Customer Reviews

Let Love Rule

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Lenny Kravitz's debut album was released in late 1989, but with its retro sounds, it could have easily have come out in 1972. Mr. Kravitz has never been shy about wearing his influences on his sleeve and Let Love Rule is full of homages to The Beatles, Prince, Elvis Costello and others. The album opens with the plucky "Sittin' On Top Of The World" and then moves into the title track which is a great song. The song starts off slowly with a strumming guitar and airy keyboard and then builds up into a frenzied ending. Mr. Kravitz was married to Lisa Bonet at the time of the recording (she shares songwriting credit on a song) and many of the songs like "My Precious Love", "I Build This Garden For Us" and "Flower Child" were obviously inspired and about their relationship. The album contains some good protest numbers like the pulsating "Mr. Cab Driver" which takes on discrimination, "Does Anybody Out There Even Care", the kinetic "Freedom Train" and the marvelous "Empty Hands". "Rosemary" may well be the best song on the album with its great lyrics and top notch vocal performance. Let Love Rule may sound like a hodgepodge of styles, but they all work together thanks to Mr. Kravitz's earnestness.

I became a Lenny Kravitz fan the moment I heard the song "Let Love Rule" back in 1989. I'm still a fan now, but I was obsessed with this debut and "Mama Said". He was even my first concert ever, though he opened for Tom Petty. Anyway, front to back this is one of his best, and he shows us right away that he can rock, and drop a nice slow song as well. After the title track, I especially like "I Built This Garden For Us", "Rosemary", "My Precious Love", and "Blues For Sister Someone". We also get a dose of spirituality on a few songs, like on the great "Empty Hands". I also own the LP of this, but it only has the first 10 tracks, so watch out for that. Much like The Black Crowes, Lenny wears his influences on his sleeve, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Lenny's first might have been his best, at least his earthiest. Raw is the one word I would use in reviewing this album. Raw by Lenny standards, that is. Of all the Kravitz, CDs, this is also his most complete. Other albums seem to lose direction and fizzle, sometimes wandering into weird R&B tunes, but this one still had my attention and my toes tapping clear through "Rosemary". This is probably his least popular project because it has no "Are You Gonna Go My Way" or "Fly Away" on it, but quality, not quanity, is the name of the game when you "Let Love Rule."

Lenny has since made more polished work than this. He abandoned his all tube analog gear for a pro tools set up in the late 90s. This album none the less established who he is as a musician and songwriter. Sure he appropriates heavily from beatles, hendrix, sly stone, curtis mayfield, and others, but the way he reconstitutes the influences is pure lenny. perhaps his lyrics hark back to the naive hippy ethos, but isn't that a pleasant alterative the the burgeoning nihilism of the "everything sucks i should shoot heroin and blow out my brains" philosophy of grunge. kravitz advocates for love, tolerance, and understanding. does the fact that we have heard these messages before make them passe? jesus said "love thy neighbor." is his message irrelevant? the beatles sang "the word is love" and "all you need is love." Are these worn out cliches or immortal truths that can be reinterpreted in new ways for new generations. make up your own mind, but one thing is true - this is a great album!

The 1980s saw the rise of a new subgenre of pop music known as the "Minneapolis Sound". The "Minneapolis Sound" contained a mixture of Funk, Pop, R&B, and Rock. The artist that is considered one of the leading architects of this sound was Prince. When Prince formed his own record label - "Paisley Park", many of the artists that Prince recruited for that label or artists that Prince mentored were considered a part of the "Minneapolis Sound". As the 1980s came to a close, many of the artists associated with Paisley Park began to struggle both commercially and critically. However the "Minneapolis Sound" had made its lasting imprint on the music industry. It would pave the way for a whole new generation of artists going into the 1990s. While not ever associated with the "Minneapolis Sound", one such artist who clearly adopted the sound was Lenny Kravitz. In 1989, Kravitz would release his debut album entitled "Let Love Rule". "Let Love Rule" would contain a mixture of Funk and Rock and would add a retro flair to it. It would establish the foundation for what is to surely become a Hall of Fame career for Kravitz.

I think that Kravitz hits the three main dimensions that I expect from a successful solo artist: Vocals, Instrumentation, and Songwriting. On top of these three dimensions, Kravitz cross all of these dimensions by incorporating the "Minneapolis Sound". Whether it is hard Rock, R&B, or Funk - Kravitz finds ways to incorporate these styles and more into his music. This clearly shows that Kravitz was influenced by Prince - who also incorporated similar styles into his music. "Let Love Rule" takes us back to the beginning and the quality of each track demonstrates the potential that Kravitz would have as an artist (and live up to). Most notably, Kravitz would make a name for himself as a premier guitarist - and this album shows it.

Here is a song by song review of "Let Love Rule":

"Sittin' on Top of the World": This is the opening track. The song opens with an acoustic feel and then incorporates a funk groove into it. While this song didn't bowl me over, the acoustic and funk feel did demonstrate some good musical elements.

"Let Love Rule": This song showed stronger vocals by Kravitz than on the opening the track. This track has both an acoustic and electric feel to it. The use of the organ and saxophone augment this song perfectly at the right times. I particularly like the "musical jam" toward the end of the song.

