotel, Leonard and I were amazed by The Partisan, in particular the game of Javier Mas. "
Songs From The Road also includes two other songs among the finest Cohen, Avalanche and Chelsea Hotel. This version of Avalanche is haunted as it was on the album Songs of Love and Hate, the voice and the game so special guitarist Cohen taking over your life. As for Chelsea Hotel, which recounts a close encounter with Janis Joplin, Cohen told his entourage that he had felt a presence in the singing that evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Sanders was also to include four songs that were on the agenda of Live in London. The joyous Closing Time, which naturally finds its place at the end of the show, and would have liked to see three classics and hear those who have not bought the previous DVD: Suzanne, Bird on the Wire and Hallelujah. This, a moment of grace to each show, here takes on a whole new dimension when Cohen sings at the Coachella rock festival in California. While in most of the concerts of the tour, most fans have gray temples at Coachella, they are tens of thousands of people much younger who chanted the name of Cohen before his arrival and sing with him hypnotized, the chorus of the song they heard, perhaps for the first time in the mouth of Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave and Rufus Wainwright. How sweet!
Cohen is fully recovered from back problems that forced him to postpone concerts last winter. He currently sings in France and stop in Germany, Moscow, Oceania and even in Cambodia before giving final two concerts in Las Vegas in December. Subsequently, he worked on a new album of original songs that, if all goes well, could be launched next summer. An album of songs written before and during the tour, including three he already plays in concert.
The poet, who celebrates his 76th birthday Tuesday, has given more than two years of concerts three or more hours in front of crowds more than ever before. Can we hope that this again in the near future?
"I do not bet that if I were you," Sanders. Anyway, this can not happen before the fall of 2011.Because for the moment, the new album is his priority."
Music CD/DVD Review: Leonard Cohen - Songs From the Road
Blogcritics - September 16, 2010 by Richard Marcus
It's not often that items are released within a couple of weeks of each other about the same artist where one was originally recorded some 40 years before the other. It's especially rare to have two DVDs about the same person with that time difference surfacing one right after the other. The number of performers who have endured from the 1970s to now are few enough as it is, but for there to be anything new under the sun from the past not yet released that is actually worth viewing is as remarkable as the longevity required for them still to be performing today.
Leonard Cohen has actually been around a lot longer than since the early 1970s, but the DVD that was to be released on August 31, 2010, Bird On A Wire, was of the never-before-seen film made of his 1972 European tour. (As of now the DVD has still not been released due to "concerns" on the part of Cohen's current label — you won't even find it listed yet at either the distributor's web site or at Amazon.) Now two weeks later, September 14, Columbia Records' Legacy Recordings has released Songs From The Road, a collection of 12 songs taken from Cohen's 2008/2009 world tour. Available as a CD/DVD package and Blu-ray, the songs are taken from 11 of the many venues Cohen performed at during his two years on the road, with two from his November 2008 concert at London's O2 Arena.
While 12 songs might not seem like much of a representation of a career that has spanned nearly five decades, that's not the point of this release. Instead it was an attempt to capture some of what the recording's producer, Ed Sanders, calls the tour's special moments. As we see in the special feature documentary included on the DVD, "Backstage Sketch", it was Cohen's habit at the end of each show to go directly from the stage to a waiting vehicle which would whisk him back to his hotel. Accompanied by only his tour manager and Sanders he would usually not even mention the show just performed. However, over the course of the tour there were nights when something special would have happened on stage which would compel Cohen to talk about the show. Each of these songs represents, either in Cohen's or Sanders' estimation, one of those moments on the tour.
Ironically, just like its predecessor from 1972, Songs From The Road opens with Cohen's Tel Aviv concert. In September of 2009 Cohen played to some 50,000 people at the Ramat Gan Stadium. While that might seem like a strange environment for a performer whose material is as intimate as Cohen's, you can't help but be amazed at his ability to connect to an audience no matter what its size. As he and the band work their way through a beautiful rendition of "Lover, Lover, Lover", the camera pans out over the stadium where the entire audience appear to be holding green light sticks which are swaying in time to the music like some eerily glowing field of grass. Even more than actually seeing the audience react to the song, one can't help but be impressed by the connection it demonstrates between Cohen and his audience or the implied power it represents. Yet, the appreciation he shows for their applause when the song ends is so genuine, it's his humility that leaves the strongest impression.
It doesn't seem to matter where he's performing, or the size of the crowd, each of the songs on this DVD manages to capture the sense of communion existing between Cohen and his audience. This is not your typical rock and roll tour with its crowd of worshippers; instead there appears to be a genuine feeling of reciprocity between the performer and his audience. After each song the applause is deafening and Cohen responds by standing before them humbly, either doffing his hat in recognition of their response or saying a genuine "Thank you friends", constantly surprised at the strength of their reaction.
