Category: New Zealand

Lenny Kravitz and the album ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’

On March 9th, 1993, Lenny Kravitz’s third studio album was released into the world. The album Are You Gonna Go My Way reached number one in Australia and the United Kingdom, landing in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The album features album rock, alternative/indie rock, American trad rock, contemporary pop/rock, neo-psychedelia and rock & roll styles across eleven (11) songs.

(The cover art for Are You Gonna Go My Way, the third studio album by Lenny Kravitz).

Musicians contributing to the Are You Gonna Go My Way album included Lenny Kravitz on bass, chimes, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mellotron and vocals, Allen Whear on cello, Angie Stone on vocals, Carolyn Davis Fryer on double bass, Craig Ross on acoustic guitar and electric guitar, David Domanich on drums and electric guitar, Eric Delente on violin, Frank Murphy on cello, Gerry DeVeaux on vocals, Henry Hirsch on ARP synthesizer, bass, organ, piano, strings and Wurlitzer, Liuh-Wen Ting on viola, Michael “Ibo” Cooper on clavinet and Hammond organ, Michael Hunter on flugelhorn and French horn, Robert Lawrence on violin, Sarah Adams on viola, Soye Kim on violin and Tony Breit on bass.

Are You Gonna Go My Way opens the album of the same name as a song, as pointed out here, “about Jesus Christ, whom Lenny referred to as “the ultimate rock star.” It’s about how God gives choice to man about where to turn [spiritually].” The song, not released as a Billboard Hot 100 eligible single in the United States, plays hard and fast with an energy-filled hook that invites dancing. The song charted fourth in the United Kingdom and first in Australia. Lenny Kravitz wrote the song with Craig Ross.

(The cover art for Are You Gonna Go My Way, the third studio album by Lenny Kravitz).

The rock ballad Believe, as pointed out here, “finds Kravitz singing of the power of faith. He explained on a Reddit AMA the song is, “about the power of God, self and positive thinking, which all equates to love.” As mentioned here, “This had its greatest chart success in Iceland, where it peaked at #1.” Charting at #30 in the United Kingdom and #60 in the United States, the song musically mixes a high production value of strings with a guitar sensibility that, for me, echoes the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Jesus Christ Superstar.

(Believe was the second single released in support of the third Lenny Kravitz studio album Are You Gonna Go My Way).

Come on and Love Me seemingly raises faith in the first stanza, yet that isn’t where this percussion-heavy song finds its ultimate message of needing and seeking a human connection to romantic and intimate love. There’s clear messaging for both an emotional and physical connection. That Kravitz spends much of the song singing in a higher key than the first two songs intrigues me, with a more musically soulful influence to the feelings invoked by the song than with the first two songs on Are You Gonna Go My Way.

Heaven Help was written by Gerry DeVeaux and Terry Britten. As indicated here, the song reached #92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, #20 in the United Kingdom, and #30 each in Canada and New Zealand. Calling this ballad is musically incorrect, with the song relying on piano and guitar with harmonizing vocal that rises to a new level for this album. Musically, the song feels gentle, soulful and intimate in declaring a lyrical readiness to experience love; the listener gets to choose if the aspiration to love is romantically, spiritually or romantically and spiritually based.

(Heaven Help by Lenny Kravitz was the third single released in support of the 1993 album Are You Gonna Go My Way).

Just Be a Woman opens with a plodding, almost bluesy cadence of acoustic guitar. With romantic love on his heart, the song lyrically strikes me as a direct conversation with a love interest fully open to being whatever Kravitz as a male love interest wants in a relationship. As a piece useful for the early stages of romantic love, the sentiment resonates for me at a level of innocence and beginning, before experience or baggage are parts of love.

Is There Any Love in Your Heart, as indicated here, “reached the top 50 in Australia and New Zealand and peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.” A less energetic companion to the song Are You Gonna Go My Way, Is There Any Love in Your Heart lyrically addresses an emotionally distant love interest who misses the singer’s need, shall I say request for emotional connection and consolation on a romantic level. A degree of bitterness might be at play with this song as Kravitz may have been dealing with people after a payday rather than romantic love.

(Is There Any Love in Your Heart is the fourth single released in support of the Lenny Kravitz album Are You Gonna Go My Way).

Black Girl sees Lenny Kravitz declaring a specific romantic love interest by type that inspires interest. The song romanticizes specific feelings of attraction for the performer on an emotional level that feels more positively charged by a long distance than, for example, the sexually charged Brown Sugar my The Rolling Stones.

My Love lyrically and rhythmically deals with physical intimacy. The whole point is the performers desire with little ability to interpret the musicians intentions or feelings another way. If interpreting this song at an album level, the fact of Kravitz‘ intimate desires can be focused rather specifically.

