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Lenny Kravitz, Baptism
The Gospel According To Lenny

Producer: Lenny Kravitz
Label: Virgin Records

Reviewed by William Miller

No matter how much critics complain Lenny Kravitz never strays beyond his classic rock style, the dude will be forever trapped in the seventies reading his old copies of Rolling Stone. So since all of Kravitz' oeuvre is made up of the same Hendrix/Beatles/Seventies Soul pastiches, what elevates one particular album above the rest is the quality of the tunes themselves. 1993's Are You Gonna Go My Way - especially the title song, "Believe", and "Isn't There Any Love In Your Heart"- still remains his most deft collection of songs. Unfortunately, Baptism, his first new album in two years, doesn't come close. To be kind though, it does make for good driving music on a Saturday night.

It isn't necessarily that his melodies are the culprit, it's the trite lyrics that torpedo Baptism. Take the leadoff track "Minister of Rock N Roll" for instance. The song offers up some cool funk but hearing Lenny crooning, "I'm the Minister of Rock 'N Roll/ I can heal you/ I can save your soul/You better stop foolin' around" is almost unbearable. While echoing "Are You Gonna Go My Way" in content, it misses the sense by a mile. Along with "Calling All Angels", "Baptized", and the many instances of Lennonesque soul searching, there's a mock religious tone Lenny would have been wise to leave in the confessional as it undermines any sense of taking the guy seriously without giggling.

And that's another thing. How can you take someone seriously who sings "I don't want to be a star/Just want my Chevy and an old guitar" yet in the CD booklet sports a "too flamboyant for Little Richard" hairdo only a "star" could ever get away with. Never mind the fact that Lenny has made it abundantly clear he wants to be Jimi Hendrix, Curtis Mayfield, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, or any combination thereof. Never mind that he name drops Dylan and Jagger in the song. Never mind that he's dating Nicole Kidman! Oh, never mind.

Maybe I labeled Baptism good driving music because the sounds of your friends, the night, and the engine will obscure the lyrics leaving only the music to wash over you. In that capacity, you'll find the Gospel According To Lenny infinetely more palatable. Hallelujah.

Rating: (1 1/2 out of 4 stars)