No collection as small as this one will satisfy every fan of Cohen's, but what I liked about it is the mix of classics and lessor known pieces. "Bird On The Wire" and "Chelsea Hotel" are followed on the disc by "Heart With No Companion", "That Don't Make It Junk" and "Waiting For The Miracle", three songs that you won't often find on any greatest hits collection. "Heart", with its decidedly country feel and slightly tongue in cheek presentation—watch for the three backup vocalists doing some line dancing in the instrumental break—was an example of the rather surprising lightness of spirit that pervaded Cohen's performances. This was, after all, the guy who became famous for cutting a rather brooding and romantic figure. However, even though his material has lost none of its emotional intensity, there was prevailing sense of optimism to the proceedings.
Perhaps the explanation lies not in what was being performed, but in the fact that both audience and performers were taking such joy in being present. This was something that went beyond the audience merely appreciating Cohen and the band's renditions of the songs, and is hard to define. Unlike other concerts where there is a clear demarcation of roles for both performer and audience, the line at these concerts seemed to blur somewhat. It was like the connection between the two was so strong each song became an experience to share, not something one sat back and passively observed.
One of the best examples of this is the recording of Cohen's performance of "Hallelujah" recorded at the Coachella Music Festival in California. Normally multiple stages are in operation at once, but festival organizers arranged it so Cohen's performance was the only one scheduled and he performed for the entire festival crowd. With a crowd that size standing in front of a stage you'd expect to notice people being distracted or looking around. Not on this night at this moment. Every face seemed riveted on the slightly stooped grey suited figure holding the microphone, hanging on his every word and awaiting their cue to start singing along with the chorus. As producer Sanders says in his notes, if he had to pick a moment as a highlight from the tour
it would be hearing the tens of thousands of voices raised in a chorus of one word at the end of the song — hallelujah.
Naturally the sound and visual quality of this CD/DVD package are excellent with the on stage visuals being exceptionally well done providing both wonderful close ups during solos and excellent full band coverage when required as well. However don't look to the special features for any startling revelations or insights into the artistry of Leonard Cohen. While the short documentary, "Backstage Sketch", introduces us to all the other people on the tour, band members, roadies, tour manager, and even the tour accountant, Cohen himself only appears incidentally.
While Tony Palmer's film Bird On A Wire from 1972 provided viewers with extensive back- and off-stage footage of Cohen and his band, the tour itself was plagued by horrible sound problems. As a result the footage from onstage was limited and not of the quality we're now used to. It was more than adequate considering the conditions and the time, but compared to what you can see and hear on Songs From The Road you truly comprehend the advantages our new technology has given us over films made in the past. While Bird On A Wire might have given us a better understanding of Cohen the man, Songs From The Road allows you a deeper appreciation of Cohen the performer and the amazing bond he has with his audiences.
ENGLISH VERSION.
Leonard Cohen - SONGS FROM THE ROAD
Rockol
- September 15, 2010
Narrano le cronache che Leonard Cohensia stato costretto a uscire dal suo buen ritiro per un motivo "classico": il manager che frega soldi all'artista. Nel 2005 Cohen ha fatto causa al suo ex collaboratore, reo di avergli sottratto diversi milioni di dollari dal suo "fondo pensione"; causa vinta l'anno dopo, ma non si č mai capito quanto abbia effettivamente intascato Cohen. Sia quel che sia, dal 2008 il canadese č in tour, e noi paradossalmente siamo qua a gioire di cotanta sfortuna.
"Songs from the road" č la testimonianza di questo tour, attraverso 12 canzoni registrate in diverse tappe tra 2008 e 2009, piů un documentario girato dal figlio Lorca, che arriva in CD+DVD. Ed č la parte visiva che merita di essere vista, anche solo per vedere le espressioni di Cohen, l'intensitŕ del suo volto di ultrasettantenne che declama le sue poesie in musica. Poi, certo, molto della qualitŕ di questo film-concerto lo fa la band, con arrangiamenti sontuosi e perfetti: una nota di merito all'uso del bouzouki - lo strumento greco progenitore della chitarra a 12 corde - che con il suo tocco impreziosisce il suono.
Ci sono momenti davvero toccanti, in "Songs from the road", e quello piů toccante č quello che arriva verso la fine. Cohen al Coachella - festival californiano, giovane e figghetto - che di fronte ad un pubblico oceanico si riappropria della sua "Hallelujah", canzone "scippata" da Jeff Buckley (che si era ispirato peraltro alla versione di John Cale). O la festa finale di "Closing time"...
