Disco de Ben Lee: “Awake Is the New Sleep [Digipak]”

After reading your review of Ben Lee's `Awake is the New Sleep', I was so taken aback by its stupidity and short-sightedness that I had to write a response.

I don't think it is valid to criticize music purely on the grounds that it doesn't conform to "certain rules of songwriting and music in general that must be obeyed". Should we be calling the police?

For your information HMC, good music ignores what it popular, what it expected and what is safe. Luminaries from Mozart to The Beatles to Eminem defied expectations on what music should be and as a result, changed the face of music for the better.

If we don't have artists who break these "rules", either by trying to fit five words where only four will fit or using non-scale notes and chords or fusing discordant styles of music, nothing changes and as a result music becomes stale.

Don't criticize an artist for trying something different, for trying to be individual.

And what's all this about non-western scales sounding strange to our ears? How is this relevant?

"Hmm, I was thinking of buying the new Ben Lee CD but after reading all this about non-tonal pentacostic scales, I think I'll buy something by an accomplished artist". Please. This seems to me as someone may have taken a music course at community college and wants to show off.

Awake is the New Sleep is a solid pop-rock album that is evidence of a songwriter not scared to wear his heart on his sleeve. It is sure to please Lee's solid fanbase. For new listeners, it won't change your life but it does have its moments.

I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with everyone that says this is Ben Lee's best work, that's pretty ridiculous...Breathing Tornados and Something to Remember Me By were both much more creative and interesting albums. That's not to say I dislike this album- my problem with it is that it has a couple of really amazing songs and quite a few mediocre ones. Apple Candy and Begin are my two favorites, both of which are strongly reminiscent of the Breathing Tornados production style. They both start soft and simple and build towards the end, layering effects and drum tracks...Almost of all of the other songs fall victim to mindlessly repeating the title of the song, which makes them sound very very similar to one another. The mostly slow, methodical tempos do little to differentiate them from one another.

I hope that this review does not make me come across as anti-Ben Lee, because I am a huge fan and eagerly awaited this album...For some reason, it just feels as though he didn't care much in its construction, and I know that he can do, and has done, much better.

Gamble Everything For Love, Apple Candy, and No Right Angles are my favorites, but the whole album is great. Mellow, but catchy. Relaxing, but doesn't put you to sleep. The lyrics are quirky and intelligent--I just wish they came printed with the CD. Buy it--it'll make you happy. =)

In my opinion this is the first album in a new Ben Lee era, the hippy era. For the most part the tracks are all very uplifting and positive. With the exception of "Ache for You" Ben Lee no longer writes songs like a tortured young adult but like a guy that appreciates and embraces life. "Gamble Everything for Love", "No Right Angles", "We're All In This Together", and the theme song for peppiness "Catch My Disease" are fantastic tracks that will get stuck in your head for a very long time.

It's great, buy it.

Ben Lee's new album is absolutely worth buying, even if you've never heard it. If you like pop, this will be your new favorite cd. The cd contains both upbeat (catch my disease) and more melancholy (begin) tunes, but each song is sure to inspire you. There will always be one song on this album that you can relate to at any moment in time.

my favorites are:

"We're All in This Together"

"Close I've Come"

"Gamble Everything for Love"

and according to my brother who has booked Ben Lee, he's a real nice guy. Buy his album. you won't regret it.