The "next big thing" label is one deadly device. Few young artists today possess the smarts and staying power to fulfill its promise. Fewer still have managed to become legitimately established and evolved artists by the time they've turned 20. But with nearly 7 years of industry experience and critical acclaim under his belt, Ben Lee's done it all and then some.

Lee was discovered at the age of thirteen as a member of the underage Australian group Noise Addict. The quartet's brand of pre-adolescent punk-pop received applause far beyond the beaches of Sydney, where the band had played its first-ever gig at a local library book sale. The group was quickly snapped up by Fellaheen Records, which released the Lee-penned single "I Wish I Was Him," a sarcastic ode to Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando, in 1993.

The tune caught the ears of a few influential folks in America, including Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and the Beastie Boys' Mike D. Both would go on to bring Noise Addict's music to wider audiences through their Ecstatic Peace and Grand Royal labels, respectively. But the never-ending conflict between "school" and "tour" eventually wore the band of schoolmates down, and Noise Addict broke up upon the release of its sole full-length, "Meet the Real You," in 1995.

Lee has since seen two solo albums (1995's "Grandpaw Would" and 1997's "Something To Remember Me By") released to wide acclaim on Grand Royal. Certainly, the guy's had the kind of track record most 20-year-olds could retire on with pride. But Lee is outspoken about, in his own words, "forgetting the past and moving forward." His new album, "Breathing Tornados," makes that quite evident.

"Tornados" presents a dramatic departure from its ultra-lo-fi predecessors as well as a change in Lee's live-show ethic. Nearly all the instrumentation was recorded on, enhanced with, and/or generated by computer, and now Lee has assembled a full backing band for his live performances. It's a deep contrast from the stark, acoustic-driven records and concerts in Lee's recent past. But his songs are no less infectious; just far more lush and sophisticated.

The album also features songwriting and performance contributions from such famous friends as Sean Lennon, thatdog's Petra Hayden, screenwriter/director Harmony Korine ("Kids," "Gummo"), Donovan Leitch, and Lee's target of idol-worship from 6 years previous, Evan Dando.

MTV News recently caught up with Ben Lee and discussed the many intricacies of his new record, his philosophy of the industry, his thoughts on age and aesthetics, and even his relationship with actress Claire Danes.