Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Just kinda there
I love Lenny Kravitz, but this is not one of my favorite albums by him. I can definitely hear in it the sound that he eventually would evolve into, but most of the songs feel a bit slow to me and not as hard hitting as some of the Lenny stuff I love. This album was not his most successful album commercially either, so interesting that it's on the list. I have to give him credit in that this is another of those "one man show" albums, where outside of the lyrics on two of the songs (which were written/co-written by his then wife, Lisa Bonet), Kravitz wrote all of the songs, played all of the instruments and produced the album. Pretty impressive for a debut album!
it's paint by numbers rock and blues. Nothing wrong with it, but seems to lack soul.
Good album. Lenny has a great voice.
I have a certain degree of antipathy for Slash's high school roommate Lenny. His songs dominated the airwaves. Particularly his worst songs. After listening to this album I will give him his due that he does in fact have better songs. They are not for me but they are well executed and his lyrics, while sometimes a bit dopey, are decent enough. My antipathy has waned.
Parts of it sounded like Prince. Parts sounded more grungy. Nothing really stood out. If you were going to have a Lenny Kravitz album on the list, this is not what I would have picked. 2.5⭐️
You cant trick me into liking a boring, repetitive, album just because it has one or two cool baselines (even though they somehow lack tone entirely lol?)... Again, agreeing ideologically with an album != liking the music. 2/5 Note, after coming up with my own review I read some of y'alls, and damn, many of you hate this album because you're racist lmao.
Only heard some big hits from him before. Let me put it this way: you'd spend your time in a more productive way if you listened to any of Prince's albums instead of this one. Lenny's voice sounds so strained on some songs, he's forcing himself to sound more emotional. It makes my ears bleed. The songs here are either goofy or insincere 2/5
Great vocals and overall talented dude, but this felt a little half baked. An unnecessary origin story for Lenny. Cant say I’ve ever listened to any of his stuff front to back but have a feeling I’ll have a high score for one or his later albums.
Like, sure, thanks Lenny for building this garden for us, but no one asked you to do it in the first place. 2.5/5
🎧Some might tell you Lenny Kravitz is effortlessly cool. Those people are wrong. Kravitz is clearly trying so hard to be this ubercool throwback rocker guy, and honestly he probably could pull it off if it weren’t for his incredibly mediocre, derivative, and sometimes straight up cringe music.
Just....dull tbh.
I didn't completely hate this, but it required a significant effort to not turn it off an listen to the while album. A very low two.
Tried listening to this two times, but I just found it so... generic? Lenny's voice sure adds a flavor to it, but the rest feels very meats and potatoes rock to me, and so do the lyrics. There are some songs with a bit more attitude that keeps it interesting at times, like 'Blues For Sister Someone', but it falls short still. Don't really have a deeper analysis than this, just wasn't for me. Lenny Kravitz is a cult name though, so was a bit disappointed in this album.
I really just can’t stand his vocals. The first few lines where Kravitz voice breaks had me nearly turn off the album immedietly, but I managed to continue. I feel like he has taken a lot of inspiration som old motown and soul records, what is really missing in his music is the political statements. His lyrics feel so bland and toothless that it becomes boring. Love is good, hate is bad. I got it. I could forgive the lack of meaning full message if the musicality or vocals or ANYTHING ELSE was actually good. But everything is ranging form bland to bad. Weak 2.
This wasn’t terrible but it is a bit boring and long. He plays and sings well but I just don’t find any of this really interesting or fun.
I thought this was pretty weak. I don't mind Lenny Kravitz but surely he has better albums than this one. Not sure why it was included on the list.
Has a few decent tracks, but that is it.
First listen I was cringing so hard at some of the lyrics, more than I have at any other album on this list. I mean, it has a nice overall vibe but there’s nothing interesting about the music. Let Love Rule is quite good. Was feeling more charitable second time around. 2 stars
The video of his shlong flopping out was more memorable than the album.
Why on earth should this be a must listen to album? It’s trying to be funky without the funk. Trying to be edgy without any edge. Trying to be fun without any enjoyment to be found. Really quite surprisingly bland and instantly forgettable. I’d rate it a 1 but there wasn’t much I actively disliked about, it’s beigeness saving it from the complete doldrums.
This one was a very hard listen. I really really wanted to like it but it wasn't there. Maybe one memorable moment or two, but without those this album would be a one star. There was no wow in this album. 58 minutes of compost.
oh help me Rhonda.
Meh, it's okay enough but I have always found him to feel not very genuine - like an actor pretending to be a rock star.
could reasonably be a 3 but 55 minutes of this?
I'm only giving it 2 stars because it's not quite offensive enough to be 1.
So long.
Clothes horse with no pedigree or training thinks he's a rock god. I found this hard not to skip every song after 15 seconds. How did Lenny Kravitz's attempts at music get him as far as it has? The music is funk rock, and it's a decent, accessible version of it. There's not much reverb on any of the vocals or instruments but there's a good amount of fuzz and other effects. The players are quite tight as a band and they rock well. Then there's Kravitz. His voice is at odds with almost every song. The band has barely got going into a song before he's squealing and yeah-yeahing and falling out of key. He undoes the good work of the band at every juncture. He sings and yowls like someone who thinks this is what rock vocalists do, but has no idea of his own final product. Almost as if a rich kid paid a band to play something so that he could live his dreams out. Then he recorded all their stuff and released it in his own name. Good. If I was a musician, I wouldn't want much association with this work. Someone at his label signed him based on his looks and marketing potential, rather than his music talent (zero!). 2/5 coz the band did what they could, but Lenny's hubristic vocal posturing has dated as well as Hale & Pace. How on Earth is this an album we must listen to before we die?
Not my vibe.
I am far more familiar with Lenny Krazitz as a figure in popular music than I am with his music. I have only heard his 90s and early 2000s big MTV songs. This was my first time listening to any of his music other than those 4 or 5 songs. This is a well made album and I especially like the more R&B type songs. Kravitz as a guitar forward artist must have been a later development. Some of the songs are a bit overwrought and sappy but all in all this is an ok album, but one that I will likely never listen to again.
2 Stars (5/15)
Ehhh. It's neither here nor there for me.
I do not care much for Mr. Kravitz' body of work. 2.5/5
I can't really put my finger on it, but this feels aggressively OK for the most part. Part of it is expectations going in. Maybe it's just him losing cultural cache, or maybe he just was never culturally that big, but I can't really imagine Lenny Kravitz being important enough to be included on a list like this? But a lot of this just feels derivative of stuff I've heard before. And when it's not good (Like the straight up porn music going on in Fear), it's a little off putting. And holy cow did I not need Lenny's voice so forward in the mix in the beginning Does Anybody Out There Even Care? That made my skin crawl. But yeah, I don't really know about this one. I think some preconceived notions are affecting my rating on this one, but yeah, I'm just not feeling it.
