Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
1989
Album Summary
Let Love Rule is the debut studio album of American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on September 6, 1989, by Virgin Records. Then-wife Lisa Bonet wrote the lyrics to "Fear" and co-wrote the lyrics on the song "Rosemary"; other than that the album is virtually a one-man Kravitz show, as he wrote and produced all the songs and played nearly all the instruments.Let Love Rule reached number 61 on the Billboard 200, while it peaked at number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. The album is also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The video for the lead single "Let Love Rule" was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.
WikipediaLenny Kravitz wants you to know three things: Love is good, Hate is bad, and he listened to a lot of his parent's records while he was going to Beverly Hills High School. Let Love Rule's musical offerings of peace and love are so insipid and empty that it's hard to imagine him having anything but a cushy upbringing—take how Klan lynchings are mentioned in passing on one track, but don't weigh quite as heavily on Kravitz's mind as the racial injustice the entire next song is dedicated to: him being unable to catch a cab. With a complete lack of nuance, it just sounds like a studio version of a dude with an acoustic guitar sitting below a tree on a college campus trying to get laid, which is maybe not the best idea when you're already married to Lisa Bonet. Key Tracks: Blues for Sister Someone
.5 all kravitz albums are ten stars by default due to the ripped pants penis flop video. however every song on this album takes away .5 stars from this rating. so overall .5 stars because zero stars don’t exist. https://66.media.tumblr.com/e8123b078d94d8b0d61bd8a8bc0963dc/tumblr_nskhs7yCrG1qg8i7yo3_r1_500.gif
I was not expecting to rate Lenny Kravitz this high. Was completely unfamiliar with his work, but the versatility and energy is incredibly impressive. He made this album basically ENTIRELY BY HIMSELF. One of those albums where there wasn't a clear winning track, a lot of it flowed effortlessly and did a great job of being unique on its own.
Easily one of the greatest debut albums of all time. The Beatles influence is strong, but not dominating. Sometimes the layers upon layers of vocal tracks gets a tad overwhelming, but otherwise the technique is used to great effect (a la George Martin). Hands down, the title track is an all-time classic and in today's political and pandemic fatigued world, would be a welcome reminder to be good to one another. Also, Karl Denson's saxophone solo on Let Love Rule is one of absolute greatest in recorded history and a joy to the ears everytime I hear it.
Another album whose singles played predominantly in my 90s video phase. Decades later it comes of as maybe a little soft-pedaled? Plenty of good stuff though. Saw Kravitz live at a festival in the mid-90s and he did not disappoint.
Great music for a one-man show. I didn't realize Kravitz was so soft rock when he started. I feel bad only knowing him for his amazing cover. He's a great writer.
Parts of it sounded like Prince. Parts sounded more grungy. Very cool vibe and guitar playing, but at the same time, nothing really WOWed me. Great job Lenny, here's a 3.5!
no co mam powiedzieć no zajebiste, każdy utwór bez wyjatku, najbardziej chyba be, empty hands i blues for sister someone
Loved this! The instrumentals and tone are great. A mix of relaxing and energizing.
Aun con un contenido lírico discreto (aunque certero en ocasiones) el álbum es una pasada. Una faceta maravillosa de Kravitz, mezclando soul, pop rock 60 de UKs, blues y pequeños destellos de psicodelia. Un buen 9
Que disco raro! No porque sea malo ni nada... Siempre asocié a Kravitz con algo mas rockero y no lo tenia tan blusero. Me encantó, creo que mas que la musica que hace normalmente. Tiene unas pinceladas de Hendrix que quedan excelentes con lo espaciadas que están. Es una lastima que haya encontrado otra identidad y no haga tanto de esto, aunque probablemente tambien sea que evolucionó en la forma de hacer musica y no sea tan cruda. No se si habría lugar para un Hendrix hoy, tanto como para un Lenny así. Faveado.
I love people like Lenny who sing with such passion. It really gets you into the album and music and lyrics and theme. Phenomenal record.
