Kravitz jives on new album '5'

Lenny Kravitz is a musical rarity. Not since Prince has anyone so successfully written, performed and produced his or her own albums singlehandedly.

Lenny is often criticized for sounding too much like some of his influences. But since 1989's "Let Love Rule," Lenny has never pretended to be anything other than himself. His songs of peace, love and hope coupled with funk rhythms and delicious rock licks on the album made him an immediate darling of critics and fans alike.

REVIEW
	Lenny Kravitz 5 Virgin Records 3 1/2 stars

1995's "Circus" was aptly named but a bit of a disappointment. It seemed Lenny had crossed the line between adoration of the past and the recreation of it. Nothing sounded original, and the songs were darker, more self-serving and religious.

Enter "5" to crush all doubts of Mr. Kravitz's creative integrity. The opener, "Live," is a funky rocker, much like his classic "Always On The Run." Instead of rehashing his work of the past, Lenny gives us songs like "Supersoulfighter" and "I Belong To You," which pay more homage to modern hip-hop and R & B than anything else. "Black Velveteen" even has an almost techno feel to it.

That's not to say that Lenny has abandoned his past. His ability to mix stark rockers like "Fly Away" and "It's Your Life" with slower, more introspective jams like "Take Time," "Can We Find A Reason" and "You're My Flavor" comes off more smoothly than ever.

The production on "5" is stellar, bringing out the unique and diverse instrumentation on the album. Lyrically, Lenny has returned to his old self, lending an overall positive vibe to the whole album. "5" doesn't really contain any surprises, but it's definitely the most interesting and solid Lenny album to date. Current fans will not be disappointed, and "5" is bound to gain Lenny a few more.

05-26-98