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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
An internationally acclaimed song ("Catch My Disease") that made the playlist for both a hit television drama and computer advertisement did nothing to alter Australia's Ben Lee. He remains youthful (still, at age 28), eminently fruitful (this marks his seventh album), and capable of surrendering addictive after captivating song (see "Love Me Like the World Is Ending," "Just Say Yes," and a half-dozen others on this 12-song set). Not surprisingly, Ripe rides a similar vibe to 2005's Awake Is the New Sleep: quick-and-dirty pop melodies polished with chiming guitars, piano fills, and Lee's exuberant, boyish vocals. Love and affection provide a common thread, blatantly exposing themselves on the interrogatory "Is This How Love's Supposed to Feel" and "Just Say Yes," where Lee asks, "If this is right, then why resist?" while purely insinuating infatuation on both "Blush" and "Numb." The indie veteran's camaraderie pays off on "Sex Without Love," where Good ! Charlotte's Benji Madden joins him on a chorus dangerously Def Leppardish and the Greaselike "Birds and Bees," with pop diva Mandy Moore playing Olivia Newton-John to Lee's John Travolta. The latter plays hokey for one or two listens before dissolving into the record's delightful sequence. --Scott Holter
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Lornarna
Format:Audio CD
Honestly, this is a great pop album. Upbeat, catchy and just a little quirky. Ben Lee has matured, and so has his music. Less darkly musing than in his youth, this is a real gem. He's such a big star back in homeland Australia, but relatively unknown over here. This is the kind of album you feel you need to keep secret as it's so good, but Ben really deserves more recognition than that.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By M. G. Wilson
Format:Audio CD
Ripe is chirpy and poppy, and at best undemanding and unoriginal, at worst just plain irritating with its 'clever' lyrics, making Lee seem a smart alec (see for example the dreadful 'Sex without love').
Big in Australia, world domination is unlikely to be beckoning any time soon.
Big in Australia, world domination is unlikely to be beckoning any time soon.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2.9 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Okay
29 Dec 2008
By B. Johnson
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Not as good as Awake is the New Sleep, but I thought it was borderline between okay and good. I'm a bit disappointed how Ben Lee has moved onto a more "Pop" sound, rather than his contemplative and deep "Indie/Rock" sound. I hate to have to say this, because I LOVE Ben Lee. However, while the pop sound is disappointing, I really enjoy quite a few songs on this ablum including: Love Me Like The World Is Ending, American Television, Blush, Numb, Sex Without Love, Home, So Hungry, and Just Say Yes. I did not, however, enjoy Birds And Bees, Is This How Love Is Supposed To Feel, What Would Jay-Z Do, and Ripe. Birds and Bees actually makes me my ears bleed. I haven't made it through more than half that track.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Better luck next time Ben
13 Mar 2008
By Howlinw
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
I'll be the contrarian here. I bought this from a used bin at my local indie on the strength of some of his older work (songs I connected with from the far superior "Awake Is The New Sleep"). I even sampled a few tracks in the store, and found them appealing and catchy. The problem was, on further listens, there was nothing more to it than what was immediately and readily apparent on the surface. No depth, nothing interesting. The lyrics came off (to me) as trite and insincere, and the melodies sounded like plenty I had heard before. The production was also just a bit too sharp and glossy, ready-made for adult alternative radio. What a disappointment - I brought it right back to the store. Ben's better than this, and I will reference "Awake Is The New Sleep" as evidence. Better luck next time Ben, and it saddens me to have to write this review.
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Baby can you hear the message that I am sending, Love Me Like The...?
21 Sep 2007
By Jose Bay
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Latently this album is not as in your face sonically experimental as his ARIA award winning Awake Is The New Sleep. Some may even say its throwaway, rushed to the shelves and plain out, bland and LOUD repetitive guitar pop. But as with any long term stay record, the onions hidden layers will reveal themselves over time. The epitome of the album is how Ben Lee captures the lonely predicament of his followers: Generation Y - to scarily; but potent and relevant Zeitgeist extremes. It's all about yearning of love from strangers, unrequited & even requited...words/sentiments/messages no other mainstream musician would dare say (except perhaps for SIR James Blunt). Lee tells the hidden obvious, the secret longings...and does it bravely, melodically: almost storybook like - so it's important to listen to this album in original tracklisting order. I believe Sex Without Love should be released as a single; I was always a sucker for jingles & songs domineering and pretentious media critics hate e.g. Blunt's You're Beautiful. Long live precious singer/songwriters...as the ones I've mentioned have been the albums of the week at Borders Bookstores.
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Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews
2.9 out of 5 stars
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