Lenny Kravitz - It Is Time for a Love Revolution (2008)

EZ-livin’ faceless rock for dads under 40, courtesy of Lenny Kravitz, eternal favorite of the boxed-wine and Cracker Barrel circuit. I can’t seem to pinpoint the exact hatred I have for It Is Time for a Love Revolution - maybe it’s the bland title, or the brain-on-autopilot feeling I get when the horrendous ballads come marching in - but that feeling is the album’s only constant, unfortunately.

Playing Spot the Influence when listening to an album may be fun sometimes, but Kravitz makes the game tedious, calling forth the same basic elements to represent his ruff and tuff image. He’s a rockstar, decked out in the most obvious and recognized 70’s regalia (leather jacket, shades, sh*t eating grin) - until you lift the curtain. All you’re left with is an adult alternative hack over Pro-Tools approved rock and roll.

Love Revolution is so far off the mark you wonder where Kravitz was aiming in the first place.

Key tracks: NONE

Download It Is Time for a Love Revolution now.

Beach House - Devotion (2008)

Kinda-sorta hypnotizing display of Mazzy Star dream pop for the winter lover’s crowd. A warm reverb swallows the LP, allowing the prettier melodies to keep afloat amongst the morass of gentle but typical songcraft. Weirdo Beardos like Gary Higgins spin pastoral cottage folk-pop far better than mousy, bookish types - and with more sincerity. One can assume much work was put into the overall aesthetic, which sounds how the cover looks - sparse, wooden and (artificially) lit-up.

Key tracks: “Heart of Chambers,” “Wedding Bell”

Download Devotion now.