Let Love Rule

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

Ik weet niet precies wat het is, maar het klinkt alsof dit vooral gemaakt is voor huisvrouwen van middelbare leeftijd. Het is zo zoetsappig om sommige plekken dat het bijna niet te luisteren is. Maar dan op andere plekken is het best oke rock. Twijfel tussen 2 en 3 sterren, ik ga voor 2 vandaag.

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

Honesty is important. I wasn't blown away by this. His voice grated on me, and I wound up trying to like it because the lyrics were at times really interesting. It felt quite tame?

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.

Lenny Kravitz has an annoying habit of writing choruses that are just the title of the song repeated over and over. I don't always mind it so much, but when it's most of the songs on the record it starts to really grate.

Lenny Kravitz: 5 This album: 2

Little bit disappointed.

Between 2/3*. As title of album suggests a lot of the songs are about love, with lots of Christian lyrics thrown in there. Guitar+man singing with some sax/drums in there too. The lyrics got very descriptive and out there sometimes. I do think Christian rock is slept on a bit, I just wasn’t feeling these as much, but the quality of the production means it’s not lower than a 2

Never been a Kravitz fan. Don't know why but just doesn't do it for me

Ugh, why is this on the list?

Really loved the instrumentation and his voice, but I would never listen again unless there was an instrumental version? or just like him scatting for an hour? these lyrics are horrendous

AJ: Does anyone like this guy’s music or do we all just want to fuck him? Hippie, Prince, funk band leader… pick one, you stink at all of them. I am not gonna go you’re way. Now you know.

frekar leiðinlegt og langt.

It's fine 2/5

1,2 4,5,6 8 10 9 3 7 12 13

More disappointing than anticipated.

Aggressively mid. Kravitz is talented, absolutely, but his first time out sounds like a 90s bar band doing unreleased Beatles and Prince tracks.

Love rules—this record does not.

sermon or album?

Easy background listening but not something I’d choose to listen to again. Last song was enjoyable though and would actively listen to again

Sounds like a bad Beatles cover album. More like John Lenny Paul McKravitz am i rite

Love good. Hate bad. 2/5

In some ways, I can see some appeal of this album. The blend of styles seems natural and the raw approach in production and self-made vibes of this album give it a bit of personality. That said, I would greatly prefer this album with more accomplished musicians rather than one solo, sub-par multi-instrumentalist and I would also greatly prefer it with production being at least a bit better. Despite the mix of styles, songwriting also simply isn't interesting, with few examples such as I Build This Garden and most notably, Flower Child (the only track I actually enjoyed). This one really doesn't cut it for me.

Yesterday, I got one of my all-time favorite albums. Today, the law of averages caught back up with me. I don't have many positive things to say about this album. The only track that I thought wasn't completely cheesy was "Rosemary," with "I Build This Garden For Us" in a close second. Musically, this album wasn't terrible. It was pretty inoffensive, but also completely forgettable. Lyrically, it felt forced and hacky. I think it's awesome that Lenny Kravitz wanted to record some socially aware music, but he just really misses the mark here, and nothing feels very genuine. It's still impressive that Lenny Kravitz pretty much created and recorded this whole album by himself, but it's a shame that there's not a whole lot here to write home about.

Vad ska man säga? Nej, tror jag.

astoundingly beige grunge-rock that will have you checking your watch for each song. some neutral head-bopping backing with truly uninspired lyrics 2/5

It's all very much okay. It's very well lit together, he is talented, but it's all a bit derivative. A bit of Prince, a bit of Hendrix, a lot of 60s.

Har utsatt detta ganske lenge, men god grunn

I just do hate his exaggerated way of singing, as if the world is collapsing. Just can't bear this. Songs are at best tolerable.

Cant stand this guy. Overrated and boring

A patchy album; a couple of strong songs, but a lot of filler.

An exceptionally boring album. I really don’t think Lenny has that great of a voice and many of the songs rely pretty heavily on it. On top of that, the songwriting is boring as hell and so nondescript that I can’t tell the main purpose of most of them. 3/10

Good, got a little too preachy

Brauch eigentlich niemand

Dad rock

It's ok, I guess.

Like Prince, but boring.

Solid 2. A couple of decent-ish songs, mostly pretty boring and uninspired.

Something about this is so close to feeling like it could be good, or interesting, or fun, but it just falls short into some sort of mildly terrifying uncanny valley.

Meh

mid

Sorry but definitely says “yeah yeah yeah yeah” too many times for me. But it’s decent. Probably won’t ever listen again though.

I was bored by this album halfway through.

I mean, he's a great musician, but this was pretty boring for me.

