What's more engaging than a child prodigy? An Australian child prodigy. And that would be Ben Lee, the 16-year-old frontman of the band Noise Addict. Their 1994 single "I Wish I Was Him," a sarcastic ode to Evan Dando's seemingly charmed existence, was a burst of low-fi adolescent genius. An EP, Young and Jaded, soon followed. And now, Lee already, finds himself with a backlog of pop songs that he feels is inappropriate for Noise Addict, so he has offered up Grandpaw Would, a gleeful solo project. Produced mostly by Chicago indie superstar Brad Wood, the record is also graced with backing vocals by Liz Phair ("Away With the Pixies") and Rebecca Gates of the Spinanes ("Pop Queen"). Twelve of the album's 18 songs were recorded in Chicago over Lee's winter break last summer. The others were produced by Casey Rice in Australia. Lee's voice changed between the two sessions.

Grandpaw Would is infectious, danceable, hilarious and evocative. The production is pretty simple, with the emphasis on acoustic guitar, drums (played by Wood) and the occasional shaker. Lee may have dissed Dando, but he's working the same vein – except he's got more sense of humor in his little finger than the Lemonheads singer has in his whole body. First, it's hard to believe lyrics this dead-on were written by a kid this young. Then you realize that only a 15-year-old could write songs with such a perfect combination of innocence and cynicism.

Lee pumps out love song after love song, and the fact that he makes you laugh out loud doesn't mean that you can't see the emotion behind the jokes. On "How Can That Be?" he sings: "I'd say if you were the kitty, I'd be the litter/But I don't think that's a suitable metaphor." "Sprawl" is about a boy's bumbling attempts to get a girl by trying to be cool. "Pathetic" is a funny number about trying to get a girl by writing her a song and having her say it sucks. "Love Song" is Lee's comment on his penchant – and, indeed, the universal appetite – for the love song. And the crazy doo-wop-inspired "My Guitar" is about a boy and his instrument.

Grandpaw Would ends with a seemingly real answering-machine message from some hapless man making an inquiry about baseball caps. Then laughter. I would say Ben Lee should act his age, but he is. (RS 708)

CHRISTINA KELLY