I didn't mind the music in places and was interesting to hear the signature 'yeahs' from later. But overall the lyrics let it down.
Not much to say about this… competent but boring, a low 2
I guess it's better than I expected
Quite samey and/or cheesy for the most part, but I liked My Precious Love and I Build This Garden For Us.
Pretty boring
I’m pretty lukewarm on Krabitz. The dudes talented and honors rock with his songs but they aren’t particularly adventurous or new. He’s competent. That being said, this was an enjoyable album I’ll probably not revisit. “I’ll build this garden for us” was a nice surprise. The chorus, repeated, emboles something eerie when he drops the note on the repeated us. I will give him credit in that he seems t have created a classic rock, funk, punk fusion of some sorts but it ultimately still feels like a borrowed novelty.
I listened to this last week and don’t remember anything memorable.
Nothing happened, kinda boring
Album No. 0095 on my list. I’ve grown up with Lenny Kravitz being presented as a cool rock star kind of guy, he was all over the radio when I was a child. Hence, I was quite curious as to how this album would actually sound. Well, I have to say I don’t like it. To be frank, it’s mostly just generic boring mainstream rock and kinda mediocre singing. And the lyrics are… ugh… yikes. Yeah yeah, we get it… you’re a cool guy that preaches that love is good and hate is rather not. Tell me something new. I’m probably overhating the album and maybe it’s just me being annoyed, but I was on the verge of actually just giving one star. I respect though that Lenny Kravitz played nearly all instruments himself and if I’m honest, not all songs were that terrible. I’ve certainly heard worse. I’ll add “Let Love Rule”, and “Does Anybody Out There Even Care” to my playlist. Beyond that, I’ll stick to Kravitz’ later works (which I know from the radio). 2/5 stars.
I never understood the appeal of Kravitz. I like Are You Gonna Go My Way just like everyone else, but for the most part I find his material lacking. This album feels emotionally empty to me. Just going through the motions of making music. Not sure how to explain it further.
Rough. Prince impersonation vocals did not help
It's just there. Someone wants to be Lennon.
Super generic rock n roll.
2.5ish.
It’s not very good but also not bad. But I couldn’t finish it.
Those songs aren't bad per say but they're so devoid of power and dare I say passion that they all get terribly boring. The fact that a lot of them are dragging for way too long isn't help either. I have no idea why this guy got big.
This album could have been great in other hands than Lenny Kravitz and the producers who worked on this... It lacks power, tone, soul, rhythm, dynamics and other nameless feelings that made something inexplicably awesome or bad.
Hadn’t realized he was already around in the 80s. This one is more Prince than Hendrix and not nearly as fully realized as his later stuff.
Musically, this record is really, really derivative, and its ‘60s psych-rock-revival thing is not enjoyable. Sure, Kravitz can play, like, literally on every instrument here, but that doesn’t mean he’s a good songwriter. The songs sound great, but they’re not great songs. Kravitz is no Prince, that’s for sure. That said, I do really like him as a lyricist. He’s not the most mind-blowing lyricist, but I really appreciate his perspective as a Black rock musician, which really comes through on tracks like “Fear” and “Mr. Cab Driver.” Now, the topics aren’t super original, but he still handles them well. Also, again, he’s really good as a player, especially as a guitarist. But playing well and talking about important topics well doesn’t result in good songs. To be honest, I think I would’ve preferred a later, more commercially-popular Kravitz record, even though those albums are even more derivative and cheap, because at least the bombast serves his rock star persona more and it’s easier to vibe out to. Here, it’s a bit too low-key to distract me from knowing that he is standing on the backs of giants, and especially when I can just listen to his influences, I’m way less excited. Prince’s first album is more essential than this, and basically you could make the exact same arguments for its inclusion as Let Love Rule [he plays every instrument, covers important topics/perspectives as a Black rock musician, showcases a guitar legend in the making, etc.]. And For You isn’t essential. So while it gets a passing grade for being listenable, Let Love Rule isn’t really enjoyable, and far from essential on this list.
Ikke lige mig. Ikke noget, der hang fast.
Oh man I did not know about that penis flop video.
Look, it's fine. Perfectly listenable. But also quite forgettable. Not sure what made it a candidate for the list.
not great bob
4/10
If Lenny Kravitz didn’t look like a rock star, would we have turned him into one based on his music alone? Obviously Lenny can’t help being conventionally handsome, but this album feels a bit like the record company wanted a Prince without the sexual ambiguity. Unfortunately, he also didn’t have the tunes.
Very 60s trippy era type music. Not my favorite from Lenny. Could not get into.
Ble ikke ferdig, men hørtes greit ut. Bra voksenmusikk. Flink kar
Dette hørtes nesten litt amatørmessig ut. Vokalen var nesten sur til tider og kompet veldig basic. Har hørt ganske bra låter av han før som er langt mer spennende 🤷♂️ (Are You Gonna Go My Way og American Woman for eksempel)
Runder opp
Part Jimi Hendrix, part Prince.
How this man became popular I’ll never know
This album is a weird choice to include over one of his more popular 90s albums. After listening to it, I learned that it has all the trite lyrics Kravitz's hits have with none of the fun and energy. He would probably do well to shy away from political statements and social activism and stick to "Are You Gonna Go My Way?".
Worse than Coldplay
Thought it’d be soulful and engaging — but it was so mellow I actually fell asleep!!
Finally an answer to the question, what if Prince had no singing or lyrical ability? This was rough. Lenny extends his vocals too much on this debut, like he hadn't discovered his thing yet. They're weak. But the lyrics are what are truly abysmal, like grade-school level. I was not ready to discover that 'Fly Away' is somehow *not* the worst song in his oeuvre.
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 😏🔗🔦 Production: 🔉📏🆗 Music: 🤷♂️🤔🙅♂️ Ratinng: 🍆(🍆)/5
Couldn’t get through it. Just bad. I don’t love Prince, and this is just a worse version. 1 is too harsh, but 2 is generous.
Best Track - "Let Love Rule"
I should like Lenny Kravitz but there is something about his vocals that I find incredibly offputting. At times he seems to screech for no apparent reason and it's deeply unpleasant to listen to.
This was just more boring than I expected. I bet he is more interesting as a person than this is as an album.
