JennJoy's Full Review: Screamin' For My Supper by Beth Hart Band
If you read any of my recent reviews, you’ll know that a few people have sent me some stellar mixes in the past few months and a lot of my recent CD purchases have been based on those. Beth Hart’s second album, “Screaming for my Supper” was no exception. I had heard a live version of one of the tracks, L.A. Song already (thanks sslabs!) and picked this up based on the strength of that one song.
The first thing that strikes me about this album is Beth Hart’s voice. Since L.A. Song is a folk/pop piano driven mix and Beth’s voice is soft and sweet on it I didn’t expect this bluesy powerhouse that hit me on the first song. Think of Beth Hart as a mix of Janis Joplin, Melissa Etheridge, and Aretha Franklin and you’ll just about have her voice.
The second thing that hits me is the variety of styles on “Screaming for my Supper.” So many musicians have one particular style that they stick too, so I was expecting much of this album to be in a folk/pop vein because of L.A. Song. I was definitely surprised by the mixed bag approach to this album—there’s straight up rock, bluesy rock, pop, and more. Unfortunately for Beth, this approach sometimes works beautifully while other times it falls flat.
Just a Little Hole starts off the album nicely with a bit of soulful pop complete with piano and softly accented percussion. Though the music itself isn’t overtly powerful, you can feel the hurt and anguish of the song dripping off Beth’s vocals and through lyrics like, “Somethin’ for the soul, fingers on the trigger and nobody knows what she knows.”
Delicious Surprise picks it up a bit with more of a rock vibe. Beth’s voice is still the focal point, with a blend of drums, guitars, and bass taking the background. Her vocals move between a gravelly swagger and belted out blues-rock with ease. This is a great song that sounds perfectly radio-ready with lyrics like, I’m just an outsider livin’ in a trailer with my black and white tv set. If only I was president you know I’d paint the White House pink and never have to pay the rent.
L.A. Song really is the best song from the album and I don’t think it’s just because I’ve heard it before. Sometimes the simple route is the best one and this track is proof. The music is simple and piano oriented—a very pretty pop tune that just borders on folk music. This is also one of the songs that Beth wrote herself without any help and I think that makes a difference as these are generally less polished and show more of her raw emotion. Favorite lyrics: She’s gotta gun, she gotta a gun she calls the lucky one. She left a note right by the phone, don’t leave a message cause this ain’t no home.
Get Your Shit Together starts out with some barking dogs and the sound of someone walking and then moves into Beth sounding wistful and sensual. At just the point where I start to get bored with the way the song is going it pops into overload and becomes a balls-out rocker. The guitars here are actually vaguely screaming and I picture Beth in a smoky bar belting this one out. Favorite lyrics: Did you take it too far, did you forget who you are, did you stash your soul into the closet forever?
There are a few other tracks on “Screaming for my Supper” that I find just so-so and then a few more that just flop. Beth’s attempts at funkier, more electronic music just don’t fit in here and a few of the pop tracks are lackluster. Perhaps listeners who really prefer pop music (unlike me who only occasionally likes it) will enjoy this album as more of a whole product. One thing is sure, whether you like one track here or all thirteen, Beth Hart’s commanding voice is bound to leave an impression!
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