Before Kravitz broke through with hard funk rock hits, he was a successor to Prince with a softer, janglier chamber sound. He has some cool ideas, but nothing really stands out among the crowd. 90% of the time it's a clean and boring sound, trying too hard to mimic his influences. I'm hearing Lennon in "Let Love Rule", "I Build this Garden", and "Mr. Cab Driver". Favorites: Let Love Rule, Fear, Rosemary

2/13, 15%

Meh

It started better than I expected - middle of the road dirge. I made it to track 8 (Mr Cab Driver) before bailing, pretty atrocious as the album continued. Could have been a decent EP but he dragged it out to 13 tracks? Shame on you Lenny!

Beetje zeikerige stem, niet voor mij

It’s alright

Pretty bad for Lenny. As a whole, a bit of a snooze fest

It felt like nibbling on crackers. You might be eating something, but there's very little in terms of substance. For Kravitz, the ideas were there, but he failed to go into any real depth to make them meaningful.

Tilgerðarlegt

Not great. There are a couple okay tracks, but when I spend about half of the album just waiting for it to be over, it's not a good sign.

I always felt Kravitz was a middling talent (although I dug him as Cinna in Hunger Games, and I love "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over"), though I've never had strong feelings about him. But damn, I was not expecting to actively dislike this album. I never thought he was a great singer, but there are so many moments on this album that were cringe-worthy. And his lyrics have never been strong, but that's especially true here. And on top of all that, the music just doesn't work for me. The grooves aren't compelling, the hooks are lacking. I liked the strings on that garden song, but that's about it.

What’s this dawg

Not a fan

Pretty good all over the map stylistically. I wish he'd find his sound and stick to it. 2.5 🌟

Not very interesting

It is the acoustic equivalent of a mid 90s cross colors hoodie.

Nice he did all the instruments, just a bit aor middle of the road.

Sorry, just don't get the hype of Lenny Kravitz. Yeah he's a good vocalist, good looking and basically this entire album is a one man show (apart from a couple of songs co-written by his then wife Lisa Bonnet), but it doesn't really offer me much else. Best: Fear Worst: Mr. Cab Driver 2.5 Stars

Like a soft rock Hendrix pretender. I.e a bit shit. Even the album cover annoyed me - I have a nose ring I'm so alternative, but also safe enough for the middle of the road

some of these songs have laughably bad lyrics

I was looking forward to this when it popped up, but it's pretty boring. A couple of good songs, but overall is pretty one note. In case you weren't aware, Lenny wants two things from everyone: 1) be good and, 2) not be bad. And he tells us that in approximately 13 different ways on this album. Thanks, Lenny!

I was confused by some of the negative reviews on this page, and then I passed track four and it became clear that the good ideas were being stretched mighty thin. A lot of the runtime of this record was rough, and I removed the bonus tracks from the queue pretty early. But I found myself liking a few of the choices - organ! - and soft toward even the goofier bits. But overall: Youch.

Meh

Terrible. Has nobody noticed that his singing has pitch issues? The lyrics are lame? The music is samey and cliched?

Best Song: Mr. Cab Driver. Feels like the root of a decent folk song, even if it isn't totally successful here. Worst Song: Freedom Train. Took until nearly the end of the song for me to realize what he was even saying. Why is it mixed like he's singing from inside a suitcase? Overall: Not good. Largely feels like is co-opting a sort of hippie, "free love" aesthetic and presenting it in this smarmy, overly "cool" fashion. The album sounds like Kravitz has cornered some 19-year-old in the corner of a bar and is saying "we should all love each other", but it's pretty clear he doesn't mean all, and he probably doesn't mean love either. Gets weirdly religious towards the end. Combined with Kravitz occasionally pulling this vocal technique where he sounds like he's singing with every ounce of strength he doesn't have, its hard to believe this was a breakout debut.

lenny is sexy. idk it was hard to get into cause im not used to this music. voice is hard to hear. mr cab driver was fun though

it's ok, but not my vibe

Took me like a week to finish. Boring. Highlight tracks: 2, 6, 8

Got me some prince vibes, with his crazy demeanor and long instrumentals, but with themes and messages that are a bit lighter. One of them is of course racial inequality, which is usually far from light, but it's also just about a cab driver who didn't want to serve him. 2/5

The instrumentation is there, but everything else falters big-time. The entire LP is so repetitive that once you've heard the first verse-chorus set you can skip the entire rest of the song.

L-Krav seems like such a cool dude. What a waste of personality on music that basically has none. Also, considering the album he put out after this is the one with all the hits… does this mean there will be at least 2 Lenny Kravitz albums on this list?? Hoo boy. This thing is in need of a 2nd draft.

a little dull

Ok, but too slow for my tastes.

While I can find arguments to listen to debut albums for different groups, it's a bit harder with certain acts. One of which is Lenny Kravitz. His mainstream success has been paramount to his appeal and this album is lacking any true single. That being said, we are left with a solid album of B-side level tracks for when he hones his songwriting.