In offering a retro 1970s sound, Sugar focuses the desire of physical intimacy that invokes a time and style as clearly in tune with the style and time implied by the album cover imagery for Are You Gonna Go My Way. The mastering of the production combined with the soulful sounds and horns says early 1970s as strongly as any song on this album.

The acoustic guitar introduction for Sister had me thinking of the soul song Angie by The Rolling Stones, a second song on this song making me think of that band. That sonic resemblance bears little resemblance for whose hearts are at stake, with Kravitz focusing on the romantic hearts of (black) women. I hear a hopefulness for change in the patterns of romantic attraction in play, almost a prayer for the souls of women heading in a direction that still can change for a more soul-centered path.

The song Eleutheria takes clear inspiration musically and lyrically from the island Eleutheria in The Bahamas. Lenny Kravitz had a home and a recording studio on the island, with the rhythm and sensibilities uplifted, shining like the sun, perfect. That these feelings seem independent of a religious or a romantic relationship feels instructive in that Kravitz found well-being based in community and doing what brings happiness to his soul.

Matt – Saturday, March 9, 2024

Mitch Rapp and the book ‘Enemy of the State’ by Kyle Mills

Kyle Mills continues the Mitch Rapp series of books (book sequence here) created by Vince Flynn with the sixteenth (16th) book in the series, the third written by Mills. With Enemy of the State, we see that the central star of this universe of books might have met his match by way of an ongoing engagement in parts of Europe, Africa, Asia the Middle East and America that have made Mitch Rapp the enemy of the state referenced in the title.

(Kyle Mills succeeded Vince Flynn in writing books with Mitch Rapp as a central character. Mills wrote Enemy of the State).

Kyle Mills speaks of Enemy of the State this way on his website: “A theme in many of Vince Flynn’s books was his distaste for Saudi Arabia—a distaste that I wholeheartedly share. Despite America’s close ties, there’s just no getting around the fact that it’s a medieval dictatorship that supplied the majority of the 9-11 attackers, it continues to spread radical Islam throughout the world, and it withholds even the most basic rights from women. While our alliance with them might be expedient, it’s a deal with the devil.”

(Alternative book covers for Enemy of the State as written by Kyle Mills).

The story more or less picks up from a point in time soon after the end of Order to Kill, as reviewed here. A tacit agreement had been taken between the previous presidential regime and Saudi Arabia‘s King Faisal to cover up the Saudi involvement in the September 11th attacks in exchange for sweetheart prices for oil consumed in the United States. Part of the deal involved Faisal bringing the culpable elements in within his society to justice. American President Alexander doubts this commitment.

(Vince Flynn created the Mitch Rapp series of books, writing the first 13 books in the series).

A rogue wing of the royal family, Faisal’s nephew Prince Talal bin Musaid, has begun funding ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq). The prince’s thinking has been to position himself as the likely successor to leadership in Saudi Arabia when the king, of deteriorating health, eventually dies. The means and ends to getting to this result, with Scott Coleman still struggling to regain his former health alongside core themes of distrust for political motivations, lead to the core storytelling of Enemy of the State.

(Enemy of the State is the third book written by Kyle Mills in the Mitch Rapp series of books).

Most of the twists and turns of the story of this book offer the cliffhanger qualities that one should expect. There were a couple of a pleasantly surprising nature that particularly pleased me, including part of the story that dealt with a character who had been in North Dakota. The novel’s conclusion was a bit on the mundane side for my liking, though where the larger outcome landed was as good as it needed to be. I rate Enemy of the State as written by Kyle Mills 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Def Leppard and the album ‘Hysteria’

The Def Leppard album Hysteria was released on Monday, August 3rd, 1987. My 12-year-old self was a big fan of this album, which featured musicians Joe Elliott of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, Rick Savage of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, Rick Allen of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, Phil Collen of Hackney, London, Middlesex, England, and Steve Clark of Hillsborough, South Yorkshire, England.

(The cover art for the 1987 Def Leppard album Hysteria is shown here).

Women charted 80th in the United States. Per Songfacts as sourced here, the band knew that “women don’t like songs called “Women,” especially when they’re prurient tales of male desire set in biblical times. When they released this song, Def Leppard knew that it would gin up their core audience but would have little appeal to the female fans who had made them superstars.”

(Women was the second overall single but first released in the United States for Hysteria. The song was released as Hysteria‘s first single in Canada, Australia, and Japan).

Rocket charted 12th in the United States and 15th in the United Kingdom. Playing on the notion of rocking the song while using the title rocket, the band lyrically references music by The Rolling Stones, Elton John, The Beatles, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Chuck Berry and Queen.

(Rocket was the last single from the Def Leppard album Hysteria, with a release in January 1989).

