Lenny Kravitz: Black and White America (2LP, indie exclusive) [RHINO]

Why you'll love it

This indie exclusive 2LP set spreads all 16 songs across four sides. The album went to No. 1 in Germany and Switzerland, and it spun off six singles, from "Come On Get It" to "Superlove."

This edition

• 2LP set
• Indie exclusive

About the album

Some people go to the Bahamas to switch off. Lenny Kravitz went to Eleuthera and came back with 16 songs. He recorded Black and White America between 2009 and 2011 at Gregory Town Sound and Studio Noir on the island, playing most of the instruments himself and producing the lot, his first album for Roadrunner and Atlantic through the Loud & Proud partnership.

The groove-heavy "Come On Get It" landed in an NBA commercial before the album was even out, and "Stand" is pure sunny uplift. Jay-Z and DJ Military pop up on "Boongie Drop," Drake joins him on "Sunflower," and Trombone Shorty adds brass to the party, while "Rock Star City Life" brings the arena swagger. George Laks adds keyboards. Longtime partner Craig Ross is on guitar, with Harold Todd and Michael Hunter on horns, and Kravitz's father Sy took the cover photo.

It's Kravitz in full soul, funk and rock mode, the throwback swagger polished for the 2010s. Art director Mathieu Bitton is credited with design, photography and handclaps, which is the kind of job description we'd quite like on our own business cards.

Also at Kops: more Lenny Kravitz on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Roadrunner / Rhino (cat# R1 177041 / 081227809430), a reissue of the 2011 album.