A good start but he got better...

surprisingly old-fashioned sounding and quite hippy.

First song is grating. It doesn’t get better. I misremembered Let love rule as an enjoyable song. I rarely pay attention to lyrics but these sound very primitive.

Dull, tried to enjoy it more but couldn't. Might be okay live but boring.

What’s my problem with Lenny Kravitz’s voice? Why won’t I give him the time of day? He’s objectively talented. He write soulful, funky music? So what’s my deal? No idea. But I’m definitely the one with the problem. I must be, right? Lenny is beloved. 2 stars, but don’t count it. Read another review. This one is broken.

Never a fan

Not bad, but mediocre. 6.9/10

I grew up with Lenny's top 40 hits on the radio, but didn't know much beyond that. I liked the funkier tracks that opened this one. I Build This Garden for Us was recognizable but I have no idea where I've heard it.

je suis content d'écouter ça fav : I build this garden for us, flower child, empty hands oh mon dieu c'est nul Lenny kravitz en fait 3/10 En fait non 5, quelques bonnes chansons quand même

nice. Let it be sort of track

ok.

He thinks he's so cool, and so much is so lame. Doesn't in any way rock out. Lots of God-bothering as well.

Was really into it, up until he started singing about Jesus

Musically is decent... Love his voice, lyrics are terrible, melodies bland

Mama Said is a great album, this is just ok - couple of strong tracks

Never have I ever listened to a Lenny Kravitz album, let alone Lenny's debut album from 1989, a time when pop music was having an identity crisis and fracturing in exciting "alt" directions. I get the feeling Lenny thinks he's invented a whole new genre of Sly Stone+Prince+Beatles and here to save us all. Essentially ignoring that the 80s ever existed, Lenny mines the 60s and 70s, extracts a wheelbarrow full of rock and funk influences, and stuffs it all into his shiny leather pants. What a weird time. The Black Crowes tried the same strategy. Both were wildly successful, and also criticized for being derivative and nostalgic. Now anyone can do it with no consequence. We're in end times. History no longer exists. Greta Van Fleet and Robert Plant are homies. C

There were moments where this shone and moments where it stunk. Was Kravitz more of a Bohemian version of Prince at the beginning then Rock fucked up his sound? I can hear the funk still embodied in his fashion sense. But mostly I didn’t like this album, sometimes generic, some songs sounded like they were recorded in a closet. Most of the lyrics were too on the nose and lacked nuance, exemplified in Mr Cab Driver. So Rosemary is just a Christian song? Puke. He’s doing something almost interesting here, spans a few genres, but he doesn’t do it well. Reminds me of Gary Clark Jr.: fashionable bohemian black man, pretty good in the guitar, rock focused, on the nose lyrics, marketed to white people with no taste who want to feel cool—Matt P. Also likes Gary Clark Jr. so it makes sense. 2.

Good lyrics but his voice is hard for me

A little too generic

I always think I like Kenny kravitz and then I’m like ugh.

Lenny Kravitz is just fine. I listen to this and think "He sure is making that music and singing". It stirs no strong emotions in me. For reference, Doolittle by Pixies came out the same year, so, yeah. I hope I get to listen to a good album this week.

Better than I initially expected. Still not really my thing, but not the worst thing I've ever heard either.

Other than fly away I've not really listened to much Kravitz. First up he sounds a bit like Prince when hes singing. Thats where that comparison ends though as the songs are weak and try to get by on elongated guitar and sax solos. Its basically a more modern version of that Jimi Hendrix album I hated. 2/5

false

Way too jesusy

NOT LENNY!

Creo que fué su primer disco... se siente crudito

'Boring' is the word that keeps coming to mind. I can appreciate that Kravitz is a talented singer and musician, but nothing on this album is standing out for me.

Not my thing.

лень описывать, почему это посредственно

He’s one of those guys I can’t stand at all. I’m listening to this record for the first time today. Until now, I only knew the music from the videos back then and maybe a few tracks from the radio. I haven’t listened to radio music in over 30 years. The music is characterized by funk and soul. To me, it all sounds too overblown. Plus, I always think of those terrible videos.

Har aldrig hørt en Lenny Kravitz plade før. Det havde jeg nok heller ikke strengt taget behøvet. Det her var...not for me

Met verbazing geluisterd naar dit album. Ongelofelijk zwakke songwriting. Het klinkt haast alsof hij niet van oorsprong niet Engels spreekt en dan teksten in het Engels zingt. Ik hoef het eigenlijk niet uit te leggen. Muzikaal gezien vond ik het Skyradio. Geen sterke week so far.

This album truly sucks. LK's vocal performance and lyrics are local, weekend warrior quality. The production has aged poorly. Not sure why anyone should care about this album anymore.

