Lenny Kravitz – ‘Mama Said’ [Retro Album Review]

A collision of ‘60s-birthed psychedelia and ‘70s-inspired soul, the self-produced sophomore set by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lenny Kravitz breathed the last gasp of rock and roll glory just before its untimely death — a real rock record, from the music down to its Jimi-meets-Janis cover. In fact, it was so authentic, you actually could feel a pair of skin-tight, velvet thrift store bell bottoms snugging all up around your junk as the distinctive fragrance of Nag Champa billowed from your hi-fi. And 30 years following its April 2nd, 1991 release, Mama Said remains a vital snapshot of the groovy, pre-grunge era. An appealing palette possessing an array of colors, the 14-track collection was (and still is) a significant record for the very reasons many critics dismissed it —...