Lenny recorded his debut album almost single-handedly, playing all of the drums, guitars and vocals, with a few guest musicians overdubbing other instruments.
He had slowly been building his artistic chops, learning various musical instruments, performing in the California Boys Choir, acting in commercials, and developing music under the moniker Romeo Blue. By the time he was ready to release the album, he had dropped his nom de plume and released the album as Lenny Kravitz.
Kravitz had been in the news around this time for eloping with then-partner Lisa Bonet, who was well known for her role in the Cosby Show. Not surprisingly she is the subject of songs on the album, and helped write a couple of them.
The ingredients for Kravitz's sound, though it has changed a little throughout the years, are laid out here. Soulful rock vocals, Beatles-esque backing vocals, funky Hendrix-style guitar, Ringo-style drumming. It's pretty well laid out in the song that I knew best here before listening through the album "I Build this Garden for us".
This album features some horns and the odd ballad to mix things up. You could never call Kravitz the most original musician/composer ever, as his influences are worn very much on sleeve, but he still makes some enjoyable music.
