Ben Lee - The Rebirth Of Venus (Album)

It seems like a lot of men are getting in touch with their feminine sides and perhaps this is all part and parcel with the advent of the Sensitive New Age Guy, which altogether seems strange as there don’t seem to be too many gals getting in touch with their “inner bloke.” And so it is in this environment that we have Ben Lee with his seventh studio album, The Rebirth Of Venus- complete with a cover boasting a new take on The Birth Of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli.

When I first listened to this album my immediate reaction was to question when exactly did the once credible musician, Ben Lee, turn into Phil Collins or say, The Eagles, (as all seem to peddle out inoffensive pop dirges for the masses). But this observation has probably already been made by several people following the release of his previous two albums, Ripe and Awake Is The New Sleep. The irony, however, is that this record actually comes with a warning label to caution people about moderate impact language; so even when he is attempting to be lyrically edgy, musically he still is far too saccharine and easy-on-the-ear. In fact this album could possibly be the musical equivalent of an “adorable” puppy dressed in a pink fairy “people” outfit while lapping up whiz fizz.

The twelve songs begin with What's So Bad (About Feeling Good) where a cutesy beat set to rival Catch My Disease is produced courtesy of some cowbells, pots and pans that when combined sound like sugar-coated kettle drums. Backed by a large choir on this track and a few others (a group that includes his wife, Ione Skye, among others) it is a commercially hedonistic anthem. A similar accompaniment is offered in Surrender, a song that sounds like it could have featured on the Kahn Brothers album; except that it incorporates a woeful lyric that doesn’t even fit the rest of the song. It is one straight from Dirty Dancing. Actually it is probably the ONLY one people remember from that film: “No one puts Baby in a corner.” And don’t even get me started on the fact that in the same song Lee has stolen the crux of Crowded House’s idea from Fall At Your Feet.

A little further into the record and things only get worse with I Love Pop Music. While I won’t deny that the song is catchy, that does not redeem the fact it is truly awful. Because here we are offered a completely flippant chorus that verges on the ridiculous and this is supposed to be complimented (and I say that loosely) by lamentations about serious and complex world issues. As a result, it feels like Lee is making light of these concerns when he was trying to draw your attention to things like: consumerism, fear, global warming, bad politics and unfair practice in the first place.

Missy Higgins and Patience Hodgson guest star on this song but this does nothing to redeem the proceedings. A good protest song is a work of art- it can cause ripples of change and challenge ideals and public perception. This does not achieve that, as it is simply muzak for the masses (the masses being the kinds of people who would be just as, if not more content with nonsensical lyrics than with deep and meaningful poetry.)

As if to add insult to injury, the sweet ballad, Rise Up follows this aural assault in what can only be described as the worst choice of ordering ever. Following this, Messer Lee offers the rocking romp, Yoko Ono. It does manage to include at least one good lyric: “It’s not an easy job to be/the one who says, “Yes” when/the whole world says, “No.”

This is a reference to one of the first meetings between Ono and John Lennon at one of Ono’s art exhibitions. On this life-changing day, one installation contained a ladder leading up to a black canvas with a magnifying glass that allowed the viewer to read the word, “Yes.” While the song is a reasonable one, methinks this clever lyric will be lost on the younger audience and besides, there is already a glut of John Lennon songs that are far better than this one, which show not only admiration but love for this influential and creative artist and lady.

Boy With A Barbie continues the sensitive, new age theme and achieves this through distorted vocals and some 80s pop-sounding keyboards, plus a more expected Ben Lee-chorus. Here, Lee attacks gender roles and I guess it doesn’t take Einstein to realise that Lee was the kind of lad who liked girly things.

Bad Poetry is a song that lives up to its title- where poor lyrics accompany a bad lounge song. Next is Blue Denim where some alt-country swagger and slide guitar pay homage to essentially a cloth; and all with the kind of reverence not seen since Black Velvet was first recorded by Canadian singer, Alannah Myles in 1989.

I’m A Woman Too picks up where I Am Woman (a song written by a man) leaves off. All I can say is that I was surprised that Lee didn’t use this song as an avenue to admit he is the world’s biggest lesbian. Moreover, I’d love to know what feminist, Germaine Greer thinks about all of Lee’s faux-feminist claptrap.

The penultimate track, Families Cheating At Board Games seems like an attempt to lyrically emulate Darren Hanlon’s quirky writing style, but this is then married with some piano lifted from an Evermore songbook before culminating in a big, U2-rock ending (albeit, while backed by a gospel-sounding choir). The final track also borrows from the Irish Rockers’ song, With Or Without You but it also has the devotional (or should I say sanctimonious) weightiness of a George Harrison solo track.

In all, Ben Lee has offered listeners a new slew of songs that are overpowered by one colour- hot pink. A lot seems to be borrowed from various places, most notably the fairer sex, and these things are then gift-wrapped into what would appear to some people as perfectly bite-sized and consumable, sugary treats. The result is that alone they seem almost bearable but if you consume all of them in one sitting you will receive a very upset tummy, indeed. Perhaps we should all save ourselves the trouble and divert our attentions elsewhere...

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