Bob Potter / Bob Johnston - Live Songs (CD, Imported)

Leonard Cohen was right in the middle of a career peak when he released 1973's LIVE SONGS, which came in between two titanic studio albums, SONGS OF LOVE & HATE and NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY. But since much of the album was recorded during a 1970 tour, it consists mostly of songs from his second album, SONGS FROM A ROOM. An ensemble including Charlie Daniels on fiddle and Jennifer Warnes on backing vocals lends a good amount of oomph to these tunes, but previously unreleased songs like "Queen Victoria" and "Please Don't Pass Me By" (which never made it onto a studio album) are among the most visceral and striking. Cohen would go on to release three more live albums over the years, but this is probably the best.