LENNY KRAVITZ: Lenny (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Continuing his rhythm of a record release every three years, Lenny Kravitz is back with his sixth and new opus soberly entitled "Lenny". Whereas "5" suffered from an uneven overall quality, probably due to too many tracks, "Lenny" presents itself with only 12 tracks for which Lenny Kravitz takes care of the production and almost all the instruments, surrounding himself only with the faithful Craig Ross and leaving only a few keyboards interventions to David Baron and Henry Hirsh. In doing so, he placed himself alongside artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince or George Michael, who were also used to delegating almost nothing in the making of their albums.

After a compilation released in 2000 ("Greatest Hits"), "Lenny" could appear as the beginning of a new era for Lenny Kravitz, even if the recipe used doesn't seem to undergo deep changes. The American's rock is still mixed with soul, pop, funk and multiple influences, which is not surprising, even if "5" had clearly marked the step, as much in terms of artistic criticism as in sales figures. To remedy this, the Grammy Award collector had the good idea of compacting his message, favouring the quality of the compositions over their quantity. And if "Lenny" doesn't contain any interplanetary hits like "Are You Gonna Go My Way" or "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over", it doesn't suffer from any dispensable tracks and maintains a level of demand that allows it to keep the listener's attention and enthusiasm constantly alert.

Between the simple but terribly efficient groovy rock ('Battlefield Of Love', 'Dig In'), the classic but catchy mid-tempo ballads ('Stillness Of Heart'), the haunting mid-tempi with gospel accents ('God Save Us All') or the hyper-energetic rocks ('Bank Robber Man' narrating an incident suffered by the singer who was arrested by the Miami police who mistook him for a criminal), the master of the place slips in some slight originalities. 'Yesterday Is Gone (My Dear Kay)' and 'A Million Miles Away' use harmonies that John Lennon would not have denied in his time. As for 'Believe In Me' and 'You Were In My Heart', they combine electro and atmospheric ambiences, while 'If I Could Fall In Love' is slightly psychedelic, with a strong bass and a haunting chorus.

With no downtime and no lack of taste, 'Lenny' re-launches the career of its famous author. By concentrating his words and adding just the right amount of evolution to his unstoppable formula, Lenny Kravitz begins with talent and serenity what can be considered the second part of his career. After the disappointment caused by "5", this is both reassuring and exciting. - Official website

LENNY KRAVITZ

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