Leonard Cohen - The Future: C/D?

What's people's take on this album? Not that it matters, but also what is its critical rep and did it do well commercially?

Cohen-with-synths >>>> Cohen-with-acoustic-guitars. "Democracy" and "The Future" are great.

"Waiting For The Miracle" is Goosebumps Central.

"Democracy" is totally made by the "Sail on..." section.

This is one of those cases where Alfred is both wrong and charming. The synth stuff is generally better than a lot of people say it is, but Various Positions is the best of that period. The lyrics of course are great, which are pretty much the entire point.

This is pretty much the best Leonard Cohen album I've heard, I love the cheap synths and the backing choir, plus both songwriting and lyrics are top-notch. "Closing Time" is great fun and "Anthem" has probably the best lyrics he's ever written. Without the over-long Irving Berlin cover in the end this would be a perfect album.

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The lyrics of course are great, which are pretty much the entire point.

Well, if they were the whole point, I wouldn't like it. "Closing Time" is one bastard of a tune, for example. Then there's the loveliness of the string arrangement on "Anthem".

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To answer the original question, it was well received critically and it sold respectably - without having quite the same impact as I'm Your Man.

My first taste of L. Cohen was through the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. I can remember thinking at the time how well the synths and backing vocals lent themselves to movie music.

Unfortunately, some of the songs wear out their welcome. I'm sorry, I can't take all seven minutes of Waiting For The Miracle. I don't think this is just because I'm used to the cut-down versions that I heard when I was a kid.

Anthem is probably one of the greatest songs ever written, in my book.

Yeah, I find WFTM a bit draggy. There's just not enough going on to sustain interest. Actually, the version I heard him do live this summer was nicer texturally.

a total classic, and the mix of hearing it on the NBK soundtrack and the fact that the tape was a regular part of a family holiday meant that I am happy to say

Cohen >>>>>> Dylan

however he changed the give me crack and anal sex line for his gigs this summer.

To what?

There could be a good T/S of late 80s/early 90s political pop records with dated references (The Future vs. New York vs. Freedom).

Various Poisitions is one of my favorite records anywhere, even with the Soviet production, and not a single dud.

i like various positions and im your man but synth cohen is on the whole so fuckin shitty to listen to

Ten New Songs sounds like a demo for what could've been a great Daniel Lanois/Leonard Cohen collab, though "In My Secret Life" is good.

Cohen's whole idea though of holiness in trash and profundity in the shallows justifies the cheesy synths, in a way.

yeah, there are times when i really want some "tasteful" (maybe lanois-esque) production on these records, but the "voice of doom surrounded by plastic" thing works pretty well as an artistic concept.

This is one of those cases where Alfred is both wrong and charming. The synth stuff is generally better than a lot of people say it is, but Various Positions is the best of that period.

But the synth stuff is as revered (and, by some critics, preferred to) as the earlier stuff (and I'm a fan of "Death of a Ladies Man"). You're right about Various Positions, though, and I find it difficult to choose between it and I'm Your Man. "If It Be Your Will" and "Coming Back To You" have made many a mix.

the "voice of doom surrounded by plastic" thing works pretty well as an artistic concept.

OTM.

I'll have to pull this out again, but I much prefer I'm Your Man and I don't that I see that changing.

I always wished Johnny Cash's Cohen cover had been "Tower of Song" and not "Bird on a Wire."

xpost: From memory (I saw him at Manchester Opera House), I think he sang "give me crack and dangerous sex".

ahh, it was 'careless sex' in edinburgh. it was like the second song, way too early to mention anal sex.

There's a clip of him doing "The Future" on I think Jools Holland in the early 90s, and he was already using "careless sex" then.

maybe someone gave him anal sex and he didn't like it?

Whatever he got from his old manager was a close equivalent.

hoho.

"It's partner found and it's partner lost
And it's hell to pay when 'Sex On Fire' stops,
It's closing time"

LC speaks to every generation!!!!!!!

Anthem is probably one of the greatest songs ever written, in my book.

I'm increasingly beginning to believe this too. A truly spine-tingling song.

ahh, it was 'careless sex' in edinburgh. it was like the second song, way too early to mention anal sex.

Haha. "Jesus, Lenny, could you at least kiss me first?"

my mom really liked this album