Songs from a Room

By the time Leonard Cohen began his recording career in 1967, the iconoclastic Canadian troubadour was already well established as a poet and author. He quickly emerged as one of the era's most original and influential singer-songwriters, building a large and legendary body of work that continues to inspire artists and listeners alike.

Much of Cohen's reputation and mystique was established by his early work for Columbia Records, particularly the five albums he recorded between 1967 and 1974. Now, these five classic albums, unavailable on vinyl for two decades, have been lovingly restored to their original LP format.

For their new Sundazed editions, all five albums have been meticulously remastered and have been sourced from the original Columbia Records stereo masters in order to preserve the sound of the original albums. In keeping with the exacting standards for which Sundazed has become known, each album will be pressed on high-definition vinyl, with complete original cover art.

Cohen's sophomore effort Songs from a Room (recorded with producer Bob Johnston, renowned for his work with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, the Byrds and Simon and Garfunkel) was a worthy follow-up, boasting such enduring compositions as "Bird on the Wire," "Story of Isaac" and "A Bunch of Lonesome Heros."

"I choose the rooms that I live in with care / The windows are small and the walls almost bare," Leonard Cohen sings in a particularly telling couplet in "Tonight Will Be Fine," one of the highlights in this aptly titled album from 1969. The Canadian poet-performer's sophomore release has the sub rosa feel of an attic hideaway, thanks in part to Bob Johnston's restrained production. Cohen's near-monotone vocals are suitable for conveying his finely honed, meditative musings but--at this stage in his development--not much else. Johnston's soundscapes aren't as beguiling as the ones John Simon created for Cohen's superior debut, Songs of Leonard Cohen, though lovely orchestral shadings flatter such Cohen classics as the oft-covered "Bird on the Wire" and "Story of Isaac." Songs from a Room is only a secondary effort when it's stacked up against its consummate predecessor, But by any other measurement, it's an exceptionally literate and enigmatic recording by a true original. --Steven Stolder