Lydia Loveless Set To Raise Hell At Lincoln Hall

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 30, 2014 8:30PM

Lydia Loveless (Photo Credit: Patrick Crawford/Blackletter)

When we sit down to list our best albums of the year in a few weeks, Lydia Loveless' Somewhere Else will almost certainly earn a spot. The Columbus, Ohio native—like Exene Cervenka, Sally Timms and Neko Case before her—digs deep for ore in the shared mines of country and punk with a defiant twang SPIN described as "Stevie Nicks singing lead on 'Born to Run.'"

That isn't hyperbole. Loveless sings seemingly as much to cleanse herself of sins as she does to entertain. On "To Love Somebody" her voice warbles plaintively as she tries to answer a rhetorical question. "Verlaine Shot Rimbaud" receives an added touch of longing as Loveless cries "I just wanna be the one you love." "I Really Want To See You Again" is a straightforward song about loneliness where Loveless adds weight to the lyrics with a passionate delivery. And "Head" is the most morose yet bouncy song about oral sex we've heard in quite some time. But the key to Somewhere Else is a more polished songwriting effort and production that smooths just enough of the rough edges from Loveless' cow-punk roots to make the album palatable for a wider audience.

Loveless' fan base and positive press has grown since Somewhere Else's February release and we're frankly surprised tickets are still available for her Nov. 28 concert at Lincoln Hall. Loveless is a hellion in a live setting. Get these tickets while they're still available.