Screamin' for My Supper

1	Just a Little Hole 5:16
2	Delicious Surprise (I Believe It) 3:48
3	L.A. Song 3:55
4	Is That Too Much to Ask 3:32
5	By Her 4:08
6	Get Your Shit Together 4:42
7	Stay 4:49
8	G.O.P. 4:00
9	Skin 5:00
10	Girls Say 3:44
11	Sky Is Falling 4:34
12	Mama 4:27
13	Favorite Things 9:02

Barnes & Noble

While most of the late-'90s gaggle of girls with guitars want to whisper secrets in your ear, Beth Hart is more likely to grab you by the lapels and shout her innermost thoughts straight into your face, decorum be damned. Descended pretty directly from singers like Janis Joplin -- whom she recently portrayed in "Love, Janis," a stage musical that's soon to begin a national tour -- the rail-thin, railin' Angeleno is at her best when she eschews subtlety altogether, something she did more often on her major label debut than on this followup. Even so, Hart manages to cut to the quick on a passel of SCREAMING FOR MY SUPPER's best songs, most notably the cutting "L.A. Song (Out of This Town)." Hart's more over-the-top instincts are tamed a bit by a fastidious production job that pushes some tracks ("Delicious Surprise," for one) into Sheryl Crow territory, but when her own personality shines through, it's the real deal. David Sprague

All Music Guide

L.A.-based rock singer Beth Hart released Screamin' for My Supper in 1999, three years after her debut, Immortal. Producing herself, with help from longtime collaborator Tal Herzberg, and playing piano, keyboards, and arranging string sections, Screamin' for My Supper is a mature, fully realized sounding record. She kicks things off with "Just a Little Hole," a mid-tempo, smoldering cut with organ that gives it a blues/gospel feel. Hart's slightly raspy vocals compliment things with a twinge of heartache and regret. "Delicious Surprise" is a punchy, roots-inflected rocker co-written with Glen Burtnik. "L.A. Song," the lead single, explores the darker side of sunny Southern California with gentle piano backing and hushed, understated vocals that make the song thought-provoking and compelling. Other noteworthy cuts include the slinky melody of "Is That Too Much to Ask," with an infectious chorus and smoking harmonica, and the poignant "By Her," which adds strings and accordion to the mix. Screamin' for My Supper is a confidant effort that is a bit more rough-hewn than Sheryl Crow but fits comfortably into the same arena. Tom Demalon