Let Love Rule

Ok

So funky! Love Lenny Kravitz

I liked this pretty well... I listened to this several times and some of it did grow on me. Didn't make me a rabid fan and I was a little surprised at the strongly religious songs. Nothing as good as "Are You Gonna Go My Way" on here but some good funkiness here and there.

aww early lenny

Realising this is christian rock was a slap in the face but good album

I can't say I'm a fan of Lenny Kravitz. His music has such a generic sound to it, maybe I expected more, but really he's been over-hyped and somewhat overrated. If I was forced to listen to one Kravitz record it would have to be his debut, Let Love Rule. The songs are fine and he still has passion and emotion behind some of these songs and I even recognize and like a few of them. A solid debut, too bad I don't feel as strongly about his future discography.

I don’t really know LK beyond Fly Away and Are You Gonna Go My Way but am vaguely aware that he was actually kind of a big deal for a while, just before my time, so I was intrigued to discover why. It’s… erm… fine? More soul influences than I expected. But none of the tunes blew me away, and the well-meaning messages of peace and love didn’t really move me either I’m afraid. It all felt like it had been done before, many times. The rockier bits were probably the highlights; maybe that’s why he leaned into these more later in his career (did he? I don’t actually know. Maybe I’ll find out one day if the generator so decides?) In must-hear album terms it’s only getting 2.5 stars from me, but I’ll round up because like I said, it’s fine.

Overall kinda good. Some bits in there I really like but the usual I'm just ok with. Will I listen to again: 20%

Solid 3.5 stars.

Good album but not fantastic. I hear hints of Prince & Jimi Hendrix blended into pop rock.

Good

I've always thought of Lenny as a watered down Prince. Or someone who was trying just a little too hard to be a mix of Prince and Stevie Wonder, and wants everyone to know about it so badly that all of his shit sounds over produced. I also used to think that he dumped Lisa Bonet for Yoko Ono, so really what do I know?

a very competent effort of funky rock and roll.

Lenny Kravitz.

This is just general generic rock, but I do like it. Lenny Kravitz certainly has his own sound and style but it's all just 'hey hear these guitar riffs yeah?!'. But that's fine by me, it's good fun.

nice vibes in general, my first time listening to Lenny Kravitz, thought he was kinda cute ngl. album started strong with sitting on top of the world and let love rule and kind of underwhelmed after that tho.

I feel like this album kinda dwindled after the first couple of songs.... It was a nice experience to listen to a bit more of Lenny because I only ever listened to Are you gonna go my way lol. Overall not bad but I might not be back.... I did not go your way, Lenny..

I use to love this album. It was my gateway to Hendrix. That door is now firmly shut. Listening to it again for the first time in almost 30 years is weird. My musical tastes at the time were a little confused. It's a decent album. But I was led more by the marketing than the music. Lenny wasn't quite the great saviour he was billed as at the time. It's harmless stuff. But sometimes I want a little harm and danger. Growing old, kicking against the pricks, etc.

3+/5

Ok for background. Never realised I knew so many songs from this early album.

love the energy

Yea decent. Not earth shattering of life changing. Title track is great. Piano work is great 3/5

Performances: solid. Songs: kinda OK; kinda not. Concept: 90s radio rock with 60s nostalgia. Question: Why is this on the list? Rating: a very soft three stars

I really like this guys slower songs, but the high energy ones are not my jam. Could listen to the slower ones over and over though. Top Tracks: 1) Let Love Rule 2) My Precious Love 3) I Build This Garden For Us 4) Does Anyone Out There Even Care 5) Rosemary 6) Be

He’s good at his sound, but it’s never felt like anything special. Just a retro sound with middling lyrics.

Meh, it’s alright

Some cool songs, not my favorite

Pretty groovy. Great album for a debut especially knowing where Lenny got to from here. Standout tracks for me are problably Let Love Rule and Flower Child.

The fact it's pretty much a one man production is impressive, sure, but a bunch of it is pretty slavish Beatles worship. Dunno - it's all competent enough, but it just doesn't quite grab me. I'd probably go 3.5 if that were an option. Fave track - "Let Love Rule", let's say...

i love lenny kravitz. this album doesn't do anything spectacular, but does infuse some acoustic soul rock into your day.

