Ben Lee - I'm Fun (LP)

Ben Lee has always had a knack for making big feelings feel light on their feet. Three decades on from his teen start in Noise Addict and the run of hits that made him a household name here, he’s still finding fresh ways to package heart and humour. I’m Fun! is proof. Released in 2022 on New West Records, it’s a bright, witty pop record that snaps into focus within seconds and stays that way. The songs are short, the choruses come quick, and the whole thing feels like a sunny day that’s somehow been arranged for guitar, synths and handclaps.

If you want a single that sums up the tone, start with Born For This Bullshit. It arrived ahead of the album in 2021 and plays like a mission statement. A pogo pulse, fuzzed guitar and a gleeful, chest-out hook that’s more invitation than brag. Lee has always been a charming writer of slogans that actually carry a bit of wisdom, and this one lands with a grin. Parents Get High is another sly highlight. It’s a story song that never tips into smirk, hanging its jokes on soft keys and a tune you’ll find yourself humming while you make a cuppa. Like This Or Like That rides a clipped rhythm and wordplay that feels conversational, like Lee is workshopping the chorus with you in the lounge room.

What makes I’m Fun! sing is how direct it is. The arrangements are uncluttered but thoughtful, built around acoustic strums, tidy electric riffs, a sprinkle of synth sparkle and percussion that scoots the songs along. You can hear how carefully the vocals are placed in the mix. Lee’s voice sounds close, with just enough air around it to keep things bright. There’s a through-line to his pop high-water marks. If Awake Is The New Sleep gave us the big blanket of optimism in the mid 2000s, this album distils that spirit into bite-size, repeatable moments. It’s less sprawling, more punchy, but it carries the same generous warmth.

Sequencing helps too. The first side bursts with colour, then the back half leans a little more reflective without slowing to a crawl. He’s good at using a small arrangement tweak to change the emotional weather. A stray synth phrase here, a tambourine shake there, and suddenly a song shifts from cheeky to tender. You can imagine these cuts translating easily to a small stage set, which is where Lee shines. He’s a born connector, and these choruses are designed for shared voices.

Spinning I’m Fun! on wax underscores that simplicity. The flow suits two sides, and the edges of the production feel nicely rounded on a turntable. If you’ve been collecting Ben Lee vinyl, this sits neatly next to Breathing Tornados and Awake Is The New Sleep, connecting early fizz to seasoned craft. The New West pressing of I’m Fun! vinyl has been a regular staff pick in more than one Melbourne record store I’ve ducked into, and it’s exactly the sort of album you put on to lift the room. If you like shopping local for vinyl records Australia has no shortage of spots to grab it, though you can always buy Ben Lee records online if you’re building the shelf from scratch. Ben Lee albums on vinyl reward repeat listens because the hooks stick, then the little production nudges reveal themselves.

Context matters with Lee. He’s an artist who never lost his appetite for pop enthusiasm, but he’s also lived enough life to write about the bumps without getting bitter. That’s the sweet spot here. The jokes don’t undercut the sincerity, they frame it. When he tosses off a line that sounds like a pull quote from a poster, the melody keeps it from turning into a lecture. Even the titles feel like a wink that’s backed by craft rather than just cheek.

If you’ve drifted away since the radio ubiquity of Catch My Disease and Gamble Everything For Love, this is a tidy entry point back in. It’s lean, catchy and comfortable in its own skin. I’m Fun! does exactly what the title promises, but it does it with the earned lightness of a songwriter who knows how hard it is to make something feel this easy.