thedance said:

Lenny?????

I have never understood Lenny Kravitz, he's a beatles wannabe, a copy cat...

Prince is the original artist of the two of them... imho....

Beatles? Very rarely hear a Beatles copycat vibe from him. Zeppelin? Curtis Mayield? Sly Stone? Hendrix? Marvin? Even the Stones or KISS. Sure. Not really the Beatles, though. Not beyond his first album, any way.

Is it me or does it seem that Lenny doesn't tour as much in the US compared to Europe lately?

thedance said:

Lenny?????

I have never understood Lenny Kravitz, he's a beatles wannabe, a copy cat...

Prince is the original artist of the two of them... imho....

Well said

Lenny takes absolutely no risks. He's a solid C+/B- student, whereas others might take the chance of getting a D or an F by experimenting and doing something different or interesting and failing. Lenny will never get an A+ because Lenny never veers out of his lane. Which is fine. But 10 albums in, it's pretty clear he either a) isn't going to live up to his potential or b) there actually wasn't all that much potential there to begin with.

I love you for this post. I've always found Lenny to be boring. Unoriginal. Not a unique thought in his head. He's a decent musician. He's the epitome of MEH.

He's hot tho. So there's that.

Askani said:

ohYeeeeeah said:

I had so many expectation when Lenny turned up with his first album back in the day. But album after album it's like listening to my old rock collection. Don't get me wrong it is ok but never innovative never groundbreaking. He is always in his comfort zone playing the same easy licks tune after tune.

He is nowhere near interesting as Prince musically.

When P is releasing a crap album, Lenn's will be always better as he is always doing the same stuff in his comfort zone.

But with AOA and PE, Prince shows his musical skills and technical range are far superior than the one dimensional Lenny.

[Edited 10/6/14 10:16am]

Lenny takes absolutely no risks. He's a solid C+/B- student, whereas others might take the chance of getting a D or an F by experimenting and doing something different or interesting and failing. Lenny will never get an A+ because Lenny never veers out of his lane. Which is fine. But 10 albums in, it's pretty clear he either a) isn't going to live up to his potential or b) there actually wasn't all that much potential there to begin with.

I couldn't agree more with this post, and I write this as someone who really wants to like Lenny's music (being a fan of the first three albums). I got this album after reading so many people here say it was good, and I honestly now have zero intention of playing it again. I like music that's distinct and unique at some level and this just bores me to tears... Prince, even at his worse is never boring to me (well.. except for Kamasutra and his jazz albums). I can hate a Prince song but he always redeems it with something that I love as much as hate another track so it cancels itself out. Lenny just releases the same generic sound over and over again with zero risk taken. I can't help but value someone who takes risks and fails over someone who plays everything so safe that it become uninteresting.

Prince's new album all the way. Lenny's music never appealed to me..

[Edited 10/10/14 11:17am]

lezama said:

Askani said:

Lenny takes absolutely no risks. He's a solid C+/B- student, whereas others might take the chance of getting a D or an F by experimenting and doing something different or interesting and failing. Lenny will never get an A+ because Lenny never veers out of his lane. Which is fine. But 10 albums in, it's pretty clear he either a) isn't going to live up to his potential or b) there actually wasn't all that much potential there to begin with.

I couldn't agree more with this post, and I write this as someone who really wants to like Lenny's music (being a fan of the first three albums). I got this album after reading so many people here say it was good, and I honestly now have zero intention of playing it again. I like music that's distinct and unique at some level and this just bores me to tears... Prince, even at his worse is never boring to me (well.. except for Kamasutra and his jazz albums). I can hate a Prince song but he always redeems it with something that I love as much as hate another track so it cancels itself out. Lenny just releases the same generic sound over and over again with zero risk taken. I can't help but value someone who takes risks and fails over someone who plays everything so safe that it become uninteresting.

Lenny took a lot of risks on the "Circus" album. At least as much as Prince did on his albums during the same time period. The lyrics, the compositions and the general mood are hardly that commercial (not to mention the photography that was used in the booklet). Sure, he's put out pretty formulaic stuff since, though I wouldn't say the "Black & White America" album from a few years ago was a "risk-free" release.

Let Love Rule, Mama Said and Are You Gonna Go My Way are three great albums that still sound fresh and vital today... Circus was a really good record and a sign that he might take some detours into some interesting areas.

Unfortunately he then released 5, an abysmal record, with maybe one or two good tracks on it.

Sadly, one of its worst was a massive hit for Lenny and he let it kind of define his sound.

Every one of his records since 5, without exception (I've tried them all) has been absolute dross, basically from beginning to end - maaaaybe with one tune here or there every few years that doesn't completely suck.