I had honestly only ever listened to fly away before this but this was a great intro into Lenny kravitz. Excellent album and his yelly voice with the production just works
From the outset this was a really enjoyable collection of songs with shades of hippie rock, psychedelia, soul and funk. Kravitz is quite obviously a massive fan of late sixties psychedelic rock and this is apparent in the music styles and especially his lyrics; whilst cliched they never jar. He sings enthusiastically throughout and the music has plenty of breathing space. There's a few nice touches like the processed vocal effect on 'Freedom Train' and strings on 'Fear'. Great stuff.
First time listening to the full album by Lenny Kravitz and my first thought is - Why haven't I done this sooner? It's a very well made album, entertaining from start to finish (although it falls off a little by the end). Mix of rock, at moments hard rock, with blues and soul, resulting in extremely fun record for a wide variety of fans. Lenny was the solo artist on this album - vocals and lyrics, guitars, bass, drums and other instruments were composed and played by him. And you can tell how talented he is. It wasn't over the top at any point, which happens to some other overcomplicated recordings, but also it wasn't too simple, it hit the right mark. Guitar solos felt really at place and in the groove of the song or beat. Additional instruments like sax or trumpet added another layer to the mixture. And finally, it wouldn't be as attractive without great singing voice of Lenny. He could swing in-between slower, more emotional tracks and fast and heavy ones with ease, and you could tell he felt good and comfortable in any setting. I am very surprised with this album, but it easily jumps to the list of my favourites.
Hadn't listened to this since a long time and was reminded what a great album it is. A warm bath!
This is a phenomenal album! I remember the first Lenny Kravitz song I ever heard (American Woman, off of Big Shiny Tunes 4). I thought it was a fantastic song, and really liked his style, but never really delved into his back catalog at all. I found myself enjoying that same sound on this album (rock mixed with strong funk/jazz/blues vibes). This album touches on topics such as peace & love, racism, and religion. The piano breakdown in My Precious Love was fantastic!! Favourite songs : Let Love Rule, Rosemary, Blues For Sister Someone, I Build This Garden for Us, Flower Child Least favourite songs: if forced to pick, Mr. Cab Driver, Freedom Train, Sitting on Top of the World 5/5
Fajny, moje klimaty, czasami piosenki były podobne do siebie ale odsłuchiwało mi się bardzo przyjemnie
Very good. Although I can't really relate to the strong Christian themes.
Me gustó un chingo. Pensé que en el 89 ni había nacido Lemmy Kravitsss
Hippie, soulful, that can definitely find it's groove and rock. It amazingly keeps interest up even though the tracks clock in at almost an hour.
Reminds me of 6th grade when Mike let me borrow all his Lenny Kravitz CDs for our family trip to Italy. I thought this was so cool... and I still like it. It feels like the very beginning of what would become the early 90s throwback to the 60s/70s. The slower love songs are less my style. I don't like the Jesus shit. And some of the writing is a little elementary... but this album still reminds me of a simpler time. 4.
Went in completely blind with no expectations. I really enjoyed it and plan on looking deeper into his discography.
1989, Funk rock, hard rock, psychedelic soul, hat großteil des Albums selbst produziert, fast alles selbst geschrieben, nice würde wieder hören, starke 4
1) 2* weird way to start a debut album. Very pitchy and squeaky. 2) 4* 3) 3* 4) 2* 5) 4* 6) 4* fear 7) 3* 8) 4* 9) 3* 10) 3* 11) 4* 12) 4* 14) 4*
Let Love Rule is an awesome song. Kind of jammy sometimes, also soulful. Really liked this one.
I'm used to the poppy, un-creative bullshit he put out later in his career. This was refreshing and very good.
I like it. This is the type of music I listen to a lot but I never really listen to Kravitz. I'm going to have to give him more of a listen. OOOO "Rosemary" is sort of a Christian song, that's interesting. "Empty Hands" without doing research, I can see this being about Jesus or MLK Jr.
Pretty solid album, good background music. Enjoyable, but I felt like a lot of the songs sounded the same. 4/5 stars.
Loved the mix of genres in this and the themes. Lots going on in terms of instruments but the production was great. Let Love Rule is a highlight track.
