Cohen finally steps out from his father Leonard’s shadow with this collection of measured, kitchen-sink reflections on love.
On this fourth album, the son of the legendary Leonard has ditched the pop-rock schlock of previous efforts for heart-on-sleeve acoustic folk.
The album opens with the lilting, downcast Out Of Bed, finger-picked guitar providing the background to Cohen’s softly measured, initially inscrutable vocals.
It’s rarely accompanied by more than a murmour of instrumentation, and Matchbox defines the intimate feel of this record, half-whispering his secrets as if hidden under the duvet, voice cracking with emotion.
Sweet Dominique is sublime, and overall his lyrics are eloquent but grounded in the familiar; piercing and understated.
But What Other Guy encapsulates the album’s heart, a love song perfectly measured in tone and emotion, and which marks Cohen out as a genuine talent in his own right.
4 stars
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