Ben Lee

Is it us or has Aussie singer/songwriter Ben Lee grown up right before our very eyes and in a super fast fashion?

Well, it's true that Lee has transformed from boy to man—he's 30—in front of us! He sounds like a seasoned veteran on The Rebirth of Venus. And that's partially due to the fact that he is a veteran and this album is the seventh of his career. Lee has been performing since he burst onto the public, indie rock and indie pop scene consciousness in his teens. But here, Lee is equal measures pop purveyor and pensive singer-songwriter. When he's not "La la la la'ing" on "Sing," he's employing a gruff, nasally and almost Bob Dylan-style voice on "Surrender." It's not overt; it's slightly, slightly detectable!

Lee is also donating a portion of the proceeds from the album to FINCA International's Village Banking Program, which offers services to low-income, female entrepreneurs. While that's a serious and charitable undertaking on Lee's part, the music has an uplifting, sunny quality that you won't be able to shake. That Lee titled a song, "I Love Pop Music" is no coincidence and is not lost on us. He obviously adores the genre and does his best to contribute to its canon of songs! "I Love Pop Music" will crack the shell of even the hardest rock n' roller with its addictive beat! Missy Higgins and Cary Brothers show up for guest appearances on the album, too.

The Rebirth of Venus is one of those records that you throw onto the stereo (or the iPod) when you're hosting a party and want the music to serve as the salve that soothes all the ills in your life and the world. But overall, Lee knows how to write pop songs and infuse them with "feel good" energy. The Rebirth of Venus is a reminder that spring is on its way. It'll also help pull you out of the doldrums of the current economic crisis and other general bullshit that's dominating our national culture right now. Thank heavens for Ben Lee and his bouncy pop songs.

— Amy Sciarretto
03.12.09

There's no doubt that Ben Lee means well, intending this collection of sunny pop and singsong folk to bridge the chasm between genders and cultures across the world, as he truly does wonder "What's So Bad (About Feeling Good)?," the leadoff song that sets the tone for The Rebirth of Venus. Lee wonders what's wrong about a boy playing with a Barbie doll and sees nothing wrong with claiming "I'm a Woman Too," a piece of hippie-dippy pop that seeks to inherit the throne of cluelessly sexist agitprop pop from John Lennon's "Woman Is the Nigger of the World," one of six songs Lee covers in an essentially acoustic bonus EP for Rebirth. Because Lee wears his open heart on his sleeve, it's hard to dislike the guy: his head's in the right place and he does have a way with an ingratiating hook. Even if Lee's puppy-dog earnestness winds up being off-putting in the long run on The Rebirth of Venus, his songs of solidarity are basically sweet in nature. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide