Amazon.co.jp
「ブラック・ベルベティーン」のヒットを生み出した前作
『5』から約3年ぶり、新曲「アゲイン」を収めたベストからは約1年ぶりとなる、レニー・クラヴィッツのニューアルバム(6作目)。
ブルースギターに彩られた優しいミッドナンバー<4>、軽快なサウンドで高らかに歌うファーストカット<9>、パワフルなギターが響くスピーディなロックンロールチューン<11>など、曲作り、演奏、プロデュースと、すべてをレニー自身が手がけている。日本盤ボーナストラックとして、プロモ盤のみで出回った「アゲイン」のリミックスヴァージョン<13>も特別収録。(速藤年正)
From Amazon.co.uk
Lenny kicks off like
Saving Private Ryan with a bristling short, sharp attack of power rock in "Battlefield of Love". Then
Lenny does what Lenny Kravitz always does and swings us all over the place. "Yesterday Is Gone" is
Definitely Maybe-era Oasis complete with nasal vocal, "God Saves Us All" sounds like a
Slade production, "You Were In My Heart" echoes
Massive Attack and "Bank Robber Man" could be
Blondie. Elements of
Timbaland style R&B flicker in and out of "Believe In Me" and "Pay To Play", but this is perhaps Kravitz's most retro album to date. He's such an experienced songwriter and producer that he can craft well-made tunes with his eyes shut, and there are good tracks aplenty on
Lenny (particularly the hook-laden "God Save Us All" and the chant-able single "Dig In"). There's just the nagging feeling that Kravitz still hasn't found what he's looking for. He's got the look, he's got the talent (Kravitz produced the album himself and played most of the instruments), he's got the $9 million mansion in Miami and the nose ring but he hasn't got the power to inspire millions in the way a group such as the
Red Hot Chilli Peppers can (which is the sort of territory Kravitz is aiming for). Only "Stillness of Heart" comes up to this kind of emotional expectation, a powerful ballad of self-examination that exposes Kravitz for who he is.
--Jake Barnes