From The Desk Of Ben Lee: Built To Spill’s “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love”

“No guilt, all pleasure,” sings Ben Lee on his forthcoming album, The Rebirth Of Venus (due April 28 on New West). Lately, the 30-year-old Australian singer/songwriter has been on a mission to deliver radio-ready pop songs for the rest of us, mixing up hooks and politics and letting it all hang out. Shortly before he appeared on Jay Leno last week, Lee did a Q&A with MAGNET on the topics of Venus, his recent marriage to Ione Skye and the “mistake-pop” of his past and future.

As guest editor of magnetmagazine.com this week, the world’s most enlightened pop star shares thoughts about his latest revelations—from music to monkey gods.

Lee: There’s Nothing Wrong With Love is one of the most romantic indie-rock albums of all time. Everything Built To Spill has done has been pretty great, but this 1994 record is so full of yearning and amazing melodies that it’s kind of undeniable. When you meet someone else who loves this album, it’s a real bonding experience. The guitar solos are massive, the lyrics poetic in their everyday-ness. There’s something not quite right if albums like this get lost in the dustbin of history. It is epic. I come back to it every few years, and it never sounds dated.

“Car”: