Lenny Kravitz: Let Love Rule: 20th Anniversary Edition

By: Ron Hart

“Too black for rock radio, too white for urban radio” was the albatross around the neck of Lenny Kravitz when he first burst onto the scene with his soulful voice and hippie wardrobe back in 1989. However, by refusing to fall in line with the demographics and blaze his own unique path of biracial sonic bliss, the son of late sitcom star Roxie Roker found the world catching up with his John Lennon-cum-Prince style in the 1990s, rendering him one of the most popular acts in the world with both rock and R&B fans for the last two decades. Time has been good to Let Love Rule, Kravitz’s moderately popular debut originally released in September of ’89. And the album’s flowery fusion of funk, rock and soul vibes has never sounded better as they do on EMI’s 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. In addition to a beautiful remastering job, this two-disc set adds some home demos of such key album cuts as the hit title tune and “Mr. Cab Driver” and an exceptional live radio broadcast from 1990. Let Love Rule remains high amongst Kravitz’s finest works, even 20 years later, especially that amazing title track, which really starts to cook once a young Karl Denson kicks out the finest sax solo of 1989.

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