LEONARD COHEN/NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY S 69087 (-74) UK

His forth studio album, released over three years after the masterpiece "Songs Of Love And Hate". What made that so great was him getting out of the box and not just being a singing poet, but also showing direct emotions. Some of that honesty remains on here. The lyrics are overt and the vocals passionate. Most may prefer the low-key humming of his first two LP:s, but I like it better when he's acutally singing with all the rough edges bringing me closer to the man and not just the poetry. While SOLAH had some irregular song patterns and much live feeling this relies on a more common form with rather ordinary arrangements and production. Even if I prefer the naked atmosphere of the former I still think this is a very good LP. Same thing as before in partly new drag...just as the album title says with other words. Favorite tracks - "Chelsea Hotel #2" about a love meeting he had with Janis Joplin at the famous location - and "Is This What You Wanted". As with SOLAH it didn't sell a lot in US, but was a bigger success in Europe and Canada. Premiere US on Columbia (C 33167). The "copulating angels" cover shown here was censured and withdrawn in US and only appears on the very first press there. First UK had orange label and thin matt sleeve. (SYSÖ*) (LÄK*)