Lenny Kravitz - Circus
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Free Music Notes for Circus
Free Music Review: Rock N Roll Is Dead?
Hit: 3 Stars
There were probably a lot of critics and music fans who were waiting in the 90's to give Lenny Kravitz a hard time for the things they DID'NT like about him. There was his mimickry and lack of originality for starters but mostly the fact he took his music career seriously. All of this criticism had it's effect on Kravitz by this time and on this album he penned a series of very dark hued songs,full of distorted blues riffs and the flavors of Hendrix in a dreary state of mind. "Rock N Roll Is Dead" says it all;the guy is obviously tiring from all of the hype,positive and (usually) negative that surrounded him and was trying to exhaust a specific sound so,once people lost interest he could move onto something different. As we'd see that would meet with mixed results but overall,most of the songs on this album are built around similar style structures,with little variation in the pieces which was more common on earlier (and more varied) albums like the excellent Mama Said. In addition to the reoccuring themes of fatique and paranoia there is also a pronounced religious flavor to the point where there's even a song called "God Is Love". There are two songs here that point to a possible different direction for this album. The ferocious rocking funk of "Tunnel Vision" is a groove that really pointed to something good but,it sadly ends before it can quite work into ones subconcious. "Don't Go And Put A Bullet In Your Head" is among the darkest songs here as it focuses on economic hopelessness and thoughts of suicide but,at the same time it has this warm folksy soul kind of rhythm where that same darkness actually works to make the music of the song stronger. Has these been the primary musical focus of the album and it had gone from there it might've been really good. Through most of it though he just seems to be going through the motions of his retro psychedelic blues-rock. He had all the stuff to make it,perhaps even on the funkier end:a strong sense of groove,the voice and most importantly that ability to take important (and often tragic) human issues and spin positive concepts off of them to offer hope. In this case all of this shone through but sadly wasn't channeled through the best kind of material to make it among his strong efforts.Free Music Review: INTRESTING...
Hit: 3 Stars
Of all of Lenny Kravitz' six studio album,this one-1995's "Circus" was the most shunned-critically and commerically(it's his only album-excluding last year's "Lenny"-to not hit the million mark).It's not wonder why.This is the same guy who made joyous,"retro" gems such as "Let Love Rule","Stand By My Woman","It Ain't Over Till It's Over",and "Are You Gonna Go My Way".Then he turns around(in the public's eye) and makes dark
songs such as the uneven opener "Rock N Roll Is Dead" and "Don't Go And Put A Bullet In Your Head".They both had some dark,un-Lenny videos too.And "Circus" has a lot of curious religious references("Magdelene","God Is Love") which makes you go hmmm...
But it's not hard to tell why fans would be baffled with "Circus".By 1995,the then dreadlocked dyamno's life was falling apart.The grueling tour schudeles,his failed marriage to the beautiful actress Lisa Bonet,and most tragically,his mother
(Roxie Roker of "The Jeffersons")'s unfournate passing and his pain,confusion,anger,and remorse explains the uneveness of this album.In his 1999 "Behind The Music" segment,Lenny even called this album "weird".
But there's still some decent stuff on here.The country-influenced "Can't Take You Off Of My Mind" and the funky "Tunnel
Vision" are enjoyable and less distrubing.
But yes,I found "Circus" very more intresting than good.
Every credible artist has a questionable album in their carrer and without a doubt "Circus" was Lenny Kravitz's.
Free Music Review: Not for the non-religious.
Hit: 3 Stars
Lenny Kravitz's fourth album is perhaps his weirdest. He had been revelling in the success of his last album 'Are You Gonna Go My Way?', but his life went downhill from there. He split up with his wife, and his mother had died from cancer. So in 1995 he released 'Circus'.The only word to describe this album is 'weird'. The emotional balance changes throughout the album. The excellent 'Rock And Roll Is Dead' kicks off the album in style, all instruments played by Lenny. The dark and broody title track follows, and despite it's depressing sound, is well produced.
'Can't Get You Off My Mind' is one of Lenny's finest ballards, it's smooth playing and raw emotion equalling 'Stand By My Woman'. But a few of the songs take at least 5 listens to get used to them. 'Beyond The 7th Sky' and 'Tunnel Vision' are the best examples with the former being a rough edged rock track and the latter being a James Brown inspired funk track. 'Magadelene', 'Don't Go And Put A Bullet In Your Head' and 'In My Life Today' are just filler to me. 'Thin Ice' and 'The Resurrection' are half decent tracks but 'God Is Love' put me right off.
The religious content might be a bit too much for the average music fan but I feel that the album was better than '5', his pathetic sell out album to his fans. If you are a die hard Kravitz fan, I feel that you may have mixed emotions if you buy this.
Free Music Review: Sad Circus
Hit: 3 Stars
After the major success of Are You Gonna Go My Way, Lenny Kravitz should have been on top of the world. Instead, his world was crumbling around him. His marriage to Lisa Bonet was crumbling away and his beloved mother, Roxie Roker, was seriously ill. Circus takes on a dark tone throughout the album. The album opens up with the ominous "Rock & Roll Is Dead" and other dark tales like "Don't Go & Put A Bullet In Your Head", "Thin Ice", "Tunnel Vision" and "Can't Get You Off My Mind" permeate the album. Also, faced with his mother's sickness, he searches for spiritual answers in songs like "God Is Love", "Resurrection", "Beyond The 7th Sky" and "In My Life Today". Mr. Kravitz's heart doesn't seem to be in this album and sags from time to time. still the album became his first top ten album debuting and peaking at number ten.Free Music Review: The Circus Was Never Like This
Hit: 3 Stars
I had very high hopes for this album before I bought it. I was very excited after Are You Gonna Go My Way and was looking forward to Circus. I fell in Love with Rock And Roll Is Dead. I liked the title track as well. But the middle 6 or 7 tracks left much to be desired. The Last 2 tracks (In My Life Today and The Resurrection) blew my mind. He blends his spiritual beliefs with his masterful knowledge of lyrics and musical themes so well it almost brought a tear to my eye the first time. Non Kravitz fans may not like this album because it is not the trademark signature Kravitz of Let Love Rule or Are You Gonna Go My Way. This is a nice album, don't get me wrong, but if you're not a serious fan, don't expect to be wowed.