Grade: D -
It appears that tribute albums can be filed under "good" or "very, very bad."
The Doors tribute, "Stoned Immaculate," is a classic example of success in this format. "The Tribute to Lenny Kravitz: an Eclectic Mix" is one that should be sent straight to the latter group.
The first, most apparent problem with this album deals with its purpose. Why does a Lenny Kravitz tribute even need to exist? Unlike the Jim Morrison-less Doors, Kravitz still performs and is likely to serve up the best versions of his songs.
Unfortunately, this collection of watered-down, reggae-tinged tracks doesn't make the grade regardless of who penned the tunes. The performers on the album, a single group of unknown musicians on every track, eschew Kravitz's guitar-driven rock arrangements for simple, bland vamps that never vary in intensity level or style, even between different songs. This makes one wonder what qualifies the album as an "eclectic mix."
At the very least, the album doesn't attempt to model the Kravitz tunes note for note. Any tribute album worth its salt provides interpretations of the originals, showing how the tunes evolve when performed by other musicians.
However, there is little else to celebrate about this turgid slew of rock foul-ups.
Perhaps the most irritating part of this record is the polished, over-produced vocals. Singers Chuck St. Troy and Kathryn Raio trade vocal control of the songs, occasionally joining in harmony.
The album becomes downright humorous when St. Troy sings overtly sensuous lyrics like "Black velveteen/supple and lean/the 21st century dream."
St. Troy, who sounds rather middle-aged and professionally trained as a singer, is totally unable to capture the feeling behind Kravitz's sometimes-streetwise lyrics. Picture, if you can, Tony Bennett performing a set of covers by defunct alternative/ska-rockers Sublime, and this then removes any sense of irony.
It is also difficult to understand the motivation behind the inclusion of a tribute of Kravitz's own cover of the Guess Who's "American Woman." The musicians should take a cue from Kravitz himself, as he altered the original tune's arrangement and sound, yet was able to deliver it with some sense of believability.
"It Ain't Over 'Til it's Over" ends the album on an appropriately awful vibe. The re-done version eliminates any chance of soulful quality by employing a disco beat and running through the chords at twice the rate of the original.
The only application I can find for this tribute is for background music at a lame, lame cocktail party. But make sure the volume is turned low, because the overwhelming lack of musical value on this compilation should be apparent even to the heavily inebriated.
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