Ari Hest: ''The Break-In''

With his new album, The Break-In, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Ari Hest builds on the soft-spoken sensibility he established with his 2004 major label debut, Someone To Tell, and sets out in new musical and lyrical directions with an album that showcases both his development as a writer and growth as an artist.

"A lot of my earlier songs were inspired by things I went through, like struggling with love and relationships," Ari observes. "This time, on many songs I consciously took a step back and tried to look through other people's eyes. Maybe it's because I'm a little older or maybe I just care more now about what's going on in the world."

Most of The Break-In was recorded in Santa Monica with veteran producer Mitchell Froom, whose resume includes Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos, Ron Sexsmith and many others. Ari, who'd been a fan of Mitchell's work, was curious about what Froom would do with his sound. "He wanted to get the truth and the honesty out of me and not fluff it up in any way," says Ari, "and not color it in ways that would hinder the message." Ari and Mitchell met up in late 2005 and began recording The Break-In in February 2006.

The Break-In was made under conditions contrasting Ari's earlier recording experiences. "We recorded the album in Mitchell's home studio, which is basically a converted garage," Ari observes. "Working with him there was a relaxing, low-pressure experience." They worked six hours a day instead of the lengthy studio sessions to which Ari was accustomed. "It was a very creative environment - the spirit was 'let's see where this goes today.'"

From recognized the wide variety of styles in Ari's new material and focused on songs "that were either a little more edgy, or a little less pretty, like "When and If," "When To Quit," and "Just As Well.'" In addition to Froom, Ari credits a group of incredible musicians for helping to give The Break-In its honest, intimate vibe.

A productive musician and prolific songwriter, Ari writes songs every week and tours consistently throughout the year, honing the tunes in front of ever-appreciative audiences. During the two years since his major label debut, Ari has produced two DIY recordings -- 2005's Guilty Hearts EP and 2006's The Green Room Sessions -- for which he produced and recorded his performances on every instrument using Apple's GarageBand software. Still, there was plenty of new material ready for The Break-In. "By the time we began recording for this album, I had enough songs written that I didn't have to write anything in the studio," Ari says of the song selection. "We just had to arrange what was already there."

In addition to the songs Ari wrote on his own, The Break-In includes songs co-written with other musicians. The title track was penned by Ari with a couple of his long-time touring band mates: drummer and percussionist Scott Seiver and bassist Rob Calder. While some of the songs on the album had been road-tested at Ari's live shows, "The Break-In" was written especially for the album and is, according to the artist, one of the most provocative tracks, both because of its emotionally complex lyrics as well as Froom's subtle production. "There's beauty to it," says Ari, "but it has a haunting undertone of deep obsession. It's coming from the perspective of someone who's trying to intrude on your privacy, invade your personal mind space."

Ari's favorite song on the album, "Bird Never Flies," was co-written with the Gary Louris, of the Jayhawks and Golden Smog. "It was great writing with Gary," Ari says. "I came to him with the guitar line and the melody of the verse and he seemed to know immediately where to go with it. He came up with the perfect second section of the song."

Some of the album's most lyrically moving moments occur in "When and If," a story of a disgruntled soldier who wants to come home from war, and "Big Ben," a song about a friend of Ari's who was going through a tough time. "I tried to use the clock as a metaphor," he explains. "The clock standing as this pillar of strength in challenging times."

Returning to New York from Los Angeles after recording the bulk of The Break-In, Ari recorded and produced two additional songs, the album's closing track, "I've Got You," which has been made available on iTunes, and "So Slow," which has become a fan favorite among newer songs that Ari has performed live.

Like its predecessors, The Break-In showcases Ari's rich vocal range, which glides effortlessly from the baritone to falsetto registers. Coupled with the depth and strength of his lyrics and the natural ease of his melodies, Ari's extraordinary vocal abilities give his music its power.

Ari is sometimes surprised by the response his music draws from his audiences. "Sometimes people say to me that they've learned a lot about love through my songs," he offers, "or this or that having to do with their boyfriend or girlfriend. That's great to hear, but it's also a funny thing because I definitely do not have it all figured out for myself. If that were true, a lot of my songs would have never existed."

The Break-In, however, offers a new perspective for Hest listeners. "These songs are ultimately hopeful," he explains. "In the end, the predominant message is that I'm going to figure this out and it's going to be OK."