Reviews

Steven D. Cohen
From OffBeat: New Orleans' and Louisiana's Music Magazine
http://www.offbeat.com
Review by Dan Willging (11/2003)
(Digitalia Media)

Though this is officially Steven Cohen's debut disc, this is hardly his first trip around the block. The Lafayette singer-songwriter has had more than modest success over the years with four songs recorded by country's Sammy Kershaw and two more by Cajun roots-rocker Wayne Toups. Now Cohen is showing there's more where that came from with this 14-song platter that's not just a showcase to pitch tunes to chart topping wannabes.

While he's not the grittiest belter out there, his acumen lies in his ability to artfully weave and dovetail beautiful lines together ("Nastya's Train"). Sure, he's intense but he's also candid about life's dark moments and brutal outcomes. He often illustrates his point with startling imagery like "I have blood in my hands, pain in my heart" ("Plain To See"). Unlike other tunesmiths who stick to a familiar, unvarying format, Cohen and producer Rick Lagneaux alter the radio ready arrangements to show how the compositions straddle mid-tempo funk, contemporary rock, country and modern blues.

Beguilingly subtle, realistic and honest, Cohen's songs warrant a second look and will likely surface again through other artist interpretations down the road.

-Dan Willging
http://www.offbeat.com/reviews.html

From The Vermilion
A Story in Every Song
Heath Vercher
Music Columnist
February 19, 2003

In this day and age, I sometimes find it difficult to find musicians who truly care about their music. I am talking about people who really love what they do. I know a lot of people who can play well, but that is about as far as they take it. I don’t meet too many people who can tell me stories about their music or what inspires them.

Recently, however, I did have a chance to sit down with singer and songwriter Steven Cohen, and he has given me new hope that there are still musicians in the world who have some heart for their music.

Cohen is a Chicago native, but he moved to Louisiana about 20 years ago and still is living here today. He has penned several songs that have been recorded by major label stars.

Sammy Kershaw has recorded four of Cohen’s songs, most notably “Better Call a Preacher” (played on the David Letterman show in ’94) and the Christmas song entitled “Christmas Won’t Be Christmas (Without You Here),” which has appeared on four compilation CDs. In addition to penning hits for Kershaw, Cohen also has written a few songs for local legend Wayne Toups.

All right, enough about what he’s been doing for other people. The real focus here is on Cohen’s own recorded works, which shine like diamonds in the proverbial rough. His self-titled debut was released in 2002 and contains 14 songs on everything from love to loss.

Cohen describes his debut as a sort of storybook. Each song is almost like a chapter out of his life, and he tells each story in great detail.

“ Nastya’s Train” is the opening track for the album and deals with an acquaintance from Cohen’s past. The particular story I will not relate here, but needless to say, this song and its background had a very strong impact on this listener.

“ In Front of Me” is, at its best, a song about reminiscing over a lost love. The lyrics are a constant reminder of how we dwell on things that we can never have again and the illusions that exist with the end of a relationship.

“ Honest Lies,” an oxymoron if I ever heard one, gives us a portrayal of a man scorned by a woman he thought loved him. The song takes us through a vision, of perhaps, Cohen’s own personal hell. Blues-like in nature, this one is a keeper.

“ What Love’s Supposed To Feel Like” was a song written for Cohen’s wife, Chantel. The inspiration for the song came about through the subject line in an e-mail that Cohen had written to his wife-to-be. The rest of the song is a tribute to the feelings Cohen had for his soulmate.

“ Angel’s Everywhere,” another love song Cohen penned for his wife, is my personal favorite. The best thing about this song, and the whole of the album, is the honesty in Cohen’s words and music. He really knows how to tell it like it is.

Take “Sin No More,” for example: “benediction for damnation” Cohen sings in this blues tune. How’s that for bearing your soul? It really doesn’t get any better than this.

And to shore things up, the last track on the album, “Me and My Old Man,” is sung by Cohen’s son, Jason Cohen. Cohen really has a love for his family, and this song only reiterates that fact even better.

Although I skipped a few tunes, the rest are for you listeners to discover. Take the time for yourself to find out what Cohen’s music is all about. Trust me, there’s something there for everyone, and you may learn a little about yourself along the way.

From The Daily Advertiser
24-7 Magazine
April 27, 2002
review by Trevis Badeaux
Steven D. Cohen
New CD, steven d. cohen
(self-released)

A honky-tonk dance floor somewhere in the heartland of Americana is missing the right track for the right moment between a man and a woman. Lafayette -based singer/songwriter Steven D. Cohen offers more than a few choice ballads on his self-titled debut to fill that void.

