Ben Lee Loves Pop Music

Ben Lee's The Rebirth of Venus drops tomorrow. Reportedly, it's a concept album about femininity.

We'll give you a good dose of it, along with the new Lily Allen, Ruthie Foster and the solo debut of Lisa Hannigan (catch my reviews in today's 'b.')

It sounds like Ben's running for world office on a platform of, well, Pop Music! Listen closely and you'll hear fellow Aussie Missy Higgins singing backup.

I think we're all feeling a little Australia today.

Missy Higgins Joins The Crash Test Dummies

Well, no, not the band...but, you'll see what I mean in a few seconds.

The Aussie songwriter is back with her sophomore release ON A CLEAR NIGHT- and it packs a punch, both in lyrical and vocal authenticity and melodies you'll be hard-pressed to purge.

Recorded virtually live to tape with producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Ron Sexsmith, Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos) and featuring a guest turn by Neil Finn, Missy's crystalline, confessional voice draws the curtains on her diary- several breakup songs punctuate the record.

Check the wonderful strum and Missy being put through the wringer on STEER.



and a very, very catchy song, whose lyrics, I think, we all have related to at one time or another- PEACHY.