The forgotten side of the Mary-Louise Parker-Billy Crudup-Claire
Danes square of yore, Ben Lee’s music has gotten steadily saccharine
since the breakup that should’ve provided his best material. It drifted
on Awake is the New Sleep (his last batch of uniformly strong
songs), dipped on Ripe, and has disappeared beneath syrup with
The Rebirth of Venus. “What’s So Bad (About Feeling Good?)” he
asks on the opening track, a fair question, but he torpedoes any
goodwill with “I’m a Woman, Too.” Music doesn’t have to be downbeat to
have worth, but it needs more than a transparent “fuck” thrown in for
edge.
This article appears in May 14-20, 2009.
