Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate (50th Anniversary) Import LP

"The weak of heart should fear to tread in the Leonard Cohen songbook. That is especially true of Songs of Love and Hate, a sparse and haunting collection of open wounds, lingering contempt, and feverish love that ranks among his most emotionally intense offerings. The line between love and hate has rarely sounded thinner.

"The songs unfold like short stories or, frequently, small poems, which makes sense given the author's background. Cohen had already written two novels and was a noted poet long before he became a darling of the folk movement and inked a recording contract. His first two releases on Columbia were greeted with wild critical acclaim and mild commercial success. With his flat monotone delivery and richly literate songs, Cohen was seen as Canada's answer to Bob Dylan. But he clearly showed that he was his own man on this release.

"The artist's dramatic blend of folk and pop is perfectly captured here, starting with the twitchy acoustic guitar melding into a softly swelling string arrangement on the heartbreaking 'Avalanche' and continuing through the singer's growling choruses pitted against lovely female harmonies on 'Diamonds in the Mine.' Love is indeed a battlefield and Cohen appropriately dubbed his backing band 'The Army.' Still, the album's best moments come when Cohen basically walks alone on such mournful numbers as 'Last Year's Man' and 'Joan of Arc.'" -Jim Harrington, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die