Black and White America

Black and White America
Studio album by Lenny Kravitz
Released	August 29, 2011
Recorded	Eleuthera Island, Bahamas between 2009 and 2011
Genre	Funk rock
Length	66:20
Label	Roadrunner, Atlantic
Producer	Lenny Kravitz, Swizz Beatz
Lenny Kravitz chronology
It Is Time for a Love Revolution (2008) Black and White America (2011)
Singles from Black and White America
"Come On Get It" Released: 20 February 2011 "Stand" Released: 3 June 2011 "Rock Star City Life" Released: 7 July 2011 "Push" Released: 21 October 2011

Black and White America is the 9th studio album by American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger Lenny Kravitz, released on August 30, 2011. The album was more commercially successful in the European market, where it charted in the top ten in various countries, including a #1 debut in Germany and Switzerland. According to Oricon, Black and White America debuted at #20 selling 6,000 copies in Japan^[1]. The album debuted at #17 in the US, selling 20,145 copies^[2].

Background

Black and White America is Kravitz's long awaited funk studio album originally intended for release before Baptism's last minute songwriting sessions. On his official website, Kravitz stated, "I don't know what it's called yet, it felt like Negrophilia, and then... it felt like something else." On December 13, 2010 Kravitz announced that the new album was to be called Black and White America, and it will be his first album on Roadrunner Records/Atlantic Records^[3]. Kravitz announced on his official Facebook page that "Come On Get It", used in a NBA commercial in late 2010, would be the album's first single.

The second single, titled "Stand", was released on Facebook, for iTunes; a video was released on YouTube and on Vevo on June 6.

"Push" will be released as the third single.

Promotion

Lenny Kravitz performed "Stand" on the Late Show with David Letterman.^[4] On September 1, 2011, he performed "Rock Star City Life" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon^[5].

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	(B)[7]
HitFix	(B)[8]
Paste Magazine	(6.5/10)
Rolling Stone	[9]
Ultimate Guitar

Upon its release, Black and White America received generally positive reviews.^[10] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77, based on six reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".^[10] Allmusic praised the album saying "he (Kravitz) has come up with his best record in years, a shamelessly enjoyable piece of aural candy."^[6] American Songwriter said, "Black and White America is a laudable musical statement, and a much needed reminder of how prodigious Kravitz is at melding together rock and funk."^[11] Giving it a B rating, Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly described the album as "a melting pot of funk, soul, rock, and other made-in-the-USA genres, with songs about growing up biracial after civil rights (the '70s-inspired title track) and plenty of hopey-changey stuff (Stand, Push)." ^[7] Rolling Stone writer Anthony Decurtis commented "Kravitz is most gripping at his most personal, but he doesn’t sustain that intensity. Still, each of these 16 songs succeeds on its own terms, which is a vision for America beyond the black and white divide."^[9] Melinda Newman of HitFix said "Though everything Kravitz does here is deeply rooted in his stellar guitar work and the beat, it’s his most experimental album in years". She added "Like Marvin Gaye or Al Green, Kravitz is able to blend both the sensual and the spiritual." and described the album "robust, full and uplifting."^[8]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Lenny Kravitz, except "Boongie Drop" co-written by Jay-Z, and "Sunflower" co-written by Drake; all music composed by Lenny Kravitz, except where noted.^[12]

1. "Black and White America" – 4:35 (Kravitz, Craig Ross)
2. "Come On Get It" – 4:26 (Kravitz, Ross)
3. "In the Black" – 3:24
4. "Liquid Jesus" – 3:28
5. "Rock Star City Life" – 3:24 (Kravitz, Ross)
6. "Boongie Drop" (featuring Jay-Z and DJ Military) – 3:49
7. "Stand" – 3:20
8. "Superlove" – 3:29 (Kravitz, Ross)
9. "Everything" – 3:38
10. "I Can't Be Without You" – 4:48
11. "Looking Back on Love" – 5:36
12. "Life Ain't Ever Been Better Than It Is Now" – 4:17
13. "The Faith of a Child" – 4:06
14. "Sunflower" (featuring Drake) – 4:14 (Kravitz, Swizz Beatz)
15. "Dream" – 5:11
16. "Push" – 4:23

Target Deluxe Edition

CD bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
17.	"Dance Around the Fire"	4:03
18.	"Leaders of Tomorrow"	4:12
19.	"What Do You Want From Me"	3:09
20.	"War"	4:12
21.	"Black and White America" (acoustic)	3:08
22.	"Everything" (acoustic)	3:06

iTunes Deluxe Edition

digital download bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
17.	"War" (bonus track)	4:12
18.	"Black and White America" (acoustic)	3:07
19.	"Stand" (video)	4:54
20.	"Black and White America (Live at The Shack)" (video)	3:02

DVD

1. "Black and White America" (acoustic)
2. "Everything" (acoustic)
3. "Liquid Jesus"
4. "I Can't Be Without You"
5. "Dream"
6. "War"

