Lenny Kravitz

To coincide with Lenny Kravitz’ upcoming US tour, he has offered a free “Black and White America” mixtape courtesy of Giant Step.  The mixtape will be offered for a limited time only, so click here and download an mp3 of the “Black and White America” mixtape.

Tracklist

Side 1: Come On Get It Everything (RedTop Re-edit), Stand (Count De Money Re-edit), In The Black, Rock Star City Life (RedTop Re-edit), Sunflower featuring Drake (RedTop and Tony Sap Re-edit)
Side 2: Superlove (RedTop Re-edit), Life Ain’t Ever Been Better Than It Is Now (Angelo Pepe Skordos Re-Edit), Boongie Drop featuring Jay Z and DJ Military (RedTop Re-edit), Liquid Jesus,  I Can’t Be Without You (Craig C. Re-edit), Black & White America, Looking Back On Love

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2011 was a better than normal year for good tunes.  In no particular order, here’s a list of 21 songs that made my world a lot groovier.  I don’t think that all of the tracks were released as singles, and if they were, many of these gems were probably not played in a mainstream way (like the radio).  That’s sad, especially when over-produced pop songs that sound good on ONE LISTEN ONLY are played ad nauseum to the masses while they open their mouths wide for something to suck on.

Jack White

“Love is Blindness” by Jack White.  This came out of nowhere!  For the 20 year *gulp* anniversary of U2′s epic album “Achtung Baby,” UK Magazine Q enlisted a ton of A-Listers to cover the entire record.  The whole thing is great and features the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Garbage, Depeche Mode, The Killers, Glasvegas and Patti Smith, who all newly recorded covers for this collection.  Jack White’s cover of the final track “Love Is Blindness” is so freakin’ amazing, the first time I heard it, I knew it was immediately on this list.  It’s gut wrenching and though I already loved the original version, this version is even more emotional.

Lenny Kravitz

“Superlove” by Lenny Kravitz.  I am a big Lenny Kravitz fan and I’ve been really disappointed with his last 3 studio albums.  So much of his newer material sounds really uninspired, unfortunately.  However, when you hear a track like the 70’s laid back jam “Superlove,” it just proves that Lenny still has “IT.”  Also great from Lenny in 2011 is the funky as hell track “Come On Get It.”

Alex Frankel of Holy Ghost!

“Hold My Breath” by Holy Ghost! I actually like every song on Holy Ghost!’s self-titled debut album, but looking at my iPod stats, this is the song that I listened to the most (aside from “Do It Again,” but that song technically came out in 2010).   Holy Ghost! Recently offered a free download of their cover of Ministry’s “I Wanted To Tell Her,” and it’s amazing!   Search the archives and download it for a limited time!

Christopher Owens of Girls

“Vomit” by Girls.  This is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.  In case you have not heard the song, it has nothing to do with puking, but it’s a gut wrenching song.  Chris Owens’ vocals are so vulnerable as he sings about looking for love.  The song has a nice build up and the climactic ending features backing vocals that would make Pink Floyd proud.  When Owens sings the final lines “Come into my heart,” you will want to beat up the person that broke his heart!  I highly recommend the entire record “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” as it’s epic from start to finish.

Duran Duran

“The Man Who Stole A Leopard” by Duran Duran.  Ever wonder what “classic era” Duran Duran would sound like in 2011?  Just pick up their album “All You Need Is Now” to find out the answer!  Mark Ronson, a huge Duran Duran fan, produced their new record and he suggested that Duran Duran don’t try to sound like anyone else – except themselves.  The result is one of their best albums ever and “The Man Who Stole A Leopard” to me sounds like it could be “The Chauffeur 2011.”

Jonny Pierce of The Drums

“If He Likes It Let Him Do It” by The Drums.  This song has a little bit of everything.  It’s got some rock, surf, pop and dance elements to it and the chorus (which features the title of the song) is hauntingly catchy.  I’ve read that The Drums will be taking a dancier direction for their next record (hopefully a’la Jonny Pierce’s other band Elkand), and I am very excited to hear it.

Thom Yorke

“Lotus Flower” by Radiohead.  Finally a band who knows how to get Lotus Flower right!  This song is an uncommonly catchy Radiohead track.  It didn’t help matters when the video was released and it shows front man Thom Yorke living in the moment and dancing like the world is about to end.  Every time I hear that song now, I can’t help but do the “Lotus Flower” dance.  It’s extra fun when I am in a crowded subway.

Lana Del Rey

“Blue Jeans (Penguin Prison Remix)” by Lana Del Rey.  This is a rare case when the remix is better than the original song.  The album version has a “noir” feel to it and this version is a club banger!  Lana Del Rey recently debuted many songs in concert from her 2012 release “Born To Die,” and I have a feeling she’s going to be a big star.  Put her on your radar now!

