Leonard Cohen - Death of a Ladies’ Man
There are those albums in your life that you know exactly where you were when you heard it for the first time - for me, this is one of those albums. Our dear friends from Maine & Loire (formally Drifter’s Wife) were doing a tap takeover at Oxbow, our other friends’ brewery + tasting room. It was a chilly January night in 2016 and the place was packed. Not only did the Hales bring their amazing natural wines, but just like at their wine bar they brought the perfectly curated tunes as well. They made a playlist that lasted the night and was on regular rotation on my Spotify for years. Included on this playlist was this Leonard Cohen album I had never heard before. Obviously the voice was immediately familiar, but the ‘wall of sound’ surrounding his stripped down vocals was what really grabbed my attention. Many critique the two conflicting sounds and disregard this album, with even Rolling Stone calling it “Leonard Cohen’s Doo-wop nightmare”. But for me, it became a go-to album to spin down at Little T whenever I worked on the bar - an opportunity to play Cohen’s sweet, grumbly voice without lulling our customers to sleep. This ‘Doo-wop nightmare’ of album for me is what dreams are made of (and apparently his daughter agrees - it’s one of her favorites as well!). We may be in the minority for feeling this way as far as Leonard Cohen’s discography ranking goes, but I’m hoping you give it a listen and feel the same.. Once you hit the track ‘Memories’, I think you will. - Kathleen Pratt 4/4/22
La Piramide - Inzá, Colombia
One of the most challenging things to do as a coffee buyer is establish consistency and familiarity while maintaining quality. It’s much easier for us to do that with the help of our friends at Caravela, and because Colombia is able to provide coffee nearly year round. This year-round offering from a group of 300 producers in Inzá represents the best of what Colombian coffees have to offer: it’s super sweet, clean, and complex. If you haven’t had coffee from this region, it’s understandable, as lessening tensions between the goverment and FARC rebels have only recently allowed this particular area to flourish. We want to drink this coffee all the time, which is why we’ve made that desire a reality, and ensured year-round availability for you all. Enjoy hot or iced! This coffee doesn’t dissapoint. - Kevin Smith, Head Roastery