Martin Burns
Opher Goodwin has appeared in the pages before with four of his music books on, lets say more prog adjacent, acts. He covered Captain Beefheart, The Beatles, Roy Harper and Bob Dylan, all for Sonicbond. This new one covers the not-at-all prog, Leonard Cohen.
Leonard Cohen is foremost a poet who found an outlet for his work through song. He became the most unlikely star through not playing the typical folk or later rock star. What commends him to his audience is the quality of his song writing. Writing recognized classics like Sisters Of Mercy, So Long, Marianne, Suzanne, and of course Hallelujah. With Cohen’s dour deep baritone voice being an acquired taste moving between the almost wearisome and the hypnotic.
I cannot imagine that Goodwin’s well-written, thoroughly researched On Track… book will appeal to the general readers of this site. Though I myself am a fan, though not a rabid one. I found that this book has encouraged me to investigate his later work following his return to recording and touring. My favourite and most played record of his is the politically charged, and seemingly in these times more relevant that ever, The Future.
Fans of Cohen should snap this book up, as Opher Goodwin’s opinions of the music and lyrics will generate good-hearted debate. For the curious its a good resource to guide the dipping of toes into Cohen’s long, but not intimidatingly so, back catalogue.
Leonard Cohen On Track: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Goodwin, Opher: 9781789523591: Books