His voice just isn't that strong. You have some Prince kind of songs and some very Beatles moments. Mr. Cab Driver I remember being kind of catchy, but I found it pretty boring now. Over compressed. This whole album just has local bar band energy. It's on the level of a working class musician with a day job. Not required listening.
I only really know his most famous songs, which are likeable but I didn’t know any from his debut. This album is mostly fine but it passed me by somewhat, and largely only caught my attention when things weren’t so good. Lyrically, I wasn’t too impressed with this and some of the songs were just lacking. Certainly doesn’t feel like a must hear album.
повторяющийся и вокально тоже скучный (
Do you like Prince but want him to be - More overproduced? - A Worse Guitar player? - A Worse Singer? - A more Cringe Songwriter? Then boy do I have an album for you 3/10
I wasn’t aware that this album existed until now. It’s proto-Lenny and a fun listen. Straightforward in its pop rock approach, but glimpses of what’s to become shine through.
"Get me Jimi Hendrix!" "He's unavailable." "Then get me his non-union Beverly Hills equivalent!"
Other than “Let Love Rule” I’ve never heard anything else from this album. Was hoping for more. 2.5 stars
A bit try hard
girl idgaf 😭😭😭😭😭
This was solid, but super derivative. Basically it felt like I was listening to a solo album from that guitarist in Across the Universe.
*Do not care for Lenny as an artist, and then didn’t change my mind. *Just no soul and not compelling. It feels like Lenny was originally an actor or something, and then decided to try his hand at being a rock star now that he’s famous. RATING - 4/10
I built this garden for us is the best one IMO. But the lyrics overall aren't the best, and some of the songs are really repetitive, like the one bout a train, was it? idk, the music is pretty good though.
Nothing in particularly wrong with Lenny. He has hits. this album just doesn't stick with me in any meaningful way
Something’s a little off. Too long for what it is but it’s ok
Not good
Didn't really get much out of this
No one needs 5 and a half minutes of "let love rule" and no one needs to waste an hour of this. Somehow this wasn't just boring, it actually made my day worse.
I get that Lenny wants peace for everyone out there, but parts of this album make me want to choose violence. Lyrically there's nothing to write home about here. Musically it's fine. Some funky guitar here and there. Kravitz playing most of the instruments on the album is impressive. Some of it does sound amateurish. It even takes a religious turn in "Rosemary," which is annoying and I kinda wanna knock a star off just for that. Standouts were "Freedom Train" for the guitars, and that's kinda it honestly. None of the songs really got me going. This album didn't do a whole lot for me. Very forgettable. It seems empty and fake. Mostly average tunes that annoyed me more and more as the album went on. 2/5 stars for this one.
One of my kryptonite vocalists.
Boring
Not a huge fan of this album but I cant really put my finger on why. The instruments and the genre sounds good. The singing isn't mt favorite part but its not bad. It just feels like something is missing or that its trying to be a blues album but doesn't get all the way for me. The mix lands somewhere in the middle of blues and rock for med but it doesn't land exactly right.
3/10 Like an alcohol free version of Hendrix/Prince/Beatles - none of the depth of flavour, no edge and it won't make you want to dance. Lame songwriting. Teenage poetry lyrics, uninspiring music. This album had added nothing to the world and does not need to be listened to. "Does anybody out there even care?" asks Kravitz. 'Fraid not, mate.
Late 80's pop-rock mit paar (mehr) funk Elementen - weiß ich jetzt nicht. Kann man bestimmt mal im Hintergrund anmachen, wenn man niemandem auf die Nerven gehen will. I don't like his voice. Chord progressions und Harmonien sind vllt etwas ausgefeilter als bei anderen Genrevertreter. Letzter Song ist einfach wierd.
Not a bad album, didn't blow me away, but some pretty cool, funky songs.
Technically, this is music
Day534 - this might make it on the 2000 albums you need to hear before you die list, but come on.
2.5
2.75. Maybe a 3.
at least he’s sexy
While I do have some sympathies for Lenny Kravitz, this is kinda underwhelming? I get the vibe and inspirations this has, but it's just not doing so much for me, honestly
Let Love Rule is Lenny Kravitz’s debut album, but unfortunately, it didn’t leave much of an impression. Overall, the record felt like a diluted version of Prince — lacking the charisma, energy, and standout moments that might have elevated it. Most of the tracks faded into the background, with a consistently low-key, slow-paced vibe that never really gained momentum. Standout Tracks: Let Love Rule and Fear were decent, but even they didn’t quite hit the mark. Weakest Aspect: The rest of the album was forgettable — not bad enough to be offensive, just overwhelmingly average. Album Artwork: Nothing remarkable here either — a fairly standard cover that matched the overall tone of the music. Verdict: A forgettable listen. I won’t be revisiting this one
4/10 More psychedelic than expected, 90s Beatles vibes. Lenny is annoying
Big ol' snoozfest. I'm not a huge Kravitz fan in general, but I found pretty much every song on this album to be just very superficial and boring. Not something I'd listen to or recommend. 1.5/5
This was fine, but felt like a rather boring safe choice. No one NEEDS to hear this before they die.
Vähän geneeriseksi jäävää pop-rockia. 2.5/5
This is like a record label realized Prince is popular and said “we can do that”, but it wasn’t quite as good.
Wishes he was Hendrix and not nearly as good of a songwriter as he thinks he is
Groovy
Would have been a 3 star without the overly preachy songs.
Dude with a big scarf.
Picture scene from Star Wars, where in the main characters looking up into the distance and he sees all the greats looking down on him smiling Yoda Obi-Wan the other people not a Star Wars guy anyways I get the sense that this is what’s going on in Lenny Kravitz’s head like he’s looking up and he’s seeing Stevie Wonder and Prince and Jimi Hendrix and he’s like I’m making you guys proud making my papa proud But then like he can’t contain his penis right I don’t know complex guy Mr. Cab driver is the highlight of this album for me and not for a very good reason Whoever did castanet work on empty hands is responsible for saving this album. I’d like to think that it’s Lenny himself carefully recording this wonderful instrument. The song about bees is powerful On flower child, I was cracking myself up, thinking about Lenny having the song mostly done, but thinking it’s gonna need something something really really really special. He sits there for a moment and all the other musicians in the room sit there with him in silence he needs to think what does it need? Then he jumps up and says I got it…. Old Timey, Honky Tonk old western piano in the background at random moments in the song. I think I’m not a Lenny Kravitz person no disrespect Mr. Kravitz. Sexy dude though.
i didn't realize lenny was such a sweetie pie. lyrically, these songs could come across a little corny, and occasionally do -- but lenny feels earnest enough to pull it off. mad respect for pulling this all together himself, all the writing, all the production, and almost all of the instrumentation. you can feel his limitations in the record, but one again - it's earnest. some of my favorite music comes from when artists sound like they are pushing themselves to edge of their ability it's pg rock. it's cute. it kinda sounds like dated rock n' roll from the later 90's, but it was made in 1989....which confuses me. 2.
