Track Listing

1. Minister of Rock 'n' Roll
2. I Don't Want To Be a Star
3. Lady
4. Calling All Angels
5. California
6. Sistamamalover
7. Where Are We Runnin'?
8. Baptized
9. Flash
10. What Did I Do With My Life?
11. Storm
12. The Other Side
13. Destiny

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22347 in Music
• Released on: 2004-05-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
UK reissue reissue combines the retro rocker's 2004 & 2001 albums, packaged together in a clam shell box. CCCD. EMI. 2004.

Amazon.com
On Baptism, his seventh album, Lenny Kravitz writes, arranges, performs, and produces every track. The trouble with working alone is that there's little quality control; some of the songs here really could have benefited from a bit of that. Not to say that Baptism is a complete dud of an album, indeed, the worst thing about it is its awful cover. "California" has a catchy, power-pop bounce that's actually reminiscent of Fountains of Wayne, with its fuzzy guitars and handclaps, as well as its un-Kravitz-like short running time (just over two-and-a-half minutes). But then "Sistamamalover" veers deep into Prince territory, with a groove that's too contrived, too dull, and too long. And there's some of the self-indulgence of a satisfied, middle-aged rocker apparent on "Minister of Rock & Roll" and "I Don't Want to Be a Star" (it's easy to sing about wanting only "a Chevy and an old guitar" when you're living in a massive mansion). The best tracks are the most straightforward, fun ones: the aforementioned "California," the ZZ Top-inspired "Where Are We Runnin'?" and the Stones-sounding "Flash." Kravitz should loosen up more and leave the angst to the teenagers. --Robert Burrow

Customer Reviews

I love it!
I had all but given up on Lenny Kravitz after Circus. I just happened to listen to this album on Rhapsody and fell in love with it. It is the Best Lenny Kravitz album since Mama Said. Thanks Lenny, for actually playing some nice rock music!

Good, not great.
I picked this album up used at a record store for $6, and I think it's well worth it. I'd only heard "Lady" (pretty good) and "Where are we Runnin'?" (great), so I thought I'd get it. I like the album for about half the songs. I appreciate that Lenny does slow songs, but 6 out of 13 songs? I don't even find them very good slow songs. If they were good slow songs, I'd give this CD 5 stars, but no. The fast songs are really good, so why aren't the rest like that?

1. Minister of Rock 'N' Roll: 9.5/10 Perfect way to start the album.
2. I Don't Want To Be a Star: 7/10 I don't like his whiny voice in the intro and chorus, but the verses are good.
3. Lady: 8/10 Too long, and repetitive, but the solo is cool.
4. Calling All Angels: 5/10 Ugh. Slow, boring, lame lyrics, too long, etc. Skip this track.
5. California: 9/10 Fun song, good tune to dance to.
6. Sistamamalover: 9/10: Nice funky feel to the song, but odd lyrics.
7. Where Are We Runnin'?: 10/10 Awesome. Heavy bass, heavy guitar, good verses.
8. Baptized: 7/10 Bad verses, good chorus.
9. Flash: 9.5/10 I love this song. Again, odd lyrics, but good.
10. What Did I Do With My Life?: 7/10 Lenny sounds like Elvis Costello in this song. But it doesn't help.
11. Storm: 9/10 Another funky song, but this has Jay-Z, so it's even better.
12. The Other Side: 6.5/10 Wow. This sounds just like all the other piano ballads on this album.
13. Destiny: 6.5/10 Sub-par defines this song. Lenny with an acoustic guitar and a falsetto. Almost worse than it sounds.

Overall: 103/130=79%, hence the 4 stars. If you like Kravitz, pick this up used.

So So
First of all, Im a huge Kravitz fan, I have all his albums ooops, did I say that, I meant cds. I love his throwback, late 60's-7o's funky/rock/soul style. But I am sad to say that Baptism did not impress me that much, like his earlier stuff did. Sure, there are a couple of songs I dig on Baptism, but as a whole, I have to say I dont like it all. I like Sistamammalover, and R and R Minister. That Angel song bored me to death. I had to skip it and go to the next song, because the first time I was listening to it, I was driving, and almost fell asleep. Baptism is not his best. Come on Lenny, get back to that funky/soulful stuff you do so well...