Jaa heel nice eigenlijk nooit echt bewust Lenny Kravitz geluisterd maar is dus wel echt wel goed

Really good album, I knew only the titular song as I have never really listened to a whole Kravitz album. Enjoyed it for the most part.

it’s a pastiche but at least it’s a positive pastiche and he’s singing about loving the Lord instead of grovelling to satan

Some of that Lenny style comes through but he's obviously still developing it in this first attempt. It sounds like "Lemmy does classic rock", not bad but not yet great. Another example of an album that is interesting in context but not The Best.

It was ok. Robin Cerbotsky likes him.

5 4 3 Let Love Rule, I build this garden for us, Does anybody out there even care, Be 2 My Precious Love, Fear, Freedom Train, Mr. Cab Driver, Rosemary, Blues for sister someone, Empty hands, Flower child 1 Sitting on top of the World Have to admit, I was expecting (hoping?) to like this more. Fair bit of repetitious, musical masturbation going on. Gave "Let Love Rule", "I build this garden" and "My Precious Love" a 2nd listen and decided I think them as much 2nd time around. The screechy 2nd verse kinda killed "I build this garden" for me. Could have been a 4. 2.5 plus 1 for playing all the instruments.

Quite liked the lofi production. I expected a Hendrix/Prince derivative but it was more interesting than expected. Too long though.

Some of the tracks land well here, it's made up of the same bluesy/jazz chord stuff thats having a big comeback at the moment. Unfortunately, this well and truly overstays it's welcome and you're left with a lot of "filler" tracks that don't contribute much.

Lenny is an artist that I forget about. I could have a million conversations about music but would never think to mention him. When his music is playing I quite like him. I saw him in concert and enjoyed the show but only went since someone else got the tickets and invited me. He fuses rock and soul very well and incorporates the right amount of organ in the right way. His voice on some songs reminds me of Lennon’s more obscure solo material and on other tunes reminds me of Lou Reed. Not sure why I don’t listen to him more.

The record company execs must have been licking their lips when they first heard Lenny. A mix of soul and rock, radio-ready and Grammy-destined. I’m most impressed with the fact he plays all those instruments. I like the song “I Build this Garden for Us” and the songs get more interesting/less commercial near the end. He gets a little Lou Reed-ish on “Cab Driver”. It sounds like he could hurt his tonsils when he tries to belt one out.

This is a solid debut album by rock-soul revivalist Lenny Kravitz. Here he sounds like the second coming of Jimi crossed with say Gary Clark Jr. Apart from the obvious hits I thought My Precious Love was impassioned and soulful. Lenny would really come into his own a few years later with Are you going my way which I think is his best song.

I didn’t mind this although perhaps it’s more because compared to the rest of this week’s albums, it was listenable. 3*

I really just find this so boring I’m sorry Lenny

I like the highs a lot, but it loses focus at times and it's easy to tune out

Cool mix of styles, definitely rock but with a lot of funk and soul and folk influence. I like his voice, though a few of the lyrics were kind of, uh, dodgy, and some of the songs dragged on too long. Best song: Let Love Rule

A very average album. His biggest hits aren't on this album. Some of the lyrics are kind of lame. There's a Jesus song. Kravitz is obviously doing his best to be Prince here. I thought I even heard a little Elvis Costello in one of the songs too.

pretty good, first song made me think i was gonna like it a little more than i did though bc that was a fucking banger. good and consistent album, only one or two "wow" moments though. Rating - 6.5 Favs - Sitting On Top Of The World - Flower Child - Mr Cab Driver

Lenny kravitz sure is a unique guy. This album was basically 1970s peace and love album with a 90s alternative guitar carrying much of the instrumentals. This isn’t a terrible album but man he wasn’t very good at singing when he first got started. The songs weren’t too exciting but they were okay. Probably would just let this one fly away. 6.1/10

Man this album just does not sync for me. Lenny's lyrics are terrible and this record just feels like a justification for a newly purchased rhyming dictionary. 3/5

While I might have guessed that Lenny Kravitz would be on this project, I wouldn't have guessed it would be this album. This album contains virtually none of the songs or sounds he's really known for and contains all of the funk/R&B/soul material that by this point in 1989 had already been done time and time again and seemed a bit derivative. Nonetheless, Kravitz is really quite good at embodying the spirit and sound of this era while still giving it a bit of a fresh sound, so it was an enjoyable listen for people who appreciate these timeless sounds in any decade. I will say, if anyone was going to make genres from the 60s and 70s sound cool in what was almost the 1990s, it would be Lenny Kravitz. Not specifically sure why, but "Rosemary" was such a needed Monday morning jam, so props to that, for sure!

