18 years, seven records, one celebrity marriage and a handful of supermodel girlfriends later, Lenny Kravitz is right back where he started; preaching the message of love from the pulpit of his funk rock garage.It's Time for a Love Revolution is far from a sound revolution for Kravitz. Where he fails at innovation he more than makes up with enthusiasm and the bright joy of good groove, something that's been lacking in his music for a few years now.
Track number one, "Love Revolution," is the fuzzed-out boot stomping love anthem Kravitz was born to write. Immediately infectious, it is the call to arms the whole record is built around.
"Good Morning" is another string accentuated rewrite of "Again," at first glance. Then it morphs into a thumping blues riff. The song is insistent and urgent, with slightly off kilter vocals by Kravitz, the slight curveball that he seems to throw throughout this record.
The vague spirituality of "If You Want It" leads to some genuine sentiment and hope – followed by a super funky guitar solo. Speaking of funk, Kravitz borrows all the right moves from James Brown for the soul riff "Will You Marry Me."
The love party loses some steam in the last half of the record with a few songs that could be qualified as buzzkills. Just when the tears are about to flow, the sexy "Dancin' Till Dawn" makes even this white boy feel better. The anit-war "Back in Vietnam" proves even Kravitz's protest songs are funky.
Kravitz sounds like he is having fun, even the darker songs are allowed to breathe a little. It's Time for a Love Revolution may be three songs too long but the remaining 11 are undeniable and infectious. Long time Lenny fans are bound to be pleased, unless they enjoyed the misery. Otherwise, shake your booty like it's 1969.
