Record Rack

** 1/2 Beth Hart, “Screamin’ for My Supper,” 143 Records/Lava/Atlantic. Hart specializes in tough rock balladry with a bluster reminiscent of Melissa Etheridge, but she’s loose enough to wrap her formidable vocals around a warm and interesting melody. This isn’t taking pop music in any bold new directions, particularly amid the cliches about the big bad city in “L.A. Song.” But Hart manages to tap into some real emotions. Polished, but passionate.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.