Goede muziek, bekende artiest. Het is wel een heel rustig album, dus je moet er een beetje voor in de stemming zijn. Maar ik kan het wel waarderen.

Good, consistent funk rock album overall, though the songs don't really stand out. Mr. Cab Driver was the only song that was truly memorable.

first time listening favorites my precious love does anybody out there even care least favorite i build this garden for us

The album was alright. I was not familiar with any of the songs previously.

Ben = 2, Monique = 3.9. Cliche lyrics and some Prince-knock-off sounds but the album still holds up for its time.

Lenny Kravitz.

From all the negative reviews I thought this'd be terrible, but it's really pretty decent all the way through. The songs are pretty varied, there's nice instrumentation across the board, and it's sang well with plenty of character.

Gillar de softa och släpiga låtarna.

Une très belle performance de Lenny Kravitz qui va confectionner une merveilleuse robe à Katniss Everdeen pour la parade des tributs. Cette dernière fera bonne impression auprès des sponsors potentiels mais Lenny mourra dans le deuxième film. Tant pis pour lui.

Lenny Kravitz possède une belle somme de tubes à son actif, bien évidemment son unique album du générateur n'en comporte aucun. Robert tu as aujourd'hui signé ton arrêt de mort.

Sounds kinda lo-fi but I like it. A trying album. Lots of cool influences going on too

I liked it? didn't leave much of an impression on me tho

An ok hard rock. Neat but completely forgettable.

3, he makes his lyrics count

Such a boring album, completely lifeless. He is clearly super talented, but these one man band projects usually prevent good external ideas from coming in that probably would have benefited the album.

Personally i found this one rather dull and boring. Every song was seemingly a copy of the other ones

Fine

Decent if average 70s throwback hard rock, the highlight being Lenny’s impassioned vocals where they are featured

Det känns som att han alltid gör det musikaliska och stilmässiga drag som är mest safe. Tråkigt, men inte är det så hemskt för den delen! Lenny Kravitz är karismatisk i varje fall, rätt mycket bättre än nörd britpop.... Hans baby nivå social commentary hjälper också, helt sött!

Beter als verwacht

menfou

entités supérieures donnez moi le courage d'écouter les 40 albums de retard

Was a favourite when I was a student. Blatant throwback, even in the late 80s, to the golden age. Still holds some water, but mostly sounds cliche now

Genre: Alt rock Review: Decent, contemporary alt rock. This is no era-defining artist like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or Nirvana but still half-decent, just another example of an overrated inclusion into this list. The voice is manufactured and tears off way too often, and the music is interesting if occasionally dry at times. Rating: 6/10

A few good songs with a very diverse style. I could see Beatles and Jimi Hendrix influences in several places. Would give it a relisten; for now, high-ish 3/5.

I like Lenny Kravitz. I even love some of his work (Are You Gonna Go My Way is an incredible song, Fly Away is also great). This album was boring. I kept looking at the clock. Admittedly, it's got some funky elements that you didn't hear much of then, so not a throwaway. But I don't see what the big deal is here. Next.

I didn’t realize this came out in the late 80s. The production doesn’t sound as dated as some of the albums that came out in ’89. Lenny’s guitar playing is solid and it’s cool to see that he plays almost everything else on here but there weren’t too many standout moments. The track “Be” was my favorite track but I also really liked “Let Love Rule” and “Mr. Cab Driver”. This is a good debut album, but it didn’t really make me want to check out any more of his stuff.

Nooit zo'n fan van Lenny geweest, maar heb hier toch prima naar kunnen luisteren.

that was alright. Some good r&b sound. Never heard any pre-Are you gonna go my way Kravitz

Me gusta más el disco Circus

Lenny Kravitz sure is a talented musician and I've listened to some of his hits. He's got some great songs. This album doesn't stick to one genre of rock between the songs. I didn't feel like any of the songs stood out and the album as a whole is OK.

6/10 Fave: sitting on top of the world

Not bad! Not really my taste in music but it was decent. I liked "Mr. Cab Driver" the most. I wasn't aware of Lenny Kravitz until the late 90s so I always forget he was around earlier. I appreciate the blend of genres here and respect him doing something so different from what other musicians were doing at this time. This album is kind of timeless in that way; there's nothing inherently 80s about it (to my ears, anyway). Probably more of a 3.5

Decent rock album. Sounded more influenced by soul than hard rock

I like Lenny. His music will, as a whole, always 3-stars music.

