Beth Hart: Bang Bang Boom Boom - 2012

I have to admit that I don't know much about Beth Hart's music. She is a Los Angeles-born blues rocker and has been releasing music since 1993, when she was twenty-one. I came across the title track of this 2012 album (her sixth) as a recommendation on my streaming service. I liked it so I thought I would check the album out. 

It is solid blues rock and she is part of the burgeoning ranks of female guitar playing bluesers such as Joanna Connor, Grace Potter, Susan Tedeschi, Samantha Fish and Joanne Shaw Taylor among others. I have to admit that I have a bit of a problem with Beth's voice at times - her diction and accent grate on me slightly (it sounds a bit contrived to me) but her playing is top quality, as is that of her band. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs too, apart from the bonus live track at the end. It suffers a little from CD bloat, for me, and the fact that most of the tracks are relatively similar, but that doesn't mean that they're not any good, though.

Baddest Blues is a smoky, slow late night blues ballad to open with that bursts out powerfully mid-song with some big guitar parts and a rousing chorus. Bang Bang Boom Boom is a catchily jaunty number with a perky slightly waltzy beat to it. Beth's voice is fine on this one - gritty and lazily soulful. Better Man is a power chord-driven chunky rock number with another instantly appealing chorus. 

The lengthy Caught Out In The Rain is a delicious serving of slow, grinding, sexy blues, featuring some incendiary guitar chops and another excellent vocal - maybe I'm wrong about the voice! When I listen to the fifties-ish Swing My Thing Back Around, however, I start to disagree as Beth sings "I'm poiting (putting) my foit (foot) down". It just irritates me - sorry. Never mind, all is forgiven on the superbly soulful strains of With You Everyday, a Memphis-style slow burner that is possibly the best track on the album. 

Thru The Window Of My Mind is excellent too, with an infectious beat to it and more soully ambience. Nice piano on it too. It has a very 2010s poppy feel in its chorus. Spirit Of God is a brassy, Elton John-esque number with a catchy handclappy, gospelly bit near the end.

There In Your Heart is a piano-driven, robust ballad while another of my favourites is the vaguely reggae-influenced The Ugliest House On The Block. Great drumming on this one. the album ends with the slow ballad Everything Must Change and then a real treat in the live performance, featuring Jeff Beck, of I'd Rather Go Blind. Beth does her best Janis Joplin on this one.

Yes, it is all a bit samey, but it is a good samey. 

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