Brett a
~◦●○o0o○●◦~
Artist: Leonard Cohen (With his touring band "The Army")
Album: Live at the Isle of Wight
Released 2009 by Sony Legacy
Format: vinyl LP
Me:
First, I have to get something out of the way; I absolutely love Leonard Cohen. I don't consider myself to be star struck by famous people (I've met my share). But if I were ever to find myself in Lenny's presence, I’d probably start screaming and clawing at the flesh of my cheeks like the girls in Ed Sullivan's audience the night The Beatles took the stage in '64. This initial reaction would likely give way to me falling to my knees then collapsing into a sobbing heap of jelly on the hard, cold, shiny floor of the airport (For some reason, an airport is where I think all this would take place.) Leonard would then give a quiet, gentle "You're too kind" and calmly walk away toward his destination, his roll-on luggage clacking with ever-increasing distance across the floor tiles.
Now that that is out of the way….
The LP:
I was not aware this recording was being released, so imagine my surprise when I came across this hefty double LP a couple weeks ago as I was flipping through the new vinyl at Newbury Comics in Amherst, MA. I don't think I've ever spent $30 on an LP before, but not buying this package that very minute did not seem like an option. (Especially after my experience of purchasing Leonard Cohen's "Ten New Songs" on LP for $9 when it came out a few years ago (I see it offered on eBay for $40+ used now.) After getting it home, I had to let this LP sit unopened in my living room for about 4 days until I got the time to sit and listen to it without distraction.
When I finally broke the shrink wrap open, what I found inside was a beautiful, heavy, gate fold LP; the records themselves kept in heavy plastic-lined paper inner sleeves, and in these sleeves were two of the heaviest LPs I think I've handled in a long time—or ever. They just might be 200 grams. One thing I didn't like however is the choice of labeling that seems to be showing up all too often now-a-days; a monochrome picture of Lenny on one side, and the track listing for both sides on the opposite label. (Or is it the other way around?) The reason I dislike this is it does not tell me what side of the record is what. Is the picture of Lenny on side A? Or is the writing? (Turns out the picture is, and the track listing is on the "back" side.) But I digress...
The Recording:
The first couple times I put it on; I sat through the whole thing---all 4 sides--- like I was watching a movie with my ears. Which, it turns out; this is the perfect recording for. The performance is captivating (more on that later) and the recording sounds like you're listening through the PA system at the event, yet with the stage setting (soundstage) intact with Leonard in the center, his guitar just below his voice, the accompanying guitars (there were 3) fanned out behind him and to his left; the back-up singers and bass player, Charlie Daniels (yes, that Charlie Daniels), to his right. On my system, which tends toward a "forward” presentation, it sounds like I am listening from a point slightly elevated and maybe 50 feet back from the stage. (Figure it was a big stage). It's an old sounding recording-whatever that means-slightly dark and contained, yet clear and cohesive within that container. From a technical standpoint, it's not going to be my test LP, but it will be one of my most enjoyable sounding ones.
The Man:
This is a snapshot of Leonard at what may very well have been his creative peak and simultaneously, a personal trough (or perhaps it was a slough). It was 1970, the year he was working on his third album; “Songs of Love and Hate” which, to many followers and fans, concludes his great trilogy. (Which consists also of “Song of Leonard Cohen” and “Songs from a Room” respectively.) He said in an interview in 1988 that he was "cracking up" at that time. (meaning breaking down) and I get a glimpse of that in this performance. And so do the 600,000 people in attendance.
The Event:
This was the fifth and final day of the third Isle of Wight Festival. By many accounts, the mood of the festival by this point was ugly; plagued by poor organization, poor relations with the performers, and angry, anarchistic attendees--many of them having crashed the gates and torn down the fences. (The original organizers have an interesting webpage on the event here: http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/iow1970menu.html)
They woke Leonard up to take the stage around 4:00am (if I remember correctly) ----nearing the end of a set which had included Jethro Tull and Jimi Hendrix shortly before. What makes Leonard's set here so fascinating is that people actually listened to him. (Kris Kristofferson had been booed off the stage earlier the same night). He came out so humble, so charming and dark, that people calmed the f* down and sat and listened. This is the ultimate testament to the power of Leonard's writing, but as much, and perhaps more surprisingly so, a testament to his charisma as a performer.
The Take-Away:
I won't go any further to try to describe to you what Leonard was offering that evening. You either already know or you don't. And if you don't, you're not going to find out by reading anything I write---you'll have to go listen for yourself--which leads us right back to this LP. If you do not know Leonard's music and want to begin to explore it, this would be a fine place to start. If you are already a fan, this is perhaps the finest live set available to date; much more consistent than “Tour of 1979” or the import-only “Live Songs” (which is from this same era). (The other similarly solid, but much later live offering is “Leonard Cohen Live” from the tour of 87 and 88. The more recent “Live from London” has actually begun to disappoint with repeated listenings.)
BTW, some of you will be familiar with two songs from this Isle of Wight set. It was this evening that produced the recordings of "Let's Sing Another Song Boys (This One Has Grown Old and Bitter)" used on the album "Songs of Love and Hate”. And the version of "Tonight Will be Fine" that appeared on the import-only Columbia release "Live Songs"
Although it was my intention to review the LP here, this recording is also available as a CD/DVD set which I purchased a week or-so later. If you buy the LP (and you should if you have turntable) plan on getting the digital set also.