Chris Glover of Penguin Prison

“Don’t Fuck With My Money” by Penguin Prison.  Speaking of Penguin Prison, I of course love every song on their debut record, but I’ve listened to the opening track more than all the others. I don’t see how a person wouldn’t fall in love with this song immediately because it’s catchy as hell, just like every song on the album.  I am not even saying these kind things because I appear in the music video for this song, but I can say, that is definitely a highlight of the year too!

Chris Martin of Coldplay

“Up In Flames” by Coldplay.  I appreciate that Coldplay decided to go against the grain and make a pop record for 2011’s “Mylo Xyloto,” but overall, I am not digging the album too much.  I do like the song “Up In Flames” though a lot.  It’s your typical Coldplay ballad, which is one of the reasons I fell in love with them in the first place.

Hanni El Khatib

“Come Alive” by Hanni El Khatib.  Hanni El Khatib’s music has a little bit of everything – blues, soul, garage, doo-wop and punk.  I’ve seen him in concert many times and this track is one of my favorites to see performed live. I hope that one day Hanni El Khatib will release a live album because the studio versions of his songs sound a little bit too polished as compared to the raw intensity of his performance.

Friendly Fires

“Hurting” by Friendly Fires.  Disco!  I love this song!  Over the course of this year, I’ve gone through obsessions with this song where I listened to it over and over and over again.  It was just released as a single, which is great news!  Now the rest of the world can enjoy it as much as I have.

Adele

“Rolling In The Deep” by Adele.  This song was played to death, but I will say one thing – I have never gotten sick of it.  The song is just epic in every way.  From Adele’s amazing voice to the torch song music, the track is flawless.  She sings “We could have had it all,” but this song is proof that she HAS it all!  I find some of her music to be a bit snoozy, but this song is one I can listen to on repeat (and I have) and it’s great and more powerful with every listen.

Katy B

“Why You Always Here” by Katy B.  British newcomer Katy B has made a great dance record with her debut “On A Mission.”  It’s a perfect album to listen to before you go out clubbing for the night.  It was hard to pick a favorite song on the record, but once again, I let my iPod be my guide and I listened to this track the most, edging out “ Hard to Get” and “Lights On.”  As of press time, Katy B. is not that popular in the USA yet, so people – discover her music!  You’ll like it!

Philip Oakey of Human League

“Night People” by Human League.  Just when you thought Human League had dropped off the face of the earth, they returned with the 2011 album “Credo.”  The album has its moments, but one of the best ones is the extremely dancey “Night People.”  The melody and lyrics are very catchy and you’ll know exactly what they are talking about when they sing “There is a place that only the night people know.”

Lindsey Buckingham

“In Our Own Time” by Lindsey Buckingham.  Lindsey Buckingham just gets better with age.  On his latest album “Seeds We Sow,” the songs range from reflective ballads to the rockin’ anthem “In Our Own Time,” which assets, “It wouldn’t make any difference.  We crossed the line.  From the fire we will rise again.  In our own time.”  It’s such an empowering anthem!  It was a toss up between this song and “Stars Are Crazy,” which is a reflective look at questioning yourself.

Madeline Follin of Cults

“Abducted” by Cults. I love Cults.  Their music is dreamy pop that recalls the Mamas and Papas crossed with a 50′s soul sound.  “Abducted” starts off with just guitars and when the beat kicks in, it’s a party for your ears.  This song is responsible for many great work outs I’ve had and grooving my ass off while straightening up my apartment.  Thanks Cults!

Elizabeth Harper of Class Actress

“Keep You” by Class Actress.  Class Actress works it!  Their music has deep, lush dance beats that fall sonically somewhere between New Order and Madonna.  When you hear Class Actress’ music, you’ll want to set up some strobe lights, set up the smoke machine and dance like nobody’s looking.  I’ve done it and, let me tell you – a highly recommended experience!

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine

“Breaking Down” by Florence and the Machine.  I really like this song!  It sounds like it belongs in a movie soundtrack as it is quirky and whimsical, but the lyrics are about having a meltdown and falling apart.  Florence is massively entertaining in concert and I look forward to seeing her perform her new album “Ceremonials” live.

Fitz and the Tantrums

“Moneygrabber” by Fitz and the Tantrums.  Fitz and the Tantrums have had quite a year.  They began 2011 by playing small venues and before the end of the year, they blew up and are playing to much larger audiences.  Their song “Moneygrabber” was offered as a free download at the beginning of the year and I grabbed it!  The song is soulful and has a full band sound which makes me appreciate real music by real musicians in an era of bedroom assembled recordings.

Morris Day of the Original 7ven

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This video is unlisted because the record labels have suddenly decided that youtube videos are killing the music business.  Since some of those people read this site, let me tell you that repackaging an album that all the fans already bought with one new song on it; the incompetent record execs who know nothing about music and are concerned only with the bottom line, incompetent PR people who give out all the perks to the “major websites” and then write terrible or no content on the event; charging 10 dollars for digital files that cost you pennies or less to upload and not getting in bed with technology before you got out-geeked is what killed the music business.

