What do you think is his Best album. I only have his album "5" but I have heard the bulk of his music before. I must say that he is probably the closest thing to Prince besides Ms. Ndgeocello. Lenny comes up with so many unique sounds in his music that defy categorization. While he isnt as defined musically or naturally charismatic as the Purple One, I must give him his props for playing the bulk of instruments on his CD's and for writing,producing and arranging his material which almost is inexistent today for artists. What do you think of Lenny and what do you think is his BEST and most consistent album

I really enjoy Lenny Kravitz's work. I think Mama Said is his best cohesive album.


But to say he's even probably the closest thing to Prince is a slap to Terence Trent D'Arby's face!

Mama said is probably the best. It's got the most heart and soul, and it just rips!

Circus, Are You Gonna Go My Way, and Let Love Rule are all great. His only misstep so far seems to be Baptism - and it's not all that bad.

While Kravitz may not be as "defined musically or naturally charismatic as the Purple One" as you say, I really appreciate the amount of time and work he seems to put into his recordings. I haven't cared for Prince's single-minded "sound" for many years. Lenny lets some other brains into the equation (Henry Hirsch, Craig Ross) and it shows.

"Mama Said" was probably one of the best records in the 90's imo (1991). Two years later, the single "Are you gonna go my way" was released - a fantastic rocker! I was so excited, and then I bought the album - what a pile of steaming shit (with the exception of the title track and "Believe")! I've never forgiven Lenny Kravitz that collection of light-weighted ballads for little girlies and haven't bought one of his records since!

My favorite is Are You Gonna Go My Way, Mama Said is a close 2nd though.

big Lenny fan here, not many Lenny fans here, his most popular or longest is "5", my personal favorites are "Lenny", and "Circus"

I think Let love rule is still the best. Mama Said and Baptism come a close second in my eyes.

I seem in a minority, but I think 5 and Lenny are the weakest.

Mama Said is his best imo. I love his first 4 albums and 5 is really good as well.
'Lenny' is my least favorite, Baptism was a lot better, but still not as great as his earlier work.
Lenny's B sides are really good, the limited edition bonus cd that came with AYGGMW was full of great songs

Still waiting for the Funk album, which will be released at the end of this year hopefully

'5' is my favourite by a long way.

I love Lenny but he doesnt compare to Prince on the guitar, though his guitar player Craig Ross is nearly as good as P

4nowneway said:

Yes, Prince is a lot more versatile, but for straight ahead rock I like to think Craig could tear his head off.

"5" is probably his best. He kind of modernized his sound on that CD and kept it real soulful all the way thru (although the cover of the CD is a ripoff of Prince's "S.O.T.T" LP cover).

"Are You Gonna Go My Way" has some great tunes on it. "Black Girl", "Sugar", and "Come On And Love Me" are pretty cool.

"Mama Said" is classic.

I think Lenny's best musical skills are on rhythm guitar. I'm not crazy about his leads and I think Craig Ross is a killer guitar player. He's great for Lenny and Craig can sound like Page one minute, and then hit some Jimi type licks the next. Very underated.

Lenny's drumming is OK too. Not to diss him, but his multi-instrumentation is not as tight as Shuggie Otis, Prince, Meshell, and Lewis Taylor. His last 2 CD's were pretty weak also. He needs to find a new producer and update his sound. He also needs to put this "funk" CD he's been talking about for the last 11 years.

I'm only passingly aware of Lenny cuz of Karl Denson's early association. It's been a long while since KD played with him and I haven't really dug deeper into LK.

However, I have heard that the sets are packed with a wide-range of fine-looking babes.

I like how Lenny turns up the bass in his earlier mixes. I liked him better before he went digital and got into loops. Same with Stevie, but I guess you can't be retro forever. I loved the first and second albums. Listen to The first track on Let Love Rule, thats funky shit.

