Lenny Kravitz

Prince Relation:

Follower

Style:

Rock, Funk

Poplife Pick:

"Let Love Rule" (1989)

Links:

Official Website
www.allmusic.com

Additional Notes:

Lenny Kravitz, another multi-instrumentalist, has been influenced by the same artists as Prince: Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, etc. His music is sometimes called derivative, a reproach which should be nothing new for Prince fans.

They seem to be rather good friends and already have announced a future album (looking forward to that!).

Poplife Pick: "Let Love Rule" (1989)

In many ways, Lenny Kravitz's Let Love Rule is a thoroughly impressive debut. Like Prince, he plays nearly every instrument on the record, yet makes it sound organic and alive. Musically, it's a startlingly accurate replication of late-'60s psychedelia, crossed with a Princely groove and a heavy John Lennon fixation. Kravitz has no desire to move forward, he only wants to recreate classic rock, and as a result, Let Love Rule is an enormous, guilty pleasure. His songcraft may be derivative, but it's catchy -- the title track has a lean groove and a colorful chorus, "Sittin' on Top of the World" and "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" have strong hooks, and while the stately psychedelia of "I Build This Garden for Us" can sound like a parody, it is quite effective. Kravitz stumbles when he gets preachy (the awkward "Mr. Cab Driver") or flowery ("Flower Child"), but that doesn't diminish the pleasures of Let Love Rule. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide