Ben Lee - I Love Pop Music (Single)
» Ben Lee to tour Australia with a whole bunch of friends - August 8, 2005
» Ben Lee + Missy Higgins - Tolosa Park, Tas - October 19, 2005
» Ben Lee - Ripe for the picking - October 15, 2007
» Ben Lee - self realisation is not a dirty word - July 14, 2005
Ben Lee. The name inspires different things in different people. Feelings that range from disgust, hate, nausea, to mild dislike accompany the man wherever he goes. Oh, and some people may like him. To be honest, I've always had an irrational mix of dislike and appreciation for the man who shares my name. He makes harmless, semi-entertaining pop music that has a very wide, but very shallow appeal.
His success several years ago with Catch My Disease, especially at the ARIAs, seemed to be almost begrudging. No one really likes him, no one really wants him to be successful, but at the time he was 'Best Male Artist' almost by default.
Why is this? Why the dislike? The bright, friendly, Aussie Jew who achieved some international success in his early years seems to have everything going for him. Tall Poppy syndrome? Maybe. Maybe his cheerfulness seems fake, or maybe it just annoys the cynics. That cheerfulness can be found in abundance on this new song, I Love Pop Music, and it might just get the better of him. The song sounds like an educational jingle, or the end credits music for a kids TV show.
It has the upbeat catchiness of Catch My Disease, but it feels like Lee has just lumped in a bunch of ideas that he's felt have worked in the past. The message is nice, but the song feels a bit sugar-sweet and saccharine. It sounds like he went to a glitter store, swallowed a jar of their finest silver and pink sparkles, then vomited them into a microphone. Brace yourselves for the album, people. It's gonna be annoying. I Love Pop Music? More like I... Nope. I won't do it. I won't make the obvious I Hate Pop Music...arghhhhh.