Hef ekkert á móti Lenny kallinum, en ég þarf ekkert á honum að halda heldur. Takk fyrir mig, sjáumst kannski síðar, en þá bara fyrir einskæra tilviljun.

It’s ok, blues stuff with some good songs. Rosemary is good.

Lots of passion, dudes really feeling the music he's making. Yells a little too much. Like every song. But yeah he's giving it his all

Decent Debut. Solid enough 60's/70's psychedelia inspired songs, with the title track being the stand out. Preferred the follow up: "Mama Said" if I am totally honest though

Kudos to Lenny for playing just about everything on the album. It's good in bits, derivative but in a fine way - healthy respect for some classic funk in there. But it just lacks spark - never really stands out. Road trip music.

Soft rock with a few nods to the Beatles and the Hendrix. Played it a couple of times, didn't particularly stand out. Not terrible, not great.

Аа?

I like the funk elements.

I didn't think much of this album until the later part of the first half. Kravitz knows how to show desire and longing in his lyrics. Fave track(s): I Build This Garden For Us

I definitely prefer later Lenny Kravitz. This felt a little bit inane to me. I think the stuff he did later with Craig Ross was a bit more dynamic. A couple of the tracks stood out - Be and Cab Driver but the rest just blended in. I do have fond and amusing memories when I think of him, though, as I watched my very first episode of Baywatch in Craig Ross’s house. I think that gets a star on its own.

Decent and authentic-seeming, though perhaps too overt in its desire to be a rock record and also a bit all over the place. One much prefers “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”

Sounds like typical Lenny to me. Enjoyable. Light.

It's ok

A generally very cool listen. There are lush arrangements all through the album. The title track stands out as a sweet groove. Songs were Lenny deals with racism are striking and articulate. His voice is strong and expressive. I’m not a fan of the outright call for Christ love of Rosemary, but that’s ok. Some of the other tough imagery isn’t fun either, but it’s the mourning of the suffering of these characters that brings out the righteousness of Lenny’s message and his funky gospel.

Surprised by how much it this didn't suck. Trite lyrics and cringe delivery as expected, but I can't deny those instrumentals. Not bad.

Was a vibe, I didn’t dislike but got repetitive. He’s a hottie though and his daughter is amazing.

I mean it was alright enough, a few bangers here and there, but instrumentation-wise the music was pretty one dimensional, the only time where I noticed a change was Fear --> does anybody out there. Definitely a cool style but I think he was still trying to find his footing as an artist - the lyrics aren't there yet and neither is the real emotion eh like low 3?

A pretty well rounded album of excellent singing and some topical songs. Most are not too crazy though to write home about.

Ho una naturale diffidenza per Lenny Kravitz un po' a prescindere, limite mio. Ma in ogni caso 3 è il massimo che possa dargli.

Pretty good, probably won’t listen to it again

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. My favourite songs were Let Love Rule and Does Anybody Out There Even Care.

Only really heard his hits before. Enjoyed this more than I was expecting great debut and probably deserves its place on the list.

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

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.

Sorry Zoe, your dad has officially been diagnosed with wokeism. Luckily, you are incredibly seriously good looking. Always thinking of u, love bean <3

Ei varsinaisia toppeja tai floppeja, mutta silti miellyttävää ja helppoa rockia.

Monta uutta tuttavuutta. Ei tää mattoa jalkojen alta vienyt, mut tosi laadukas kokonaisuus

Bluesy

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

Oke ja weer leuk hé maar nu ook niets next level

I build this Garden for us.....super repetitive.....turned into a gospel song! So-so album. Super Lenny style and a bit outdated.

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).

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?

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.

Tycker detta var bra, men samtidigt lite väl långt.

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.

311225 14:39 2.5

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.

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'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.

Ok all round. Hard to get engaged Cover art 1/1

pretty darn good for a first album 3.5

Good, different than expected

funky rock

queria conhecer o sítio dele no brasil e q ele fosse meu sogro

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.

Cool! I liked it but I didn’t really like it 😂😂

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%

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.

Safe, mellow, forgettable

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.

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

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.

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.

Great guitarist but could see myself listening to any of these songs

Kravitz' 80s/90s take on 60s hippie rock. Good but not overwhelming in any way. Very easy listening classic rock.

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.

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.

Well put together, funky. Not really my style.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

It wasn't great and wasn't terrible.

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.

