Lenny Kravitz Goes Vinyl With 'Black and White America' [VIDEO]

Lenny Kravitz has left behind his catchy American Woman for a sound inspired by his favorite seminal music, which he brought to NYC's terminal 5 on Thursday in the form of Black and White America.

The 47-year-old singer has taken his time over his new album, producing four separate parts intended to be listened to as a whole. The decision to release the album both on vinyl and a 16-track CD makes Kravitz hopeful that people will be more inclined to listen to the full version instead of downloading individual tracks.

I wanted to make a record in the style of, in the tradition of, (Jimi Hendrix's) 'Electric Ladyland,' (the Beatles') 'White Album,' (Prince's) 'Sign of the Times' or (George Harrison's) 'All Things Must Pass' -- great double records, Kravitz said, CTV news reported.

Kravitz hopes that the Vinyl will encourage more people to buy record players; the shift from records to CD's and MP3's is one that the singer begrudges.

An album used to be a thing -- just like a piece of art, a sculpture, a painting -- and it's just sad to me that that's gone, because when I'm working on an album I'm working on an entire body of work and it matters how it all sounds together, Kravitz said.

According to Kravitz, when an album is released people take it apart in such a way that it ca end up having nothing to do with what the artist intended for the album as a whole. He also complains that the music quality gets smashed down on versions for the iPod, which he said are only good to run around with.

Meanwhile Lenny Kravitz rocked the stage in full leather again at NYC's terminal 5. He is also set to perform Sept. 12 before a small audience of 200 at London's controversial burlesque club The Box, CBS reported.