Kevin Bronson on June 30th, 2015

0

Has it really been 20 years since a then-teenaged Ben Lee released his first solo album? Seem like a long time — but it’s a drop in the bucket to the subjects of his new video for “Big Love.” They are John and Ann Betar, the longest-married couple in the U.S., celebrating their 82nd anniversary this year. Peter Harden directs the video, which culls from the Betars’ footage of home movies. Says Lee: “The video, like the song, is a tribute to deep love and surrender. It’s not a transient love. It’s not teen romance, a crush, or an infatuation. It is a wellspring of hope and possibility that lies dormant in the human heart until it is unlocked with will, commitment, and tenderness … Young people are so bombarded nowadays by messages about divorce and the failure of long-term relationships. I hope this video creates a counter-argument to that outlook.” The song, meanwhile, is from Lee’s 10th album, “Love Is the Great Rebellion,” released last month, which sees the still-boyish 36-year-old returning to his exuberant indie-pop roots. In addition to the album, the L.A.-based singer has also released “A Mixtape From Ben Lee,” which is also worth some long-playing. It features Lee originals with guest vocalists such as Ben Folds, Azure Ray, Zooey Deschanel, Nina Persson, Mark Oliver Everett, Sean Lennon and Neil Finn. Proceeds from the digital release go to the Q’eros Project, benefiting the Q’ero people of Peru.

||| Live: Ben Lee plays the Troubadour on July 17, supported by the Silverlake Chorus, Falls and Ryan Dilmore.

||| Watch: The video for “Big Love”:

Photo by Erik Lang