Xgau says that the "overproduction" suits Cohen's vulgarity well.  I disagree: his later mannered, heavlily Mandraxed performances suit the material much better.  All of these songs come across a lot better in (for example) the BBC concert of 68, the Isle of Wight in 1970, or Jerusalem 72--prolific the man is not.

Leonard Cohen is about as cool as cool can be.  Bob Dylan dedicates his songs to him (c.f. Isis on Biograph) and (evidently) wrote "I'm not there" in awestruck emulation of the man--this after Dylan conquered the world and retired.  Cohen's songs on the album are perfect.  As my Norton Anthology said, 'Suzanne' is one of the few songs which works as well as a song as it does as poetry.  This recording is sort of William Shatner, though.  Cohen didn't learn how to put them over until much later.  Frankly I always wished he would ditch the band; he doesn't need backup ladies and strings.

I just spent my $9.99 here and I have to say I vastly prefer what I can find for free.  If this was all you could get on vinyl in the late 60's, so be it; I respect that, and I would have loved it too.  Certain songs are fully realized, like "one of us cannot be wrong," although that one is a little too received-dylan.  I do think this is his best material; "new skin" is not up to the standard of "Suzanne."  But neither is anything else.
Xgau says that the "overproduction" suits Cohen's vulgarity well. I disagree: his later mannered, heavlily Mandraxed performances suit the material much better. All of these songs come across a lot better in (for example) the BBC concert of 68, the Isle of Wight in 1970, or Jerusalem 72--prolific the man is not. Leonard Cohen is about as cool as cool can be. Bob Dylan dedicates his songs to him (c. f. Isis on Biograph) and (evidently) wrote "I'm not there" in awestruck emulation of the man--this after Dylan conquered the world and retired. Cohen's songs on the album are perfect. As my Norton Anthology said, 'Suzanne' is one of the few songs which works as well as a song as it does as poetry. This recording is sort of William Shatner, though. Cohen didn't learn how to put them over until much later. Frankly I always wished he would ditch the band; he doesn't need backup ladies and strings. I just spent my $9. 99 here and I have to say I vastly prefer what I can find for free. If this was all you could get on vinyl in the late 60's, so be it; I respect that, and I would have loved it too. Certain songs are fully realized, like "one of us cannot be wrong," although that one is a little too received-dylan. I do think this is his best material; "new skin" is not up to the standard of "Suzanne. "  But neither is anything else.