The very best of ... Lenny Kravitz?

Greatest Hits, Lenny Kravitz; Virgin Records

By Gautam Baksi

Daily Arts Writer

It's easy to see why critics say Lenny Kravitz's music lacks consistency. From his Velvet Underground-meets-the-Beatles impersonations to his falsetto Prince ballads to his Guess Who covers, Kravitz has been searching his soul for a sound to call his own. But over his 11-year career, Kravitz has churned out numerous hits introducing a younger generation to the sounds of the Sixties and Seventies. His Greatest Hits compilation highlights the best in his career, leaving the listener anxious for the next decade of songs from the talented young artist.

Songs evenly span all five of his albums, mixing TRL hits "Fly Away" and "American Woman" with material from his early days like "Let Love Rule" (ala John Lennon) Kravitz carefully includes all of his top Billboard hits, ensuring the post-"Are You Gonna Go My Way" fans recognize at least six tracks off the album. Devoted fans will appreciate the inclusion of a wide variety of Kravitz's oft-overlooked soft ballads, dominating almost half of the album. The only real unnecessary addition to the CD is "Rock and Roll is Dead" taken from the weak "Circus" album. However, "Again," a previously unreleased studio track, more than makes up for the mistake.

Overall, Greatest Hits admirably highlights Lenny Kravitz's incredible musical versatility. From track one to 15, the CD jumps from genre to genre, changing styles nearly every four minutes.

However, the end result is still an exciting album that occupies the listener's interest in its entirety.

Grade: B+