April 24 Re-release (with bonus tracks info)

LaurieAK · Post by **LaurieAK** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:37 am

http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/25717

Early Leonard Cohen albums to be reissued
First three albums to be released with bonus tracks
Columbia/Legacy has announced the launch of its campaign to restore the recordings of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

On March 27, the label will re-release Cohen's first three albums, [b'The Songs of Leonard Cohen'[/b] (originally released in 1968), 'Songs From a Room' (released in 1969), and 'Songs of Love and Hate' (released in 1971).

Each title will be released as a "deluxe digipak", which features the restored recordings as well as bonus tracks and new liner notes.

The enigmatic 72-year-old singer has been the focus of much attention lately, including a film released last year entitled 'Leonard Cohen, I'm Your Man', in which artists including U2, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainright and Beth Orton paid him tribute.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
Find out more about NME.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:29 am

Also, nice comment in Rolling Stone:-)

Columbia/Legacy will release Leonard Cohen’s first three albums in late March with restored sound and bonus tracks. Nice!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:21 pm

Anyone know anything about the bonus tracks?

Rob.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:44 pm

I'm wondering about the "bonus tracks," too, Rob. I'm also very much wondering about what they considered to be the "restored sound" and whether it equate to homogeneity. If so, I'll much prefer the raw, authentic originals. I'll be buying it... liking it better may be a different matter.

~ Lizzy [/i]

peter danielsen · Post by **peter danielsen** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:00 pm

maybe they will create a house/techno version of Suzanne.

Peter

LaurieAK · Post by **LaurieAK** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:45 am

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1003531240

January 10, 2007, 4:30 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Several previously unreleased tracks have been unearthed for Columbia/Legacy's reissue series of Leonard Cohen's first three albums, due April 24.

"Songs of Leonard Cohen" sports two tracks from sessions with Columbia's legendary A&R man John Hammond in the summer of 1967 that were never completed: "Store Room" and "Blessed Is the Memory."

The 1968 follow-up, "Songs From a Room" features the evergreen "Bird on a Wire," an early version of which appears here as "Like a Bird" with different instrumentation. That song, as well as an early take on "You Know Who I Am" dubbed "Nothing to One" that features harmony vocals by David Crosby, were recorded in Hollywood. "Songs From a Room" wound up being put to tape in Nashville.

"Songs of Love and Hate," released in 1971, is expanded with a full-band arrangement of "Dress Rehearsal Rag" that sounds quite different from the version on the original.

On the same date, Columbia/Legacy is re-releasing "Blue Alert," an album sung by Anjani Thomas and featuring songs she co-wrote with Cohen, who does not appear as an artist. The new version features a DVD with videos for "Thanks for the Dance" and "The Mist."

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:43 am

This is exciting

~ "Blessed Is the Memory" had no 'other' title, at least not one mentioned here. Different instrumentation on the others is also something to really look forward to. Very cool

.

~ Lizzy

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:25 am

"Songs of Leonard Cohen" sports two tracks from sessions with Columbia's legendary A&R man John Hammond in the summer of 1967 that were never completed: "Store Room" and "Blessed Is the Memory."

Store Room was first recorded in Vanguard Studios in NYC in 1966. It seems it was re-recorded with Hammond for Songs Of in 1967, as its copyright was registered on July 24, 1967. Now this seems to be confirmed.
Source: http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/storeroom/60sdemos.htm

Store Room was also pressed on famous 1966 Acetate Demo LP, labeled to Asylum Records, NYC, while Leonard recall he recorded it for Polygram [only one known copy is in private posession]: http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/storeroom/acetate66.htm

Blesses Is the Memory is part of 1966 demos and was supposed it is 1967 outtake from Songs Of. Now this is also confirmed. Coypright was registered on July 24, 1967.
Source: http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/storeroom/60sdemos.htm

The 1968 follow-up, "Songs From a Room" features the evergreen "Bird on a Wire," an early version of which appears here as "Like a Bird" with different instrumentation. That song, as well as an early take on "You Know Who I Am" dubbed "Nothing to One" that features harmony vocals by David Crosby, were recorded in Hollywood. "Songs From a Room" wound up being put to tape in Nashville.

"I began that song [Bird on the Wire] in Greece. The melody began a few of the lyrics, a few of the lines. And then it was still with me. I was in Los Angeles. I was living in a motel on the Sunset strip – it developed a little further. Then I made recording of it which David Crosby produced. Ah, I never finished that recording. And the song continued to develop. I made a recording of it in Nashville with Bob Johnston as producer. And apparently the lyrics still weren’t finished. I changed the lyrics and a different lyric appears in a record called Live Songs. And then the lyric changed again somewhat in the most recent treatments of the song [Field Commander Cohen live version] – so it’s continued being written for about eight or nine years". (L. Cohen, interviewed by Harry Rasky, The Song Of Leonard Cohen. Portrait of a Poet, a Friendship and a Film, 2001, page 83).
Source: http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/storero ... ttakes.htm

Don't forget that Store Room was widely performed in 1976 on European tour. MP3 on Greg's site: http://www.twoshakesofalambstail.com/st ... reroom.mp3

YankovicGretzky · Post by **YankovicGretzky** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:28 pm

I can smell the 2008 Rock Hall!

YankovicGretzky · Post by **YankovicGretzky** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:18 pm

Tom Sakic wrote:Also, nice comment in Rolling Stone:-)

Columbia/Legacy will release Leonard Cohen’s first three albums in late March with restored sound and bonus tracks. Nice!

Rolling Stone magazine writers love Leonard Cohen. Some of their writers are on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame voting committee. It's just a matter of time before Leonard gets inducted.

Now that these albums are going to be re-released as digi-packs with bonus tracks, does this mean the original releases will stop being reproduced and released with the jewel cases. Should we go out and buy them all before they disappear?

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 5:39 pm

I am not sure. But I guess not, because there will always make money, from people who hates remasters to people who buy cheaper CDs (not to mention those who buy first CD they see because they do not care).

Also, this is Legacy label, while "nice price" remasters are from local Sony pressing companies and its production and distribtuion is local decision. Like those new 2006 German Sony's packages of The Future/Ten New Songs and Songs of Leonard Cohen/Songs of Love and Hate. Croatia is full of them in last three months. It's ten Euro - two CDs for price of one "nice price" CD, what's theprice of 1/2 of new actual CD.