"Freedom Train": While it isn't a perfect segue, "Let Love Rule" has a segue into "Freedom Train". Once "Freedom Train" begins, this incorporates a stronger Funk groove to it. Kravitz does incorporate more use of the saxophone on this track. I particularly like how Kravitz slightly uses the electric guitars. Overall a good track and despite the "rough" segue, it sounds great following "Let Love Rule".

"My Precious Love": This song has a 1960s R&B feel to it. While you can draw some analogies to Prince delivering a similar style with the vocals, this song almost sounds like a "male version" of Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman". Kravitz once again shines on this track.

"I Build This Garden For Us": This song incorporates a psychedelic feel to it. This is also something that has been seen in the "Minneapolis Sound". I found this to be the best track on the collection as Kravitz pulls this off flawlessly. The string arrangements almost have a Beatles feel to it. Once again, Kravitz makes some "subtle" use of the electric guitars, but most importantly he shines on the vocals.

"Fear": This song also has a psychedelic feel to it. This song was co-written by Kravitz's ex-wife, Lisa Bonet. I liked the verses, but the chorus didn't "hook" me like a good chorus should.

"Does Anybody Out There Even Care": This track incorporates a lot of good elements by Kravitz. You will hear the song start out with a soft R&B feel followed by the heavier electric guitar work on the chorus. The second verse actually takes on more of the 1960s R&B feel to it. Finally the latter verses incorporate some of the Funk elements. Overall this was a tough song to classify, but it demonstrates the versatility of Kravitz.

"Mr Cab Driver": Next to "I Build This Garden For Us", this is the next best song. This song deals with an experience that Kravitz had with a cab driver and incorporates the theme of racism. Overall, Kravitz brings elements of realism to the experience he had. Perhaps the song's most interesting element is the outstanding bass line that is heard throughout most of the song. Kravitz also makes use of the electric guitars effectively and once again incorporates the saxophone very well.

"Rosemary": This is another song that Kravitz co-wrote with Bonet. This song goes back to the acoustic feel heard on the opening track. On this song, we hear something not normally heard on "official Minneapolis Sound" artists - a harmonica. .

"Be": Terrific track. This song has more of a soft R&B feel. Kravitz delivers very passionate vocals on this track. This song also uses some terrific string arrangements.

"Blues For Sister Someone": This song also has a psychedelic feel to it. Not a bad song, but didn't have me doing handstands.

"Empty Hands": This is another great song. Kravitz creates a "Western" feel to the song with both his vocals and the acoustic guitar. This was a very enjoyable track.

"Flower Child": Despite the name and references, this song doesn't have a psychedelic feel until the end of the song - when it reminds me of the Beatles "The End". Another enjoyable track.

The liner notes include the lyrics. Overall this song continues and expands the legacy started by the "Minneapolis Sound" in the 1980s and establishes a terrific foundation for Kravitz's own career. Highly recommended.

Now I don't have any of Lenny's album's past '5', and I have all of them up to that point, except Circus. But, based on that I'd have to say this is my favorite album by him. I got this like 9 years ago and the CD is still in 50 -disk CD changer. Other ones come and go but this one always stay. I'm reviewing it right now because it actually just came around on my stereo again. This CD doesn't have fancy funky bass or good electronica like the newer Lenny. It has raw Lenny with feeling. The tracks just never get old. The lyrics to all the songs have a very hippy progressive fight the power feel to them and when Lenny sings them, he puts just the right emotion into them. The slower songs are very soulful and the faster songs are exciting, but still keep their meaning & strong feeling. This is indeed an album in the true sense of the word. Every song is worth the random play. If you get one album from him, this is the one you should have.

I like this debut by Lenny Kravitz, this album could have been released in the early 70's instead of 1989. From the Dylan-like "sitting on top of the world" he wears his influences very well and at times surpasses them on the Stax -like "my pericous love" with its great piano/organ solo. Lenny would get better and find his own sound and usher in the Neosoul age from which Lauryn Hill, D'angleo, and other black artists would emerge less than a decade later.

Lenny's debut is a mix of musical styles that are all enjoyable, but what really comes through is that attitude and talent of Mr. Kravitz.

It is this attitude and talent that will make Lenny a star and bring a string of outstanding musical releases as Mr. Kravitz becomes more and more focused.

Lenny's budding musical genius is obvious in this release!

On this 1989 debut the artist formerly known as 'Romeo Blue' showed the music world just how well he'd absorbed a myriad of influences and sounds and was a genius at stamping them with his own quirky ideals and twists. Melding 60's pop melodies(the brilliant title track along with "Freedom Train" and "Flower Child"), 70'style funk and wah-wah ("Fear") raw, stripped down rock a'la John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band ("Be" "Blues For Sister Someone") and punk vigor ("Mr. Cab Driver")this LP leaves no style unturned and is a joy from begining to end. He would only get better from here.

Need I say more? With great songs like Mr Cab Driver, Let Love Rule and one of the best songs ever written - Rosemary - you can just press 'PLAY', lean back and enjoy. Great music combined with really good lyrics makes this world top-10 CD.