Whether it's rock, pop, reggae, funk, or soul, Lenny Kravitz is here to show you how absolutely fucking awful he is at it

How is Lenny Kravitz so famous? This is objectively awful. 1 star. Let's go track by track: Sitting on the Top of the World: unremarkable Let Love Rule: would benefit with editing. About 2 minutes too long Freedom Train: dreadfully repetitive My Precious Love: almost ok, but ultimately cringe (lyrics are awful) I Build This Garden For Us: derivative and inauthentic. These songs are all too long! Fear: this is all over the place and the lyrics are not great Does Anybody Out There Even Care: no. Mr Cab Driver: oof. It's so bad, it's almost fun. Almost. Rosemary: hahahahahahaha....this is just so bad. Overly earnest, but so devoid of any real understanding of the world. Embarrassing. Be: what's up with these lyrics? Blues for Sister Someone: why am I still listening to this? Empty Hands: ugh. Bad lyrics; bad vocals. Castanets! Flower Child: thankfully I've reached the end of this mess. This seems to embody Lenny's whole aesthetic. It's exhausting.

Utterly rancid Beatles cosplay.

It's fine, I guess? There sure is a lot of mid on this list. DNF

Maybe a second take that "world" there cracked just a bit

Lenny Kravitz? Lenny Crap-vitz would be more like it. Mediocre guitarist sings like a Steven Tyler parody act. Boring, self indulgent, unoriginal and, at times, downright irritating.

Don’t like it

'But have I forsaken you by / Telling you what you must do.' I have no idea what the fuck that means. 'It's time to take a stand / Brothers and sisters, join hands.' I know what that means but it's flat, faux, & uninspired. I don't need Lenny to make up his mind - to choose between Prince, The Beatles, & Marvin Gaye - but opting for a boring hybridity to prove that you have the chops to both rock out & be soulful leaves a whole lot to be desired. It isn't even bullshit. It's just so poorly executed & unimaginatively effected that it collapses into inevitable bullshittiness. I want to think that there are certain standout moments, like 'Does Anybody Out There Really Care' or 'Mr. Cab Driver,' but they're just not good enuf. Like, I want good songs. They not.

I just don't get it. Musically, why is he so well liked?

Fuck me, I can't believe I made it through this whole album. Sounds like it was engineered to be 18% cooler than Phil Collins. This kind of shit is exactly why Nirvana hit so hard.

It's blasphemy to compare this dude to Prince. Let Meaninful Music Rule. Uninspired. I'm living in fear of finshing this album.

Oof this is really bad. RYM: N Saved a song: N

Who compiled this list? I just want to talk real quick.

favs: let love rule i build this garden for us fear rating 1.2/5

i know of Lenny Kravitz, but only for the single Fly Away. i haven't seen many positive reviews so i'm a little concerned Sittin' on Top of the World - 2/5 Let Love Rule - 2/5 Freedom Train - 1/5 My Precious Love - 2/5 I Built This Garden for Us - 1/5 Fear - 3/5 Does Anybody Out There Even Care - 1/5 Mr. Cab Driver - 1/5 Rosemary - 3/5 Be - 2/5 Average score: 1.8/5 ⭐️ i've seen a lot of criticism regarding this, both here and in other sites, so i had a feeling this wasn't gonna be my new fav album or anything i didn't expect it to be this bad though. his singing is fine, not notably bad, but the lyrics? absolutely grating. it's been a hot minute since i've heard such dreadful songwriting. the instrumentation was about the only thing i could find any shred of enjoyment in while listening, but even that isn't necessarily anything to write home about either maybe this album was so bad due to it being his debut, but idk. perhaps there's a reason i've only ever known Kravitz for in the past was Fly Away. while the album's within range of rounding up the score, i personally didn't enjoy this album enough to justify it

the fact he thought he was doing something good with this is awful

It took me three attempts to finally get through it. Strangely, when Lenny Kravitz's universally recognized hits come on the radio, I can listen to them. This album is absolutely nothing — it was really hard to listen to

Well I timed this one perfectly, got to the point where I couldn't bear much more, went to read the Wikipedia article, and to my delight found the last three tracks are bonus tracks, not on the original release. I was literally just seconds into the first bonus track, so I killed that shit and put some proper music on instead. In some ways, this isn't actually that bad an album on the face of things, and there's something to be said for one person singing and playing almost every instrument on the entire album. However, dig below the surface and this is about as insipid and vacuous as anything I've ever heard. The songs are all variations on, "Let's all Be Nice to Each Other" with some god-nonsense thrown in here and there. Reading about Lenny's background, I guess it's not his fault that he had a privileged upbringing, but my goodness does it show! Truly appalling, and only deserving of one star.

Remember when all those celebrities sang Imagine on webcam during COVID? This is the album equivalent of that. Let Love Rule is the corniest, cheesiest, most self-righteous song I’ve ever heard. It actually made me angry.