Dear Heather - Leonard Cohen
Metascore
74 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 19
  2. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. 100
    Dear Heather is Cohen's highest tide yet, his most exquisite marriage of song and poetry and ambiguous grace. [Nov 2004, p.114]
  2. Of course Cohen can't sing, but what matter that when the words are so rich?
  3. 84
    Dear Heather, while slow and deep like all of Cohen's albums, carries its own rich surprises. [#13, p.95]
  4. Cohen's towering presence and deft songwriting breathe life into the lite-jazz arrangements.
  5. 80
    Lyrically it's one of Cohen's least ambiguous albums... Musically it's melodic and memorable. [Nov 2004, p.96]
  6. 80
    Dear Heather is top Cohen. [Nov 2004, p.131]
  7. If this is indeed his final offering as a songwriter, it is a fine, decent, and moving way to close this chapter of the book of his life.
  8. Completely fascinating from beginning to end.
  9. Leonard Cohen has had No Voice since he began recording at 33. But he has more No Voice today, at 70, than he did on Ten New Songs, at 67.
  10. His sleaziness is hilarious. [30 Oct 2004, p.65]
  11. What makes Dear Heather tick are the ladies who look back: longtime co-composer/producer Sharon Robinson and producer-engineer Leanne Ungar, as well as occasional co-lead vocalist Anjani Thomas, who open up the arrangements from the often repetitive Casio-lounge feel of 2001's Ten New Songs.
  12. At once new and old, familiar and fresh.
  13. The preponderance of slight songs marks this as a minor effort. [29 Oct 2004, p.69]
  14. A straightforward, warm-sounding album. [Dec 2004, p.138]
  15. During Dear Heather, it becomes hard to escape the sensation that Cohen is expending all his energy on the words and losing interest in music.
  16. Given that this may be your final release, this is no way to say goodbye.
  17. Pretty much nothing from Dear Heather is without some kind of significant flaw, and the only thing saving it from being below average---at least in a general sense, and not kept strictly to his own discography----are the few moments that Cohen is kept solitary with as little outside interference as possible.
  18. A particularly dour, unsatisfying way to end such an intriguing career.
  19. Mostly, Dear Heather just coasts on poetic phrasing and inoffensive tunes.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. XavierF
    9
    Again Leonard brings out something that tugs at the soul. The fact that this man spends most of his time in a buddhist monastary shines through in his music; what we listen to is both musicly genius and somehow spiritual. Full Review »
  2. It is a good album , because its all about the lyrics I cat talk about the music his lyrics a lots of the time simple put good,he is the best row-model for kids that want to be song writers Full Review »
  3. lawrenceh
    9
    While 10 New Songs(2001) found L.C. in a tired mood, this collection is musically more lively and varied, the tracks being spiced with some tasteful instrumentation adding texture to the synth approach continued from this work's aforementioned predecessor. Lyrically, Leonard explores his usual themes emphasizing confronting age and mortality and homages to his lost literary friends. His wordcraft precision is even more noticeable here than on his last work, a marked departure from his more detailed and lengthy expression found in his early work. Full Review »