Philadelphia Inquirer review

[jarkko]

This review was forwarded by Dick!



10/31 Philadelphia Inquirer

Leonard Cohen
Dear Heather
(Columbia **1/2)

Of all the Leonard Cohen vocal affectations over the years, his imitation of
a computer voice on the title track of Dear Heather is possibly the most
disconcerting.

The great Canadian bard offers a strange commentary on the coldness of the
digital age by delivering his usual subject matter - the overheated thoughts
of an incurable romantic - in the tone associated with automated phone
systems.

It doesn't help that the track moves like so much of this set, at a nearly
tempoless crawl, or that the automated-sounding instrumental textures are
subordinated, exposing the serrated edges of Cohen's baritone.

Though the melodies of "Undertow" and "Villanelle for Our Time" sound like
unfinished sketches, the surrounding music is both simple and deceptively
graceful, harking back to that time in the '70s when Cohen could turn almost
anything - a spiritual crisis, the face of a beautiful girl - into a
rhapsody.

- Tom Moon

[Tchocolatl]

The great Canadian bard offers a strange commentary on the coldness of the
digital age by delivering his usual subject matter - the overheated thoughts
of an incurable romantic - in the tone associated with automated phone
systems. Tom Moon

Is it that he did not know about BL? Or that he does not remember the telephone dance?

[tomsakic]

When will you learn, Tschocoladl? The reviewers do not read. They hardly know to read liner notes.
tom

[Tchocolatl]

You can call me Tchoc, or Tchoco, lad

They hardly know LC if you ask me.

When appearances are more important than the reality, you have to go fast-fast-faster to cover-up things, not to think, and vice versa, when everything is going at a fury pace, like communications are today, no time to deepening many subjects : only appearances have a certain shape of reality. For some people, no need to say.

Reviewers, they have to be told what they have in hands, because they are not there to make an essay about the material they received, just a paper.

And it seems that we are in a rude time for poets, originals and other gentle lunatics, finita la comedia the dolce vita of the '70 we are in The Future which is a very serious Ghoul, with no soft eyes for the ones who do not comply to the orders of the ghoul.

[lizzytysh]

I endorse your whole posting, Tchocolatl. So true with your comments regarding The Future, etc. On a couple of these reviews, I almost said, "Some reviews are just not worth commenting on ." The ignorance of the writer is just so blatant.

[linmag]

Some of these reviews are starting to look very familiar. Is it just me, or have we already read this one from another publication?

[lizzytysh]

I've read some twice, Linmag ~ but don't recall how I got to them....perhaps through a posting that held several links, or several whole [though brief] reviews?