Ari Hest at Largo June 12 and 19

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Ari Hest is drawing raves for exciting live shows and touching new songs that build on the soft-spoken sensibility he established with his 2004 major label debut, "Someone To Tell."

Most of his current "The Break-In" disc was recorded in Santa Monica with veteran producer Mitchell Froom, whose résumé includes Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos, Ron Sexsmith and many others. Ari, who'd been a fan of Froom's work, was curious about what would change in 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."

A prolific songwriter, Ari -- who appears June 12 and 19 at Largo in Hollywood (don't miss it!) -- writes songs constantly and tours 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. "We just had to arrange what was already there."

The Largo shows are highly recommended.