Cohen made a name for himself by writing six singles for country singer Sammy Kershaw, another Louisiana gem from deep in the heart of Kaplan.

Despite the vocal prowess of a Tom Waits and a Jacob Dylan, the 14-track release features solid song writing with little frills to detract from the raw emotion of each song.

Thomas Knapp, a Lafayette bassist whose enjoying the limelight these days with the likes of zydeco dynamo Dwayne Dopsie, makes a guest appearance on “Little Did I Know,” “Me & My Old Man,” and “Honest Lies.” The latter shows off the bassist’s prowess with a phat solo wrought on a fretless fingerboard.

With a little bit of country, a sprinkling of soul, a pinch of rock and a dash of blues, Steven D. Cohen’s self-titled debut is sure to offer a favorite for any member of today’s nuclear family.

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From: The Morning Advocate
Thursday, June 6, 2002 and
LifeStyle Lafayette
June 14-July 18, 2002
Volume 8, Number 10
Review by Dominick Cross
Steve Cohen Debuts His CD

His work was heard by a lot of folks when country star Sammy Kershaw sang “Better Call a Preacher” on Late Night with David Letterman in 1994. The next year, Kershaw did another of his songs, “Christmas Won’t be Christmas (Without You Here)” on his Christmas album. It appeared on a couple of yule season music compilations. “Racin With My Heart” was another take performed by Kershaw. Wayne Toups got in on the action with “True Blue (Don’t Leave Me Blue)” and “One Heart Beating” on his “Fish Out of Water” release. After more than half a life in music, Steven D. Cohen steps forward with his self-titled debut release.

“I’m real excited about it.” said Cohen. “I’ve talking about doing a CD for 12 to 15 years.” The tunes rock softly and carry a reality kick - in other words, if you know what a broken heart feels like and have found redemption in a secure relationship - then Cohen’s recording will sound familiar. Intelligent lyrics tell songs about life, love, loss and other feelings.
“I tried to concentrate to put out good songs that people could relate to and hopefully enjoy,” Cohen said. It could be filed under Adult Contemporary or Adult Alternative and has been heard locally on KRVS, KTDY and KBON radio stations.
“I’m doing my own campaign the best I can,” he said.

Cohen teamed up with producer Rick Lagneaux and co-wrote the songs for Kershaw. He and Roddie Romero did one for Wayne Toups. The CD is all Cohen, with the exception of “Lonely Highways” with Romero.

Over the years, Cohen has performed at Bach Lunch and Downtown Alive! He was also part of the songwriter’s workshop at the Recent Festival International de Louisiane. Cohen organizes the “Kids Shouldn’t Get the Blues at Christmas” fund raiser and is known as a blues musician around town.

However...”The CD is not a blues CD,” he said. “What I’d like to do one day is take (two blues numbers his son performed that didn’t make the release) and maybe a few blues ones and call it “Me and My Old Man,” he said. “I’ll do pretty much a blues record, but it would be all originals.” The tunes on his debut release were recorded with radio in mind.
“Just in case I was lucky enough to get some air play, you’ll notice there’s no long solos like when I play live,” he said. Cohen plans to use the CD as a calling card, too. He hopes to land festival and club dates with it.

“This is my CD. This is me. I can do all 14 songs acoustically or with a band,” he said. Four songs were inspired by his wife Chantel. Married a year this past April. “When I finally finished the song and spent time at her place, she had angel figurines and pictures.” said Cohen. “She was really into angels. It was just kind of really weird because I had no knowledge of this when I wrote the song.”

There were also three other songs that were also written for Chantel. And yes, Cohen did sing at his wedding. In fact, he dedicated a song to his bride. “I didn’t play very long,” he said, adding he left it up to his son Jason. Jason also appears on the release and is featured on the last song, “Me & My Old Man.”

Cohen has also performed on Passe Partout, KLFY TV-10 and Good Morning Acadiana, KATC TV-3.

Rick Lagneaux did the cover artwork on the CD. Musicians include Steven D. Cohen, electric guitar, vocals; Jason “JT Catfish” Cohen, electric guitar, vocals; Roddie Romero, slide guitar; Carl Landry, saxophone; Tony Ardoin, electric guitar and bass; Rick Lagneaux, keyboards; Thomas Knapp, electric bass; Doug Belote and Mike Baudoin, drums; Jay Shuffle, harmonica; Heidi Lynn and Brenda Lowry, background vocals; Patrick Trumps, guitar: Ed Gore, piano; Vince Sauro and Randy Knight, percussion; Bryan Hudson, electric bass and Steve Kern, piano.

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