This nine minute segment from the February 17, 2012 edition of NPR’s All Things Considered features Ron Sexsmith and Connor Oberst (Bright Eyes) offering their perspectives on Leonard Cohen, discussing such matters as

• Cohen’s voice: “It’s getting lower and lower over the years. It’s a really powerful instrument.” (Oberst)
• Cohen’s standing as a singer-songwriter: “There are probably a few people that are as good as him, but there’s nobody better for my sensibilities.” (Oberst)
• Cohen’s subject matter: “The thing with Leonard, he’s not singing about frivolous things. He never has, you know?” (Sexsmith)
• Cohen’s literary skills: “Obviously, he’s a poet, but you never get the condescending thing or the high-brow feeling. It’s very simple language. The words he uses — they penetrate because they’re very simple, and you never have to scratch your head and wonder what he’s singing about.” (Sexsmith)

The transcript can be found at Conor Oberst, Ron Sexsmith Pay Tribute To Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen – Crazy To Love You

 

Leonard Cohen – Darkness

 

Credit Due Department: DrHGuy’s ersatz version of Leonard Cohen’s fedora is doffed with sincerity toward Canada, wherein resides Coco Éclair, who discovered these dandy interviews.

I am republishing selected posts from my former Leonard Cohen site, Cohencentric, here on AllanShowalter.com (these posts can be found at Leonard Cohen). This entry was originally posted Nov 1, 2016.