Listening Booth: 1970

Marc Cohn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 20, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Saguaro Road Records
• ASIN: B003IFMXAE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,735 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

One Sunday morning in the early '70's, a youngster in Cleveland caught an earful of Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks' and his life was never the same. That kid was Marc Cohn and soon after that morning he bought everything Morrison had released to date, along with works by Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne.

Cohn's rootsier, acoustic neofolk style harkens back to the more
sophisticated rock and pop inflections of singer-songwriters of two decades past - his supple, velvety baritone and elegant piano-based arrangements frame shrewdly crafted songs ripe with pop touches.

Marc Cohn's new record on Saguaro Road will focus on the year 1970,
an important year for music fans in general and particularly for Marc,
because many significant albums and singles were released then that had an impact on his decision to become an artist.

The album features Marc's personal interpretations of classic songs
written by and/or made famous in 1970 by Paul McCartney, John
Lennon, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, John Fogerty and CCR, Smokey
Robinson, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, Eric Clapton and several
more.
Songs include 'Wild World,' 'The Tears of A Clown,' 'The Letter,' 'Maybe I'm Amazed' and 'Make it With You' and features guest duet with India.Arie.

The album is produced by Grammy-winning producer John
Leventhal (Shawn Colvin, Record of the Year), who also just produced
the new album by Rosanne Cash, 'The List.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool and Creative Covers, July 23, 2010

By 

Will (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Listening Booth: 1970 (Audio CD)

I have to disagree with some of the reviewers. I think Marc Cohn was trying to take songs from his childhood, and make them his own. He's not trying to top Cat Steven, Paul McCartney et al. Marc has a remarkably warm and soulful voice, and it comes through on this album.

If Mr. Cohn was trying to just "cash in", he would not have selected such an eclectic collection of songs and then recorded them with such different arrangements. Instead he puts his stamp on these songs.

If you are looking for straight covers, than I think you missed the point. But if you are looking for cool and emotional versions of some brilliant 1970's songs, this is for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very happily suprised!, July 31, 2010

By 

Richard Bunn "Rick Bunn" (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Listening Booth: 1970 (Audio CD)

I have been a fan of Mr Cohn for a while. I lived in Memphis in the earl 70s and his first hit took me back. This new collection was great cover of other works. I enjoyed Mr. Cohn's interprutation of these tunes, in may ways more then I enjoyed the originals. It's hard for an artist to do this kind of thing and not sound like a poor second. In this case this album makes these tunes new again. But like candy, I sure could use some more.....

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this record., August 8, 2010

By 

Scott Strayer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Listening Booth: 1970 (Audio CD)

Wow.

This record is awesome. I got it my local Starbucks this morning and have been playing it all day long. I had no idea who Marc Cohn was when I bought the CD. It just looked like a CD I had to buy. Then I Wiki'd him and read that he did "Walking in Memphis", and thought "I like that song", but it never stuck with me who the artist was even after hearing it on the radio a million times.

I think this CD is fantastic. The liner notes say it all. I am Marc's age and am also a musician and this is the project that I would love to do if I had the time and money.

I was the same age as Marc when I heard these songs. God bless him for being to able to document his artistic tipping point and having the resources to do this. This is very good. I especially like his arrangement of "New Speedway Boogie."

Thanks Marc.