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Ben Lee Makes a ‘Ripe’ Return

Touring in support of his latest studio offering, Ripe, singer/songwriter Ben Leetreated cocktail-sipping music industry insiders and media associatesto a special SPINHouse Live performance at the Falcon last night (Oct.3). The show, presented by Oakley and New West Records, saw thecurly-headed Aussie sweetheart, decked in a black suit and arainbow-striped tee, take to the dimly lit outdoor stage following abrief, intimate dinner with his bandmates. The short set focusedchiefly on, ahem, Ripe material, beginning with the rollickingpop tresses of “American Television.” Later, Nickel Creek’s SaraWatkins joined Lee for a lovely rendition of “Love Me Like the World isEnding.” Keeping with the light-hearted atmosphere of the evening, Leesubsequently broke into a spoofy performance of “What Would Jay-Z Do?”sending the crowd rumbling with laughter before the songsmith changedgears and turned out the album’s concluding, namesake track. And thoughthe 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?