Timmy84 said:

Lenny never tries too hard. I just think he does music because it's his passion. If his goal was to be a "legend", I'm sure it would've been in the cards for him a long time ago but not everyone aspires to be a "legend", those that do are bigger than life anyway and Lenny never struck me like that. Is he a legend in a veteran sense, yeah, but a legend of such a big magnitude, nah but I'm okay with that.

Yeah, excately, he doesn't try too hard. With Lenny, I always have the feeling like he's just making music to enjoy himself. There is never really a push or struggle to go to the maximum. It's fun, and that's totally ok, although he never really touhes me either....he ain't Prince

legendofnothing said:

A little worried that Drake is involved, but I'm so ready for LK. Bring it On!

MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY!!!!!

I hate to say it but.... It's only one day later and I'm already a bit bored with the album!

It's definitely a cool listen but there's just no new territory that he hasn't already covered and there's not much to bite into.... I'm sure a lot of you would probably enjoy it a bit more than me.

It's alright....

"Superlove" is a joint and a half!!!

Don't hate on the Drake collabo' though, it's blatantly out of Drakes spectrum (and I can't stand them 'man') but he surprisingly holds his own and shows he can be more than just a prominent featured name on an album - forgettable as it maybe, it's not totally cringeworthy either...

In terms of real music and hearing some funk (beit crossover) in the second decade of the noughties, Lenny may have set the standard and after 2+ decades, he can still hold his own...

Not groundbreaking by any means, but at least there's no auto-tune...

'dre

DreZone said:

"Superlove" is a joint and a half!!!

Don't hate on the Drake collabo' though, it's blatantly out of Drakes spectrum (and I can't stand them 'man') but he surprisingly holds his own and shows he can be more than just a prominent featured name on an album - forgettable as it maybe, it's not totally cringeworthy either...

In terms of real music and hearing some funk (beit crossover) in the second decade of the noughties, Lenny may have set the standard and after 2+ decades, he can still hold his own...

Not groundbreaking by any means, but at least there's no auto-tune...

'dre

Nice review!

Ooooh! I'm happy to read all these positive comments already! I hope it is as good as all of you are saying

Timmy84 said:

Lenny never tries too hard. I just think he does music because it's his passion. If his goal was to be a "legend", I'm sure it would've been in the cards for him a long time ago but not everyone aspires to be a "legend", those that do are bigger than life anyway and Lenny never struck me like that. Is he a legend in a veteran sense, yeah, but a legend of such a big magnitude, nah but I'm okay with that.

THANK YOU TIMMY

That is exactly what Lenny is to me, he's not lookng to win 20 grammys. He just want's to make msuic and he enjoys doing it... and he like's paying tribute to his heroes. But he has been raped by some critics because of his influences as if a certain tiny multi instrument playing circa 1978 havign afro ass having man has not done the same

djThunderfunk said:

It's hardly the funk album that was promised, and I find that disappointing.

I'm not saying there is nothing funky about it, there is, as there has always been with Lenny's music.

I was just hoping that when Lenny hyped a funk ALBUM, he would go all out, but, IMO, he did not.

Instead, to my ears, the lp is similar to all his albums in that it dabbles in rock, pop, soul, and yes, funk...

That said, not a bad album, definitely several really nice tunes on it. I will probably still buy it, so, decent LP.

Lenny is the type of artist who always plays it safe.I don't think he'll ever do anything that's totally radical and different from what he's already done.It's a shame that he doesn't want to challenge himself and his listeners.A funk album might have been interesting but he doesn't have the balls to follow through with it.

djThunderfunk said:

Jboogiee said:

djThunderfunk said:

It's hardly the funk album that was promised, and I find that disappointing.

I'm not saying there is nothing funky about it, there is, as there has always been with Lenny's music.

I was just hoping that when Lenny hyped a funk ALBUM, he would go all out, but, IMO, he did not.

