That's what Lenny is. He is one of the few truly gifted artist in the music industry today. He has a unique ability to produce different types of music. Rock, pop, R&B, and 70's funk. He also has an excellent voice, which he displays through the entire album. But that's not where his talents end. He also plays a mean guitar. His lyrics have meaning and the ability to reach deep down. Thinking Of You is the most touching song you could imagine and Little Girls Eyes is beautiful. For the romantic you have I Belong To You, If You Can't Say No, and It's Your Life, all with funky beats. Live, Supersoulfighter, Fly Away, and American Woman have those hard hitting beats that drop like an A-Bomb. It's just a shame that he isn't receiving the recognition that he deserves. Since he has songs in every catagory, they should be given radio airtime accordingly.

Lenny Kravitz isn't exactly the type of stuff the average hip hop head grows up listening to. I grew up in a neghborhood where hip hop was king. Like I said before though, good music is good music regardless of what genre you're into. This album is no different. This was the first Lenny Kravitz CD I ever listened to because my college roommate used to shower to it all the time. So it eventually grew on me. Afterward, I went out and purchased a few of his other albums (except for Mama Said, which I stole from my dad's collection....if you're reading this, I'm sorry pops....and yeah, it was me, not Chris). Anyway, Lenny is a genius in my book. This is still my favorite Kravitz album out of all the ones I heard. Lenny brings back feelings from my childhood with this CD. It's refreshing in a time where everything is starting to sound the same. If you're like I once was and you think Lenny Kravitz is on some spaced out, bud smokin', left field, white boy isht that only geeks listened to.....then you thought wrong like I did. This album helped me open up to different stuff that I wouldn't have ever given a chance before. Now I don't judge before I listen. And this album played a large role in me becoming a more well rounded listener. This album is arguably a classic. If you haven't heard it by now, give it a try. You'll love it.

Personal Favorites: Thinking Of You, It's Your Life (my favorite), I Belong To You, Live, Fly Away, If You Can't Say No, & Straight Cold Player

I got stuck in a Hasting's music store while this album was playing, and it hurt. Lenny Kravitz has not had an original thought in his empty head thus far in his career, but his previous efforts were saved by red-hot guitar licks and the passion in his smooth voice. This latest album finds both those mitigating factors lacking, leaving us with only ripped-off funk riffs and brain-dead lyrics. I know that "Fly Away" was nominated for Grammys and MTV awards, and it still baffles me how it managed to become so popular. Dr. Seuss wrote better lyrics than this -- Kravitz recycles Sugar Ray's "Fly" and adds some horrible rhymes for good measure ("We'll sail up to the stars, the Milky Way, and even Mars, where it can just be us. . .") There's no substance to the song, not even a clever lack thereof -- even stupid songs like the PUSA's "Lump" at least had some good turns of phrase to savor. And the whole thing's topped off with a generic drum-machine beat. Not a keeper in the whole bunch -- and when you add his obscenely awful, leaden, pedestrian, sleep-walk through "American Woman" as a bonus track, things just get worse. Save your money and buy the real thing -- George Clinton, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, and the rest.

I own all of Lenny's cds and think this is a refreshing new directions for Lenny. I don't think that their is an artist that you can get to know through their music like Lenny Kravitz. His life and the events of his life are written and entwined in every cd he has made. 5 has songs on it that are deeply meaningful to Lenny and the way they are crafted shows. Thinking of you, written for his mother is a powerful and beatiful song that brought a lump in my throat when I first heard it. Little Girls Eyes about his daughter growing up too fast on him, which all parents can relate too, is a wonderful song. All of this aside he still throws out songs like fly away and live which rock. His catchy tunes like If you can't say no, shines on this cd. His version of American woman rocks the soul and if there has ever been a remake that flatters the original artist more I would like to know what it would be? Overall this is a new sound,new directions, new look (bye bye dregs) for lenny and works great without getting lost with who he is. Good job Lenny, you rock!

the other two being Let Love Rule and Mama Said. Get these three and you're set.
peace