Enjoyed it a lot, Lenny has a great voice when he wants it to be. Real rating 3.5/5 but rounding up since it was an impressive debut
Buen disco! Lo escuche mientras limpiaba la casa jaja Lenny me gusta pero escuche obviamente lo mas contemporaneo 4 efes
Not exactly my usual type of music, but liked it and would listen again. "4 - enjoyed it, will listen again."
This was fun. Lots of good Lenny songs even if I didn’t recognize many
Pretty good. Particularly enjoyed "Mr. Cab Driver", but I was definitely watching the tracks towards the end counting down the number remaining.
Great listen. Lenny Kravitz is another that I came to later in his career and never went back to explore his earlier stuff. Clearly very talented, an explosive debut.
Really, really great! So much variety; I was impressed! A bit too much religious imagery for my taste lol
I first heard Kravitz when a friend played for me the entire "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" album shortly after it came out. I followed that up by buying this, Kravitz's first album. I've listened to this album many times, but probably only once in the last 15 years. It was good to come back. "Let Love Rule" got my highest rating for an individual track. Overall the individual tracks don't come to mind as something that I should play again, but I would put on the album as a whole.
Lenny Kravitz is not the artist I thought he was. This album was a lot different than the radio stuff of his I heard.
Loved this album at the time (close to the end of when you listened to a whole album). Mr. Cab driver. Yeah
Unexpectedly cool album. Based on the selections for this generator, I can always appreciate some accessibility and non-boringness.
With nods slinky soul, funk, R & B, glam rock this album is a winner. Freedom Train, Let Love Rule, Be, Mr Cab Driver and more show him as an inspired artist letting his freak flag fly.
This album fucks! So atmospheric, so driven, and so intentional. Love the sound and the lyrics. Groove!
My impression of Lenny Kravitz after hearing “Fly Away,” “American Woman,” and “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” on the radio forever is that he’d be hard to take seriously. Listening to this album though I’m like…what if Lenny Kravitz is good???
It’s a cool, atmospheric album. Lenny has cultivated the 60s ideals of peace and love, and infused them with his smooth funky flow. He’s offering it all up for a new generation of groovy-minded people. I like it a lot. It’s a solid debut album, the perfect introduction of what’s to come.
8/10. This was pretty good. long album, of course, but pretty enjoyable every step of the way
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Sitting on top of the world, Freedom train, I build this garden for us, Fear
I bought this album when it came out, and it was on steady rotation for a while. Now — as I was then, I'm impressed with the songs, performances, vibe, and the sparse but adept production. The experience held up on this listen, the first in many years. This is just a plain solid album, and that's without delving into the fact that Kravitz apparently did most of it himself. I was never again enthralled by anything Kravitz released, he seemed much more focused on being a rock star that a music artist, and I felt the next bunch of releases were devoid of the things that made this album so great (good songs and honest performances). I've pretty much not listened to anything since 1998's "5," which disappointed me (I did buy the CD, though I no longer have it). But that's a tangent, this album is really good. 'Nuff said.
p607. 1989. 4 stars Well done pilfering of Prince, Hendrix and Beatles circa Abbey Road. Was surprised at how much I liked this. 1 star deducted for some tracks outstaying their welcome. Still on the replay list, though.
I bought this one on vinyl when it came out. Really strong debut album. It seemed to go against the grain at the time, which was heading more toward alternative and grunge. This felt a bit more like throwback classic rock, and it was a breath of fresh air. I didn't really track Lenny much after this album, other than hearing the hits. 4 stars.
I liked this album. I found that his voice could be a little grating at times when it begins to sound scratchy. The actual songs and instrumentation were pretty good though. Overall, this seems to be a strong debut album. My favourite songs were Let Love Rule and Does Anybody Out There Even Care.
Non sapevo che Let Love Rule fosse dell''89, ho cominciato ad ascoltare Lenny attorno al 2000 e lo adoro. Chitarra elettrica adoro.
Yeah Lenny kinda ate ngl. Bass goes hard and I dig it. He really feelin it (or something)
This wasn’t bad. I found it enjoyable but don’t know if I would revisit.
Enjoyed the project but definetly need to listen again, too backed up with albums to try and listen to again. Favorite song: I Built This Garden For Us, 6/8.