Insomma, un'ottima occasione per chi si fosse perso i passaggi italiani di Cohen, e un ottimo disco live a prescindere.
Translated by Google Translate
Leonard Cohen - SONGS FROM THE ROAD
Rockol
- September 15, 2010
Tell the news that Leonard Cohen was forced to leave his retreat for a reason buen "classic" means the money manager who cares artist. In 2005, Cohen has sued its former employee, accused of having stolen several million dollars since his "retirement fund" case won the next year, but never understood what actually pocketed Cohen. Whatever happens, since 2008 the Canadian tour, and paradoxically we are here to rejoice at so great a misfortune.
"Songs from the Road" is proof of this tour, through 12 songs recorded in several stages between 2008 and 2009, plus a documentary filmed by his son, Lorca, who arrives in CD + DVD. It is the visual part that deserves to be seen, if only to see the expressions of Cohen, the intensity of his face septuagenarian who recites his poems to music. Then, of course, much of the quality of this concert film makes the band, with sumptuous arrangements and perfect: a note on the use of the bouzouki - greek progenitor of the instrument 12-string guitar - which has graced with his touch sound.
There are really poignant moments in "Songs from the road, and the most touching is the one who arrives late. Cohen Coachella - California festival, young and figghetto - that face a public ocean regains his "Hallelujah" song "snatched" by Jeff Buckley (who had also inspired version of John Cale). Or the final party of "Closing Time" ...
In short, an excellent opportunity for those who missed the Italian passages Cohen, and a great live album regardless.
Leonard Cohen's 'Songs from the Road'
NY Press - September 13, 2010 by Justin Richards
The dining room of City Winery in SoHo glowed with points of candlelight blurred through all the glass at each table. Looking down from the second tier of seating afforded a view of much scalp and various heads of grey. As the guests savored their hanger steak or fois gras, they directed their attention to the film beginning on the projector—the debut screening of Songs from the Road, which highlights Leonard Cohen's 2008-09 tour.
In the film, Cohen performs some of his most classic songs at concert halls around the world. He sings "Lover Lover Lover" to Tel Aviv, "Bird On A Wire" to Glasgow, and "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" to London. His onstage demeanor is stately as he accepts bouquets from a crowd in Germany. Only occasionally on this film does he betray the tiredness of a man who, according to reports, embarked on this tour primarily because he needed to recoup a retirement fund that had dwindled.
The stage lighting and cinematography work to downplay the physical aspect of the 76-year-old singer—he's often wrapped in shadows, lit with cool greens and blues—but City Winer's big projection screen and the video's high production values give us a good look at today's Cohen. He wears a dark suit and a fedora hat. A pair of long, deep parentheses connect the wings of his nose to the bottom of his jaw. He sings with his eyes closed, with pride and authority, his slightly puckered mouth expressing keen concentration.
A voice that was based on the motif of a groan to begin with, meanwhile, doesn't worsen much with age. Now he just sounds as though he's been woken up especially early in the morning to sing. One thing I missed watching this film was the way the young Cohen's voice would sort of veer away discordantly at the top of a plaintive crescendo. For all the force it retains, the voice of this Cohen is a bit more grounded.
All of the first several songs on the recording are performed with full accompaniment. The adult contemporary sounds of backup ladies, woodwinds, an electric organ and a blues guitar might be unpalatable for a younger audience, so it's relieving to see him perform "Avalanche" halfway through the film. Here he stands alone in a spotlight, shadowed and blue, singing over nothing but that tangle of finger-picking that characterizes his early albums. He stares straight ahead, as though enraged. It's in this same mode that he sings some of the subsequent songs, including "Suzanne." Here is one of those rare instances when he seems tired, though, and he swallows some of the kicker lines in that classic Cohen tune.
You don't need to be a longtime Cohen fan, letting the traces of his old fire be echoed by your memory, to enjoy this movie. It's all still there. The film serves to remind us that we're looking at a very rare thing: an artist who, though he has aged much, hasn't faltered, hasn't ruined his body, his voice or his nerves, and hasn't misplaced his muse anywhere along his discography. For his peers, who are arguably Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and maybe Lou Reed, I don't know that you can say the same. Watch him perform "Famous Blue Raincoat" for London's Arena O2 in 2008, and it's as chilling as it was when a much younger man introduced it to younger crowd about 40 years before.