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

Everybody has to start somewhere

I cant work out my views on this, i guess because it doesnt elocit any strong feelings. Therefore... 3 stars

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.

Two songs of note and a lot of filler. A good debut. Best track: Let Love Rule

Really? One of the best ever? Kravitz is an incredible frontman seen live, but this is just generic rock right? Conclusion : it's OK.

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.

3.5 if I could. Never really listened to Lenny Kravitz beyond the singles but this was really good.

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 naaaah

Un bon album blies rock, on voit lu ca a commence, mais je m’ai jamais ete vraiment fan de l’artiste. 3.5

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.

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

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.

Great album bunch of classics

Good, but not the best kravitz album

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.

took me too long to realize this was some jesus stuff, good music but like fuck seriously

It's alright, but not something I would listen to again.

No es mi album favorito de Lenny Kravitz pero va bien

Softer than I expected from Lenny. Not bad, not great

solid rock sound.

The guy sounded derivatively retro when this was released and nothing has really changed. I do think he’s written some cracking tunes though.

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

Um álbum agradável, com uma boa vibe, vale a pena ouvir. Não é muito o meu estilo infelizmente. Nota: 6/10

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.

On paper, I should like this, but it's just ok. Although the work he put into it is impressive.

It was ok…. Not a fan though

Fine. Just fine.

Cringey lyrics but solid enough tunes.

Nice, but fails to rise to the inspirational level.

It's alright, but Lenny Kravitz should have been amazing. His albums always disappointed me

Maneirinho, mas a cara de crianca do Lenny Kravitz 32 anos atras!

his singing voice is a little much for me

Got mad respect for Lenny, was a nice switch up of music to start off the Monday on a groovy note!

There’s something I don’t like about the whiney ness in Lenny’s voice. But I liked this album. Interesting and spiritual lyrics

Het is bijzonder maar te onsamenhangend voor mij.

Very Lenny Kravitz album. Mr. Cab Driver is a good song

Very Lenny. Enjoyed it. 3/5

it was fine. but. His daughter is more famous than he is now

This is fine. Quite old school. Brass. Yeah, fine really.

6

nice

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.

Lenny Kravitz

I feel this is underrated, but it does tail away towards the end of the album.

Safe 90s rock is better than some, worse than others

pss

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

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

Not really my style. Can't call it bad, but I'm not coming back to it.

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

3?

Como que le falta originalidad.

Decent.

good but nothing spectacular.

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.

Thought it was rubbish then the last 4 or 5 songs where a lot better than the rest.

Solid album, not sure I would ever think to put i ton but I enjoyed the listen.

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.

This wasn’t bad. I found it enjoyable but don’t know if I would revisit.

Fajny blues, siadł mi vibe, ale po kilku utworach znudził mnie.

w sumie git ale jakos nie porwalo bardzo

Done good stuff. Mr. Cab Driver.

it was ok.

Average albums this week

I sometimes forget Lenny Kravitz was around in the 80s. I think he might be a vampire.

Stevie Wonder does it better

Surprisingly terrible. Cringe level 10. Flower child...point made

I’m so sorry Lenny. I hear you singing about important things but this album was just so boring ☹️

Fly Away is a great song. I didn’t really think there were any great songs on here

I think the problem here is it’s just… I too know and enjoy all these influences and I too would rather go and listen to them instead of this album. I don’t think Kravitz has it down to reform them into something all his own or compete straight down the line, and he’s otherwise just extending his tracks and the whole album way too far way too often dragging it down into boredom and a rush of wanting it to end sooner so you can put on Prince.

I don' tsee what the big deal is with this album. It was included on the "1,001 album to hear before you die" list, but I don't know why. There are a few tracks that I kind of liked, but for the most part it was very Meh. for me. I like the songs that have the funk vibe but it's not redeeming enough.

Gosh, the early album felt really jack johnson-like, in a good way, and I was enjoying having not heard the album the whole way through before. And then everything turned. I couldn’t appreciate the repetition. Or the self-important intensity. Meh

Another album that wasn’t bad but is never going to be my choice.

It’s surely competent but like, so heavy-handed? And he is most definitely trying to imitate Prince on a lot of this but it just comes out as screeching instead. And like, the “YEAH YEAH YE-YE-YEAH” like he does on Fly Away was i guess just a signature move of his? You’ve got better stuff in ya Lenny. You’ll get there soon.

