Written by Holly Dolan





Leonard Cohen's ‘is an album that evokes a solace intrigue every time I listen to it. Whilst this is the album that possesses arguably one of the most famous songs in history, 'Hallelujah', the rest of the tracks may not be as familiar to the ear of most. None the less, this is a beautifully constructed album worthy of praise and occasional revisits.The opening track, 'Dance Me to the End of Love' lures listeners on a blissful note. The insinuative lyrics are embodied with intense tragedy and romance, which sets the tone for this album filled with graceful enchantment. Jennifer Warnes is a heavy feature onand her vocals pair perfectly with Cohens. The second track 'Coming Back to You' accompanies the first track with a deeper vocal pitch, which allows it to embark on a more melancholic sound. But it is in the hearty piano and orchestral strings that make this song multidimensional and rich.My personal favourite track is 'The Law'. The vocals are fittingly bewitching for the romantic lyricism. 'The Law' is an illustration of guilt, Cohen himself has expressed this in a 1985 interview; he states he felt this is a "post-guilt" song. Guilt is a heavy emotion that in Leonard Cohen's exploration is illustrated in this beautifully caliginous way. Following 'The Law' comes 'Night Comes On' has a poetic personal narrative that thoroughly mentions family and fear. It explores vague apprehension and uncertainty with a pure folk ring.Now the one that doesn't even need a mention because of its familiarity: 'Hallelujah'. I don't need to reassure the stunning lyricism because we all know the words like the back of our hands. 'Hallelujah' it the perfect centre-track for. Its biblical richness and iconic story furthers the album's journey. Hallelujah would later be covered by an array of different artists - most popularly Jeff Buckley (who in my opinion didn't do it near enough justice).The familiar folk sound is truly embraced in 'The Captain'. It's narrative-heavy lyricism and instrumentally wholesome sound capture an authentic folk-ness, much like the track 'Night Comes On' - but this time with a more upbeat and playful filter. 'Hunters Lullaby' follows and the title is fairly self-explanatory. It is a (complex) lullaby.Nearing the closure of, 'Heart with No Companion' keeps consistent with the atmosphere of the album. It is picturesque in the sense that you can imagine Leonard Cohen and a band performing this on a sunny stage. There is no lack of instruments, and they all sound whole fully cohesive in unison.Final track 'If It Be Your Will' mimes the introductory song.closes on gentle string picking and the marriage of the escapist vocals of Jennifer Warnes and the depth of Leonard Cohen. 'If It Be Your Will' sounds like a gloomy take on 'Dance Me to the End of Love', which concludes this album immaculately.skims the surface of depth. It doesn’t dive too deep, it’s essence of airiness allows it to float. It is a largely appreciated album, though it is not to everyone’s taste by any means. Whilst Cohen covers the more weighted emotions, both instrumentally and lyrically - it still holds back. Leonard Cohen doesn’t give all away in this album - it feels impersonal at times, which definitely compliments its escapist elements.is an album for a slow dance in your living room... or a grand greek ball room. Instrumentally, the variety is more than impressive. The diversity in strings act as a spine through the album. All in all, if you have yet to listen to any of Leonard Cohen’s discography,is a good place to start - as it is a journey in itself.