NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ New West Records) -
Ben Lee dedicates his seventh studio recording to Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. A bold move for a man, but Ben recognizes that the strongest feminine qualities 'such as compassion, nurturing, creativity, spontaneity, intuition, playfulness, tenderness and warmth�are qualities that we all, men and women, need to cultivate'.
'The Rebirth of Venus' (February 10th, 2009) was produced by Brad Wood, who also produced Ben's breakout 'Awake Is The New Sleep' (as well as his critically acclaimed debut 'Grandpaw Would' and sophomore album 'Something To Remember Me By').
A portion of proceeds from albums sold will be donated to FINCA's Village Banking program. FINCA offers financial services, not charity, to the world's lowest-income women entrepreneurs. This creates jobs, builds assets and generally improves the standard of living in these destitute communities.
The album's cover re-creates Botticelli's Birth of Venus, but with a rock and roll twist. Ben is featured in the clamshell with fiance Ione Skye and band mates as angels above him.
Other musicians who appear on the album include Missy Higgins, Cary Brothers, Patience Hodgson of The Grates, Nic Johns, John Alagia (producer of Ripe) and longtime collaborators and musicians Lara Meyerratken and Nic Johns.
Ben wears his heart on his sleeve in his songs as PASTE magazine describes of 'Awake Is The New Sleep', '�Lee has become a writer so adept at communicating his personality through song, that it's easy to feel like you know him after just a few listens.' With 'The Rebirth of Venus', Ben continues to let listeners get to know him while exploring the balance between masculine and feminine nature. One song on the album that exemplifies this quest is 'I'm A Woman Too.' Ben urges that 'until we recognize that we are all made up of the same stuff, we are bound to keep hurting each other.
The Rebirth of Venus' first single, 'What's So Bad (About Feeling Good),' showcases Ben's trademark pop craftsmanship and sense of humor. Complete with catchy hooks and sing-along chorus, the song features Ben's future stepdaughter on pots and pans as well as backing vocals.
Ben Lee has been living as a working musician for over half of his lifetime. Beginning at the age of 14, he has stayed grounded and spiritually focused. Aside from the honor of winning four ARIA Awards (Australia's equivalent to the Grammy), Ben has started to make regular appearances with various symphony orchestras throughout Australia. Following the first set of sold out symphony performances with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Ben will play with the Queensland Orchestra in Brisbane featuring hits such as 'Catch My Disease,' 'Cigarettes Will Kill You,' 'We're All In This Together,' and more.
He also wrote and produced the original soundtrack to the film 'The Square,' which is nominated for Best Soundtrack at the 2008 AFI Awards (Australian Equivalent to the Academy Awards).
Ben's songs have been used in over 30 film, TV and commercial syncs off his last two albums. In the last year he's had syncs on 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'One Tree Hill,' and Kohl's Department Stores in the US and Coca Cola internationally.
His music was also recently used in the trailer for 'He's Just Not That Into You,' starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Anniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson. 'Awake is the New Sleep' (Ben's first release for New West Records) garnered rave reviews, career-high worldwide sales, and a hit in the track 'Catch My Disease.'
The album went Double Platinum in Australia, where the single went on to become the first ever independently released No 1 radio song in Australian history and went Top 10 in Canada, Spain and the Benelux, and Top 20 in the US.
The Rebirth of Venus Track Listing:
1. What's So Bad (About Feeling Good)
2. Surrender
3. Sing
4. I Love Pop Music
5. Rise Up
6. Yoko Ono
7. Boy With A Barbie
8. Bad Poetry
9. Blue Denim
10. Wake Up To America
11. I'm A Woman Too
12. Families Cheating At Board Games
13. Song For The Divine Mother of the Universe
