Leonard Cohen has got to be the oldest guy in my "alternative" section. He was born in 1934 and began publishing books in 1955, and he rode the singer/songwriter wave to prominence as a recording artist in the late 60's. But Cohen has much more in common, spiritually at least, with fellow New Yorkers Lou Reed and Patti Smith than he ever did with James Taylor and Carole King, and his music has been influential on such latter day bards as Elvis Costello, Nick Cave, and Jeff Buckley. His first several albums were universally acclaimed, and his most popular songs are contained within them. Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Songs From A Room, and Songs Of Love And Hate were released between 1968 and 1971 and feature "Suzanne," "Bird On A Wire," "Sisters Of Mercy," "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "So Long Marianne." Cohen did not attain a similar level of quality or popularity again until I'm Your Man (1988) and The Future (1992).

Beyond a doubt, Leonard Cohen is not for everyone. His songs can be morbid and depressing and his delivery flat and dry. It's not without reason that he appeals largely to tortured college girls and self-righteous intellectuals. His two "greatest hits" albums, the old The Best Of Leonard Cohen and the more recent More Best Of Leonard Cohen, do a nice job of carving up his work into more digestible hunks. But, the more recent 2-disc set Essential Leonard Cohen is the way to go - superior in value and presentation.

Given Cohen's thorny style, many choose to approach his music as interpreted by others - several worthwhile tribute albums have been released. Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat (1987) is the best and most popular album of Cohen covers ever done, but it is inexplicably out-of-print in the U.S. At least two various artist tributes have been recorded, and the first, I'm Your Fan (1991), is pretty darn good, with the Pixies, Nick Cave, and R.E.M. turning in stellar performances. The second disc, the execrable Tower Of Song (1995), should be avoided - Don Henley, Billy Joel, and Elton John are just a few of the artists who murder Cohen's classics.