Name: Live In London
Brand: Leonard Cohen

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

88985434871

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2018-01-26

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Sony

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

889854348717

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Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Leonard Cohen

Genre US

60s & 70s

Label US

Columbia/Legacy

Leonard Cohen was a Canadian poet, singer, and songwriter born on September 21, 1934, in Montreal, Quebec. He passed away on November 7, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. Cohen's artistic journey began with the publication of his poetry collections "Let Us Compare Mythologies" (1956) and "The Spice Box of Earth" (1961). After spending time in Europe, he settled on the Greek island of Hydra where he wrote more poetry and novels. In 1967, Cohen moved to the United States to pursue a career as a folk musician.

Cohen recorded 14 studio albums during his lifetime and left an indelible mark on music history. His work inspired numerous artists including John Cale whose cover of Cohen's song "Hallelujah" became widely known through Jeff Buckley's rendition. In addition to his musical achievements, Cohen was also recognized for his contributions as a poet and songwriter. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 as a performer and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010.

Despite his success, Cohen sought solace at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center near Los Angeles where he spent five years immersed in seclusion. During this time, he became ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk under the name "Jikan," meaning "silence." Leonard Cohen's legacy lives on through his timeless music

Live in London -- a two-disc set recorded during a rapturously received appearance at London's O2 Arena on July 17, 2008 -- these concerts have unexpectedly given Cohen a chance to remind the world of his strengths as a musician and a performer, and he's embraced the opportunity with joy. The notion of Leonard Cohen playing a 20,000-seat arena may seem a bit surprising (at least in America), but Cohen and his nine-member supporting ensemble give 25 songs from his catalog a treatment that fills them out enough to work in a massive room (at least compared to the intimate arrangements of his early work) without crushing the nuances of gentler numbers like "Who by Fire" and "Suzanne," while "The Future" and "Democracy" sound just as big as they need to be. There's sometimes a bit too much David Sanborn in Dino Soldo's horn solos, but otherwise the band is superb -- especially Javier Mas on banduria, laud, archilaud, and guitar, and the vocal ensemble of Sharon Robinson, Charley Webb, and Hattie Webb -- and despite the craggy, weathered state of Cohen's voice, he sounds sure and committed from the first moment to the last, often finding notes that seem elusive at first, and his performance here is genuinely engrossing. It's also surprisingly witty; Cohen may have a reputation as one of the most dour performers in contemporary music, but his between-song patter is charmingly droll, and he finds a passion and a humanity in his songs that sets them apart from their studio counterparts. Cohen sounds genuinely moved by the affectionate reception he receives from his audience, and he seems determined to give them a show to match their loyalty, and with his band (who he frequently lauds during the performance) he truly gives of himself; if this isn't quite the strongest live performance Cohen has released for public consumption, it's certainly the warmest and the most emotionally resonant. Perhaps fate forced Leonard Cohen's hand to stage the tour documented in part on Live in London, but it seems that fate knows just what it's doing, and this album eloquently demonstrates how much Cohen still has to offer, and how clearly his music still speaks to him (and us).

Live In London

Music US

Buy Leonard Cohen - Live In London (Vinyl, CD) now from Rough Trade - independent purveyors of great music, since 1976.