Ben Lee Makes a 'Ripe' Return

It Happened Last Night

LOS ANGELES: The Aussie wunderkind descends on Hollywood's Sunset Blvd. for SPINHouse Live.

By Taleen Kalenderian 10.04.07 3:00 AM

PHOTOS BY TALEEN KALENDERIAN AND ROB SHANAHAN

Touring in support of his latest studio offering, Ripe, singer/songwriter Ben Lee treated cocktail-sipping music industry insiders and media associates to a special SPINHouse Live performance at the Falcon last night (Oct. 3). The show, presented by Oakley and New West Records, saw the curly-headed Aussie sweetheart, decked in a black suit and a rainbow-striped tee, take to the dimly lit outdoor stage following a brief, intimate dinner with his bandmates. The short set focused chiefly on, ahem, Ripe material, beginning with the rollicking pop tresses of "American Television." Later, Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins joined Lee for a lovely rendition of "Love Me Like the World is Ending." Keeping with the light-hearted atmosphere of the evening, Lee subsequently broke into a spoofy performance of "What Would Jay-Z Do?" sending the crowd rumbling with laughter before the songsmith changed gears and turned out the album's concluding, namesake track. And though the fresh selections shined, it was Lee's impassioned cover of Against Me!'s "New Wave" that made for a proper night out.

We asked: Which Ben Lee song is the 'Ripest' and why?

Name: Joe Fazzio
Age: 23
Hometown: Hermosa Beach, CA
Occupation: Script writing
"'Birds and Bees' -- it's pop perfection."

Name: Rebecca Swanner
Age: 27
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Occupation: Editor
"I love his Against Me! covers because it's a different take on a punk rock record."

Name: Steve Crosley
Age: 30
Hometown: Palo Alto, CA
Occupation: Consultant
"I'm with her!" (referring to person in photo #3)

Name: Sean Hurley
Age: 34
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Plays bass for Ben Lee
"'Sex Without Love' because it rocks and it's got claps."

Name: Jessica Jerrick
Age: 30
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Integrated media manager
"The Ripe album itself is one of the most innovative of his albums so far."

Name: Suzy Schultz
Age: 31
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Managing editor
"I'm really excited about the new record …I like the effervescent, fresh sound."

Name: Aaron Beaver
Age: 32
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Occupation: Singer/songwriter for Shurman
"'Catch My Disease' 'cause I get a lot of diseases …haha!"

Name: Shilah Morrow
Age: 39
Hometown: Austin, TX
Occupation: Live event production
"'Catch My Disease' because it has such a great hook."