Something to Remember Me By

17-year-old Australian Ben Lee has been recording and touring since the tender age of thirteen. Following his previous effort, Grandpa Would, these fourteen cuts show a more mature, acoustic-based artist with plenty of room left to grow. From the great "Ketchum" to the innocently catchy a cappella "A Month Today," Ben Lee truly does give us Something to Remember Me By. Modular. 2005.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about 18-year-old Ben Lee's music is that you don't need to cut him any slack for his age. Lee's songs tell simple stories of innocent love and broken hearts balanced with a wicked sense of humor that is well beyond his years. Centering around his acoustic guitar and folksy voice, his second full-length album not only conjures up memories of a young Louden Wainright III but firmly establishes him as a seasoned songwriter. Perhaps the most remarkable part of Lee's writing is his ability to write from an 18-year-old perspective without sounding like a trite youngster or a pretentious kid, proving that writing about who you really are goes a lot farther than giving the people what they want. --Bill Snyder