lenny - "...& Friends"

Lenny 


"...& Friends"
self-released; 2014

3.3 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Lenny is a  musician. He also goes by Big Lenny Bunn and The Bear. Lenny's career has now spanned more than 20 years and has played in bands such as "Dreamcatcher", "Rezin69" and more recently "Clacket Lane". Like a lot of other musicians Lenny wanted to go out on his own and write himself. The result is his first solo album "...& Friends".

His album is pretty much all over the place. He incorporates electronic elements, rock, funk, ballads while all sounding grounded 80’s type production. It seems as if Lenny went all out here and just started writing whatever the hell we wanted.

“Diamonds” sounds a bit like Peter Gabriel as he combines a slick bass line with heavy electronic drums and cheesy synths. He even adds an over the top female vocal.  The third track “Hear Me” is guitar based track that is hard not to compare to 80’s metal bands like Journey. It contains that triumphant chorus I could see drunken college students singing along to. Lenny unapologetically throws a piano ballad in your face called “Impossible”. It comes equipped with a female counterpart. Do you remember when Ozzy Osbourne did a duet with Lita Ford. You dont? Well break out some google and check it out. This is pretty much the same flavor.

Do you like synths that squiggle like bouncing rays of light then check out “In a MInute” or how about  some sweet lead electric guitar like he has on “It’s You Time”.

I have to be honest in that I don't know what to make of this album. It’s so oblvious to contemporary music I have to embrace it but some of it just sounds dated. It really doesn’t sound similar to what you would hear on the radio or streaming from some hipsters playlist. I think that's a good thing. It is something.

Regardless of what style Lenny is attempting to make on this album he does so with the utmost enthusiasm. You can tell he is damn happy with the songs he is singing and put everything he has into it. That alone is worth something.

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