Animal charted sixth in the United States and 19th in the United Kingdom. The recording of the song “took three years to complete,” as referenced here. Besides the accident to drummer Rick Allen, the move to change producer from Jim Steinman to Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange made a big difference with this song.

(Animal was the first single released internationally to support Hysteria, becoming Def Leppard‘s first Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom).

Love Bites introduces the notion that singer Joe Elliott wanted to emotionally invest in physical intimacy with a lady. That the song approaches this in a ballad format really helped the band resonate with ladies.

(Love Bites was a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. The track peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart for the United Kingdom).

Pour Some Sugar on Me charted second in the United States and 18th in the United Kingdom. The song became an anthem of sorts for the band, with influences as indicated here including The Archies and T. Rex. Illusions to physical intimacy from this song, metaphorically, are quite clear.

(Pour Some Sugar on Me reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States on July 23rd, 1988. The song ranked number 2 on VH1‘s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s in 2006).

Armageddon It charted third in the United States and 20th in the United Kingdom. The song plays with words similarly to the song Rocket from earlier in the album, with the lyrics “Are you getting it?” being answered with “Armageddon it”. As referenced here, the large influence of the change of producers was felt with this song. “Lange took over for Jim Steinman, whose sessions were scrapped in 1985. With Lange, they created songs with a rock bombast and commercial appeal, and this one also played great in stadiums.”

(Armageddon It was released in 1988, going to No. 3 in the United States. It also reached the top 10 in Canada and New Zealand and the top 2 in Ireland and the United Kingdom).

Gods of War “is as close to a protest song as you’re going to hear from Def Leppard,” as noted here. The song didn’t receive much critical or commercial love, though the ask to avoid getting into wars is noted.

Don’t Shoot Shotgun returns more strongly to the world of the platform of love, or at least intimacy, with a protest of sorts into jumping too quickly into a physical expression of love.

(From left, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Phil Collen, and Steve Clark. This was Def Leppard‘s line-up for the 1987 album Hysteria).

Run Riot feels like an early in the setlist song intended for concerts in support of the Hysteria album. Lyrically, the song itself invites an investment in the glamorous perspective of rock-n-roll where hedonism has it costs but still feels worth it.

Hysteria returns to the ballad style with a song that charted tenth in the United States and 26th in the United Kingdom. As indicated here by guitarist Phil Collen, “The song really is about finding spiritual enlightenment[.] Not many people know that because it sounds like just getting hysterical, but it’s actually about that. It’s about finding this deeper thing, whether you believe it or not.”

(The tenth track on Def Leppard‘s 1987 album Hysteria was the song Hysteria, the fourth single for the album. The single was released in November of 1987).

Excitable offers a clear invitation for returning energy to the band in a concert. The song itself can be interpreted when listening to the album itself in a more intimacy-based context, with the exploration of what you feel outpacing what you think.

The Hysteria album ends with a ballad adjacent song named Love and Affection. Lyrically, the album ends with the offer of a one-night stand of experiencing intimacy where the singer invites the company for the night to give in to the invitation. This song thematically fits with the album, though the offering of so many lyrics without a true bridge back to a chorus strikes me as a bit weak for the finish.

Matt – Wednesday, August 3, 2022

U2 and the album ‘The Joshua Tree’

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album for Irish rock band U2. Bruce Springsteen inducted Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, which recognizes the band’s switch from a Post Punk sound to a distinctly pop sound recognized in this 1987 album.

The Joshua Tree 2(The 1987 cover of The Joshua Tree album by the band U2).

Where the Streets Have No Name opens the album by introducing fans what it means to the neighborhood divisions of wealth, religion, and cultural standing in Ireland that knowing the streets people live on tells you more about a person than the legitimate name of the streets. Therefore, the song carries the political conscious that is a hallmark of the band U2. The allusion to olive turning to rust, for example, is a clear reference to colors representing the Catholic and Protestant divide of Ireland from U2′s youth.

According to Bono from a magazine interview, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For is “an anthem of doubt more than faith,” as opposed to an anthem for love or spiritual enlightenment one might think at first listen. Gospel music is said to have been an inspiration for this song.

With or Without You is the song of a tortured relationship.  The emotion of the song feels raw. The issues very well could have been the object of real relationships. That the song lends itself both to the intensity of a personal relationship plus that of the band with its fan lets me appreciate this song all the more.

Inspired by a trip Bono took to Central America in 1985 with Amnesty International, Bullet the Blue Sky was inspired by staying with a group of guerillas in the middle of El Salvador mountains in the north of the country.

Running to Stand Still is the final song from the first of two sides of The Joshua Tree album. Smuggling heroin into Dublin, Ireland is the subject matter, with some ruminations for how somebody gets themselves into such a place that this is their chosen path.