Instead, to my ears, the lp is similar to all his albums in that it dabbles in rock, pop, soul, and yes, funk...

That said, not a bad album, definitely several really nice tunes on it. I will probably still buy it, so, decent LP.

I was waiting on that funk album but if I remember correctly not too long ago he said that he shelved the funk album again & started making this one.

I don't know for sure, but, I thought, this was supposed to finally be that album. Can't remember where I read that though, so, you may be right.

he's so fine. i really want to hear his new tracks.

I also read that interview where he says that Black and White America is not the funk album he started to make. He said something along the lines that he started with the funk idea, but it turned into this instead. I haven't heard it yet, but from his comment it seems like maybe he just retreated to a more familiar and comfortable style. Let Love Rule is, to me, his high watermark. That's the one by which all his others are judged, and not one has lived up to that album for me.

Regarding the funk album... He originally announced that his next album was going to be called "Negrophilia." I'm not sure if that was the funk album but I think it might have been... Several months later I guessed he shelved that project and did "Black & White America" instead.

An all-funk album sounds a little tedious to me. Three or four funky songs is more than enough to tide me over til next time - anything more is just going to be filler. I just want him to concentrate on having all quality songs, which I think is his mindset anyway.

Jboogiee said:

Here's the interview where he talks about scrapping the funk album project to create Black And White America. http://www.wlwt.com/r/283...etail.html

Good interview! Thx for posting that. I think I may have to read those Hunger Games books, my wife has them around.

well after digesting this album for a couple of days i really like it. The only song i don't like is Boongie Drop, that song is aweful but overall it's a great album.

Superlove is a JAM!

I sampled this on amazon and I really liked what I heard and reading the interview. This sounds like his strongest work since 5. Will be picking it up.

The first few tracks really are nice, but the album dissolves in the usual Kravitz easy listening he´s been serving us with for so many years now, disappointed

starbuck said:

The first few tracks really are nice, but the album dissolves in the usual Kravitz easy listening he´s been serving us with for so many years now, disappointed

I only like the Boongie track.

Graycap23 said:

starbuck said:

The first few tracks really are nice, but the album dissolves in the usual Kravitz easy listening he´s been serving us with for so many years now, disappointed

I only like the Boongie track.

Really? well that's the only track i want deleted of my cd!

Jboogiee said:

