It Is Time for a Love Revolution by Lenny Kravitz
It Is Time for a Love Revolution is the eighth studio album by American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger Lenny Kravitz, released on February 5, 2008. It includes 14 original tracks, written, composed, arranged, performed and produced by Kravitz. The album received Kravitz's best reviews in years, with Rolling Stone awarding it three stars out of a possible five and suggesting that "As a blast back to the past, this is the best album Lenny Kravitz has ever made." Kravitz has planned to tour with the album's material for two years after the release, starting with a performance of two new songs on Times Square New Year's Eve show, hosted by Carson Daly. It debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling about 73,000 copies in its first week and becoming Kravitz's first US Top 5 album since 2000's Greatest Hits. As of January 2012, the album has sold approximately 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Lenny Kravitz has always been as much a rock historian as a rock performer. His albums pay homage to the past, featuring arrangements deliberately and directly lifted from classic rock and R&B influences that could never escape the notice of learned music fans. Not that he’s ever tried to disguise his fixations. He’s proudly held to his values and yet kept his sound contemporary. 2008’s <i>Love Revolution</i> is no exception. Kravitz’s lead guitar tones are pure ‘70s guitar hero. His funk grooves lift from Led Zeppelin (“Will You Marry Me”), David Bowie (“Dancin’ Til Dawn”) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Love Love Love”). His lyrics tend towards simple, easy rhymes, even when projecting onto bigger themes, such as the Iraq-inspired “Back In Vietnam,” but his expert musical craftsmanship keeps things sharp. (The guitar work on “If You Want It” is exemplary.) Kravitz’s flair for making each move larger than life means even his ballads possess an epic quality. “A Long and Sad Goodbye” is a seven-minute tribute to his father. “A New Door” uses piano and strings for great dramatic effect, as Kravitz turns on the lite-FM syrup.