Another one where I'm like is this really in the top 1001 ever? Lenny has had some good hits over the years but too much of this meanders. We get it man you built the garden.
Low energy and repetitive. Way too many 5+ minute songs with no direction or purpose past 3 minutes.
soulless, but easy to listen to
This album surpassed my expectations, especially the front half. Way better than I expected, however the lyrics seemed to become more sacchrine and on the nose as the album continued on, which wore on me. 2/5
sounds semigod.
Preachy, trite, and unpleasant. Lenny has chops, but this late 80s style does not hold up. "Blues For Sister Someone" is particularly heinous.
Me: mom can we have Prince? Mom: no, we have Prince at home At home: this album. It’s so formulaic and try-hard, it’s almost a skit. But don’t worry Lenny, I’m sure someday “up” and “help” will rhyme (Mr Cab Driver).
Missing a real standout song. Album is rather stale. 2/5 Won’t listen again
More like Let Love Drool. Or Let Average Spool. A 55 Minute Album Gruel. Stinkier than Elephant Stool. Better music could be made by Dr Steve Brule. Overall this is a punishingly average and derivative and aggravatingly bland listening experience and feels like the most boring lamest imitation of a dozen different better artists. There’s a microgram of Beatles, Prince, Hendrix and a tiny sponge of funk mental of Faith No More then diluted by a million parts water. It’s like classic rock and funk homeopathic medicine. Except it’s much harder to wade through than water (55 minutes felt like 300) so it’s more like some thick Kravitzy mucus that is used instead.
Can one man be both Stevie Wonder and The Beatles at the same time? No. No they can’t.
This was painful. The majority of the songs felt boring and uninteresting. It felt like eating a burger with only meat and bread, and in some little occasions, the meat has a bit of flavor. The production is decent, so at least the meat is well done, and not raw nor rotten, but I would prefer eat something more fulfilling. And now I'm hungry... for both better music and food.
Bored me to tears
One good classic and the rest is ok. Dude with a nose ring in 1989 was pretty far out…
Didn't enjoy this album very much at all. I think it was mainly his voice. Naggy kinda voice.
I expected this to be better based on his hits. 2.4.
I wonder what Lenny Kravitz's impact would be if he wasn't so good looking. This album was unoriginal and felt like he was trying too hard. Personal enjoyment: 2/5. Relevance to this list: 2/5
Like a more annoying cher.
couldn't finish it
1 - Just a bad Prince impression. 2 - Bad Beatles impression. 3 - wat? I’m on a bitter train? A bottle train? 4 - Bad James Brown. 5 - A second helping of Beatles but way too long, and too much Lenny trademark screeching™. 6 - Metal Stevie Wonder! (shoutout Burning Spear). 7 - Ballad of unknown provenance. 8 - NOW WE’RE TALKING! Mr. Cabdriver some throwback rockabilly spice with a little “fuck you” for the punk credibility! Extra star, best Lenny Kravitz song. Every song should be this one. 9 - aaaaaand we ruin it with the acoustic… oh no! A harmonica! What the hell. Sad child song. What is this? Bon Jovi? 10 - Prince full circle. Alright. Generally "listenable." Definitely doesn't need a whole album, and for those whose taste aligns with Lenny, you'll enjoy this a lot, so much trademark vocal sound. Interspersed with the contrived are some good moments, sometimes his little soulfunk/rock mashups work. It's a decent effort, Let Love Rule is nice, Mr. Cabdriver is great - really the only song on here that seems heartfelt at all. Good to be born at the right time in the right place I suppose.
Pretty middle of the road soul album. You can hear his great vocals. It's a decent not great album.
Great Groove!
You're running the risk of being labelled an asshole if you don't like this preachy album. Guess I'm an asshole. The Gospel, funk and poprock mix is not to my liking. He has a good heart and blabla but yeah a 2.
Was expecting some polished pop/funk/rock ala "you going to go my way" - was not expecting such a pedestrian rock album with repetitively dull and banal lyrics. I don't hate it or have anything against Lenny so I guess that makes it a 2.
Let Love Rule I didn’t really like this. I wasn’t necessarily expecting to dig it but it was way less enjoyable than I thought it might be. I don’t really get the appeal of Kravitz (although he is clearly quite a sexy man in a yoga instructor way), his music just feels pretty anodyne. I did like Are You Gonna Go My Way when I was 13 and it was on NOW 24, but that was before I’d really heard any actually good music. I generally don’t have a problem with derivative music, but this is derivative in a particularly uninspiring way. He takes from the artists he likes (Prince, Hendrix, Beatles/Sgt Pepper) and just produces wafer thin facsimiles, never capturing whatever it is that actually makes those artists great and filtering it through his own style and coming up with his own take, it just comes out as boring soundalikes. What starts off as tribute becomes a pastiche so weightless and ephemeral that it is weirdly oppressive by about halfway through, especially combined with the ropey hippy dippy platitudes of the lyrics. It’s not wretched like some of the stuff we’ve had but it is right on the cusp of 1 and 2. I’ll go 2 as I guess it’s heart is in the right place even if it’s pretty moribund. I quite like Mr Cab Driver though. 🚕🚕 Mr Cab Driver
He has a decent voice but at times just inexplicably wails like he's trodden on a piece of Lego. 'Does Anybody Out Of her Even Care' starts as a 'Perfect Day' take (only Lou Reed gets away with that delivery), and is then punctuated by screams worthy of the pre-natal ward. Beatleseaque again, but reasonably unlistenable. Talking of Lou Reed 'Mr Cab Driver' is pure Velvet Underground and a very decent effort at that. The character portraits don't have the authenticity of Lou Reed, and the melodies don't have the staying power of Abbey Road. The vocal schizophrenia is sometimes jarring. But this is still a class above the corporate rock of Fly Away. The album is really carried by its singles, Let Love Rule, I Build This Garden and Mr Cab Driver and little else.
It as interesting as his later albums, but you can hear the seeds of what will become prime Lenny Kravitz. Definitely not one of the best albums of the 1980s. Doesn’t belong on the list.
Meh, Lenny's done better.
