His third album Songs of Love and Hate is highly regarded in his catalog and the darkest of his offerings. (Albumism)
Songs of Love and Hate cemented Cohen's reputation as a dark folk poet, but he grew to be somewhat dismissive of the album. In 1973, he told the NME, "I suppose you could call it gimmicky if you were feeling uncharitable towards me. I have certainly felt uncharitable towards me from time to time over that record, and regretted many things. It was over-produced and over-elaborated…an experiment that failed."
Not many others have shared Cohen's assessment of the album, however, including AllMusic’s Mark Deming, who wrote, "If Songs of Love and Hate isn't Cohen's best album, it comes close enough to be essential to anyone interested in his work."
The music on Songs of Love and Hate never overpowers the lyrics, and that's what makes it a great album. Cohen's words are delivered in a manner that makes you feel something without being dragged to a dark place. "Avalanche" is a song based on Cohen's poem "I Stepped Into an Avalanche," a cynical and stinging indictment of fake philanthropy, with notable lines like "You who wish to conquer pain / You must learn what makes me kind / The crumbs of love that you offer me / They're the crumbs I've left behind / Your pain is no credential here / It's just the shadow of my wound."
“Leonard Cohen died during his sleep following a fall in the middle of the night on Nov. 7, 2016.” Kory wrote. “The death was sudden, unexpected and peaceful.” It was reported by The New Yorker’s radio program that Cohen had been battling cancer, and Cohen discussed his declining health in his recent interview with the magazine.
Cohen recently before he died released his final studio LP, You Want It Darker, an album on which he addressed the end of his life. He was forthright about his thoughts on his unfinished work in an interview with the New Yorker, in which he said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to finish those songs. Maybe, who knows? And maybe I’ll get a second wind, I don’t know... I am ready to die. I hope it’s not too uncomfortable. That’s about it for me.” He recanted the quote later on, telling fans, “I’ve always been into self-dramatization. I intend to live forever.”
