Since the ripe old age of 15, Aussie Ben Lee has been writing some of the catchiest pop tunes in the world. On February 10th fans will be treated to Lee's latest studio collection Rebirth Of Venus.
Rebirth Of Venus has everything you've come to expect from a Ben Lee album. The lyrics are clever. The vocals are layered and melodic. And I'll be damned if it's not rife with hooks!
"Surrender" has a call and response vocal not dissimilar to Lee's breakout hit "Catch My Disease". "Blue Denim" has handclaps and a rootsy guitar that will have you tapping your toes.
The album also contains what is possibly Lee's best love song ever. The witty "Bad Poetry" is a twisted ballad that would make Matthew Sweet envious.
Lee does include a couple of songs that are overtly political on this album. "Wake Up To America" features spoken word verses featuring Lee's views, while "I Love Pop Music" has the same but with a more subtle delivery. One is certainly more effective than the other.
There are a few misses on the album. "Rise Up" is a song that really goes nowhere, slowly. While a solid pop song, "Yoko Ono" sounds a little too close to the Barenaked Ladies in both theme and structure. Album closers "Families Cheating At Board Games" and "Song For the Divine Mother Of The Universe" are plodding and redeemed only by their irresistible singalong endings.
In the end Rebirth Of Venus is what you want from a Ben Lee record: something you can sing along with as your stuck in traffic.
Best tracks: "I Love Pop Music", "Surrender"
Track listing for Rebirth Of Venus:
- What's So Bad (About Feeling Good)
- Surrender
- Sing
- I Love Pop Music
- Rise Up
- Yoko Ono
- Boy With A Barbie
- Bad Poetry
- Blue Denim
- Wake Up To America
- I'm A Woman Too
- Families Cheating At Board Games
- Song For the Divine Mother Of The Universe
7.5
2 praise/complaints:
if you are in london in March 2009 you can hear BEN LEE play these songs ...... FOR FREE
O2 are putting on a free gig on March 25th at Indigo2 at The O2.
The gig will be showcasing some wicked Antipodean bands - Ben Lee’s headlining and doing it for the aussies! Then it’s Kiwi band The Ruby Suns and brilliant South African indie band The Parlotones supporting.
It’s a free gig and open to O2 customers only. All you have to do is text BEN to 67777 to request a ticket (for you plus 1, your plus one does not have to be on O2). The gig is on Wednesday March 25th.
See you there
I'm a longtime fan of Ben Lee's albums and melodies, but I've never considered his lyrics 'clever'. On this album in particular, they are as clever and subtle as a sledgehammer. I do my best to ignore them and just groove to the music.
Post a Comment