It Is Time for a Love Revolution

Lenny Kravitz

Virgin/EMI

Lenny Kravitz’s shameless lifting of classic-rock riffs dates back to his 1989 debut album, Let Love Rule. He does the same robbery routine on It’s Time for a Love Revolution (and again incorporates “love” into the title). It wouldn’t be so annoying if the retro rocker actually had something to say — or could express himself sans platitudes.

Kravitz carpet bombs the listener with clichés, over-singing like a slightly more masculine Celine Dion. The album contains so many crimes against the art of language that it should be mandatory listening for aspiring songwriters. Exhibit A: “I want to do this thing /I don’t want no drama mama /It’s love I bring” (“Will You Marry Me”). But at least that’s a feel-good love song, the kind listeners have come to expect a few Hallmark moments from.

Kravitz hits an embarrassing low, though, when he enters politics, displaying all the insight of a sophomore majoring in physical education. Apparently, no one informed the sexpot rock star that comparisons between the Iraq war and a certain Asian conflict of yesteryear have been beaten with greater thoroughness than the detainees at Guantanamo.

Titled “Back in Vietnam,” Kravitz’s plea for peace might be the first antiwar song that inspires devout pacifists to reconsider the merits of preemptive strikes, waterboarding and collateral damage. Lyrics don’t get much lamer than ham-fisted rhymes like: “We’re gonna fly over the world inside our giant eagle/ We do just what we want and don’t care if it’s illegal/ We’re on a horse that is high, we think we’re so damn regal.” If Kravitz could only shoehorn “beagle” in there, he might have a future career as the next Dr. Seuss. 1 star

This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2008.