Solid album, not sure I would ever think to put i ton but I enjoyed the listen.
Thought it was rubbish then the last 4 or 5 songs where a lot better than the rest.
Lenny Kravitz has always been a weird case of underachievement to me. He’s clearly extremely talented but just went away. Maybe that’s what he wanted. Anyway this album has some good stuff but I don’t think his best.
Lenny's big debut, and no I'm not talking about when his pants ripped on stage. Really cool that he played all the instruments and did everything on here himself! I didn't recognize any tracks on here, but there were a handful that I dug. It's an easy project to listen to, even if it's nothing incredible. I like this. Favorite tracks: My Precious Love, Rosemary, Empty Hands, Let Love Rule. Album art: He's ready for his close up. Color scheme reminds me of Electric Ladyland, another close up. The font is kinda cool. 3.5/5
Not really my style. Can't call it bad, but I'm not coming back to it.
This seemed like it wanted to be a rock album with all the fuzzy guitar riffs but ended up being just a pop album with a touch more edge to it, nothing new for the late 80s early 90s
It was fine. Some moments better than others Favorite Track(s): I was lazy on this one and didn’t pay that close of attention
I feel this is underrated, but it does tail away towards the end of the album.
I have a bunch of Kravitz in my playlist, especially songs like Fly Away and American Woman but those aren't on this album. While it certainly wasn't bad, I didn't connect with the music on this album. I did enjoy his fusion of a few different genres especially some funkadelic but I don't think I'll listen to this again.
There’s something I don’t like about the whiney ness in Lenny’s voice. But I liked this album. Interesting and spiritual lyrics
Got mad respect for Lenny, was a nice switch up of music to start off the Monday on a groovy note!
It's alright, but Lenny Kravitz should have been amazing. His albums always disappointed me
On paper, I should like this, but it's just ok. Although the work he put into it is impressive.
Actually very cool vibe. Even though the album is a bit too long and stretched out, I really enjoyed the feeling of it. However, I don't think it compares to other albums in the list from the cultural impact perspective.
Um álbum agradável, com uma boa vibe, vale a pena ouvir. Não é muito o meu estilo infelizmente. Nota: 6/10
He's got a great singing voice and his instrumentation and use of organ is great. I'm not too hot on his rather overt religious themes, but he mixes them with rock and gospel really well Fav song: Let Love Rule
The guy sounded derivatively retro when this was released and nothing has really changed. I do think he’s written some cracking tunes though.
took me too long to realize this was some jesus stuff, good music but like fuck seriously
I think with this album, is that felt pretty average. I wasn't super moved or enthralled with it or anything. It's nice to have in the background but I'm not sure it's something I wouldn't normally seek out to be honest. So yeah, middle of the road album gets a middle of the road score.
Impressive that wrote, recorded, played and produced everything single handed. Funkier than I expected. But on a second listen, a lot of the lyrics are super religious, which is kinda lame.
such a groovy one-man show. Didn't realize how much softer he was earlier on. Will admit though, none of these songs really stood out to me
It's a little jangly/acoustic for my taste, but it's still pretty nice. I liked 1 or 2 of the tracks a whole lot.