He's now on his own label, I believe, which means he has much more creative control, and he releases Strut, as embarrassing a record as he's yet released. His music is cringe-inducingly bad these days... I'm remember reading a review some years back (I think it was Q magazine) that said here was a guy who couldn't even rip himself off properly. That thought tends to stick.

All of his records these days are arbirtary... It is Time For A Love Revolution... why, Lenny? Why now? Black And White America? Why this record now Lenny? They don't have any real meaning, each one interchangeable from another. They don't really hold water, and the new one doesn't even sound good to me.

As frustrating and disappointing as Prince can sometimes be, he's light years ahead of Lenny. They're not even playing the same fucking sport.

novabrkr said:

lezama said:

I couldn't agree more with this post, and I write this as someone who really wants to like Lenny's music (being a fan of the first three albums). I got this album after reading so many people here say it was good, and I honestly now have zero intention of playing it again. I like music that's distinct and unique at some level and this just bores me to tears... Prince, even at his worse is never boring to me (well.. except for Kamasutra and his jazz albums). I can hate a Prince song but he always redeems it with something that I love as much as hate another track so it cancels itself out. Lenny just releases the same generic sound over and over again with zero risk taken. I can't help but value someone who takes risks and fails over someone who plays everything so safe that it become uninteresting.

Lenny took a lot of risks on the "Circus" album. At least as much as Prince did on his albums during the same time period. The lyrics, the compositions and the general mood are hardly that commercial (not to mention the photography that was used in the booklet). Sure, he's put out pretty formulaic stuff since, though I wouldn't say the "Black & White America" album from a few years ago was a "risk-free" release.

Yeah with Circus I'd agree with you in terms of song content but the actual song-writing on that album seemed stale and bland to me compared with the previous efforts and that was my first experience totally not getting into his albums.

.

And yeah I think he did try to do something different with Black and White America.. so let me take my original statement back and qualify it because I think that album represented at least an attempt to do something with some soul, and even bringing in external producers brought difference that otherwise wouldnt be there. Superlove was definitely the Lenny that I like to listen to. Come and Get it was ok too. Kelis's latest album kind of reminded me of Push. But while some of the tracks were really good, others sounded super super cheesy. The cheesiness factor in his later day music is something I feel like he always has a problem with.. i dunno why.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I still liked a lot of stuff on "5", the album grew on me and a lot of people, but after that he just lost his ambitions as a musician. Maybe it had to do with the success of "Again", which I thought was one of his blandest songs ever and it being so popular really surprised me. I can't take all the really simplistic songs he's written since seriously. He's just done too much of that stuff already. It's like he often writes just "half a song" and deems it complete because he thinks that's cool. It's really not.

Crazy fact: Lenny's Greatest Hits album with the song "Again" on it sold over 20 million copies which is about the same amount of copies as Purple Rain sold. That was in 2000, which seemed to be a peak in album sales, though.

lenny wouldnt even compare himself to prince...prince's music has far more depth and variety than lenny's...i have a number of lenny's albums and enjoy most of his music but lets not get carried away here...

.

prince is one of the top ten artists of all time...lenny doesnt make the top 500 according to music critics around the world..

.

http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/Lenny%20Kravitz.htm

True about the last post...

But recently I've been viewing them both in different lights.

I've seen Lenny quite a few times and his live show is amazing.

Yeah he's not one of the top 500 - if we want to just "compare" artists -

but Lenny can rock out. Prince's "hard rock" hasn't found me since Chaos and Disorder.

I saw Lenny when he opened for Aerosmith about ten yrs ago and he creamed them. Aerosmith was on autopilot and it showed. Lenny didn't have any pyrotechnics or big light show and he was far and away the highlight of the night.

Prince will always be my favorite artist but his recent work like Fixurlifeup and Screwdriver, for instance, pale in comparison to Lenny's hard rock funk in my opinion.

That said - I haven't heard the entire PE album just yet(been focusing on AOA which is magic) and hope my mind is changed.

nirforward said:

Just looking at these two releases Promotion-wise.

Bear in mind Lenny is a. younger, b. "hipper" c. Starred in blockbuster movies, and d. has a very sexy video out.

His album was released a week before Prince's.

Lenny's release is on Kobalt (this could be us, guys)

As of now, according to metacritic, there are 4 reviews of Lenny's album from major sites or magazines, Prince got about 5 times the exposure (not counting yahoo event etc) with 18 reviews

http://www.metacritic.com/music/strut/lenny-kravitz

http://www.metacritic.com/music/art-official-age/prince

Lenny's album hardly cracked the US top 20 (no. 19) and missed the uk top 20 (no. 21).

Hopefully Prince will have 2 albums at the top 10 in both charts.

Just sayin.