Not bad

Horribly whiny singer

This is another tough one but I want to stand by my choice of a 2. Realistically, this is more like a 2.4 even a 2.5. It is simply a case of a singer's voice just not resonating with me. Do not get me wrong, there is passion there which you can feel and some songs really make you feel something. For example, "My Precious Love" was filled with great build up, passionate singing which matched the tone, and some incredible solos on keys. However, this just did not carry on through out the album so I cannot in good heart give it a 3.

Not interested in this at all. Too good to be a 1, but I'll not be revisiting...ever

No single song is terrible, but listening to them all together highlights how empty they sound

Overwhelmingly plain and boring

Disappointing album i expected more from this album its a bland album only liked song 3.6/10

I dunno man. It’s funky and Princey and Jimi Hendrixy and LOOOOOONG and doesn’t really come together in an effective way. I found myself skipping songs 2-3 minutes into them going “yeah yeah I get it”.

‘Does anybody out there even care’ asks Lenny in one of the songs. And the answer is: nope.

Yup, that's a Lenny Kravitz album all right.

Mid and cap. Why is this on here. There are like 2.5 good songs by Lenny and none of them were on this album

It was a meh. Some songs sounded like Prince rip offs, all songs were forgettable though. I like some of Lenny Kravitz's songs, but really none from this album stood out to me.

Was so cringe. Low 2 1.8/5

I like the concept of Lenny Kravitz and enjoy some of his tunes. Just gets a little repitative and dull.

Somewhere between bad and bland 2/5

Funny getting this one the day after D'Angelo's Brown Sugar. While you can hear the influence of Prince on D'Angelo, it feels like Kravitz just blatantly rips him off. But he's less compelling as a singer than Prince, and a much, much worse lyricist, heavily relying on vague platitudes about love. Then theres the very bad, random Christian rock of Rosemary. I like the title track and its building chorus, Mr Cab Driver is pretty good, but most of this is lame as hell, truly cringeworthy self-seriousness from nepo baby Prince

Meh. Just all meh. I think he thinks he sounds sexy but he doesn't. He sounds like Aerosmith. Boringgggg

I didn’t want to go this way

All the rock 'n roll fixins', but didn't light me up

Rating: 5/10 Maybe the definition of average. At this point we've gotten a good few albums in the realm of the rock, funk, and soul that Kravitz plays here in the year 1989, like The Beatles, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, and Prince; and this album which obviously takes influence from them all to the point of homage is just not nearly as good.

Raw & unpolished music is totally fine and valid, but I know Lenny has better releases, so this wasn't the one to nominate for this purpose. It's not even that interesting.

Niet mijn muziek

Lenny Kravitz seems like a supremely great guy. He's got a great voice, is a solid guitar player, has a distinctive sound, and isn't afraid to do his own thing. Unfortunately, I find his own thing to be by and large very very boring.

I respect the idea on paper - a skillful combination of old school pop-rock, 80s pop, soul and funk, carried by a convincing voice. The end result is groovy and smooth... maybe a little too smooth, even. It also sounds too shallow and easy-listening for my taste, as if most of the songs were specifically created to be radio hits. The arrangements are all right but lack complexity and can sometimes sound repetitive, while lyrics are completely uninteresting. But my main gripe is that I didn't hear any real emotion here - it feels more like a product than an album, and it started to bore me halfway through. Not unpleasant overall, but clearly not something I'd listen again. 4/10

2

One of the first cds I ever bought was Lenny Kravtiz’s “5” because I really liked his cover of “American Woman”. The lesson is that Jr High Brett had horrible taste. This album is better than that one. I’ve always liked “Mr Cab Driver” but the rest of the album really isn’t notable from my perspective. 2.3

So I’m not really into rock that much but this album really changed my whole perspective of rock cause i thought it was gonna be one of those rock song that be yelling and shit, but this album was more of a chill relaxing type of album, this is the type of album you play when you’re in a long roadtrip or when there a festival at a park or sum. One of my favorite song were,Let love rule, and I build this garden for us Overall I give this album a 2.5/5

not for me i guess

Lenny isn't sure if he's a rapist or not? Favorite track: Be 2.5/5

2.46

Not bad but not good

boring

Other than the title track and Mr Can Driver it bored me.

Not a groundbreaking album but still a cool listen. Sort of expected to like it a bit more. 7/10 [KEEP]

meh

(37/100)

Lenny has exactly two great songs, neither of which are on this record. What we have here is vocal strain (seriously, stay in your range, dude) and 1960's musical cosplay. I give him props for playing most of the instruments I just wish the end result was better.