Here's the interview where he talks about scrapping the funk album project to create Black And White America. http://www.wlwt.com/r/283...etail.html (CNN) -- Two years ago, Lenny Kravitz was working on his latest album with a completely different premise in mind. Originally intended to be a funk album called "Negrophilia," named after a book he'd read about the dubious obsession with black culture in Paris in the 1920s, Kravitz wound up inverting the message halfway through to create the highly optimistic and all-inclusive "Black and White America (out August 30). His first album in three years, "Black and White America" delivers the signature big Kravitz rock and funk riffs, plus some more stripped down numbers and a collaboration with Jay-Z. Kravitz will kick off a tour in support of the album this fall. CNN recently spoke to Kravitz about the hidden inspirations on the album, his new foray into comedy and what he's most looking forward to about playing Cinna in the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' young adult trilogy, "The Hunger Games." CNN: "Black and White America" as we know wasn't the album you thought you were planning to put out when you started writing. What happened while you were working? Lenny Kravitz: The album started off being one thing, but I ended up starting completely from scratch because what was coming out of me just felt like now. Like, this is what you need to do right now. So I followed the creative spirit and where it told me to go. It's what I always follow. A lot of times you start with an idea, I'm going to make a this kind of album, it's going to be a theme album and the music's going to sound like this...and then you start working and it's like, no it's not. CNN: "Black and White America" is a really optimistic song. Can you talk a bit about the inspiration behind it? Kravitz: Thematically, the inspiration came from a documentary I was watching about these people somewhere in Middle America who were very much against what America had turned into. They were very unhappy that there was an African American president and they were going to do anything and everything to stop this. They were full of hatred and it sort of shocked me a bit. Obviously, I know that racism is out there but the fact that people had such rage and they were so backwards, it really blew my mind. That inspired the chorus of the song by me saying, "this may be what you think, but this is where we're going." And then it involved my parents' story with a verse because black and white America is really who I am, how I grew up and what's going on, so it ended up being the title track. CNN: The first single "Stand" just hit the radio. Are you going to release a video? Kravitz: I just cut the video. It's going to be very funny. I don't want to say too much about it, but it's not what you expect. CNN: A hint, please. Kravitz: Comedy. CNN: You've done comedy. Kravitz: No, no, no. "Zoolander" doesn't count. CNN: Even though it's a totally different song, I was getting a "Strawberry Letter 23" vibe from your track "Superlove." Is that crazy? Kravitz: No, that was the inspiration. I wanted to write my "Strawberry Letter 23." I wanted to write something that had that feeling, that air. What I like about that track is the soul and the funk and also the psychedelic and the airiness. "Superlove" has this funky track, but at the core of the track is a 12-string acoustic guitar, which is very reminiscent of what Quincy Jones and the Brothers Johnson were doing or would do. Really lush, floaty background vocals, guitar solo, funky poppin' bass. I just wanted those elements. CNN: What are some of the other standout tracks on the album to you? Kravitz: There's a song called "Push," which is the last song on the album. It's a really beautiful, uplifting song. CNN: Does that have anything to do with Sapphire's novel "Push" or "Precious?" Kravitz: Yes! It was inspired by my experience in the film. No one's asked me that question. Not a one. CNN: Well, let's talk about it! Kravitz: It's kind of an urban story, but it's all about pushing your life and finding your way and not stopping until you reach your goals and your destination. The song isn't about Precious the girl, it's someone who's looking to get from one situation to the next. CNN: And speaking of your acting experiences, you've been cast as Cinna in "The Hunger Games." Have you read the books? Kravitz: Of course. I'm really excited to be in it. I'm really anxious to see how they put this whole world together because if you've read the books you know the world is quite fantastical and amazing, the Capitol and the Arena. CNN: I am a Katniss fan, of course, but Cinna feels like the heart of the series. Kravitz: It's funny, a lot of people say that. Why do you say that? CNN: Because he's got Katniss' back. He's very supportive, but he's also really subversive. Kravitz: That's why ["Hunger Games" director] Gary Ross called me; because he said he'd seen Precious and he liked how I underplayed the character. It's not a similar role, but in a sense it's got a similar quality because [Nurse John] was the only backup for ["Precious"]. CNN: Have you seen costume sketches or anything? Kravitz: Not a thing! Not a thing! That's why I'm just as curious as you. CNN: But Cinna's not that crazy looking. He wears all black and gold eyeliner. Kravitz: He's kinda slick, right? CNN: Have you met Jennifer Lawrence? Kravitz: Yes, I know her actually because she did "X-Men: First Class" with my daughter, [Zoë Kravitz], so she spent a lot of time in my house in Paris when they were filming in London. That was another thing about casting me: [Ross] said, I heard that Jennifer was in your house all summer and that you were taking care of the kids and they were cooking. I had the whole cast, like six, seven kids in my house on the movie so I got to know all of them before I had even seen them in action. So Jennifer and I ended up becoming friendly. She's really sweet. And then I saw her in "Winter's Bone" and I was like, "Oh, wow. This girl is for real." CNN: The Hunger Games casting has been so anticipated and controversial to some extent... Kravitz: I didn't see any online stuff, but, yeah, the fans don't play. What do you think about Woody [Harrelson] as Haymitch? CNN: I love it! Kravitz: It's great, right? CNN: The casting has been pretty terrific, but also really unexpected. Kravitz: I know I was unexpected!

Thanks for posting this!

starbuck said:

The first few tracks really are nice, but the album dissolves in the usual Kravitz easy listening he´s been serving us with for so many years now, disappointed

!!!!!!!!!!