This is a very pretentious album. After the awesome title track, everything else was overproduced, neohippie bullshit.
hyii tommone.. huom. tämä mies EI OLE seksijumala.. tämä EI OLE prince..prince... mies vai nainen ei väliä so smexyyyy... so fcking sexy yysex sexs sexsexsexsxsexs... hullu hiuset. liikkuu niin sulava liikunta, tukka niin hullut... unmatched.... pornooooooo pornoooooooooooooo...... prinssi näytä munaaa pliiiiiiiiiissssssss.. rinc.. prink.. plllllssaaaaaaaaaaaaaa muna munaaa muaaaaaa aaaaaaahhhhhhhh . google kuinka pitkä kili prinssilläö... ok google prinsselin kikkelin koko!!!! nyt heti paikalla!!!!!! tämä mies EI EI OLE prince NOT FEMININE.. NOT MASCULINE... NOT ANDROGYNOUS.. NOT TRANS ICON... my precious love
I was pretty underwhelmed with this one - mostly made of forgettable tracks with eye-rolling lyrical clichés about love/peace etc. Easy going dad rock that hasn't aged too well. 2/5
Pretty average …. Needs more oomph
Lenny Kravitz gotta be one of the biggest examples of “pretty privilege” of all time. This man has been allowed to make the most boring, milquetoast “classic” rock, mostly because he’s stunningly beautiful. I can’t really blame the record executives! They probably saw him, fell in love, and never even heard what he was playing! But I gotta tell ya, when you can’t look at him, the music is bad! The worst “socially conscious” lyrics I’ve heard in some time, just stupidly on the nose, and also, he can’t sing? He’s straining to hit all the notes!!! He wrote these songs!!! Lower the damn key! Rough going, this thing is also an hour long!
Twas okay. Went on a bit.
Half star for sax solo on Let Love Rule. I’ve never been a fan of Kravitz. Coming in, I’ve always thought his brand of rock was very bland and although I’m trying to approach all albums with an open mind, this album has not changed that opinion.
..
Its like a sonic mashup of Prince and Elvis Costello. Mr. Cab Driver sounds like a demo tape from some punk kid in his garage. Wow this is really not good. Rosemary is a big pick back up, and then it goes into a bunch of god shit. ugh this was very not good, and I'm tempted to dock a star for the diet prince approach, though its not his fault for being multi-instrumental.
Lenny Kravitz was making music in 1989? Did you know? Because I sure didn't. I had heard Let Love Rule and Mr Cab Driver before, but I def didn't realize it came out before Are You Gonna Go My Way. I had discounted listening to much of Lenny's work since I had assumed it was all mostly like AYGGMW, but this album shows he has a broader sound. So maybe I'll check out some of his other stuff. Maybe. My Previous Love might be my fave song on the album, of course due to its ample use of horns and organ.
It’s alright just didn’t really catch me
OK
Yeah this is just a lame album
mmm no
Considering this was Lenny Kravitz, I was expecting more. The first 2 songs were good, but everything afterwards was boring or just sounded off. I'm pretty surprised I landed at a 2 with this one.
Nice vibe but did not like his voice
I'm not sure but I think Lenny might build this garden for us? Jesus, I lost the plot by that track, which is a shame cause musically it's pretty good and I like his vocals, but it felt a bit indulgent at times
Corny
One of the more amateurish-sounding records I’ve encountered on the list so far (from lyrics, singing, production) and I’m 240+ albums deep into it.
I Built This Garden For Us - Wow this shit is hard to listen to. Rosemary - and here we go with jerking off to Jesus. This really sucks, what's the hype about?
Pretty good ... he's got a very definite sound which isn't my favorite, but is definitely talent, and this earlier incarnation I like better than the later stuff.
I’m not sure why, exactly, but I just didn’t enjoy this at all. It was boring and the vocals had kind of a whiny quality. It mostly just irritated me. Almost a 1, even.
mid
3 songs in- underwhelming and a bit dull. When does it get started?
As Ben said, better to listen to actual Prince instead. I Got bored halfway through and put it off
Not a huge fan of Lenny
2/5
This shit's so dopey.
Impressive that he played most of the instruments, but all in all a pretty boring album.
The sound on the hits was good but the other stuff was a letdown. Trite messages and childish concepts on how to achieve peace through embracing Jesus are the bulk of the second half. I feel Lenny has nothing to say. And the music he makes, while suitable for radio is ultimately just passing.
a bit ploddy nice piano in My Precious Love sounds a bit like Lou Reed on Mr Cab Driver
Lenny a pretty average artist by just about every measure. His third album "Are you gonna go.my way" hold nostalgic value for me but this outing doesn't hold up
It pains me to say this, but I must. Dull. (But, like Blur, nice that the record label kept the faith.)
2/5
The Prince influence is clear but there’s also a harder rock edge that slots nicely into that grungy sound that was coming into popularity at the time. The title track is great if a bit over long and some of the other rockier or groovier tracks work really well, but there are a lot of go-nowhere adult contemporary ballads that just make me zone out
Not very impressed with this one, some of the vocal inflections a tad grating. Assuming this is another album that set the standard going forward but didn't age the most gracefully 4/10
Ganska slätstruket. 2.5 av 5.
Inane blues rock that aspires to be Mick n Keef but just end up being a bit shite. Bored.
Not really impressed. I used to like listening to Lenmny Kravitz when I was 8 years old and hadn't heard of Nirvana yet. There's a lot of quite funky and groovy elements here but the overall album sounds like pretty forgettable rock.
Some of this is pretty good, and some of this is pretty cheesy. A number of these songs also overstay their welcome for me. In my mind, the enduring legacy of Lenny Kravitz is when his leather pants exploded on stage, revealing his genitals. If I could do half stars this would be a 2.5. When in doubt, I'm rounding down, even if 2 stars feels pretty harsh.
I'm not saying the guy is untalented, but I don't like this album and find most of the songwriting childish and wack.
I don't know how anyone listens to this. It is really dull. Lyrically and musically.
I never made it through, bleeding boredom. Technically it is well executed, but nothing that catches me, neither anything that provokes. It is just there, and it does not do anything beyond.
Competent radio rock. Not my cup of tea.
Not really into it today. I love me some Lenny Kravitz songs some times. There's a new one that I like a lot I heard last week.
