The Trades - Music Review: Ari Hest, "Someone To Tell"

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ARTICLE

Music Review: Ari Hest, "Someone To Tell"
by Scott Juba
Published: January 9, 2005

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Singing songs about real life is always the surest way to draw the attention of listeners. With this knowledge, newcomer Ari Hest has crafted an album that deals with everyday issues and problems. From songs like “Anne Marie” that cover relationship heartaches to a track like “Aberdeen” that speaks of the desire to leave a small town in search of bigger and better things, “Someone To Tell” features songs that most people can easily identify with.

The problem is, at times, some of the lyrics become too tongue-in-cheek (especially in “Fascinate You”) and come off sounding trite and unpolished. Hest is not an artist who can afford the risk of having his songs regarded as fluff. In his genre, he must approach his subjects seriously in order to earn respect.

In addition, some songs on the disc are underdeveloped. There are countless tracks that are on the verge of packing a strong emotional punch but miss capitalizing on this potential in key moments.

In the end, however, Hest’s rich, textured voice is his saving grace. Even when the lyrics are not of the quality they should be, the sterling sound of his voice captivates and keeps us interested. His opulent vocal talent places him in an elite class of performers, and I suspect that his voice will only become more seasoned with experience.

While Hest shows flashes of brilliance with “Someone To Tell”, he still has considerable room for improvement. If he places greater emphasis on refining his songwriting for his next release, he has the potential to be a bona-fide recording star. Here’s to hoping he takes advantage of it.

Overall Grade: B-

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