A collage of sounds and
styles, of hip-hop grooves and rock guitar, classic melody and 21st century
ambience, 5 is Lenny Kravitz at his most eclectic – and his best. Of the
record’s range, Lenny says, "Making this album, I felt like a kid with
a box of crayons.And I used all the colors."
An aesthetic chameleon ever
since his 1989 debut, Let Love Rule, Kravitz has never been comfortable
with borders, boxes, limitations. And with 5, a fascinating mix of old
and new, of vintage Lenny and Lenny-right-now, he’s again reinventing himself.
"The album took eight months, because I had to learn a whole new style
of recording," Kravitz says.
Lenny produced himself
– and enlisted the legendary Terry Manning as engineer (Al Green, ZZ Top,
Led Zeppelin, Staple Singers).
At the beginning of his career
Lenny was a pioneer of a return to basic recording, this time Kravitz
embraced
hi-tech, incorporating his own samples and loops into his trademark tube-amp,
down ‘n’ dirty recording approach. "No tape, this time," Lenny says,
"And ‘Digital’ used to be a dirty word for me. But by working instrument
by instrument, building up the sound, I was able to construct the record
like a puzzle. I was listening to a lot of New York hip-hop. I like
that technique – the sparseness, the groove, the rhythm."
As always, the multi-instrumentalist
plunged into marathon studio sessions, 16-hour days in New York and the
Bahamas crafting sounds. The result? Lenny’s fiercest, fullest music –
the vocals crisp and immediate, the instrumentation surprising (everything
from wah-wah guitar to mellotron and mini-moog to "green Heineken bottles"
as percussion). Craig Ross is again on hand, turning in hot guitar.
Lenny’s horn players Michael Hunter and Harold Todd are given space to
soar. Female back-up vocals (an unusual twist for Kravitz) add elegance
and heart. And Lenny’s own work – playing all the instruments – is
more fluid than ever. "Even before Let Love Rule, I was playing funk.
I’ve gone in different directions, too – and I’ll continue doing so, but
it was great to get back. It’s been two years since I was on stage
with the HORDE tour. And I haven’t made a record since Circus. So, even
though I’ve been making records professionally for nine years, this
time I’m making music again as if it’s my first album.No preconceptions.
No expectations. I’m just flowing. And it’s a blessing."
A child of two cultures,
Kravitz grew up half-Bahamian, half-Jewish in Manhattan and Brooklyn,
the son of TV producer Sy Kravitz and actress Roxie Roker (Helen on "The
Jeffersons"). Raised around music, he dug jazz and R&B in NYC; moving
to LA, he sang with the California Boys Choir and recorded with Zubin Mehta.
Hitting first with Let Love Rule, he followed up with the tougher Mama
Said (1991), the rocking Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993) and the kaleidoscopic
Circus (1995). Critics noted his originality and breadth of influences
(Hendrix to Lennon, gospel to funk). Crowds responded to his incendiary
live performances and demanded more. 5 honors that legacy – and extends
from it. Like so many of us as we grow older, Kravitz has experienced
loss in recent years, with the death of his mother. That loss has influenced
his music. "Thinking Of You" is one of his most beautiful efforts;
fittingly, it’s a tribute to his mother. He thrives on his own experiences
as a parent, and incorporates these emotions into creating music with renewed
energy and customary fire. "I love being in ‘Daddy mode,’" says Kravitz.
"Little Girl’s Eyes" evinces grace and tenderness. "That song was my daughter’s
ninth birthday present," says Kravitz. The track "Black Velveteen" was
inspired by recent news stories. "I was thinking about cloning and how
the future is now. The song’s about a virtual mate, a virtual companion."
The calypso-inflected "I Belong To You" showcases Kravitz’ melodic
flair. Of the witty and explosive track "Super Soul Fighter," Kravitz
says, "He’s like a comic-book character, going around spreading good
vibrations." "You’re My Flavor" and "It’s Your Life" reflects Lenny’s thoughts
about interracial couples. "That’s where I come from. Even these days,
there’s sometimes a stigma about it. And I was saying to two people
in love, ‘Don’t worry about the world. Be yourselves.’" The sweeping and
majestic "Take Time" is among Lenny’s own favorites. "I like the power
of it; it’s like time travelling back in history."
Now readying himself
for touring, while also taking time to produce new SONY/Work artist Cree
Summer and work on re-mixes for 5, Lenny Kravitz is doing what he’s always
done – 24 7, the man loves music. It’s his purpose and his joy. "Can We
Find A Reason," the album’s closer, in fact is all about purpose
– it was inspired by a CNN report Lenny saw about a young man "all
by himself, with a truck, cleaning up rivers in Mississippi." And, finally,
that’s what Lenny’s music has always been about – soul and fervor
and inspiration.
