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(More customer reviews)I admit to having collected a few bootleg tapes of Leonard Cohen in concert. Though he is not known to be prolific, his 30-year music career has produced a nice trunk of smuggled concert cassettes circulated among die-hard fans. So when I heard about this live album from the 1979 European tour, I had mixed feelings. What could it offer that I did not already have? Well, not only was I not disappointed, I suspect my bootlegs will be gathering dust for many months to come. Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 sounds so clear, so alive, so strong, so breathtakingly real, you had better check out your window several times to remind yourself you have not been transported back to a concert hall in England and the year is not 1979.
Cohen has always been known for a lyrical precision that is unmatched in music and the songs chosen for this album are a celebration of his greatest talents: "Oh bless the continuous stutter of the word being made into flesh" ("The Window"); "Long ago we agreed to keep it light. So let's be married one more night." ("The Smokey Life"); "I locked you in this body, I meant it as a kind of trial. You can use itto make some woman smile." ("Lover Lover Lover"); and"Do you need his labour for your baby? Do you need his beast forthe bone? Do you need to hold a leash to be a lady? I know that youcan make, make it on your own." ("Why Don't You Try").These are the lyrics that send your jaw dropping and the mind graspingfor the meaning of the meaning. But no man can survive on gloriouslyrics alone and it is the music of this album that makes you remember each song long after the CD has stopped spinning. The violin solos by Raffi Hakopian, especially on "The Gypsy Wife," touch you to near tears. John Bilezikjian's magic from the little known oud is stunning. Paul Ostermayer's saxophone solo on "Memories" adds so much fun and spirit (yes, let's make all those who ever labeled Cohen's music depressing hear this one!). Add to the musicians' talents, the haunting and gentle voices of Jennifer Warnes and Sharon Robinson and you are simply swept away.
Finally, Cohen's own voice really is a golden voice. He has never sounded better, a mix of that deep, rich, sensual quality with the buoyancy and exuberance of the young Cohen. Were this not enough, Cohen brings something else to the table: a love of the song, a simple desire to perform at his best, and a genuine appreciate of his audience. You will hear it clearly on every song on this album.
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