More like Lenny crapitz. It was ok
You know, seeing Lenny Kravitz’s name pop up this morning really isn’t what I was anticipating. It has to be some kind of inside joke that this list does not have artists like Death or Neutral Milk Hotel, but does have the debut from Lenny Kravitz himself. In my mind, I don’t really see him as much of a musician though. Like even if he can play instruments, musician implies he belongs under the same umbrella as David Gilmour or Paul McCartney. Not very accurate if you ask me. He’s sort of like Jason Derulo at this point. Where his public image has extended beyond my view of him as an artist. Except I think even Jason Derulo can classify as an artist better. By either way, I found myself listening to Let Love Rule today. And thank god I was in my room by myself, because I’d be embarrassed to be caught with this on in public. Fans of Lenny may try and peddle this to you as some sort of Prince level effort. If you look into it, it is written online that Lenny produced this whole thing and played every instrument on it. The credits in other places online say otherwise, so I’m not sure how to feel. But make no mistake, even if he is playing every instrument, this is not some sort of virtuosic situation, where every instrument he picks up, he instantly masters. He might be a jack of all trades, but he’s most definitely a master of none. Because nothing he is playing at any moment really feels impressive or even remotely above average. This is entirely just soul music at its most surface level and basic. You couldn’t make a harder billboard, radio play bait album if you tried. Possibly the least appealing aspect of this whole mess is his voice. From what I’ve heard of him in the past, his voice never seemed that bad. I mentioned Prince earlier. And I don’t know if I’ve ever heard someone try to sound like Prince harder, and fail more miserably. Again, because he’s not fucking Prince. I cringed a multitude of times when he attempted to hit a certain note and it was blatantly obvious he was straining his voice. I’m not sure in what universe we should be considering this an essential listening experience. This is wholly unnecessary, and hilariously out of place next to so many fantastic records. Whatever, middle aged women love this guy, so what do I know? Rating: 3/10
Favorite track: Let love rule other picks: Mr.Cab driver, my precious love, rosemary
Pleasant, does not try to hide his influences but a bit of a throwback.
Je ne comprends vraiment pas l'inclusion de Lenny Kravitz dans ce palmarès, et surtout ce cet album. C'est admirable que Kravitz a en gros fait l'album par lui-même et joue tous les instruments, mais globalement c'est tellement fade, trop minimaliste, les paroles sont souvent vraiment bêtes. On dirait qu'il essaye vraiment fort de faire du cosplay de Prince et ça ne marche pas. 3/10
Feel like this is a prime example of an unessential album. Another of those 'earlier albums without any of the famous songs' list choices but I can safely say this wasn't groundbreaking or influential. Thought it was pretty tame in terms of guitar playing and riffs, would seem Lenny didn't become a radio friendly artist but was always that way. Most of the guitar tones were very weak and it just in general didn't impress.
Didn't do much for me to be honest. It's fine, and pretty much what I expected but that's about all I can say. No stand out tracks really Few tracks weren't bad though, but not sure Lenny Kravitz is my thing 2.5
Lenny Kravitz has long embodied the quintessential rockstar: charismatic, hit-making, and oozing sex appeal. For over 30 years, he's been a cultural icon with magazine-cover abs and the swagger to match. While I’ve never delved deep into his catalogue, I’ve always respected his craft and enjoyed his occasional hit. His debut album, Let Love Rule, highlights his immense talent from the start, with Kravitz playing nearly every instrument—guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards—himself. At the time, it was impressive, and it still holds up today. The raw, analogue production was a deliberate contrast to the overly polished sound dominating the late '80s. Despite his talent, the album leans too heavily on his influences, often feeling more like a tribute to past giants than an original work. Listening to Let Love Rule can often feel like playing a game of "spot the influence." Kravitz channels Jimi Hendrix one moment, then switches gears to evoke The Beatles, Prince, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, and The Rolling Stones—all in rapid succession. While he clearly has the chops to pull off these styles, his interpretations rarely rise above imitation. Instead of showcasing versatility, the genre-hopping leaves the album feeling scattered and unfocused. The title track, "Let Love Rule," is undeniably the standout—an anthem that showcases Kravitz at his best. But the rest of the album feels less inspired, jumping from soul to rock to funk without a cohesive thread to tie it all together. Given Kravitz’s later career, I shouldn’t be too surprised by this eclecticism. He would go on to have chart-topping hits spanning a wide range of genres, from the Motown-inspired “It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over” to the riff-heavy “Are You Gonna Go My Way” to the electro-tinged soul of "I Belong To You.” But on Let Love Rule, this eclecticism feels more like a lack of focus than versatility. The inclusion of "Let Love Rule" in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is baffling. It is the sonic equivalent of reheating last night’s leftovers—fine in the moment but lacking in spark and freshness to leave much of a lasting impression. Even Kravitz himself seems to recognize this; outside of the brilliant title track, most of the album is absent from his greatest hits collections and curated playlists on most streaming platforms. Let Love Rule is a promising but flawed debut. It’s a decent listen, but too derivative to leave a lasting mark. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? No Would this release make my personal list? No Will I be listening to it again? The title track is a banger, but the rest is mostly forgettable
I'm giving it the benefit of doubt by giving it 2 stars. I thought about giving it 1 star because it was so bad that I couldn't get past the 3rd track. So I'll give it an extra star purely on the basis that it might have got better from track 4 onwards.
For me, Lenny Kravitz is perpetually on the verge of doing something ambitious or interesting. And that is just not enough for my one life.
A few really good songs like Mr cab driver but the bad songs were pretty boring
Good singer. Some good songs. Not his best album.
Lenny Kravitz is kinda ass, sorry
Proficient
Legalzinho. Repetitivo
Mid
back up sitting on top of the world- i like the bass. not much else. 3 or 4 let love rule- ... 3 or 4 freedom train- 3 my precious love- 2 i build this garden for us- 2 fear- 3 does anyone out there even care- no. 2 mr cab driver- 3 or 4 he shouldnt be allowed outside after this
Very samey. Love is good I guess tho 4/10 Would I listen again? Probably not
too long and puritanical for me to really enjoy but it did get me interested in Lenny!
Prince for people who think Prince is too fun. And too talented. And too sexy. Also: Beatles.
There are a couple of OK tunes but most of this is a slog to listen to. Borderline 1 star, but I'll give it 2 stars just because there were a few redeeming qualities. Definitely not an essential album in any way.
Ok, but would not listen again 2/5
This is an album that is trying to be cool, to rock, to emote, to be taken seriously - it tries too hard. Some nice fuzz/wah guitars, loads of Beatle-isms, not many memorable songs. "Mr Taxi Driver" is the best of the bunch - it is less desperate than the rest of the album.
A lot of people tell me Lenny Kravitz is great, but I never figurered why. OK. The title track here is decent, but in general the music does not speak to me
Uninteresting mix of retro sounds.
As many others have pointed out, he wants to be Prince but does not have the talent to be Prince.