I have never really understood the hype around LK. I always thought he was generally overrated a bit. It seems that most rate him higher based on his persona than the quality of his music. Props for the on man show aspect of it all but I’m just not a big fan. 2.5

Are there people out there that say their favorite artist is Lenny Kravitz? With his success, that has to be the case right? I can’t for the life of me imagine that person.

There’s a video out there of a Lenny kravitz concert. And he’s playing guitar (like he do). And he squats down and his pants split and his dingaling pops out. I’ve seen it and it’s funny. But yeah, he’s music is fine. I don’t know, just really can’t get into it for some reason. Maybe I could get into a greatest hits album but a lot of those songs are overplayed. 2.5 but gotta round down bc I feel like I’ve been giving a lot of 3s.

I have a Lenny Kravitz allergy. Only good thing I can say about this album is thank Jebus it doesn't include some of his later hits like Fly Away, American Women, etc. It's just, like, too much, man... Props on playing a lot of the instruments and rock hard abs, tho. 2/5

A couple of songs were nice. The others are so meh, understandable since this is Kravitz's debut album.

Not entirely sure I’ve ever listened to this before. The majority of the album just limps along. It seems to get cooking the last couple of songs. His over reliance on pastiche doesn’t really help it feel fresh either. Its fine, not sure why I would return to it.

If you play it at 1.5x speed it sounds like disco.

Big pile of meh. I feel like Kravitz had better albums, but maybe I'm misremembering as I've never been a huge fan.

Oh yeah I guess i listened to this. Its fine I guess. My probalem is that it feels like a pop guy trying to put on a rocker costume. I could be wrong but thats how it feels to me. Like Lenny is just some hot guy who Weasled his way into this place he doesnt belong. Its just so damn boring. Nothing makes me feel anything. The most I felt the whole record was when he would try and push his voice and it usually sounds bad. Id wince a bit at that. Otherwise it just went in one ear and out the other. I didn't know he made music before or after like 2005. Id like to go back to not knowing anything about the man other than the dragonfly parody and his package pop at his concert. Those are much better than this record

Lenny Kravitz has like 2 good songs and neither of them are on this album. No idea why this is even on the list tbh because you really wouldn't be missing out on anything if you never listened to this. There's two OK songs here but a majority of this was impressively boring.

Gosh, well I wasn't expecting much tbh, but this didn't meet my expectations.

Ok when in the right mood for it. 2.7

Not really moving

Bluesy soul-rock topped off with Lenny K’s pleasing smoky rasp of a voice. It’s a pleasant enough listen but the lyrics are quite bland (if a line starts with “your eyes burn” you’re in no doubt that the next two words will be “like fire”…) and a bit platitudinous (eg reciting half the Lord’s Prayer in the late-period Beatles soundalike I Build This Garden For Us). The music is quite cool but it never surprises you. In sum, the album’s perfectly OK, but it’s more pedestrian than it is thrilling.

T1 already a bit annoying T2 voice is winey, he’s going for a Beatles thing, but it sounds a bit try hard, Inconsistent, Cliche, tacky, cringe “Love can make a little child smile” Going for a st peppers thing But it’s been done, it ain’t working for me, Yet for some reason I’m not skipping, God the sax I’m nearly at my stop (train station) I’ll listen through Maybe jokes on me the Beatles thing might be deliberate In the 3rd is he saying beatle train? 4 skip Ugh more Beatles 5 skip in the underground internet cut Intercept with Alabama Shakes (always alright) Coyote shivers (Sugar high) Have love will travel (the sonics) And back in, oh god, fear, and skip Oh god again, does anybody out there even care, god, hhhmm this one is marginally better with tune, cheesy sentiment, too much, yuck, I just can’t it’s cringe, skip Mr cab driver…eughh again, did some research on Kravitz, he’s a nepo baby, now I get it, his music’s crap Skip Mary -skip Be …god skip Blues for sister someone… kravitz knows junky prostitutes, he’s cool Skip Skip Flower child, god, Kravitz is cringe, or is this just dated? I’m giving it a 2

Lenny Kravitz desperately wants people to think he's cool. He would be, if he could just be himself. He's a very talented musician as evidenced by this album, a mostly one man show. Unfortunately, he wears his influences on his sleeve so much that rather than being influenced by them, he wants to be them instead.