With that being said, here’s an amazing performance by the always amazing Lenny Kravitz, that you can only see here on According2g.com!  Thanks for your patronage.  When we say exclusive on this site, we actually know the definition of the word, so we mean it!

August 31, 2011.  “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”  Terminal 5.  New York.  Lenny!

Press play…

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Lenny Kravitz and Geoffrey Dicker

 I don’t even know where to begin.  I will start with saying that I’ve been a fan of Lenny Kravitz since his debut album “Let Love Rule” came out in 1989. Over the years, every time he released a new album, I listened to it on repeat for months.  His music has meant so much to my life and I’ve always appreciated his positive lyrics and his seamless mixture of funk, rock and soul.  I’ve had many milestones in my life with Lenny providing the soundtrack.  For example, I remember leaving my college university for the last time while listening to the new (at that time) song “Fly Away” and it’s memories like this that I’ve held onto even though I am not the most sentimental person.  I’ve seen him in concert many times since then Lenny Kravitz has also provided me one of the most memorable concert experiences I’ve ever had.  I met him in Los Angeles when his album “Circus” was new.  I asked Lenny before that concert if he ever played the album track “The Resurrection” because it was my favorite song on the album.  Lenny advised that they didn’t really play it too often and that night, he opened the show with that song!  I’ve been grateful about that moment 15 years on.

It’s been about a decade since I’ve met Lenny Kravitz and in that time, he went from being an indie star to an international rock star.  I was beyond happy to see that Lenny is still really cool.  To be perfectly honest, when Lenny was standing inches from me, all these great memories (and many more that are not mentioned here) came flooding into my head all at once and as you can see from the look on my face, it was a combination of ecstasy, gratefulness and disbelief.  I cannot thank Lenny enough, both for this photo as well as all the joy he’s brought to my life.  I know I speak on behalf of Lenny’s faithful legion of fans, so THANKS AGAIN LENNY!

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Lenny Kravitz

The only thing better than Lenny Kravitz releasing a new album this week – “Black and White America” – is Lenny Kravitz releasing a new album this week AND playing a free show at New York’s Terminal 5 on August 31, 2011 to celebrate.  The show was part of the Samsung Summer Krush concert series and it rocked!  Lenny Kravitz looks and sounds amazing.  He does not look like he’s aged a day since his career began in the late 80s and his voice sounds as great as ever.  I’ve seen Lenny in concert a lot and I don’t think you can really leave one of his shows disappointed.  His fans are great as they really seem to take the words “Let Love Rule” to heart and everyone is cool so it makes the concert-going experience even better.  I ran into Grammy-nominated art director, my “Ultimate Prince” partner in crime and the man responsible for directing the exclusive videos that are posted on Lenny’s official site, Mathieu Bitton, at the concert and it looks like a lot of great footage will be gained on Lenny Kravitz’ upcoming European tour.

Lenny

Lenny opened the show with my favorite track off “Black and White America,” the extremely funky “Come On Get It.”  The hits kept on coming after that with “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over” and “Mr. Cab Driver.”  Before the end of the night, “American Woman,” “Fly Away” and “Are You Gonna Go My Way” were played and the audience lost their minds!  No show would be complete without Lenny spreading the love during “Let Love Rule” as the audience participated in a chills inducing sing-a-long and Lenny Kravitz also walked into the crowd.  That ruled!

Lenny Kravitz and Craig Ross

I was fortunate enough to be front row center seeing Lenny up close and personal for 2 hours and it made me think about how much his music has meant to my life (and all of our lives, for that matter).  His words have always been inspirational and full of love while giving us rock, funk and soul all at the same time!  Thanks Lenny!

As always his band was great. Craig Ross (pictured above) absolutely tears it up on guitar and music fans will know a few of Lenny’s personnel including long time David Bowie bassist Gail Ann Dorsey and No Doubt’s horn player Gabriel McNair.

Gabriel McNair center, Gail Ann Dorsey on Bass

The band jammed at the end of “Always on the Run” and the players got to show off their skills while funkin’ the audience up with a groove you never wanted to end.  A few new songs were played off the new album including the title track “Black and White America,” “Come on Get It,” “Everything” and the new single “Stand.”

Lenny!

I possibly had the ultimate fan experience as I met Lenny as well, but that’s a story for another time – so stay tuned.  A video from the show will be up next week as well so don’t miss it (I was in the front row so imagine how amazing that’s going to be).  Lenny Kravitz is about to embark on a European tour, so if you’ve never seen him live, you should check him out and if you are a Lenny fanatic, you’ll love it as well.

The setlist was:

Come on Get It / It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over / Mr. Cab Driver / Black and White America / American Woman / Always on The Run + Extended Jam / Stand / Where Are We Running / Everything / Fly Away / Are You Gonna Go My Way

Encore: Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz - "Black and White America" - out now!

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