![\"Ben](\"http:\/\/www.bauzon.ph\/cynthia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/benlee_ripe.jpg\")
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I first became aware of Aussie rocker Ben Lee<\/a>‘s music via the album “Breathing Tornados” 9 years ago ((aka the Claire Danes years<\/span>)), way before Grey’s Anatomy ladled out Catch My Disease<\/em> for global consumption, and since then he was always one of the artists whose releases I would anticipate. I can’t say that I like all of his songs — there are a few that I just don’t get — but I like the earnestness of his music in general, and in my opinion the albums “Breathing Tornadoes”, “Awake is the New Sleep”, and “Hey You, Yes You” have produced some really<\/em> good pop rock gems. ((Some of my favorites in no specific order are No Room to Bleed<\/em>, Gamble Everything For Love<\/em>, Away With the Pixies<\/em>, Cigarettes Will Kill You<\/em>, Pop Queen<\/em>, and We’re All In This Together<\/em>.<\/span>)) I’m tired of being alone
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\nSo anyway I was able to get an advance copy ((Sigh I love the internet.<\/span>)) of his 2007 album “Ripe” (slated for release on September 18<\/a>, er today<\/em>) and was pleasantly treated to what I think is his BEST work to date, I kid you not ((That is, if you like happy music like I do. \ud83d\ude42<\/span>)). Lyrically and melodically, none of the melancholy in his previous, post-Claire album is present and what you will hear is a chirpy Ben, singing happily away about what might be mundane to some — the birds and the bees, American television, Jay-Z, and love sweet love — but<\/em> with an apparent depth and soulfulness that merits repeated playbacks. Like the title implies, he demonstrates that he is indeed “Ripe”: now less experimental arrangement-wise, riskier lyrics-wise, and obviously ready to offer his heart again<\/a>. Yet, like anyone who’s been hurt, he exercises caution:
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\nSo say you’ll stay
\nPromise I won’t go
\nThere’s just one thing
\nI really need to know
\nIs this how love’s supposed to feel?
\nIs this how love’s supposed to feel?<\/em>
\n“Is this how love’s supposed to feel?”<\/span>
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\nBut submits to his heart in the end.<\/p>\n
\nI wanna take you home<\/em>
\n“Home”<\/span>
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\nIt’s a feel-good offering and a great album to play over and over (like I’ve been doing this past couple of weeks) while working or driving ((or, say, whiling away time at Facebook.<\/span>)).
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\nMy personal picks are Numb<\/em>, Ripe<\/em>, Is This How Love’s Supposed to Feel<\/em>, Birds and Bees<\/em> — a cute duet with, gasp, Mandy Moore!, the very catchy What Would Jay-Z Do<\/em>? and Sex Without Love<\/em>, and the impossibly romantic Home<\/em> and Love Me Like The World is Ending<\/em>. ((Gadzooks, I almost wrote down the entire tracklist. That’s how much I love the album.<\/span>))
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\nOn that note, why don’t I leave you with a video of one of my favorite tracks.
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