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Dear Heather by: Leonard Cohen

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Rating: - Leonard at his best!

I cannot stop listening to Dear Heather. Leonard, methinks is brilliant in this album and I particularly loved 'undertow'! Such a beautiful poetry! Another favourite is 'Villanelle of our time', calming and destressing. 'Go no-more roving', just brilliant again! A perfect start of a amazing album :). 'Because of'? Hmmm..I didn't connect here and found it self-bragging, the music is good as always though. Leonard is much better with his mature voice. And please do not forget to listen to 'Nightingale', LOVELY. I have heard his older songs, but found the new songs brilliant.

Rating: - Masterpiece

Much more varied than Ten New Songs, Dear Heather sounds patchy at first listen. But repeated spins reveal the beauty and the cohesive themes of the album.

Lord Byron's poem, Go No More A Roaming, sets the mood, with lovely backing by Sharon Robinson. The enigmatic Because Of, with its repeated refrain "Look at me Leonard/One last time" is a beautiful blend of eros and thanatos, spiced by wry humour and embellished with the beautiful voice of Anjani Thomas.

Simplicity rules on The Letters where Sharon Robinson and LC share the vocals, sometimes solo, sometimes together. With its sparse instrumentation, Undertow has a dreamy melody and evocative imagery with Thomas taking the female vocal.

Morning Glory is another oneiric soundscape with tinkling keyboards and spoken vocals framed by the divine female voice. The most poignant moment on the album is On That Day (They Wounded New York), an elegant, lilting song with hypnotic harp textures.

Villanelle For Our Time, written by Frank Scott, is a spoken poem with memorable lines like: "From bitter searching of the heart/We rise to play a greater part." The title track is a delightful love song with innovative arrangement including harp and trumpet, and playful vocals. One to whistle in the bath.

With its catchy tune and lovely harmonies, Nightingale is a little folk-pop gem with main vocal by Thomas, whilst To A Teacher is another recited poem. The sound of The Faith resembles that of the album Recent Songs, with Raffi Hakopian on violin and John Bilezikjian on the lute. This is very moving, like a graceful farewell.

The albums ends, surprisingly but fittingly, with a 1985 live version of Tennessee Waltz, raw and powerful in its rootsy country delivery. The song receives Leonard's addendum, a third verse in his own poetic style.

Some people are forever stuck on Cohen's 1960s style. They don't like Death Of A Ladies' Man and they dissed Ten New Songs, so they won't appreciate this one either. I consider it a masterpiece with his genius expressed in a refreshing variety of styles and timeless songs. Dear Heather might well be the last proper Leonard Cohen studio album. If so, what a moving farewell.

Rating: - Persevere!

Like some of the other reviewers my initial reaction to "Dear Heather" was surprise and disappointment: having also recently bought "Ten new songs" I had expected something similar. I listened once and then put my reactions on hold. The next day I tried again, this time knowing I had something different in store. I played the disc through twice and my initial disappointment began to change. Now (a week after purchase) I have got to know, like and enjoy all of the tracks. Some I still find a bit mystifying (e.g. the title track), but all are worth listening to. The range is in my opinion greater than in many other Cohen discs and it is different in tone - but it certainly rewards perseverence. Currently I would give it 4* but this continues to rise!

Rating: - An old master returns

As with other reviewers, I concur that one first experiences bafflement, then dawning realization that this is yet another example of a genius at work. Those who characterise LC's work as: "Music to commit suicide by" just do not get the irony and subtle humour of a man who is simply irrepressible. My star track is: "To a Teacher" with phrases like: "Where the shadows live in the rafters like day-weary bats" and: "I have entered under this dark roof as fearlessly as an honoured son enters his father's house" - almost orgasmic, which is how music and poetry should be. If you are getting less then you are missing out. My main complaint about LC is that he has spoilt my life by making other lyricists seem pale by comparison; nobody else comes close and, even if one cannot grasp the full intricacies of his musings (like me!), it is still a combination of mood and phraseology, along with innovative use of delightfully obscure instrumentation and high quality arrangement, that stuns the soul and uplifts the spirit. This is a must for your collection - how can so many people miss the point?

Rating: - Cohen manages another masterpiece

I thought I'd leave some time between buying this CD and reviewing it, as Leonard Cohen is never an artist who does the obvious.

I bought this as soon as it was advertised and it was in my CD layer within a minute of being delivered. I listened and was baffled. How could a man who had produced the finest music for a generation come out with (as some early reviewers described it) a collection of half-finished outtakes.

I forced myself to listen to it again. Then I listened to it again, and again, ...and again. And I realised that with the exception of 'On That Day' (which is still a beautiful and evocative song about 9/11) these are not just songs thrown together, but a long-thought collection of poems.

Leonard all but strips away the music. There are no guitar riffs, piano rolls or clever base lines. The lyrics are all that really matter and they are astounding.

And as for the title track, 'Dear Heather'. The first time I heard it I thought it was a joke. I now find it is my all-time favorite from Cohen and this CD is never out of my car.

Listen, listen and listen again. This is not just music, it's art.

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