The second and undoubtedly breakthrough album for psychedelic soul rocker Lenny Kravitz is an eclectic mix of styles, all tinged with his inimitable sound. On the slinky, rocking "Always On The Run" he teams up with school chum Slash (the former Guns 'N' Roses guitarist) and the result is an explosion of hard-edged guitar funk. Removed from the image of posturing sex symbol are the warming love songs which spread a soulful bliss across the whole album. The Curtis Mayfield-inspired "It Ain't Over 'Till It's Over" and "All I Ever Wanted" are two gentler tunes with an array of soothing strings and whispered romance. With his life as a songwriter and lyricist often shadowed by his immense presence as a performer, Mama Said dispels any uncertainty as to where his true talent lies. --David Trueman