Not one of our stronger efforts. Makes the cardinal mistake of reaching for a note that he can't hit in the first 30 seconds of the first track, and the music is too vocal-focused to get away with a voice as weak as that. I only knew two Lenny Kravitz songs before this, neither on this album, and I have no desire to seek out more. It's a bit dull and the guy really can't sing as well as a professional singer should be able to. 2/5.
Music for people with no personality made by a nepo baby. At least some of it is catchy!
Like Lenny but this album is mid
good, a little dull at moments, some great songs on here though.
"Let Love Rule" is plodding. So is "I Built This Garden". Just because the tempo is moderately slow doesn't mean they have to be lacking in energy, but these are limp and lifeless. A low 2.
The only person who loves Lenny Kravitz more than Lenny Kravitz is two Lenny Kravitzes. I need to leave a little room for stuff I actively dislike, but there's nothing for me here.
Wouldn't listen again. Nothing special. 2/5
no meat on these bones
Honestly i there were good songs on it but i've found it a bit boring. Not bad but not that great
It's all a bit meh. He wants to be the lovechild of prince and Jimi Hendrix and doesnt do a bad job. He is a marketers dream as he is all sexy and leather clad. But really, the music doesn't really hold up for me. It's all so early MTV and vacuous.
What I expected (bad). Rounding up instead of down because they dopey “I love love” lyrics throughout are funny.
The Che Guevara of Beverly Hillls has a rebel anthem perfect for the next Apple commercial.
There were a lot of songs with very rhymey rhymes which is a pet peeve of mine, and overall it just felt like boring pastiche. A decent listen while at work but I think it could have been shorter and more to the point.
Mostly unsuccessful mash up of Prince and Hendrix. If he didn’t wear his influences so obviously on his shoulders it would most likely be a better record. As it stands every song is jammed packed with references to past songs to tell you how cool he is.
I thought I'd like this, I wanted to like it, but I didn't like it! He's talented and I always thought he was cool but not so much here. Some of the themes are important but it's way too self-righteous and preachy for me, Christian rock? The garden song is awful! Mr Cab Driver was probably my favourite.
The music is fine, but the lyrics are a bit weak, wet and limp. More repetition of lyrics than Bill Withers at times, which is saying something.
This was easy to listen to, yes. But something just felt unoriginal about it. Lenny Kravitz has always seemed like a caricature of a rock star to me. A rock star written for a movie along with the rock songs written for the movie.
If a 16yr old kid played me this I’d be like ‘wow, great first album, really well done. you got all your ideas you’ve been hanging on to for years out, you can probably hear now how on the nose those lyrics are, and you’ve probably learnt a lot in the process. now don’t ever play it to anyone again’. This leaves a door open for an actually good second album, which I’m not gonna look up but I know he went on to write some bangers. Thing is, Kravitz was 25 when he made this. He was old enough to do better. And you know, playing all those instruments isn’t as impressive as it seems. Sorry Lenny, throw this out with your big stupid scarf.
There’s really nothing new on this record. It’s fine. It’s a pop & roll retro wannabe. It was successful. Kravitz became a pin-up. Someone else here said that it sounds like he went through his parents’ record collection and just copied what he heard. Frankly, it’s an accurate description. There’s no lyrical insight, no innovation. Just an average retro sound.
A lot of this felt cliche/boring/meandering. I generally prefer stuff that pushes strongly in a direction, not sure that this accomplishes that.
This album is very meh - mediocre, inoffensive, bland. I can’t rate this above a 2, I got no enjoyment from it, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve rated from this list. Sorry, Lenny, but you’re boring.
Not my jam. I respect he took a "do it all yourself" route, but nothing here connects with me.
UGH!!! I don't know why Lenny Kravitz has always bugged me so much. I listened to the first 30 seconds of every song just to be sure, and yep - he still bugs the efffff out of me. Talented, sure. But he seems so manufactured, like a product of the industry.
# 214 : He's done a pretty decent job. Not bad for a one man band LOL. Best track : Sitting On Top Of The World
Not a huge fan of what I know from Lenny Kravitz. The opening track was a lot more interesting than I was expecting. Really interesting percussion. 'Let Love Rule' is a fine song. I like the sax solo. A lot of the songs are starting to sound the same, though. 'Freedom Train,' which comes right after 'Let Love Rule' sounds very similar. 'Precious Love' was fine, cool organ part. 'I Build This Garden For Us' is fine. Overall this album was a little better than I expected but nothing really grabbed me. 2/5
I like some of his later hit songs but I feel that this album falls very short. It is very clear he was influenced by Prince and later Jimi Hendrix. I didn’t think any of the songs on this album stood out and some were even annoying to listen to. Not his best work but it was his debut album so he still had room to grow as an artist.
Overly repetitive and bland lyrics. Fairly dull musically.
Man, this guy really loves love. One could argue maybe even a bit too much. In fact, he loves love so much that it's all he can ever talk about in his lyrics to the point that it's annoying, and it's not even like he presents it in an interesting or original way. Every song here is boring and generic, and offers nothing unique or different. And as mentioned, the lyrics are painfully repetitive.
Ehhh.. Not really my thing. I was in a pretty bad mood when I listened to it though so maybe that ruined my perception.
God that was boring. Kept waiting for it to start.
Ok
This... wasn't good. The songs are just too long with so little substance. At times, the lyrics were cringe and the whole thing felt like he was trying waaaay to hard to be retro/cool/activist. A riff or two was interesting and saved it from a 1-star. 2/3
2.5
A few decent songs. But pretty unmemorable. Sorry Lenny.
Fiquei esperando reconhecer alguma música que tocava na rádio e não teve nenhuma.
Thought it was pretty good after the first couple songs
some parts of the instrumentals are kinda cool but overall this album isn’t that good. some songs really make me cringe and it’s really annoying how he says the same words/phrases over and over and over again.
Instrumentation was nice (organs, saxophones, liberal use of acoustic guitars). One-man-band(ish) thing is cool. Just didn't grab me upon listening. Some wore on too long ("Hey Jude" aspiring title track into the dull "Freedom Train" were lowlights), and others just grated (message song "Mr. Cab Driver", which made me long for it to be a "Lady Cab Driver"...). Felt like it got stronger at the end, with "Rosemary", "Be" and "Flower Child" probably being my favorite tracks.
This gets credit for being rather unique when it premiered. No one else was really doing the old California rock & roll sound at the time. So, for that alone, it was a bit of a sensation. Plus, the man was beautiful. The beginning of My Precious Love is a rip off of George Michael’s Father Figure. When you go through each song, you can better hear all the musical references. There’s really nothing new on this record. It’s fine. It’s a pop & roll retro wannabe. It was successful. Kravitz became a pin-up. Someone else here said that it sounds like he went through his parents’ record collection and just copied what he heard. Frankly, it’s an accurate description. There’s no lyrical insight, no innovation. Just an average retro sound.