Circus is my favorite, may be his best. Either Circus or Are You Gonna Go My Way... Nah, fuck that: CIRCUS

his first four albums are his best work, he fell off with 5 and everything that's come since then.

let love rule, mama said and circus. i don't care for the rest.

CalhounSq said:

Ditto. It came out during a weird time in music, "grunge" and "gansta rap" were mass marketed into the ground, and glammed up sugar coated acts like Spice Girls were starting to become popular. Circus was a refreshing break from all this, a solid, energetic album with a bit of a dark edgy tone to it on some tracks.

5 is kind of a guilty pleasure, some of the songs sound too radio-friendly, but the album is still really strong in spite of that.

I still pull both of these albums out from time to time and give em a spin, they've both aged well.

SPYZFAN1 said:

Wow cousin...it's nothing else for me to add. I agree to the tee! I think "Mama Said" overall is his best, right along with "5". Although Craig can throw down on some Page vibes, and yes, he is HELLA underrated, it's just something about his playing that I'm not feeling. I don't hear "him". I hear someone else and shit. Even though Lenny wears his influences like a shirt, I STILL hear Lenny. And also, I agree with ya on the multi-player thang. Although I do the same thing on my cuts; guitar, bass, keys and drums, I KNOW the power and the glory is going to be in the guitar and the bass tracks and the lead solos. It's ALL about production. Lenny is capable of playing all the tracks, it's his production on these tracks that sound garage/demo like. That undercuts what he's actually playing, I feel. Shuggie, Rundgren, P, Bootsy, etc KNEW how to PRODUCE. Anyway, my fave album by Lenny is "Let Love Rule".

Lenny Kravitz is the shit!!!! Circus is like one of the best albums evr and Baptism really isn't that bad yuh know

Thanks Brutha B! Glad to know we're on the same page Sorry to hear that the Lewis Taylor show was cancelled by you.

SPYZFAN1 said:

Yeah, it sucks. I just got my refund yesterday. Oh well. I was curious as hell to see how he brought it live.

Xavier23 said:

I can still only listen to 4 or 5 cuts on Baptism, it had to grow on me

But I'm hit & miss when it comes to Lenny's albums. The only ones I can listen to straight through (or most of it in chunks) are Circus, Are You Gonna Go My Way, 5 & Mama Said. To this day I don't like his first album & he fell the fuck off w/ Baptism & Lenny especially. But the cuts I do like on Baptism I like A LOT

I would love to hear why anyone thinks Kravitz's production sounds like it was done in a garage or was "demo-ish..."


and then turn around and say that Let Love Rule, the blatant Beatle-Hendrix rip off is their favorite Lenny Kravitz album.

CalhounSq said:

It might be a little cheesy of me but everytime I hear 'What Did I Do With My Life?' I kinda break up a little. I take it it's about a soldier who's died in Iraq, wondering if he's loved as much as he could.

More than anything I love Lenny's zeal. He's not a great poet but I believe he does it from his heart - I don't ask for more than that from my favorites. and it's why I have so few favorites...

chuckaducci said:

Hey player! Where u been? Uh, not complaining about the demo-ish vibe. I was just giving my opinion on the difference between his multi-playerness compared to the waaay more polished production of Shuggie, Rundgren, P, etc. That's all. I dig Let Love Rule mainly cuz of the Beatles/Sly vibe. Don't hear Jimi, except for maybe "Freedom Train". I just dig that album the most from his stuff. I dig Circus a lot too.

Mama Said is his most cohesive, but I love all up them up through 5. Lenny and Baptism were weak, but I won't write him off yet.

Haha...I've been busy BG. I hear what you're saying; and yeah, I meant to type "Sly Stone" instead of "Hendrix" in my post. You're right.


Circus is my second favorite album from Leonard; it's more of a AYGGMW? retread but, you don't listen to Lenny Kravitz to hear earth shattering, convention smashing music. He's a good lookin' brother and his music is "good looking" too. Take that how you want.

chuckaducci said:

Go head on, dawg!