The Joshua Tree 3 - From left, Larry McMullen Jr., Bono, Adam Clayton and The Edge(From left, Larry McMullen Jr., Bono, Adam Clayton and The Edge of the band U2 in an image for The Joshua Tree).

Red Hill Mining Town opens the second side of The Joshua Tree album with a look at the human cost of a miner’s strike in the United Kingdom. A political homily of a song, the look is speaking of the humanity that is central to the worldview of the band U2.

In God’s Country moves to the politics of the United States, the ethos represented by The Statue of Liberty, and what politics of the mid-1980s means to that ethos.

Trip Through Your Wires sings of a relationship between a man and woman where the singer feels like the pun he plays on the notion of a trip wire works against him emotionally. Using a bluesy harmonica and drums baseline, getting caught up in an entanglement seems inevitable.

The song of a friendship prematurely lost comes alive with One Tree Hill. The friend lost is Greg Carroll, a Maori from New Zealand whose work ethic and friendship is praised by the song and the band.

Exit is said to be inspired by two books looking at famous murders, namely by Norman Mailer‘s The Executioner’s Song and Truman Capote‘s In Cold Blood. (See our review of the Mailer book here). Bono is quoted in reference to this song as wanting to go beyond an abstract criticism of foreign policy by taking a look at “the violence we all contain within us.”

The Joshua Tree 4 - From left, Adam Clayton, Larry McMullen Jr., Bono and The Edge(From left, Adam Clayton, Larry McMullen Jr., Bono and The Edge of the band U2 in an image for The Joshua Tree).

Also inspired by a trip Bono took to Central America in 1985 during an El Savaldor Civil War, Mothers of the Disappeared sings of the Comadres, a group of women who had lost their children, who were taken in the night by death squads of the El Salvador Civil War. There was much sadness in this song for sure.

Matt – Saturday, August 8, 2020

Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman in ‘Argo’

Winning Academy Awards for best picture, best writing, and best achievement in film editing, the film Argo (2012) tells a story based on actual events depicted in a book written by a CIA operative and a 2007 Wired magazine article. The underlying events of the story traced back to a three year hostage crisis in Iran that began in 1979. Based on the fact that the end result was something I knew walking in, I found the movie better than it had to be.

Argo 2 - From left, Bryan Cranston as Jack O'Donnell and Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez(From left, Bryan Cranston as Jack O’Donnell and Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo).

Argo stars director Ben Affleck as American intelligence officer Tony Mendez, Bryan Cranston as Jack O’Donnell, Alan Arkin as Lester Siegel, and John Goodman as John Chambers. Mendez, O’Donnell, Siegel and Chambers were key members of the American effort to get six members of the American embassy in Tehran in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979. The film took pains to provide the historical context of the time, along with the series of bad ideas to get six Americans to safety.

Argo 3 - From left, John Goodman as John Chambers and Alan Arkin as Lester Siegel(From left, John Goodman as John Chambers and Alan Arkin as Lester Siegel in Argo).

The six Americans holed up in the Canadian embassy in Tehran were Kathy Stafford as played by Kerry Bishé, Joe Stafford as played by Scoot McNairy, Mark Lijek as played by Christopher Denham, Bob Anders as played by Tate Donovan, Lee Schatz as played by Rory Cochrane, and Cora Lijek as played by Clea DuVall. Mark and Cora Lijek were a couple.

Argo 4 - From left, Kerry Bishé, Scoot McNairy, Christopher Denham, Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, and Clea DuVall(From left, Kerry Bishé as Kathy Stafford, Scoot McNairy as Joe Stafford, Christopher Denham as Mark Lijek, Tate Donovan as Bob Anders, Rory Cochrane as Lee Schatz, and Clea DuVall as Cora Lijek in Argo).

Argo as a film was praised for its cinematic experience, as well as the acting in particular of Alan Arkin and John Goodman as film producers that helped bring the fiction of a film within Argo called the same thing. Historical complaints of note for the film included that the Canadian embassy’s part in the rescue was larger than portrayed, that British and New Zealand embassies had turned the Americans away,  and that the actual danger for the six American captives, Mendez, and Ken Taylor (as played by Victor Garber) may have been less than portrayed.

Argo 5 - From left, Victor Garber as Ken Taylor and Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez(From left, Victor Garber as Ken Taylor and Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo).

The story of the “exfiltration” of six Americans from Tehran, Iran in the midst of a political revolution in the late 1970s during the presidential administration of Jimmy Carter made for good cinema. I appreciated the movie at the time of its release, and I enjoyed it again upon watching the film just recently. My recommendation is that you watch the film. I offer the movie Argo 4.5-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, June 13, 2020