Reclaiming some of
his previous magic

"Good Morning" has a cool Wurlitzer part, strings that give it a Beatle-esque flair, and sounds like a Let Love Rule outtake, which can also be said of the mid-tempo rocker "Back in Vietnam." The measured speed and short, catchy chorus of "I Love the Rain," as well as the funky "Dancin' 'Till Dawn," with its washes of wah guitar and a sweet sax solo from Lenny Pickett, would not sound out of place on Mama Said either.

Other standouts include "This Moment Is All There Is," with spacious guitar accenting the verses and letting the song breathe, and a phase effect on the drums for flavor; and album highlight "Bring it On," with sitar courtesy of Anoushka Shankar, a dirty, bluesy rhythm guitar part, and smokin' lead guitar from Craig Ross. Though Kravitz did play most of the instruments himself on this album, Ross' leads are memorable and fit the songs well throughout.

Kravitz is still no Shakespeare in the lyrical department, but there are some exceptions such as "Will You Marry Me," with a James Brown-ish delivery and lines like "I don't want no drama, mama." The lyrics to the ballad "A Long and Sad Goodbye," about Kravitz's father, are also impressive for their sheer emotion, though the length of the song makes it lose some impact.

As a whole, and after a series of somewhat lackluster efforts since Are You Gonna Go My Way?, It Is Time For A Love Revolution is a welcome surprise. Kravitz seems to have reclaimed some of his previous magic and went with it.