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Spins review

Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 7:40 pm
by jarkko
Dick found this.


November 25th, 2004
Leonard Cohen - (Sony/BMG)

Dear Heather
Melora Koepke

This latest offering from Mt. Baldy's favourite seeker is worrisome. Is Cohen finally losing whatever it was he once had? In his old age (or prolonged adolescence) he has taken to scrawling invented esoteric symbols that signify, you know, spiritual things, all over the place. The liner notes are covered in these doodles, and so is the music. The record kicks off with a terrible, sax-laced adult contempo version of Lord Byron's Go No More a-Roving dedicated to Cohen's late best friend, Irving Layton. And it goes from there deeper into the ridiculous via an array of dubious backup singers and assorted laughable instrumentals. Several songs, as well as the album itself, are dedicated to dearly departed friends. The rest settle scores with old lovers; there are a couple of halfhearted love songs, and of course the requisite 9/11 ballad. Sad.

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:11 am
by lightning
seems like a prophet is once again without honor in his own country :(

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 9:29 pm
by lizzytysh
The perfect, be-here-now karma would be for this reviewer to meet Leonard in person. I wish I could be the proverbial fly-on-the-wall at that occurrence, as I'd love to watch Melora's transformation. Leonard, of course, the perfect gentleman. Reviews of this nature are the embodiment of its own favourite term, adolescent.

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:12 pm
by Kush
I am very happy that Jarkko brings us such a review. A voice of dissent is like fresh air on this forum where the reviews often tend to be claustrophobic in its predictability and sameness. Thank you Ms. Koepke.

(and I don't even agree with her)

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:13 pm
by Young dr. Freud
Lizzytysh---you seemed to be doing so much better. Now this! A voyeristic fly fantasy! You have been listening to too much Dear Heather. You must relax. I am prescribing a cruise. Do NOT take your CD player.


YdF

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:08 am
by lizzytysh
I haven't found them at all predictable, Kush, but then that's me :wink: .

YDF ~ I'm so glad to see you out making the rounds. I was getting concerned about your obsession there in the poetry room, when you have an entire institution to tend to. Allegations regarding lack of objectivity were beginning to circulate. You know how the top administrators can be with these state hospitals. What a shame 't'would be to see you get penalized this late in your career. It stays on your record, you know :shock: .

I'm just amazed by your insight on this cruise business. Why, you know, I think I'll just do that. Please make sure your script is legible, however. They've begun to reject them when they're not. What a pity that would be at this juncture. Ah, yes...the fly on the wall. An old favourite, that one :D . I refuse to let go of it until I'm absolutely ready, however. Though I might be willing to make a trade for a fly in the ointment :wink: .

My cd player is too cumbersome to make the trip. I did consider pirate'ing a few cds onto the ship, however. One just never knows. Be prepared.

Well, back to my spot on the wall.....waiting for that Ms. [is it a Ms.?] Koepke. Refreshing? Hmmmm........maybe like a coke on battery terminals. Oh well. Maybe one day s/he will get it.

~ Lizzy

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 11:48 pm
by pipkinra
A strange take on the new album. While I also could say I liked this or that album of Leonard's the best I realize that people grow and find new ways to express themselves. I personally find 'Dear Heather' a great album. It's true it's different, that's very true but I also realize that if you approach every day of your life with the same perspectiive as the day before you're bound at some point to disappointed. It's the same for music. But I guess that's why they have divorce court.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:43 pm
by Kush
I just find it annoying that some people have an arrogant and superior attitude towards anyone who doesnt happen to like Dear Heather the CD or Leonard Cohen the artist. Calling a person's opinion "adolescent" becoz he or she didnt like the album Dear Heather :roll:.

But in the big scheme of things it doesnt really matter so I think I'll go play my banjo now.

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 6:57 pm
by pipkinra
Well Kush, I hope that wasn't aimed at me :-).. People of course are free to form their opinions about everything, from Songs of LC to the meaning of life. It was just my personal take on the take of others about 'Dear Heather and LC's songs in general.

To paraphrase:

Let's not talk of love or hate
Things to do it's getting late
There's so little time and I'm just passing through, As are we all.

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:44 pm
by Kush
Naaah..it wasnt :).

I think it is enough if you or I or anybody else likes Dear Heather or LC in general. We don't have to insist the rest of the world do so too or consider them adolescent or whatever if they don't. Nobody owns the entire spectrum of opinions of an artists work.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 3:47 am
by Tchocolatl
Oh! here comes the banjo again. ! like you quote so much forgive me Kush if I used it twice the time you did, since you came with it.

But I was not here for the banjo, now. In the contrary. I find this critics in a Montreal Newspaper (on line here) How strange, and there is comments regarding the review I thought you (you = all) might find interesting . You can also reply, if you want. After all, newspaper became History artefacts (if I may say so) after a certain time. Never wasted. And - great - I found somebody who made more typo then I do, at least more obviously repeated.

OK, the link now 8) :

http://www.hour.ca/music/spin.aspx?iIDDisque=2543

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:38 pm
by Kush
Well rather belatedly I apologize to Lizzytysh for my well-aimed shot. But sometimes you gotta say what you gotta say.

Tchoc - Johnny Cash was a very wise man....indeed all banjo players are wise people. :)

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:45 pm
by lizzytysh
"Adolescent" had nothing to do with their not liking Dear Heather, but rather their means of expression regarding their not liking it. Please note that there have been many others who didn't like it, yet this was my first use of the term. In fact, there was one reviewer, whose manner of review [not liking it] that I commented positively upon.

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:57 pm
by Kush
What would you say if someone calls your posts adolescent?

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:06 pm
by lizzytysh
It would depend on the post. I might agree.

Melora Koepke is free to disagree with me on this one. You find it refreshing [seemingly more because s/he simply doesn't like the album than the way the review was written]. I find it adolescent because of the way it was written. I haven't commented on his/her other reviews. A personal friend of yours :wink: ?