I won't be buying but I'm not gonna delete it off my computer just yet. I'll be seeing him on tour so I'll probably buy it then

I really wanted that Negrophilia album.... I didn't read that interview after I listened to the album so I wasn't in on the album concept change.

Just a heads up....

LK wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that there is going to be an exclusive deluxe version of the album only available at Target with 6 bonus tracks.

I had pre-ordered the album on amazon but cancelled it and will now be buying at Target.

I think that's pretty lame though because the guy is selling deluxe packages of the album that costs around $100 which only hardcore fans will buy and now they are going to have to shell out more money if they want the bonus tracks on the Target version... That's fucked up.

I'm not a hardcore fan, just a casual fan, but if I was, I'd be pretty annoyed by that bullshit.

That is screwing over your most loyal fans. If you are coughing up $100 or more for that shit you should at least throw in all the bonus tracks.

Timmy84 said:

Lenny never tries too hard. I just think he does music because it's his passion. If his goal was to be a "legend", I'm sure it would've been in the cards for him a long time ago but not everyone aspires to be a "legend", those that do are bigger than life anyway and Lenny never struck me like that. Is he a legend in a veteran sense, yeah, but a legend of such a big magnitude, nah but I'm okay with that.

And that is fine.... not EVERY artist is going to be a legend even if they are good.

Lenny is great, ima check this out.

emilio319 said:

Just a heads up....

LK wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that there is going to be an exclusive deluxe version of the album only available at Target with 6 bonus tracks.

I had pre-ordered the album on amazon but cancelled it and will now be buying at Target.

I think that's pretty lame though because the guy is selling deluxe packages of the album that costs around $100 which only hardcore fans will buy and now they are going to have to shell out more money if they want the bonus tracks on the Target version... That's fucked up.

I'm not a hardcore fan, just a casual fan, but if I was, I'd be pretty annoyed by that bullshit.

That is screwing over your most loyal fans. If you are coughing up $100 or more for that shit you should at least throw in all the bonus tracks.

a deluxe package that costs around $100?! Damn,what does it include?

SoulAlive said:

emilio319 said:

Just a heads up....

LK wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that there is going to be an exclusive deluxe version of the album only available at Target with 6 bonus tracks.

I had pre-ordered the album on amazon but cancelled it and will now be buying at Target.

I think that's pretty lame though because the guy is selling deluxe packages of the album that costs around $100 which only hardcore fans will buy and now they are going to have to shell out more money if they want the bonus tracks on the Target version... That's fucked up.

I'm not a hardcore fan, just a casual fan, but if I was, I'd be pretty annoyed by that bullshit.

That is screwing over your most loyal fans. If you are coughing up $100 or more for that shit you should at least throw in all the bonus tracks.

a deluxe package that costs around $100?! Damn,what does it include?

http://store.lennykravitz...-pack.html

emilio319 said:

Just a heads up....

LK wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that there is going to be an exclusive deluxe version of the album only available at Target with 6 bonus tracks.

I had pre-ordered the album on amazon but cancelled it and will now be buying at Target.

I think that's pretty lame though because the guy is selling deluxe packages of the album that costs around $100 which only hardcore fans will buy and now they are going to have to shell out more money if they want the bonus tracks on the Target version... That's fucked up.

I'm not a hardcore fan, just a casual fan, but if I was, I'd be pretty annoyed by that bullshit.

That is screwing over your most loyal fans. If you are coughing up $100 or more for that shit you should at least throw in all the bonus tracks.

Yes, it drives me crazy when people release different configurations that feature different bonus tracks. For the most part I do not download albums, I still buy tons of cd's, but when they pull crap like that after I already bought the darn album I feel completely justified in downloading the bonus tracks.

I will probably buy Black and White America eventually but I am in no hurry to do so. I can wait for the Supe Deluxe Platinum Collectors Special edition.

[Edited 8/28/11 14:22pm]