REVIEW: Ben Lee, Breathing Tornados (Grand Royal/Capitol)
- Christina Apeles
The darling of the indie music scene and indie pop stars alike (as well as the paramour of teen-angst queen Claire Danes), 20-year-old Australian Ben Lee continues to charm listeners with Breathing Tornados. A collection of witty lyrics and hooks galore, on Tornados the former Noise Addict frontman exits his teens into a more diverse, polished brand of pop. Luminaries such as producer Ed Buller (Suede, Pulp, Spiritualized), Harmony Korine (Gummo/Kids), Petra Hayden (That Dog), Sean Lennon (John and Yoko) and Donovan Leitch contribute their two cents to Lee's latest oeuvre. A follow-up to 1997's acoustically-driven Something to Remember Me By, Tornados will take many fans by surprise due to one important fact: The whole album was recorded on computers. If you can get past the synth sounds and keyboard-heavy tunes, you are sure to find pleasure in a smart, fairly low-tempo sound that showcases Lee's talented musicianship, with decades of songwriting ahead of him and a hell of a lot of charisma to offer.
There's a fair mix of styles thrown into Breathing Tornados, largely due to the incorporation of keyboards and drum machines (which I could definitely do without), creating Lee's most radio-friendly album yet. The record ranges from the Psychedelic Furs-tinged "Nothing Much Happens," to the light-hearted pop track "Cigarettes Can Kill You," as well as the rich, lazy groove of "Sunflower." I found my longing for Lee's earlier raw, sensitive nature (like he displayed in his solo debut "Grandpa Would") satisfied with "Birthday Song," a poignant ballad with Lee at his best -- stripped down to an acoustic guitar, the weight of his emotions palpable with every nuance of his voice.
But what does a twenty-year-old know about desire and defeat in the first place? He'll convince you in passionate numbers such as "Burn to Shine" and "Sleepwalk." His unique ability to express such sentimentality and get away with it is because he seems so terribly honest, and his somber offerings compare favorably to the bittersweet songwriting of Mark Eitzel (ex-American Music Club), though Lee is almost half his age.
Not all of Breathing Tornados is so blue. Lee showcases his sexy side in the jazzy, ornate "Nighttime," decorated with a backdrop of cool horns, seductive bass lines and Lee's alluring voice to stir your senses. Still, nothing compares to "Ship My Body Home," which every guy will be playing air guitar along to. It is the most rocking track on the album, laden with electric axe riffs (though repetitive). The momentum builds with Lee's clever word plays and timely music breaks making you wish the song would never end, but this is a pop album and nothing hits the four minute mark.
And that's why you just can't get enough of it.
