Quote:
|
Originally Posted by louder
Highway 61 Revisited is in many ways the Illmatic of rock. Illmatic is the Highway 61 Revisited of hip hop, to be more exact. Has this comparsion been made before?
I actually agree with your sentiments about Dylan's Nobel win.
How's the Leonard Cohen album?
I finally listened to Skeleton Tree. Man, it's been a glorious year for old rock legends. Also, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds is quite possibly the best band in the world right now.
|
You Want it Darker is very good. Go stream it or something! I remember you saying it sounded like it might like be Cohen's version of Blackstar, and in a way I think you may have nailed it. Stylistically there's virtually no similarity to speak of, of course, but thematically it's definitely got a kind of knowing, will and testament feel to it (then again, death is not a new topic for Cohen AT ALL.)
The tone is quite a bit less optimistic than Blackstar — which I know doesn't sound poppy, but it still gives one the feeling that Bowie was going rather jubilantly fearlessly into that good night — but darkness is also nothing new for Cohen.
It's a beautiful record, meticulously produced but also ragged and organic. My favorite kind of "old guy" record, like Tom Waits' Real Gone and Alice/Blood Money. Some really ghastly moans and groans and chamber sounds. Good Halloween listening.
"They're lining up the prisoners and the guards are takin' aim
I've struggled with some demons they were middle class and tame
I didn't know I had permission to murder and to mame
You want it darker"