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http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/CohenLe ... herCD.html
Reviewed by - George Bennett
Leonard Cohen
Dear Heather
I wasn't ready for what I heard upon first listen to Leonard Cohen's new 'Dear Heather'. Leonard, where's the singin', man...the melody? Cohen, for lack of a better term, spoken-word/sings these 13 songs (well, 9 of 'em. His ladies-paramour singing or co-singing the other four), with emphasis on the spoken-word part. Now, we could go into numerous hypotheses and speculation as to why he chose to do these songs this way, but to what purpose? He did, and that's all that pertains to this review. One other thing that initially threw me was the relatively large amount of jazz influence Cohen applies here, something that he has not hinted at in the past - at least not to the extent of adding saxophone and vibes, as he does here.
Alot of the melody is in the beautiful female background vocals, and the comfortably familiar Cohen folk-chord changes and musical arrangements. So, I thought, the beauty of this album lies mostly in Cohen's masterful lyrics and gruff baritone, and in the musical/vocal backgrounds that so exquisitely couch those magic words.
After numerous listenings, I finally found a simple way to frame my feelings about this release, something I'd been unable to do to this point. (I knew it was good, just not how good, or in what context.) The term "elegant understatement" sums up this album for me. I've always loved that term and its implications, and it fits perfectly here.
Leonard Cohen fans will certainly find songs such as the sad break-up of "The Letters", his take on 9/11 in "On That Day", the oblique realization of selflessness that is "There For You", the goodbye to a dear friend in "Nightingale" and the requiem for all that we go thru in this life, "The Faith", the most familiar and comforting...the most reminiscent of his past works.
But, for those willing to take a few more listens, this album reveals an unbroken string of meaningful, beautifully expressive, and, at last, unmistakeable Leonard Cohen masterpieces (the additional 13th song, the classic "Tennesse Waltz", done live, even works wonderfully). "Go No More A-Roving"' is Lord Byron's words, set to music by LC, and has the sound and feel of a goodbye (?) "Because Of" is the now 70-year-old Cohen's thankyou to the ladies - and theirs to him - for their appreciation (in all manner of ways) of his immortalizing them in song. "Undertow" might be a bow to the power of the unexpected. "Morning Glory" is beat-poet, spoken-word with late-night jazz club backing - tasty vibes and walking upright bass - that slips into a beautiful female chorus dissecting the words "morning glory". "Villanelle For Our Time" is, again, that oh-so-low and rich Cohen baritone in spoken-word (by Frank Scott), with ghostly-soft harmony backing vocals and piano knudling seeping in as it goes. "Dear Heather" is a light flight-of-fancy; simple appreciation of Heather, consisting of four lines repeated, ever-so-slightly haltingly, by Cohen and ever-present muse/partner Anjani Thomas...a slight south seas steel drum-like underpinning. "To a Teacher" seems a sad goodbye to someone from whom Cohen obviously learned alot, and whom he misses just as much (and is dedicated to an A. M. Klein [1909 - 1972]).
Liner notes include lyrics, black and white paintings and drawings by LC, and each song's instrumental and vocal accompaniment is acknowledged by name. The sound is dry, and right in your face close-up for Cohen's vocals and the various shared female lead vocals, with a nice depth of soundstage for the instruments and backing vocals.
At first a tiny bit put off by this unexpectedly different Leonard Cohen sound, after some four or five listens I all-at-once fell in love with this disc. "Dear Heather" is as much a masterpiece as Leonard Cohen has ever released, but in its own way. And that's just fine. Give this one just a little time, dear reader, and the riches it unveils are many, and absolutely, enthrallingly beautiful: lyrically, vocally, and musically. The pieces of this puzzle all come together to offer a pristine view of Leonard Cohen's mindset at age 70. We should all have such class, at any age. One of this year's finest. If "The Essential Leonard Cohen" rates 5 Stars, as it does, then I cannot award higher than 4 1/2 Stars to "Dear Heather". And so it is.
Music TAP review
This review speaks to my ongoing question with regard to the reviews in general. I wonder how many times the reviewers have listened to the album, prior to writing their review. I wonder how many have written a lukewarm-to-negative review, only to later [after their initial one, couple, or several listenings] wish they could go back and rewrite their official one. I say that, not because I necessarily feel that everyone will ultimately fall in love with the album, given enough time; but because I've seen enough people here refer to their own process of not liking it at first, "but then......" ~ enough to give me cause to wonder about those who may end up there, as well, but too late for their review.