Charts and certifications

Charts Chart (2011) Peak position Argentinian Albums Chart[13] 6 Austrian Albums Chart[14] 2 Belgian Albums Chart(Flanders)[15] 12 Belgian Albums Chart(Wallonia)[16] 7 Canadian Albums Chart[17] 45 Czech Republic Albums Chart[18] 1 Dutch Albums Chart[19] 2 Danish Albums Chart[20] 29 Finnish Albums Chart[21] 8 French Albums Chart[22] 7 German Albums Chart[23] 1 Hungarian Albums Chart[24] 27 Italian Albums Chart[25] 8 Japanese Albums Chart[26] 20 Polish Albums Chart[27] 6 Slovenian Albums Chart[28] 17 South Korean Albums Chart[29] 63 South Korean International Albums Chart[30] 9 Swedish Albums Chart[31] 42 Spanish Albums Chart[32] 3 Swiss Albums Chart[33] 1 UK Albums Chart[34] 75 US Billboard 200[35] 17

Certifications Country Certification Argentina Gold[36] Poland Gold [37]

Personnel

• Lenny Kravitz – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, synthesizer, bass guitar, drums
• Craig Ross – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Harold Todd – saxophone
• Trombone Shorty – trombone
• Michael Hunter – trumpet
• George Laks – keyboard
• Sy Kravitz – cover photo
• Mathieu Bitton – art direction, design, photography, handclaps

References

1. ^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2011-09-12/more/4/
2. ^ http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi?news08679
3. ^ "Lenny Kravitz to Team Up With Roadrunner/Atlantic to Release 9th Studio Album". Roadrunner Records. February 16, 2011. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Lenny-Kravitz-to-Team-Up-With-RoadrunnerAtlantic-to-Release-9th-Studio-Album-22725.aspx. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
4. ^ Sundermann, Eric (August 31, 2011). "Lenny Kravitz: 'Stand' on 'Letterman'". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/new-and-hot/lenny-kravitz-stand-on-letterman-20110831. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
5. ^ Aitken, Peter C (September 2, 2011). "Lenny Kravitz performs 'Rock Star City Life' on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'". NY Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2011/09/02/2011-09-02_lenny_kravitz_rocks_out_on_late_night_with_jimmy_fallon.html?r=entertainment. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Black and White America - Lenny Kravitz". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/black-and-white-america-r2245472/review. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Wood, Mikael (August 29, 2011). "Music Review: Black and White America". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20522581,00.html. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Newman, Melinda (August 30, 2011). "Album Review: Lenny Kravitz 'Black And White America'". HitFix. http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/the-beat-goes-on/posts/album-review-lenny-kravitz-lets-love-rule-on-black-and-white-america. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Decurtis, Anthony (August 30, 2011). "Black and White America by Lenny Kravitz". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/black-and-white-america-20110830. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b} "Black and White America Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. http://www.metacritic.com/music/black-and-white-america/critic-reviews. Retrieved September 4, 2011. 
11. ^ Allen, Eric (August 30, 2011). "Lenny Kravitz: Black and White America". American Songwriter. http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/08/lenny-kravitz-black-and-white-america/. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
12. ^ http://www.lennykravitzonline.fr/accueil/111
13. ^ http://liveweb.archive.org/http://adminlic.capif.org.ar/sis_resultados_rankings_web.aspx
14. ^ http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
15. ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
16. ^ http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
17. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61YcPC6H8
18. ^ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=14&titul=149543&sec=d6a77c9aea87aca2ae58b531a64cab74
19. ^ http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
20. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61QEF3yrh
21. ^ http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/virallinen-lista/albumit/2011/35
22. ^ http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Lenny-Kravitz/Black-And-White-America-a111727237.html
23. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61QEffggo
24. ^ "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. http://www.mahasz.hu/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=archivum&lista=top40&ev=2011&het=35&submit_=Keres%E9s. Retrieved 2011-09-07. 
25. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61ZmuWvHv
26. ^ http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2011-09-05/more/3/
27. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". olis.onyx.pl. http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=688&lang=en. Retrieved 2011-09-03. 
28. ^ http://www.rtvslo.si/val202/news/section/13
29. ^ http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?Search_str=lenny+kravitz&x=0&y=0
30. ^ http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?Search_str=lenny+kravitz&x=0&y=0
31. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61QGjAUSA
32. ^ http://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
33. ^ http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lenny+Kravitz&titel=Black+And+White+America&cat=a
34. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61QJce5t2
35. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/61WMtUvaL
36. ^ http://www.prensariomusica.com/PDF_MUSICA_457/MUSICA_457_2.pdf Argentinian Certification
37. ^ "ZPAV :: Gold CD". Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. 2011-10-19. http://zpav.pl/rankingi/wyroznienia/zlote/index.php?lang=2. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 

External links

• Lenny Kravitz Gregory Town Sound Studio on Mix March 2010 Issue Cover