The Beth Hart Band´s 1996 debut, Immortal, went largely unnoticed, save for the few converts who snapped it up after they caught Hart´s incendiary live performances. Hart´s memorable Joplin-esque vocals and honest songs permeate this sincere but uneven outing. The song "Run," where Hart invokes the quirky, sensitive spirits of both Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell is a winner, and the assured, sexy vocals and ringing guitars of "Spiders in My Bed" fare much better than the overproduced and overwrought "Hold Me Through the Night." Hart´s reflective lyrics and musical emotions are best conveyed via the less-slick material on this dozen-song CD, such as the Heart-like ballad "Summer Is Gone," or the dynamic, whisper-to-a-scream of the title track. Hart´s passionate but primal vocals are at their zenith on "Am I the One," which is pure, sultry, and bluesy--more timeless than vintage.