Un bon album blies rock, on voit lu ca a commence, mais je m’ai jamais ete vraiment fan de l’artiste. 3.5
Let love rule to debiutancki material pana Lenniego Kravitza, jednego z najbardziej popularnych rokowych artystow lat 90, tak popularnych, ze kojarze az dwa traki jego autorstwa, a ta plyta jest dla mnie tajemnica i obietnica blenda soula rocka i funku, a tajemnica jest jak musial sie wstrzelic z takim podejsciem do muzyki zeby zostac popularnym grajkiem, bo o ile popularne muzyki tworzone sa przez sztaby ludzi kryjacym sie za nazwiskiem artysty, to jednak najwieksze popowe materialy, to czesto wystepy jednego czlowieka, tak jak to mialo miejsce w wypadku princa czy jacksona, graja, spiewaja i jeszcze ogarniaja masterowanie plytki, zawsze inaczej slucha sie takiego krazka, gdy masz z tylu glowy, ze wszystkie instrumentale ktore slyszych wyszly spod reki jednej osoby, od tego konceptu odchodza tylko traki be i fear, ktore byly tworzone z tamtoczasowa panna bonet, po trakach ktore znam od pana kravitza sadzilem, ze urodzil sie on z elektrykiem w lapie, a jednak na debiutanckim materiale debiutuje akustyk, co nie jest zle, ale nie jest to taki szok jak na elektryczne popisy jak na are you gonna go my way, sluchajac calego albumu, a nie tylko krazka, a nie pojedynczych kawalkow jak wczesniej meczy troche jak popowy jednak jest to material, do posluchania, ale z kawalkow ktore zapadaja w pamiec mam tylko trzy, nie jest to oczywiscie tytulowy let love rule, ktorego czesc instrumentalna wdaje sie byc zmarnowana na taki kontent liryczny, pod tym wzgledem najbardziej kuleje cala plyta, ciezko na czyms zawiesic ucho i posluchac ciekawej opowiesci, bo ma byc prosto, z takich wyrozniajacych sie kawalkow to o rasistowskich zlotowach jest moim pickiem plejlistowym, razem z otwierajacym sitting on top of the world i freedom trainem w ktorym slysze jakby fly away
3.5 if I could. Never really listened to Lenny Kravitz beyond the singles but this was really good.
Pretty good listen. Loved the energy and the depth of the instruments. Good variety of styles too. Holds up today while still managing to throw back to older psych rock and ahead of his time to some of the 90s funk rock. Pretty basic and repetitive lyrically though. Probably not a repeat listen.
Really? One of the best ever? Kravitz is an incredible frontman seen live, but this is just generic rock right? Conclusion : it's OK.
Two songs of note and a lot of filler. A good debut. Best track: Let Love Rule
A pleasant surprise - I thought this would be awful but the man can play and sing and it’s a pleasant album to listen to whilst you’re working - just don’t listen to the lyrics too closely which are mostly just drivel. By no means a classic.
I cant work out my views on this, i guess because it doesnt elocit any strong feelings. Therefore... 3 stars
It's 90s pop. It's fine, it had a time. But, never would listen to it now. Oh wait, it's from 89? He was a bit ahead of his time then. Can hear some Prince influences in here as well. I think this is my fav Lenny Kravitz thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t-iFr9q1I8 lolol
This reminds me of a much more raw and rock based Prince who is way into The Beatles. After reading Kravitz played most instruments on the album himself, the parallels to Prince increase even more. I had really only heard "Are you gonna go my way" before and I am pretty impressed with the first half of the album. But it wears thin for me after that. Especially when he starts dropping in Christian lyrics and moralizing.
This album was ok. The lyrics were really hit or miss. Lenny Kravitz is a good musician, but I think he tried to do too much on this one. His perspective however is really great. He is unapologetically black and isn’t afraid to infuse that into his music which borrows from funk, R&B, and a lot of Beatles.
This one was very interesting as I have heard a lot of Lenny Kravitz, but none of these songs sounded familiar to me (I mostly hear his later tracks out and about). I was VERY surprised to see that this was his debut album as it felt like someone who was already established was creating these songs. If I had to describe it for anyone to understand, I would say it is Prince mixed with The Beatles; it feels harder to explain the style of music anyway but that. The title track, Let Love Rule, is definitely the standout here, but the whole album was solid and went by really fast for its length unlike other albums I have listened to so far. I was surprised by the Christian themes throughout the album (especially on Rosemary); it is not something I would have expected based on other tracks I have heard from him. Overall, I got a lot of enjoyment out of this one. 3.5/5.
Never been a huge Kravitz fan but giving this album a solid listen I can definitely appreciate it. It doesn't do anything crazy groundbreaking or anything but it's a solid set of funk rock.
