lambchops's Full Review: Screamin' For My Supper by Beth Hart Band
Beth Hart is an artist on the edge.
She has yet to prove herself musically, to become popular with mainstream audiences, or to even really breakthrough on any level to radio. Is she untalented? No, Hart is a competent singer-songwriter-pianist with leanings toward both blues and rock. The perfect song, the song she has yet to write and record, could put her over the edge, into the spotlight.
In the course of just two albums, the Los Angeles-based Hart has been awarded increasing exposure. But her work is few and far between, with full-length efforts having been released in 1996 and 1999. Hart’s talent is nicely complimented by her band consisting of three other members bassist Tal Herzberg, guitarist Jimmy Khoury, and most recent addition drummer Sergio Gonzalez. This arrangement certainly allows for a more cohesive sound in that Hart doesn’t rely on studio musicians to record her music and to lend support and creative input.
Hart and her band debuted in 1996 with Immortal. Despite the support of a major label, the album never quite got off the ground. Few people heard it and even fewer bought in. After an exhaustive tour, the band settled down, and for all intended purposes split up. Hart eventually returned to the studio to write and record what would eventually (with the help of her former bandmates sans Gonzalez) turn into their 1999 album.
Screamin’ For My Supper made a quiet entrance on shelves in mid-1999. The sometimes too-passionate (yes, there is something such as too much emotion) album lingered on various Billboard charts, and single LA Song even managed to crack the top 40 after quite some time on the charts. But soon, the album slid off of the charts and back into the black hole of obscurity. Unfortunately, as much talent as Hart seems to have, this is probably the best place for the disc. It lacks the spark, cohesiveness, and genuine love that any great album from any genre must possess.
But there are flashes of greatness as with the aforementioned LA Song. Unlike much of the rest of Screamin’ For My Supper, this track feels like a solo effort. It deserved all of the attention it received, up until and including her appearance on—gasp!—Beverly Hills 90210 (which I’m not exactly proud to say I saw on the first airing of the show). LA Song is as close to that perfect breakthrough song. Unfortunately for Hart and company, the accompanying album wasn’t able to live up to the high expectations. This isn’t to say that LA Song is any less worthy, the lyrics are well assembled, the music sparse, the emotion real, the vocals flawless. Without the slightest bit of doubt, it is the star of this otherwise rather mediocre album. And those lyrics, well…those are the crown jewel:
She cried so long her tears ran dry
Then she laughed
'Cause she knew she was never comin' back
She said
Man I'm gonna get outta this town…
There are a few other less important, though decent tracks worth mentioned (though none even comes close to equaling the evocative power of LA Song. By Her qualifies in this category. On the surface, the song is decently well put together and Hart’s voice sounds natural rather than forced (as with many of her more “angry”) songs. With a modest tempo and quiet melody, the track is aurally appealing though further investigation into the lyrics is disappointing. Listen to By Her, but don’t think to intensely about what is being said and everything will be fine.
Also slightly better than average is Is That Too Much To Ask. Hart pushes her voice through her nose a bit too much, but aside from that minor issue the song is one of the most universally appealing of the album. It’s funky, but in a bluesy-country Sheryl Crow sort of way (though on most occasions Crow does her job more effectively). Hart makes an attempt toward profundity, but instead lyrically is once again lacking. As with other songs, listen but don’t analyze.
The other song worth mentioning on the positive end of things is Delicious Surprise. A cross between music from Crow and Melissa Etheridge, the song growls enthusiastic while the melody proves relatively memorable. More than anything else, Delicious Surprise is a roots rock song, and a decent enough one at that (again discounting the lyrics). And, believe it or not, despite the fact that it was never released as a single the song did get some television airplay thanks to an ad campaign by amusement park Six Flags Great America.
The four mentioned songs all appear within the first five tracks of Singin’ For My Supper. This goes to show that the album is consistently lacking. Listeners will find themselves moderately happy with the first half, and absolutely disappointed with the second. To make matters even worse, the album is substantial at thirteen tracks. It unfortunately seems to go on for hours…probably as a direct result of the overall dismal quality of the latter songs. She doesn’t sound like an individual; her songs could have just as easily been performed by some 20-year-old record label hack (and for that matter written…the lyrics are atrocious).
I don’t believe that Hart is angry…as hard as she tries to bellow and wail about the injustices of the world something about her bad lyrics and delivery make for an unconvincing argument. Sure she has a good voice, but something special needs to back such voices up. Think this is being too critical of Hart? Think again…the lyrics are truly bad as a whole and most of the times the music is only slightly more palatable.
…another way
I just cant find the words to say
Cold where I lay
it's cold where I lay
bones cracked to clay
a killer's in the way
The above words are from the song Skin. Skin is just one of many equally unfulfilling outings on this sophomore effort from Hart and company. Let me just say right now that any song that tries to be poignant and important and comes off as idiotic and senseless should be done away with, buried in some dark, deep hole. Not to mention the fact that Hart rhymed SIX lines here…however you slice it, it is lacking in creativity.
Other truly forgettable, often rotten songs are Girls Say, Favorite Things, Sky Is Falling, and worst of all the pseudo-anger ridden G.O.P.. That last track is an incoherent rant about the ills of Christianity. Done correctly, this good atheist would be entertaining. There’s nothing better than a good rip at religion. But Hart fails miserably with uncreative vocals, predictable music, and even worse useless lyrics. She lashes out at people’s belief systems (something I cannot agree with) by saying directly and without passion that all people die regardless of belief, and there are even some really bad people who believe in a god. They might even beat their wives and kids! How very profound. Uh. Yeah.
In the past, it’s been said that Hart sounds like Janis Joplin. That comparison is not at all fitting. Hart sounds like a less gritty, less throaty (and probably slightly less inspired) Melissa Etheridge and even occasionally like a less evocative early Sheryl Crow. However you slice it, Screamin’ For Your Supper has more bad points than good. But because of a few really great songs I recommend the album despite slapping it with just two stars. This Hart album leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth...despite the wonderful nature of LA Song.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Just A Little Hole | 02. Delicious Surprise | 3. LA Song | 04. Is That Too Much To Ask | 05. By Her | 06. Get Your Sh*t Together | 07. Stay | 08. G.O.P. | 09. Skin | 10. Girls Say | 11. Sky Is Falling | 12. Mama| 13. Favorite Things
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