lambchops's Full Review: Mama Said [PA] by Lenny Kravitz
The son of an actress and television producer, Lenny Kravitz may have had a little help in attaining stardom. However his rock style, musical talent, and classic good looks are what have kept him around for nearly twenty years.
His music is clearly retro, but the rock is much more than just that. Kravitz was exposed to Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie among others as a child. However it was his fascination with 1960s and 1970s rock n’ roll that helped him to carve out a persona. Kravitz presented a refreshingly brash and organic sound that has carried him through his entire career. He has been inspired by acts as diverse as Led Zeppelin and the Beatles to Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley. It is an unexpected combination of musical ideas, but this wild and wonderful freedom is what also makes Kravitz so very appealing.
Virgin Records gave the talented singer and musician an outlet for his art. He debuted in 1989 with Let Love Rule. Nobody expected it to be a hit; he was so dissimilar from other current popular bands that the album was a long shot. However his unconventional style and grace set him apart from the crowd and songs like Let Love Rule and I Build This Garden for Us were greeted with open arms. However it remained to be seen if Kravitz could do it again. Lightening struck again and when 1991’s Mama Said was released it was clear that Kravitz was much more than a pretty face and feather boa.
Mama Said was a reaction to his divorce from wife Lisa Bonet. It is an emotionally honest and heartbreaking album. However Kravitz didn’t just pour his heart out, he’s actually crafted a concise, entertaining, and outstanding album. Mama Said is arguably the best of his seven album multiple Grammy-winning career. Unless you’ve actually heard Mama Said, you may be wondering what about his real mainstream breakthrough Are You Gonna Go My Way. Indeed that album is fantastic, but there is at least one better at least to my mind and possibly even two.
The song that will probably jump out first will be It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over. A smooth R&B song in the style of early 1970s singer-songwriters, it is soft and melodic with a hint of jazz. It inexplicably works equally well in doctors offices and behind bedroom doors alike. Who knew that such a lovely, unassuming song could have that big an impact? Mama Said is about much more than just this one song. It is positively chock full of incredible music.
Always on the Run is a clear standout. It features Kravitz doing his usual (and fabulous) funk-rock-soul thing and Slash (of Guns n’ Roses) playing some mean guitar. It draws me in and throws me around and is only satisfied enough to spit me out four minutes later. This is a song that oozes rock and roll. Following this song you’ll have no other thought in your mind except that Lenny Kravitz is one of the most creative and talented rock men of our era. I do admit that his louder song are my favorite, and that’s why it comes as such a pleasant surprise that timeless ballads like Stand by My Woman are so immediately enjoyable.
Continuing on, the powerful combo of What Goes Around Comes Around and The Difference is Why are striking. The former is light and airy in comparison to the other harder and grittier songs. The Difference is Why on the other hand is another rich and evocative track. I’m impressed by the consistency of Mama Said. There are so many facets and layers to the album. Kravitz is truly a master at blending rock and roll music with funk and jazz and R&B without sounding like he’s trying too hard or stretching himself. The songs come easily and openly. I am grateful for this elegance.
Other songs I can’t ignore include (but are never limited to) the midtempo southern rock tune Stop Draggin’ Around, the arresting piano-driven ballad All I Ever Wanted, and When the Morning Turns to Night which is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix classics. In recent years, Kravitz’s star has faded ever so slightly but because of songs like these and albums like this he can never be discarded and forgotten.
Mama Said is just one of the excellent albums Kravitz has released. In total there are six, but the first three (Let Love Rule, Mama Said, Are You Gonna Go My way) are his best thus far. His voice soars, his emotions are honest, and his music is remarkable. There is truly something about Kravitz for just about every music lover to appreciate. Mama Said is a perfect place to start.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Fields of Joy
02. Always on the Run
03. Stand by My Woman
04. It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
05. More than Anything in This World
06. What Goes Around Comes Around
07. The Difference is Why
08. Stop Draggin’ Around
09. Flowers for Zoe
10. Fields of Joy (reprise)
11. All I Ever Wanted
12. When the Morning Turns to Night
13. What the Fuck Are We Saying?
14. Butterfly
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