Lenny Kravitz: Baptism

Reviewed by RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: *)

As with many a new CD, your copy of Mr Kravitz's seventh album comes with all sorts of warnings about copyright control. Which is doubly amusing, given the red-carpet rocker's magpie tendencies get the better of him again on this dismal set of songs, most of which are the musical equivalent of botched taxidermy jobs - was that head meant to go on that body? What was it when it was alive?

Among the most amusing are I Don't Want To Be A Star and its lifting of All Along the Watchtower, and Sistamamlover (hope he figures out which by closing time, huh?) with a sludgy groove which was surely Standing On Shakey Ground in a former life.

Then there's the adherence to the Kravitz lyrics-made-easy rhyme dictionary. Here's another possible reason Nicole Kidman departed his scene - the possibility he would play Lady ("I'm crazy for that lady/she's chic but she's not shady ... ") at any nuptials.

Just as amusing is the sheer desperation of Kravitz declaring himself the Minster of Rock'n'Roll - well he does live in Florida. Worse are the dollops of celebrity self-pity which render the aforementioned Star and What Did I Do With My Life? so very awful.

It's an album that makes being famous for being famous look like the more dignified option.

Label: Virgin/EMI