lambchops's Full Review: Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz
As the Brooklyn-born son of a Bahamian Jefferson and a Jewish television producer, Lenny Kravitz spans all racial and musical borders. Despite being pigeonholed as a brightly dressed retro act early in his career, Kravitz has managed to make a name for himself while still remaining true to who he is at heart.
As Romeo Blue, Kravitz first started to make a name for himself. With his blue contact lenses and good looks, women took notice. It was his voice and his attitude that gained the attention of music executives and critics. After releasing two moderately successful albums (1989’s Let Love Rule and 1991’s Mama Said), Kravitz finally found his voice following his public breakup from young Cosby Show wife Lisa Bonet. He released 1993’s Are You Gonna Go My Way to the willing ears of rock fans everywhere. On the wings of the title track, his third album became his most successful to date.
Following the amazing success of Kravitz’s third effort, 1995’s Circus was an odd release. It was darker, dingier and much more intense than previous releases. 5 in 1998 proved a bit more popular, but Kravitz still could match the amazing success of Are You Gonna Go My Way. This year marked the release of his sixth album, simply titled Lenny.
Kravitz’s talent has never been questioned. His sound as a whole is round and full and pulls from a multitude of sources. His albums stand better on the legs of each individual song. The LP’s actually don’t exhibit much cohesion as a whole besides being masterfully artful. Kravitz is a musical legend even at his relatively young age. Like the Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan, Kravitz demands that he play the instruments. On this album, he’s recorded his vocals, multiple guitars, drums, and bass. He’s a poet, a musician, a producer, and a beauty. As I already mentioned, the cornerstone of his career is one dread locked and rock infused album called Are You Gonna Go My Way. Mixing R&B, rock, and jazz (among other musical genres) this 1993 album deserves a slot along side any artist.
Leading off this album is the title track. ”Are You Gonna Go My Way” is one of my favorite tracks from Kravitz. With hard rock guitars and heavy drums, the song starts out with a bang worthy of a thousand listens. It’s with the addition of Kravitz’s wow-em vocals that completes this great rock and roll track. This remains in my mind one of the best rock tracks of the decade that gave us grunge, pre-fab, and gangsta rap. The song sounds like a rock tune from the late 1960’s…I’m proud to say it surfaced for my fickle generation to appreciate.
”Believe” sounds like church from the beginning. Fortunately, Kravitz’s tear-soaked voice turns this into a ballad of sorts. This is an exceptionally sad, touchable, song. It’s apparent that Kravitz has great sadness and potential for love based solely on the tender beauty of this track. Here’s a quick sample of the lyrics:
If you want it you got to believe
Believe in yourself
‘Cause it’s all just a game
We just want to be loved
Booming drums begin ”Come on and Love” on a strong note. Kravitz croons like the great Motown singers of the 1970’s with ease and grace. It’s a sparse, personal, and intensely sexual track. I prefer some of the harder rock tunes to this Motown tune, but for the right music listeners, this song could prove a classic tune.
Pianos are the driving force to ”Heaven Help”. The song proves groovy and melodic even to my hardened and difficult ears. This song beckons the listener to close his eyes and open his ears to the musical genius that is Kravitz. It’s amazing that he can switch gears so smoothly from musical influences. Although, I suspect that the impossibility of classifying his music has in some ways caused audiences to like certain songs yet not his albums on a whole. I don’t mind J
Another soft song, this time pushed along by a great acoustic guitar, is ”Just Be a Woman”. Now, by this point in time I find myself craving another rocker. Surprisingly, this song is somehow satisfying. Kravitz seems meek, yet comfortable, at the duty of musical creator. The song features nothing more than that smooth voice and that understated guitar. No more instruments are necessary.
Immediately, I think of The Who at the beginning of ”Is There Any Love in Your Heart”. It’s loud and ruckus with a huge amount of pride and a ton of attitude. Kravitz wails along on his guitar while singing in his signature high-pitched voice that somehow remains clean and wonderful despite the ear-shattering key. The song digs deep into the depths of rock and roll and emerges with confidence. The song talks about materialistic girl and asks the title question…here’s a lyrical sample:
Baby baby you walk around
Like you own this town
You whole life is a fantasy
And I’m playing the clown
You talk behind my back
And spend up all my bread
”Black Girl” is another strangely Motown song. With harmonies and very sparse and quiet instrumentation, this track is both beautiful and interesting. I also find it a bit strange to have it on an album that was released in 1993. It’s not my favorite (I do prefer some amount of noise as many people know from my other previous reviews), yet the song still is better than average on the whole.
With what sounds like a country rock guitar, ”My Love” begins on a strange note. As surrounded by some of the other songs on this album, it seems trite and disappointing. The extended notes of My love….. begin to get annoying by the end of the first minute of the track. If there’s a worthy skip, this one qualifies.
I like the groovy, heavy handed ”Sugar”. It’s soft and emotional, with just enough attitude to make it both entertaining and musically interesting. There are some brass instruments and trippy guitars backed by fuzzy drums create a serious ambiance. I almost feel like I’m in the dentist’s office listening to whatever adult contemporary station is on the radio…
”Sister” has gorgeous acoustic guitars, a factor that proves to be very important in this lovely track. This is the most emotional and thoughtful track on this entire album full of gems of one kind or another. Listen to this song, even if you bought this album only for the first and title track. ”Sister” is an absolutely fabulous track.
Unlike every other song on this album, ”Eleutheria” is a soft reggae track. Of course, what makes this a reggae track are the instruments. Kravitz still sings like the musical king he could be. He sings, wails, and evokes notes that seem to be from a classic master like Bob Marley. This is a very special song, for all lovers of music.
As you can tell, this is quite an amazing album. I personally don’t think that Kravitz has ever sounded more complete, confident, or lovely as he does on this 1993 album. Despite this amazing feat, the album still seems to not be complete. What it shows is that this man is a talent. What it doesn’t show is exactly at what. Kravitz’s music lacks any cohesion. He may has well have released eleven singles rather than putting this strange mixture of songs on one album.
Because of a few moderately good songs and a total lack of cohesion, I can only award this album a measly 4/5 stars. I expect that Kravitz will deliver a five star album within the next decade. He’s got a lot left in his musical bag of tricks.
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