‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’ is the 1967 debut album of Canadian musician Leonard Cohen. It foreshadowed the future path of his career, with less success in the United States than in Europe, reaching #83 on the Billboard chart and achieving gold status only in 1989, while it reached #13 in UK and spent nearly a year and a half in the UK album charts.

The album became a cult favorite in the US, as well as in the UK, where it spent over a year on the album charts. Several of the songs on this first album were covered by other popular folk artists, including Joan Baez and Judy Collins. The album in many ways is the marrying of poetry with music. Many do this, but not like Leonard Cohen, where his lyrics exude reciprocated and unrequited passions.

The album includes the cult favorite Suzanne, first published as a poem in 1966. It was recorded as a song by Judy Collins in the same year, and Cohen performed it as his debut single on this album. Many other artists have recorded versions, and it has become one of the most covered songs in Cohen's catalogue. .

Cohen who is regarded as a folk singer-songwriter, poet and novelist is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time and many would agree with this statement. This album defies time, and has not dated a bit. Like Bob Dylan, Cohen was way ahead of his time. A published poet for ten years before he made it with this album, he brings all his unique talents to bear in this collection of songs. Cohen's style is utterly unique. He combines his poetic talents to merge with his beautifully nuanced and sung ballads. They have this haunting beauty that is hard to describe in words.

To understand what I mean you really have to listen to him, if you are one of the few who has not already done so. Cohen is known for his lyrics with political and religious content and for addressing sexual and personal relationship issues. Some tracks are real masterpieces, Sisters of Mercy a 'waltz', a song in three quarters, which sounds like a chant. We see delicate pop sound in So Long Marianne which is fantastic, a ballad with incredible vocals and so is Goodbye. You could also tune into Master Song, The Stranger Song, Winter Lady, Teachers and Stories Of The Street which are just as good, if not better.

A masterpiece of a record to be included in any collection that wants to hold quality records.His words and guitar playing are unforgettable. Everybody should listen to this album front to back at least once in their life. A true genius .... forever. Rest in Peace Leonard Cohen, Canada’s greatest singer songwriter who passed away on 7^th November 2016 in Los Angeles.

Released in: 1967

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira