Lenny Kravitz It Is Time For A Love Revolution CD

Lenny Kravitz has been working a soulful, hard-rock vibe since the early 1990s, drawing on Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Funkadelic, retro soul, psychedelic pop, and power balladry for inspiration. The results have made him one of the best-selling artists in the industry, and 2008's IT IS TIME FOR A LOVE REVOLUTION reminds listeners why. All overdriven guitars, slinky driving rhythms, and fist-pumping afro-charged flower-power mojo, LOVE REVOLUTION is quintessential Kravitz.

"Bring It On," a kick-down-the-doors rocker that recalls the feel of Kravitz's amped-up cover of the Guess Who's "American Woman," is a case in point. The artist wails over the thunderous main riff, a droning sitar, and a wall of drums and bass, inciting listeners to crank the stereo and wail on air guitar. Elsewhere, the ballad "I'll Be Waiting" alternates a tender piano-led verse with an anthemic singalong chorus. Kravitz may not be doing anything new, but he continues to push the right buttons with LOVE REVOLUTION.

Photographer: David Hindley.

Arranger: Lenny Kravitz.

Personnel: Lenny Kravitz (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, piano, harpsichord, Wurlitzer organ, Mellotron, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drums, congas, cowbells, tambourine, hand claps, background vocals); Lenny Kravitz (guitars, electric piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards, bass guitar, sound effects); Amy Kauffman (violin); Darrett Adkins (cello); Tony Breit (bass guitar); Craig Ross (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, hand claps); Anoushka Shankar (sitar); David Bowlin, Elizabeth Lim Dutton, Katie Kresek, Antoine Silverman, Kurt Nikkanen, Conway Kuo, Cornelius Dufallo (violin); Dov Scheindlin, Kenji Bunch , Liuh-Wen Ting (viola); Chris Gross , Michael Block (cello); Edison String Group (strings); Alexandra Knoll (oboe); Lenny Pickett (saxophone); Robert Carlisle, Stewart Rose (French horn); Tawatha Agee (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Lenny Kravitz; Henry Hirsch.

Rolling Stone (p.82) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] visceral, expertly tailored blend of late-Sixties and early-Seventies classic-rock paraphrases..."
Spin (p.94) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Kravitz's irony-free pastiches often satisfy like the best work of his rock and soul forebears..."
The Word (magazine) (p.104) - "[With] extravagant guitar solos and thick-and-fast drums....This is well polished, catchy stuff..."