"Famous Blue Raincoat"..


...what's all the praise about?

I have a mint US Cypress copy, (I'm trying to remember if this one or the Canadian issue was praised the most). I listened to some of it today. While it is "clean & clear", it has that digital, uninvolving edge that kind of turns me off.

Being Thanksgiving and all, and since I always pull out Suzanne Vega's "Solitude Standing" this time of year, ("Fancy Poultry Parts"), I thought I'd make a comparison. They are both from the digital recording age. (SV from 87' - JW from 86').

Playing the JW, I was thinking, very critically, not really enjoying the listen, the experience, the music.

SV, now, this is a totally different listening experience! It sounds great! Nothing edgy, nothing sterile, nothing out of the ordinary. It is in fact an lp I hold in the highest regard, still.

The SV should really be the lp commanding the high prices. Thankfully it is available to us, the ones who love music, for a reasonable price.
128x128slaw
Wow. I am in complete agreement with everything you said. Love Suzanne Vega. I heard Famous Blue Raincoat praised for years, and finally bought it. Don't think it sounds that great, and I didn't connect with the music.
Leonard Cohen's music is definitely not for every taste and you could certainly argue that Warnes voice is too pretty to do it justice. Personally, I think it's a terrific (and overall great sounding) record, but I'd also be the first to sympathize with those who don't dig it. It's one of those love it/hate it things musically, but sonically I'm surprised that anyone would find it wanting. Maybe the bass gets just slightly ripe here and there, but overall I find the SQ absolutely top notch.
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Not a huge Leonard Cohen fan but I do like Jennifer Warnes quite a bit. There are songs on FBR that I like and others not so much so for me a mixed bag. Some of the songs I don't like seem to have a 50's Beat generation vibe.
Prefer The Hunter and The Well.
As for sound quality I think the last 24k gold issues of all three sound excellent.