LEONARD COHEN/DEATH OF A LADIES MAN CBS 86072 (-77) HOLLAND

When pondering over the later synthesized Cohen in the post on "I'm Your Man" I came to think of this...all analog, but by far his most scolded. It's been attacked by fans and critics since release, part for the song-writing and part because no one seems to think the collaboration with Phil Spector led to anything good. I think that's unfair. It may not be his best collection of songs ever, but to my taste there are highlights. Title track is a long hug I like to return to often. "True Love Leaves No Traces" surprisingly smooth and romantic for a Cohen number, but what's wrong with that? "Don't Go Home With Your Hard On" quite funny and "Paper Thin Motel" classic darkish Cohen. And why mock Spector's work? He does what he's always done in supporting and embedding and I actually think it adds something positive to the picture. It's not like any other Cohen album, but that doesn't have to mean it's bad...just different. So I will go on playing and enjoying even if everybody else seems to think it's the worst. Issued and reissued on vinyl and CD all over the world through the years, also 8-track, cassette and 8-file FLAC. Premiere Canadian on Columbia (PES 904369), US on Warner Bros. (BS 3125) and UK on CBS (S 86042). First Dutch had label as shown here and matt fold/out cover. (LÄK*) (HÖLX*)