It's been a long time since I've listened to this, but it's pretty good. Heck of a debut album. As I recall, Let Love Rule was really fresh and unusual at the time it came out. It was rock, but with somewhat of an alternative slant and also a retro soul vibe. Nobody else was really making music like this in 1989. Lenny Kravitz wears his influences on his sleeve, but he still manages to pull it all together without seeming derivative of any particular artist or style. Kravitz's vocals are passionate, sexy and soulful and his charisma is on full display here. His guitar work is terrific. Just learning today that he played many of the instruments, which is really impressive. It gets a little soft in the middle and would have benefited from dropping several songs, but this is still a great album. Even early on, you could tell Kravitz had the potential for something much bigger and it's been great watching him develop over the years. Fave Songs: My Precious Love, Let Love Rule, I Built This Garden For Us, Freedom Train
This was okay? Just okay for me, really. I think a couple songs were pretty neat, but the rest I'm not sure I'd revisit. The overall vibe was fine but nothing extraordinary here.
So, this album was on regular rotation in my share house c. 1991. it was funky and fun, with a 60s throwback vibe and production that was uncommon at the time, and makes it a fun listen. The lyrics are twee and often cliched, and while Lenny's singing is good at hitting a dramatic peak, the music often does not get there. I always felt his songs needed to hit a dramatic highpoint. Sometimes he achieved this with collaborators (such as Slash's solo in Always On The Run) or kitchen sink production, or by avoiding the issue (70s funk emphasizes the groove, and so big dramatic moments are less required). All that said, I enjoyed revisiting this record, and really like his vocal style. It's a fun pastiche.
I've never heard any Lenny Kravitz from before are u gonna go my way, this is at least kinda interesting. It's like the Beatles but with a reggae influence or something. 3/5.
Kravitz' 80s/90s take on 60s hippie rock. Good but not overwhelming in any way. Very easy listening classic rock.
Very well done for a debut, and kinda seems like it's ahead of its time? Or at least comfortably independent from what was hot at the time. But also nothing really amazing or eye-opening.
Yep. It's a Lenny Kravitz album. Amazing how the sound hasn't really changed and is so unmistakably Kravitz. A unique voice and style that has a groove, and it works.
Solid and rich-feeling all the way around – a throwback-feeling rock record, made by a big talent with a feel for genre-mixing. Feels authentic, if a bit reachy-y at times. Maybe a touch all over the place. “Are You Gonna” is the better LK record. Solid 3.25
It's okay. Not great or a must listen, but good enough to be enjoyable background music. It's a bit too long though and some songs don't have much substance. "Freedom Train" is lyrically on the same level as "Around the World" by Daft Punk. "I Build This Garden for Us" and "Mr. Cab Driver" were my favorites. I'm pretty sure I've heard the latter one before. Learning about the penis flop incident was also great.
In his first album with everything to prove, Lenny Kravitz writes every note, plays every instrument and seals everything in his own production, all the while borrowing heavily from his musical heritage. It’s an admirable achievement, which yields good (if not great) results. Kravitz is an engaging performer, but wears his influences on his sleeve in his stylings and songwriting. The Prince comparisons make a lot of sense: Kravitz’s vocal timbre glides nicely between low seduction, occasional crystal-clear falsetto and a grizzled howl (used to particular effect in slow-crawling bluesy funk tracks like “Fear”). More than just the Prince-alike vocals, Let Love Rule” resembles the Purple One’s “Around the World in a Day” era in particular, with live orchestrations and a generous helping of 60s psychedelia (enter Beatles). There are strings swelling underneath “I Build This Garden”, complemented by melodic McCartney basslines, electric piano, organ and an ultra-fuzzed out lead guitar at the end. “Let Love Rule” is a naive but sweet plea to do just that, over a diluted “Hey Jude” style mantra of a chorus. It has a warm and familiar sound and is never actively bad, but a lot of the time it isn’t particularly exciting either. For example, there’s nothing particularly special about a track like “My Precious Love”- Kravitz’s passionate vocals aside. It’s well-trodden ground and not at all cutting edge by 1989. I did enjoy a lot of this album and would happily listen again, but it’s comfortably middle of the road.
