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Ari Hest
Someone to Tell
(Columbia)
First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2004, Volume 11, #12
Written by T.J. Simon
With a road paved for him by 20-something singer-songwriters such as John
Mayer and Jason Mraz, Bronx native Ari Hest delivers a winning collection of
acoustic guitar-based pop-rock on his major-label debut Someone to Tell.
Throughout the collection, Hest conveys his introspective lyrics in a meaty and
soulful voice reminiscent of a young Michael McDonald, and his outstanding
backing band sounds consistently seasoned and tight throughout the album’s dozen
tracks. The disc’s best moments include the peppy opener They’re on to Me
as well as the song of praise to a bigger-than-life lover Anne Marie.
Elsewhere, he invokes the spirit of Counting Crows on the harmonica- and
accordion-tinged Strangers Again, and the influence of Hootie and the
Blowfish shines through in Hest’s moving vocal performance during Holding On.
The one track on Someone to Tell that is head-and-shoulders better than
the rest is Consistency. The song begins with a lively cadence and
infectious beat until a Motown-esque horn section arrives, seemingly out of
nowhere, to transform a good tune into one of the year’s best recordings.
Unfortunately, Hest comes dangerously close to overstaying his welcome on the
53-minute Someone to Tell. He would have been well-suited to tighten up a
few of the tunes that hover near the five-minute mark (Aberdeen, When
Something Seems Wrong) and altogether drop some of the non-descript,
mid-tempo clunkers (Monsters, A Fond Farewell). Nevertheless, Hest has
recorded a compelling disc full of buoyant melodies and thoughtful lyrics that
far surpasses most of his contemporaries. Hopefully, he won’t get lost in the
music industry rush to identify the next John Mayer.  ½
Someone to Tell is available from
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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