Edwyn Collins, Leonard Cohen, Mavis Staples, Paul Heaton, Phil Collins and The Script album reviews
Mirror (UK) - September 10, 2010 by Gavin Martin
LEONARD COHEN
Songs From The Road
5/5
Cohen's extended comeback tour has been remarkable. The sheer splendour and depth of performances belie the original reason the tour was planned - to sort out his dire financial state. This collection, culled from superbly intimate live performances, comes with a DVD and is a tribute to Cohen's deathless artistry.
A cascade of CDs, DVDs about Leonard Cohen
Coming Sept. 14 is "Songs from the Road" (Columbia Legacy, A) a CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc chronicle of Cohen’s 2008-2009 world tour. This one revels in his other golden-years strengths, including that all-knowing vocal grumble and a sublime, world-music-flavored band.
The artist’s generation-gapping delivery of "Hallelujah" from Coachella is alone worth the price of admission and a bonus 20-minute documentary by daughter Lorca Cohen adds icing.
Album: Leonard Cohen, Songs from the Road (Sony Music)
Independent
- September 10, 2010 by Andy Gill
* * * * out of 5
With this CD/DVD combo following swiftly on the heels of last year's Live in London and Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, Leonard Cohen has now released three live sets, and toured the world several times over, since his last studio album, Dear Heather, in 2004.
So there's more than a faint whiff of suspicion that we're just being cajoled into replenishing Lenny's vanished pension fund – though with that warm baritone oozing its way into one's consciousness, who can resist? Songs from the Road draws on rapturously received 2008/9 performances from Europe, North America and Israel, with highlights including a darkly luminous "Avalanche" from Gothenburg, an unbearably poignant "Famous Blue Raincoat" from London, and of course the magisterial "Hallelujah" from the Coachella festival in California.
Leonard Cohen — Songs From The Road
CHARTattack
- September 13, 2010 by Kate Harper
The last few years have seen a resurgence in interest in Leonard Cohen, particularly just before and since the release of his Polaris Music Prize long-listed Live In London two-disc CD/DVD.
While it's true some of this fascination has led to way, way too many incredibly awful covers of "Hallelujah" (which prompted Cohen himself to say it should never be covered again), it's still great to see a man who's so obviously one of Canada's all-time greatest songwriters (and one of the best songwriters ever, in this writer's opinion) piquing the interest of young'uns.
Live In London drew some criticism for being a bit too long, and now we've got Songs From The Road. It's a shorter package, containing a live CD and DVD with tunes that were recorded at Cohen's tour stops in Canada, Israel, Germany and in Scandinavia.
It also serves as a better primer for those who are new to Cohen's work, since it features some of his biggest hits like "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Hallelujah," "Suzanne," "Chelsea Hotel," "Avalanche" and "Bird On The Wire." Of course, these are all classic tunes, and their gentle live presentation, along with the fact that the 75-year-old Cohen's still playing them live, should do nothing but impress even the most casual listener.
Whether you thought Cohen should or shouldn't have been on the 2009 Polaris Music Prize long list (some people thought a live album of previously released material shouldn't have been included), you can't argue Cohen's one of our national treasures.
Music Vinyl Review: Leonard Cohen - Songs From The Road
Blogcritics
- September 8, 2010 by David Bowling
Leonard Cohen released his Songs Of Leonard Cohen in 1968, which began his rise to becoming one of the best and most respected singer/songwriters in popular music. This respect culminated with his induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on March 10, 2008.
Cohen has been reclusive at times, virtually disappearing on occasion. In 2008, though, he announced his first tour dates in fifteen years and since then has performed live in many parts of the world. During March of 2009 he released Live In London which presented the up-to-date version of his live show.
He is now about to release Songs From The Road which gathers twelve of his best-known songs from performances in such places around the globe as Israel, England, Sweden, Finland, California, Germany, and his home country of Canada. They were recorded October of 2008 through November of 2009.
This new album has been released in three formats, including CD+DVD, Blu-ray, and in the format of this review, the 2-LP, 180-gram audiophile vinyl with a gatefold jacket. Extensive liner notes and comments about each song serve to enhance the package.
I have always maintained that when produced correctly and played on the proper equipment, vinyl is the equal of a CD. That is the case here as the extra weight of the vinyl gives the sound a crystal-clear quality and clarity which is a necessary ingredient for enjoying a live album.
The material covers all parts of Cohen's career. “Bird On A Wire,” “Suzanne,” “Famous Blue Raincoat,” “Hallelujah,” plus eight more are given passionate performances by Cohen and his backing band. While there may not be a complete concert feel to the release as the performances come from different shows, each does present him at his live best.
Songs From The Road presents Leonard Cohen live which is the way he should be heard and experienced. It is a double treat to have this release issued on vinyl. A must for any fan of this old song master.
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