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Ari Hest
The Break-In
(Columbia)
First Appeared in The Music Box, July 2007, Volume 14, #7
Written by Nalini Persaud
The packaging of Ari Hest’s latest album The Break-In seems as if it
was meant to accompany a lost fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm. The lyrics are
printed in a font that mimics handwriting, and they are enjoined to black and
white images of Hest, peering over his shoulder through pristine illustrations
of a modern-day forest. Here, urban city streets are splashed with the colors of
autumn’s burning hues, and Hest’s appearance gives the illusion that he is a
romantic hero on a journey. The birds that are silhouetted in black make a minor
reference to one of his songs (Bird Never Flies), though they also invoke
a Hitchcock-like consciousness that looms in an unsettling fashion.
Appropriately illustrated by Zach Johnsen, who is known for having an avid
interest in exploring the dark curvature of the underbelly of the beast, The
Break-In’s booklet invites fans to wade a little deeper into the whimsical
affair. Be forewarned, however. You might not like what you find.
Those who are familiar with Someone to Tell, Hest’s debut, may think
that The Break-In is an extension of the paranoia-drenched single
They’re On to Me, but this is true only in a literary sense of flirting with
the dubious conflict between good and evil. Hest’s new songs feature lyrics that
are diverse in tone, feel, and arrangement. Right of Way is as excited
and challenging as Bird Never Flies is light but haunting. I’ve Got
You is romantically sweet, while When and If is forlorn. He broods
through Leaving Her Alone, and he steps into dangerous territory on both
the title track and Big Ben. Nevertheless, there remains an air of warmth
and charm that disarmingly weaves through his lyrics.
Passion at the edge of reason raises its hairy paw in The Break-In’s
title track, which was co-written with fellow band-mates Rob Calder and Scott
Seiver. While it seems like an abrupt slant into disturbing imagery, it
shouldn't have been a huge surprise, given the ominous pulsating morsel provided
in Them, a song from his recent EP The Green Room Sessions. Yet,
his altered approach creeps into every aspect of The Break-In, and fans
can’t help but to be shocked and stunned by the suddenness of his sharp, left
turn. Amidst the title tune’s dissonance, Hest sings, "like a vulture seeking
dead...’til I have flown into your heart...’cause I want to break your heart."
Yet, he also states, "I want to be your muse/The one who can inspire like none
before." The surrounding arrangement is fittingly thick and hypnotic, and Hest's
voice is studiously seductive. He toys with the object of his desire like she’s
prey, and it’s hard to know whether or not even he can tell the difference.
Rangy, menacing rock guitar licks carry the tune off into the distance, stamping
upon it a distinct impression that the story might not end well. It is a Zen
riddle for which there can be no definitive answer.
Throughout The Break-In, Hest mixes ’70s grooves with vocal harmonies
from the late ’60s, while also adding the melodic appeal of The Beatles, The
Beach Boys, and Steely Dan. (It should be noted, too, that the latter group was
equally attracted to ambiguous lyricism). Nevertheless, he misses several
opportunities to carry his songs to other places, and the listener is left
wanting more. Right of Way, for example, could have benefitted from
having a good, raw, nothing-held-back jam session tucked into its mid-section.
It is the most straightforward, dance-friendly, hook-filled tune on the set, and
by Hest’s own account, it is a depiction of an innocent surrender to someone
else’s choices. In this case, it’s having Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Bonnie
Raitt) on board as producer.
Froom should be given credit for keeping Hest in check. Vocally, he doesn’t
reach beyond his capabilities, and the stark arrangements are used effectively
to augment and complete the emotional terrain of each of The Break-In’s
songs. When Hest wails "I’m so afraid" over When to Quit’s drum track, he
sounds like someone who is trapped in a painting by Edvard Munch. While not
fully realized, perhaps, Hest is emerging as a stream-of-consciousness writer
who grapples with swift jumps in the midst of his lyrics. "Opened his door to a
stranger's voice/Feeling that he had no other choice" from So Slow traces
an elliptical arc, while Right of Way captures an almost imperceptible
slide from a direct challenge to a lost appeal.
Hest, as the apprentice, appears to have learned a thing or two from Froom,
and he produced The Break-In’s final track himself. With its eloquently
lilting violins, I’ve Got You boasts melodically strong, lush tones that
are reminiscent of an old-time love song. The woman in question might be Norah
Jones, whose debut release appears to have inspired this star-struck response.
Hest apparently has never built up the nerve to ask Ms. Jones to accompany him
on this treat, and so he admirably sings her part himself — which lends a
schoolyard-sweet, first-crush aura to the whole production. It is the hallmark
song that his fans want when they pay for the album, and it is what they want to
hear when they buy a ticket at the door to one of his concerts. 
The Break-In is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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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 © 2007 The Music Box
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