His voice isn't very good, the lyrics are trite and the composition is competent but obviously derivative He puts everything into it, though, so I will give him two stars for effort. Well done for trying

Well probably okay, not my bag.

not impressed. too long

Yeah that was not good. Mostly annoying, sometimes boring and sometimes very unpleasant. I don't think it deserves a 1, but it's not far from it. It wasn't offensive to my ears. Just was not good.

Giving this the softest of 2s only because the production is so ahead of its time. Otherwise, this really stinks.

pretty good Prince pastiche. well produced!

Was ok

This was not necessary. Not bad, but not necessary

High on style. Very low on substance. Lenny isn't really reinventing the wheel here. You're better off listening to one of the artists that inspired him.

An hour of Lenny Kravitz just Lenny Kravitzing all over the place.

Not sure what I expected from a debut album but this was soulless and fell far short of whatever that expectation was.

Listened Before? N Let me start by saying - Lenny Kravitz is a highly respected and popular musician. He is not for me. I heard someone describe him as "rock for the pop masses" and that seems about right. I probably wouldn't mind him so much if he hadn't built a career on repeating the same chorus line 20+ times per song - but alas, he has. This record had me hopeful as it is his debut, but unfortunately it is just as repetitive and simplistic. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Let Love Rule

Listened in the car. On first listen was thinking that this guy is immensely talented but it's a nice solid 3 star. But then it took a weird left turn into Christian Rock and it completely spoiled the experience for me. Not sure what he was thinking with the back quarter of this record. His later stuff improved a lot.

I thought this one would be one of those old classics I’ve never listened to but would be like, oh nice, this is great I can see why it’s a classic. Not at all!! This was pretty bad! Didn’t realise I had a higher opinion of Lenny kravitz than he deserved!

Started out strong, but dropped off quickly. It was a fun listen but didn’t really do much other than that. It doesn’t flow very well and the lyrics aren’t great. It was just okay.

Sittin' on Top of the World - 2.5/5 Let Love Rule - 3/5 Freedom Train - 2/5 My Precious Love - 2/5 I Built This Garden for Us - 2/5 Fear - 2.5/5 Does Anybody Out There Even Care - 2.5/5 Mr. Cab Driver - 2.5/5 Rosemary - 3/5 Be - 2.5/5 Lenny Kravitz in this version is just a diet version of Prince. I would like this album more if it wasn't so long. Does every song really need to be 5 minutes and be the same throughout? No. It doesn't. It's not an horrid listen, just a gating one where I wanted it to be over and then realized there's still 2 minutes left in the song. Overall: 2/5 Favorites: Let Love Rule, Rosemary

I understand that Lenny Kravitz has his fans, but I’m not sure even his most fervent supporter would argue that he’s an original. Take away his very obvious influences – Hendrix, Prince, Beatles, etc. – and what’s left is not very much at all. That’s not to say his records are completely without merit. They’re enjoyable enough, but why on earth are they on this list. Let Love Rule arrived unheralded and 15 years too late in 1989 – a very odd choice. 4/10

Thought the first couple tracks had something going for them, certainly piqued my interest. But it tailed off big time. Too much slop

2/5. There are some good moments, but the album has a lot of filler tier songs and the rest are conceptually good songs hurt by poor vocals. Kravitz seemed to be under the delusion that sloppy vocals are more expressive, because there are times where his delivery is confident but execution ends up gratingly bad. That's a charitable interpretation; he could also just not be a good singer. Lyrics are pretty basic, both in terms of complexity and worldview. Based on the lyrics, Kravitz has a mental depth not far beyond that of a thirteen year old but still tries to make poignant social commentary all the same. Which I suppose is in line with what a precocious thirteen year old would do, so that checks out. I normally wouldn't comment on lyrical quality in a pop/rock album, but they're so prominent with Kravitz' vocal delivery that it's hard to ignore them. There's still good here, though. Some songs have a decent structure, some a decent melody, some a great riff or two. Thus the 2/5; there's enough here to make a listen through not worthless, but you gotta look for it. Standouts for me were "Mr Cab Driver," "I Build This Garden for Us," and "Empty Hands." There were some shining pieces in these songs that made me glad to at least give this a single listen.

Kravitz's debut album takes inspiration from 60's Soul and Psychedelia (and Psychedelic Soul) but also looks forward into the decade ahead. However, Lenny here is definitely more of a singles artist, as I can't say there's anything as memorable as the famous title track. Key tracks: Let Love Rule