Lenny gets 'Baptism' by fire

His ill-fated romance with Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman may be behind one of his latest tracks, but inspiration seems to be one thing rocker Lenny Kravitz is sorely missing. After a lengthy hiatus (read: three years), Kravitz's retro, gravelly sound resurfaces with Baptism, his seventh solo effort. \nIt's the same old Kravitz, minus any real improvement -- which isn't a completely bad thing. The catchy guitar hooks are still there, to be sure, as evidenced by the radio-friendly "Where Are We Runnin'?," and Kravitz, ever the lovesick puppy, continues to draw much of his lyrics from breakups and heartache (see Lisa Bonet and the Mama Said album, circa 1991). \nYet somehow, after decades of heavy rotation, Kravitz's signature copycat style has lost its luster. Since his greatest hits compilation in 2000, his innovation has faded significantly, and has been met with palpable apathy in critical circles. "Runnin'" is strangely reminiscent of the riffs featured in "Are You Gonna Go My Way," and "Flash" similarly fails to impress, with its recycled bass lines and whiny vocal tracks. On his Web site, Kravitz claims he's "come full circle" since his 1989 debut, Let Love Rule, by returning to the same basics that set his career in motion. But maybe that's not such a positive thing. It's not that the music itself -- or even the lyrics -- are bad at all; in fact, Kravitz has long since established himself as an artistic and creative force musically. But his music needs to catch up to his changing appearance. I miss the dreadlocks, Lenny -- and the music that went with them.