I liked the closing track but the rest was kinda boring to me.
Just didn’t really like it
zu viel Kuschelrock
It's OK I suppose
IMO not his best but it looks like it was his first. Went up from there
gente, e esse descompromisso com a indústria musical? o instrumental não desagrada, mas as desafinadas desse querido... vamos continuar lembrando dele com Fly Away e como Cinna, apenas
This one just did not land with me. I like his voice, but everything is overlong and repetitive. Some of the music subtleties were fun, but none of the songs stood out from one another. Fav track: Blues For Sister Someone
I think he knows what rock music is but not why it exists. I don’t feel anything listening to this. He sounds like a background singer on his own tracks.
What a weird choice. I mean I know people who revere Lenny and call him the greatest rocker ever. That’s not my view but hey, who am I to judge? I’ll admit, the third album with all the big hits is great listening. But this one? With only 1001 to choose l, I’d think no. I like Lenny, but… He plays all the instruments. Very few can get away with that. But it’s competent. Shouldn’t be here. Not his best. 2/5
I always feel like Kravitz more than I do. His voice and songwriting don’t do it for me. Feels like empty calories
I don't ever think I listened to a Lenny Kravitz album before. At least I know I wasn't missing anything. It's polished and generic Prince rip off. I didn't hate but I'll never listen to this again, I'd like to give it 2.5 but it's going to the 2 star bin.
Meh. The cab driver song was the only one that stuck out to me. The rest of it felt like bland wannabe hippy stuff.
Let me make this clear - I don't think this is a good album. It's a clusterfuck of different styles of 60s and 70s cliches, with no more than a song or two leaving any lasting impression. What is impressive though, is that this album was released on a major label in 1989 - the height of hair metal. Helping to launch Lenny Kravitz into pop-culture stardom at a time when music like this was impossibly uncool. Respect for that earns it a star from me.
i did not mess with this
Not sure how this got on the list.nots objectively bland.
Just did nothing for me. I can see why some would like it but for me it just fell flat from start to finish.
I love that this brought some thoughtful bluesy rock to the the mainstream. a couple good songs but the rest were just ok for me.
Post listening I still don’t know who Lenny Kravitz is. He takes liberally from those who came before him (perfectly fine) but brings nothing new to the table. A couple of decent songs, but too many throw-aways.
Very well performed and produced, a few really good songs (Let Love Rule, Fear, Mr. Cab Driver). But the lyrics are a bit too Jesus-y and on the nose for me in places. Like half of the songs on here are basically Christian Rock.
First reaction: I've never listened to much Lenny Kravitz. I also never really think about him. Slightly surprised he made this album list During listening: -Transitional and harmonies are lovely. Then his voice comes in and ruins this just a little -The instrumental solos go on forever. I do not love this kind of music. -Fun honky tonk piano! After listening: I didn't completely hate it but probably wouldn't listen again. Research notes: none. Didn't feel compelled to look this up
I don't know. These funky jazz rock vibes just aren't for me I guess. Also I haven't seen the garden Lanny built for us to make love it apparently 🤔🤔😕😕 a bit creepy I'd say, and not in a fun way. It was very difficult for me to see any artistic value in this album, lyrics felt really shallow, he even beat Coldplay with half of the songs on this album Couldn't wait for the album to end
Title track is really good.
Starts with promise but very quickly runs out of any ideas
well that was boring 4/10
Apparently Lenny Kravitz wrote, produced, sung and played the music on this album pretty much all himself and he shouldn’t have. This man has no business being a songwriter because he sucks at it. Even singing his own lyrics, he doesn’t seem to get what he is saying. It’s ok as background noise but for the love of god don’t pay attention. Listens: 1 Fave Track: None Rating: 2
This just really has no business being nearly an hour. No, Lenny, nobody out there even cares.
I really enjoy the title track of this album, but for the rest it feels a bit style over substance. I'll just go listen to Prince instead.
Not bad but I probably won't listen again
2.5/5. Not for me. This was not horrible, but I did not enjoy listening to it. It sounds a little dated, and drags on.
The album is there, it has made noises and they have gone into my auditory canal and my brain has processed that as sound.
Thoughts before listening: I only really know Lenny for his late 90s hits, especially Are You Gonna Go My Way, Fly Away, and the cover of American Woman. I always found him to be an interesting throw back to 70s style rock, but his music wasn't something I paid a ton of attention to. I definitely haven't listened to his earlier albums like this one. I think I know Let Love Rule and maybe Mr. Cab Driver. Review: This is pretty good but it's definitely derivative of 70s rock. Nothing revolutionary here.
Not my thing and a bit repetitive early on.
Lenny hadn't grown into his voice or writing abilities yet on this album. He has never been a favorite of mine and this album confirms why. I'm glad he's matured since this album because this one isn't that good.
Better than expected but not blown away. Budget Prince if he lived in a society.The kind of religious/protest songs that make you want to be an atheist in sin.
While listening to this I kept thinking that it sounded like a collection of Prince songs that weren't good enough to be included on his album releases. Not unlistenable and not all bad but understandably not good enough to be included on an album. I was also hearing some Beatles pastiches and what sounded like some post-Beatles John Lennon. This album didn't do much for me and I found myself fast-forwarding through most of it. I don't have any interest in hearing it again.
43/100
No thanks
Maybe when this came out it was great but right now I'm amazed how awful this album is. Two stars only because of Mr. Cab Driver and Flower Child which you can actually listen.
Ehhhh it's okay
Didn't love it. Liked some. Then it got religious a lot?
Not for me
Minusta Lennyn huudot ei kuulosta aina hyviltä vaan korviasärkevältä. Albumillinen Lennyä on muutenkin liikaa mulle, liian smoothia siitä huudosta huolimatta, liian monta kertaa sana "love". Ihanhan nämä onneksi biisejä ovat eikä vain edellä mainituille tunteilua. Joku Let love inissa vetää vähän.
I'm sure Lenny means well, but he really struggles to overcome his limitations as a songwriter and vocalist. Best song "My Precious Love" Lady Cab Driver > Mr. Cab Driver 🚕🚕
I thought I liked Lenny Kravitz. Turns out I just liked Are You Gonna Go My Way.
Not great. Some of the songs are very gospelly.
It was ok
I never listened to this album before. It has the same issues that his cover of “American Woman” has: namely, it’s pretty bland and empty.