Customer Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Cover Versions
Comment: I have been a fan of Leonard Cohen for nearly 40 years, having been introduced to his music by a fellow student at university.
I have most (possibly all)of his songs on various albums, but was still a bit hesitant about purchasing this album. I decided to listen to short (30 seconds) samples. After just hearing the first few (about four, I think it was), I immediately ordered the album.
There has has hardly been a day when it has not been played - and usually several times at that. My personal favourites are Antony's "If it be Your Will", and Martha Wainwright's "The Traitor". In fact, my least liked track (relatively speaking) is Leonard's only appearance on the album, joining Bono in "The Tower of Song".
Buy this album - I don't think you will be disappointed.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: The magic of Cohen comes alive
Comment:
There are some magnificent, some great and some merely competent interpretations of Leonard Cohen's music on this soundtrack album. First the highlights. Tower Of Song by Martha Wainwright with its intricate guitars is a powerful interpretation of the classic. The lilting and sensual Tonight Will Be Fine by Teddy Thompsom is magnificent - his voice sounds similar to that of Springsteen.
Then comes the tremulous and atmospheric Winter Lady by Kate & Anna McGarrigle and Martha Wainwright, a true gem. Beth Orton does a splendid version of Sisters Of Mercy with her slow and emphatic enunciation supported by lovely backing vocals. Perla Batalla's Bird On A Wire and The Traitor by Martha Wainwright with its opening trumpets are great, and both have exquisite instrumentation.
The weaving voices of Nick Cave, Julie Christensen and Perla Batalla make Suzanne quite special, whilst Teddy Thompson does justice to The Future in this rhythmic, uptempo version of the eerie song with its apocalyptic vision of the future. The evocative Anthem is a duet between Batalla and Christensen, a classic interpretation with soulful organ and uplifting vocals.
I found the following tracks competent but not really exceptional: The sax-heavy I'm Your Man by Nick Cave, Chelsea Hotel by Rufus Wainwright, the soulful If It Be Your Will by Antony, I Can't Forget by Jarvis Cocker, Famous Blue Raincoat by the Handsome Family and the breezy Everybody Knows by Rufus Wainwright.
Although not a fan of U2, I love the concluding track Tower of Song by Cohen and Bono. The voices work well together and the instrumentation is superb. Fans of Leonard might also be interested in the other tribute albums: Famous Blue Raincoat by Jennifer Warnes, Democracy by Judy Collins, I'm Your Fan by a colourful array of artists from different musical backgrounds and the slightly tepid Tower of Song by a selection of mostly country singers.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Came so far for beauty
Comment: This is the soundtrack for the Lian Lunson movie Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man. In turn the performances used in the movie come from a show called Came So Far For Beauty which was "an evening of songs of Leonard Cohen" performed at the Brighton Dome in 2004 and the Sydney Opera House in 2005 (It is due to be staged also as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival in October,2006). The exception is a version of Tower of Song by Cohen and U2 which is Cohen's only appearance as a performer on the album.
Perhaps because of its origins there is more coherence to this collection than previous collections of covers by various artists of Cohen songs: I'm Your Fan and Tower of Song. Some of Cohen's previous backing singers (which I know is an unfair description) perform the same function here and,indeed,come to the fore as in, for example, Perla Batalla's exceptional rendition of Bird on a Wire.
Unlike previous collections there isn't out of place performance here. Rufus Wainwright sounds if he belongs in the Chelsea Hotel(no.2)and has a viciously virtuoso version of Everybody Knows. His sister Martha is as impressive; Beth Orton makes Sisters of Mercy convey all the pain that needed the mercy.
The list of contributors are all people who'd turn up on each other's "if you liked that you'll like this" lists. Anthony (of Anthony and the Johnsons)has a starkly beautiful version of If It Be Your Will. Teddy Thompson, a talented songwriter, shows yet again that he has one of the finest, if not so far widely recognised, voices of his generation in Tonight Will be Fine and The Future.
I suppose you either get Leonard Cohen or you don't but anyone who listens to this and remains unconvinced that he is one of the finest songwriters (with, despite his razors and wrists reputation, a phenomenally wide range) hasn't come very far for beauty. It is a superb collection which every admirer of Cohen will want to have.
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