I certainly don't think Lenny is "hipper": Lenny is more popular with mainstream crowds, has been since at least 1993, but while Lenny has always been a very respectable artist to listen to for hipsters, has always been more edgy and more hip, save maybe when he was in disgrace in the late 90's.

I was pleasantly surprised by Lenny's last opus. I have all his albums but I found that everything after "5" was a bit boring, lacking the energy of the first five albums. The last one, while not being a radical change in mood or style, brings back the raw energy Lenny used to have, has a very barebone sound. I'm certainly going to revisit it more often than the last few records.

On the other hand my relationship with 's music is much more intimate and complex than my relationship with LK's music, so it's really hard for me to compare. The last 2 albums, for me at least, are not a "return to form", while Lenny's album is, so IDK.

[Edited 10/17/14 11:24am]

Prince is my favourite, but Lenny is fantastic at what he does. Its apples and pears. Sales don't matter. Look at 3rdeyegirl. Even the recent years where people seem to have forgotten Lenny, he's produced some great music.

databank said:

nirforward said:

Just looking at these two releases Promotion-wise.

Bear in mind Lenny is a. younger, b. "hipper" c. Starred in blockbuster movies, and d. has a very sexy video out.

His album was released a week before Prince's.

Lenny's release is on Kobalt (this could be us, guys)

As of now, according to metacritic, there are 4 reviews of Lenny's album from major sites or magazines, Prince got about 5 times the exposure (not counting yahoo event etc) with 18 reviews

http://www.metacritic.com/music/strut/lenny-kravitz

http://www.metacritic.com/music/art-official-age/prince

Lenny's album hardly cracked the US top 20 (no. 19) and missed the uk top 20 (no. 21).

Hopefully Prince will have 2 albums at the top 10 in both charts.

Just sayin.

I certainly don't think Lenny is "hipper": Lenny is more popular with mainstream crowds, has been since at least 1993, but while Lenny has always been a very respectable artist to listen to for hipsters, has always been more edgy and more hip, save maybe when he was in disgrace in the late 90's.

I was pleasantly surprised by Lenny's last opus. I have all his albums but I found that everything after "5" was a bit boring, lacking the energy of the first five albums. The last one, while not being a radical change in mood or style, brings back the raw energy Lenny used to have, has a very barebone sound. I'm certainly going to revisit it more often than the last few records.

On the other hand my relationship with 's music is much more intimate and complex than my relationship with LK's music, so it's really hard for me to compare. The last 2 albums, for me at least, are not a "return to form", while Lenny's album is, so IDK.

[Edited 10/17/14 11:24am]

Eh, don't know what you two are really arguing about with the "hipness" factor.

Lenny's never been really appreciated by the critics and he's certainly not a favourite of "hipsters". No, not at all. Despite his personal fondness for "retro", which is very popular among hipsters, he's one of those artists that never got associated with that crowd. It's hardly like they are fawning all over him at sites like Pitchfork.

novabrkr said:

databank said:

I certainly don't think Lenny is "hipper": Lenny is more popular with mainstream crowds, has been since at least 1993, but while Lenny has always been a very respectable artist to listen to for hipsters, has always been more edgy and more hip, save maybe when he was in disgrace in the late 90's.

I was pleasantly surprised by Lenny's last opus. I have all his albums but I found that everything after "5" was a bit boring, lacking the energy of the first five albums. The last one, while not being a radical change in mood or style, brings back the raw energy Lenny used to have, has a very barebone sound. I'm certainly going to revisit it more often than the last few records.

On the other hand my relationship with 's music is much more intimate and complex than my relationship with LK's music, so it's really hard for me to compare. The last 2 albums, for me at least, are not a "return to form", while Lenny's album is, so IDK.

[Edited 10/17/14 11:24am]

Eh, don't know what you two are really arguing about with the "hipness" factor.

Lenny's never been really appreciated by the critics and he's certainly not a favourite of "hipsters". No, not at all. Despite his personal fondness for "retro", which is very popular among hipsters, he's one of those artists that never got associated with that crowd. It's hardly like they are fawning all over him at sites like Pitchfork.

It's always been OK to say one loves Lenny. It's not like he's the hot thing or has ever been but he's OK in hip books. The nostalgia factor, contrarly to what u say, has always been taken into account as long as u respect the "20 years earlier rocks, 10 years earlier sucks" rule.

databank said:

novabrkr said:

Eh, don't know what you two are really arguing about with the "hipness" factor.

Lenny's never been really appreciated by the critics and he's certainly not a favourite of "hipsters". No, not at all. Despite his personal fondness for "retro", which is very popular among hipsters, he's one of those artists that never got associated with that crowd. It's hardly like they are fawning all over him at sites like Pitchfork.

It's always been OK to say one loves Lenny.

No one's ever said that. He's just there as part of the background.