Enjoy! (Or don’t)
---brett
Album: Live at the Isle of Wight
Released 2009 by Sony Legacy
Format: vinyl LP
Me:
First, I have to get something out of the way; I absolutely love Leonard Cohen. I don't consider myself to be star struck by famous people (I've met my share). But if I were ever to find myself in Lenny's presence, I’d probably start screaming and clawing at the flesh of my cheeks like the girls in Ed Sullivan's audience the night The Beatles took the stage in '64. This initial reaction would likely give way to me falling to my knees then collapsing into a sobbing heap of jelly on the hard, cold, shiny floor of the airport (For some reason, an airport is where I think all this would take place.) Leonard would then give a quiet, gentle "You're too kind" and calmly walk away toward his destination, his roll-on luggage clacking with ever-increasing distance across the floor tiles.
Now that that is out of the way….
The LP:
I was not aware this recording was being released, so imagine my surprise when I came across this hefty double LP a couple weeks ago as I was flipping through the new vinyl at Newbury Comics in Amherst, MA. I don't think I've ever spent $30 on an LP before, but not buying this package that very minute did not seem like an option. (Especially after my experience of purchasing Leonard Cohen's "Ten New Songs" on LP for $9 when it came out a few years ago (I see it offered on eBay for $40+ used now.) After getting it home, I had to let this LP sit unopened in my living room for about 4 days until I got the time to sit and listen to it without distraction.
When I finally broke the shrink wrap open, what I found inside was a beautiful, heavy, gate fold LP; the records themselves kept in heavy plastic-lined paper inner sleeves, and in these sleeves were two of the heaviest LPs I think I've handled in a long time—or ever. They just might be 200 grams. One thing I didn't like however is the choice of labeling that seems to be showing up all too often now-a-days; a monochrome picture of Lenny on one side, and the track listing for both sides on the opposite label. (Or is it the other way around?) The reason I dislike this is it does not tell me what side of the record is what. Is the picture of Lenny on side A? Or is the writing? (Turns out the picture is, and the track listing is on the "back" side.) But I digress...
The Recording:
The first couple times I put it on; I sat through the whole thing---all 4 sides--- like I was watching a movie with my ears. Which, it turns out; this is the perfect recording for. The performance is captivating (more on that later) and the recording sounds like you're listening through the PA system at the event, yet with the stage setting (soundstage) intact with Leonard in the center, his guitar just below his voice, the accompanying guitars (there were 3) fanned out behind him and to his left; the back-up singers and bass player, Charlie Daniels (yes, that Charlie Daniels), to his right. On my system, which tends toward a "forward” presentation, it sounds like I am listening from a point slightly elevated and maybe 50 feet back from the stage. (Figure it was a big stage). It's an old sounding recording-whatever that means-slightly dark and contained, yet clear and cohesive within that container. From a technical standpoint, it's not going to be my test LP, but it will be one of my most enjoyable sounding ones.
The Man:
This is a snapshot of Leonard at what may very well have been his creative peak and simultaneously, a personal trough (or perhaps it was a slough). It was 1970, the year he was working on his third album; “Songs of Love and Hate” which, to many followers and fans, concludes his great trilogy. (Which consists also of “Song of Leonard Cohen” and “Songs from a Room” respectively.) He said in an interview in 1988 that he was "cracking up" at that time. (meaning breaking down) and I get a glimpse of that in this performance. And so do the 600,000 people in attendance.
The Event:
This was the fifth and final day of the third Isle of Wight Festival. By many accounts, the mood of the festival by this point was ugly; plagued by poor organization, poor relations with the performers, and angry, anarchistic attendees--many of them having crashed the gates and torn down the fences. (The original organizers have an interesting webpage on the event here: http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/iow1970menu.html)
They woke Leonard up to take the stage around 4:00am (if I remember correctly) ----nearing the end of a set which had included Jethro Tull and Jimi Hendrix shortly before. What makes Leonard's set here so fascinating is that people actually listened to him. (Kris Kristofferson had been booed off the stage earlier the same night). He came out so humble, so charming and dark, that people calmed the f* down and sat and listened. This is the ultimate testament to the power of Leonard's writing, but as much, and perhaps more surprisingly so, a testament to his charisma as a performer.
The Take-Away:
I won't go any further to try to describe to you what Leonard was offering that evening. You either already know or you don't. And if you don't, you're not going to find out by reading anything I write---you'll have to go listen for yourself--which leads us right back to this LP. If you do not know Leonard's music and want to begin to explore it, this would be a fine place to start. If you are already a fan, this is perhaps the finest live set available to date; much more consistent than “Tour of 1979” or the import-only “Live Songs” (which is from this same era). (The other similarly solid, but much later live offering is “Leonard Cohen Live” from the tour of 87 and 88. The more recent “Live from London” has actually begun to disappoint with repeated listenings.)
BTW, some of you will be familiar with two songs from this Isle of Wight set. It was this evening that produced the recordings of "Let's Sing Another Song Boys (This One Has Grown Old and Bitter)" used on the album "Songs of Love and Hate”. And the version of "Tonight Will be Fine" that appeared on the import-only Columbia release "Live Songs"
Although it was my intention to review the LP here, this recording is also available as a CD/DVD set which I purchased a week or-so later. If you buy the LP (and you should if you have turntable) plan on getting the digital set also.
Enjoy! (Or don’t)
---brett
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