El debut de Kravitz ja prefigurava el so de tota la discografia que hauria de venir. Rock retro, contagiós, amb un so descaradament vell però molt particular i personal. Tot i tenir èxit, els seus propers treballs encara dispararien molt més la seva popularitat, i encara hauria de millorar molt el que aquí es conté, però continua sent molt bon material, disfrutable al 100%
Genre: Rock 3/5 Nearly entirely self-made, Lenny Kravitz's debut album, Let Love Rule, is a solid, albeit rather bland, way to end the decade. No new wave, no post-punk, no studio manipulation, just all rock. Kravitz plays almost every instrument involved in this album, much like his idol, Prince, used to do. For what it's worth, Let Love Rule, the lead single and one of his biggest hits, is pretty damn good considering it's just him playing AND singing. However, it doesn't redeem everything here, as talent doesn't necessarily translate into good songwriting. A lot of what makes this album good is Kravitz's voice. Not a true virtuoso on any of the instruments being played here, he lets his voice rip every now and again into a distorted scream, which adds a lot of emotion and flavor to some of the otherwise fairly dry rock cuts. After the title track, Mr. Cab Driver is a decent track, mostly for its social commentary on the racism faced by everyday black Americans, but it's also a not-so-bad rock song. As for the rest of the album, nothing much in terms of musical or lyrical content jumps out to me, but it's a decent project, and you got to tip your cap to the hard work Lenny put into this one.
I've known the name but never listened. This just sounded bland and very B-sidey. Just fine music but kinda long. Inoffensive stuff that I see no need to return to.
If you're going to be *this* retro, I suppose you may as well also be this unabashed about it. Don't think I ever realised just quite how goddy it gets at times, but Leonard was sufficiently rock'n'roll that he'd never really cut it in the Christian market proper. Wears a bit thin by the end but the high points are great.
I was in between a 3 and 4 star ranking, and I think the 10 tracks of the official album are a 4 star, but there isn’t a good indication (other than Wikipedia) that the last three tracks are “CD bonus” tracks, and the quality is a real step down.
I like Lenny Kravitz, he's a cool dude. With this album, musically, I liked it, most tracks start off well but then seem to peter off without much direction.
Lenny Kravitz introduces himself to the world with an impressive and pure distillation of his talents-he performs all the vocals and instruments himself (then-wife Lisa Bonet co-wrote two of the songs). Several pieces arguably meander a bit too much, but there are some decent lyrical ideas presented therein.
3.1 - The one redeeming thing about this album to me is that Kravitz wrote and performed (almost) all of the music on here. Clearly the man is talented and skilled. He's also put in the work, creating an hour's worth of music in 13 songs, each with lyrics and melodies. But the songs, while pleasant enough, are just mediocre. There are a bajillion teenage boys across the US who have similar songs written in their little notebooks (I was one of them). They've probably written a song about a prostitute walking the street ("sex work BAD") or injustice in the world ("hate BAD love GOOD") or having to face prejudice ("racism BAD")... Where would Lenny Kravitz be if he didn't have beautiful dreadlocks, an adonis body and, most importantly, Hollywood-connected parents?
Always had this down as a 4* album but only remembered a few songs. It is obviously very well made (with Let Love Rule as the 5* stand-out song) and generally enjoyable, just like Kravitz's second and third album. But a little bit too pastiche (same with other acts at that time like Ween / World Party / Jet Black Joe).
I build this Garden for us.....super repetitive.....turned into a gospel song! So-so album. Super Lenny style and a bit outdated.
This was such a unique album when it came out. Today, it still sounds great. I haven't listened to this is years. Really enjoyed hearing it again. 3.5/5
Monta uutta tuttavuutta. Ei tää mattoa jalkojen alta vienyt, mut tosi laadukas kokonaisuus
Ei varsinaisia toppeja tai floppeja, mutta silti miellyttävää ja helppoa rockia.
Sorry Zoe, your dad has officially been diagnosed with wokeism. Luckily, you are incredibly seriously good looking. Always thinking of u, love bean <3
Lenny u may have mega swag but im not sure that romantic sex songs are really your thing. The amount of voice cracks is annoying and every song blends together. However the instrumental portion of each track is awesome so theres that.
hi lenny, huge fan of your role in the hunger games. Fashion king. However, that’s about it. I’d convert for your daughter tho