leonardcohenforum.com

2. LEONARD COHEN, "Dear Heather": Here's what the title track to Cohen's 11th studio album in 36 years sounds like: five lines of alternately prosaic and impressionistic lyrics, repeated over and over in an unworldly croak that approximates what Tom Waits probably sounds like first thing in the morning, while a woozy melody vaguely reminiscent of The Band's "Theme from the Last Waltz" lurches along underneath. Indelible. (From Dear Heather, http://www.dearheather.com, out Oct. 26)

http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_10.0 ... c/ahl.html

"Indelible" we presume to be 'a good thing' in this context, right?

I also wonder... Where's my Oxford dictionary

Well, I can tell you, Tom, it's what the ink was supposed to be for the election in Afghanistan [but turned out not to be], to prevent anyone's being able to vote twice. It basically means unable to be removed, permanent. However, permanently good or permanently bad, is what I'm wondering. "Impressionistic" isn't bad, but "prosaic" means "lacking imagination or interest; commonplace." "Repeated over and over" is suggestive of boredom with the repetition. "Lurches along" is not necessarily a complimentary image. It suggests being uneven and jolting in sudden thrusts forward. "Unworldly croak" likening how Tom Waits [who already has a gravelly voice] "probably sounds like first thing in the morning" [the 'first-thing-in-the-morning' voice is generally understood to be one that's at least a bit unpleasant]. "Croak" is a word used to describe the sounds that frogs make. It also has an alternative, slang meaning that means to die. "He croaked, you know" would translate as, "He died, you know." A "woozy" melody, likewise, isn't particularly flattering. "Woozy" is generally a term used to describe a woman under the influence of alcohol, or someone [generally a woman, too] who feels sick and [maybe even] about to faint. It could include feeling nauseated, but generally suggests at least a feeling of dizziness.

Geez .....now that I've gone through all that, the only thing I can conclude is that "Indelible" means that it will remain "permanently bad" in his memory; or it was his single-word, coup of sarcasm ~ meaning, "absolutely, permanently forgettable!"

~ Lizzy

I don't think it is a particularly negative review. It is from a music colum called the anti-hit list where the writer tries, in my opinion, a little hard to be cool.

It was his second favourite song of the week, or at least that was my impression of the article. The writer thought it was unforgettable.

I loved the song, with all of its individual charms. It is possible to love his voice and still think it sounds like an other worldly croak!

Well, "anti-hit" is a clue. I wouldn't draw a conclusion on one phrase "other worldly croak" ~ however, in context of the other descriptives, I feel I can safely say he does not like the title song of "Dear Heather" ! Or, if he does, he's concealing it well .