Above: The great Columbus-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Lydia Loveless.
We took time yesterday to break bread with Lydia Loveless, a woman whose music we couldn't love more. Lydia was kind enough to share a diner lunch with us at Phillip's Coney Island in the Short North (and ice cream at our Short North shop).
Over fries and BLTs (and Hawaii 5-0's gun play on the TV) she talked of getting to know our nation's highways and taverns, broken promises to herself to exercise after long drives and nights, constantly scrapping to sell tickets and T-shirts, and never seeing a city's "sites" other than its gas stations and its nearest Denny's.
"One day, I swear we at the same Denny's twice, which was ridiculous," she said. "People are always giving you great places to see and go and drink and eat, but you just can't. All your time is spent playing, driving, and sleeping."
Not that she is complaining and not that she'd have it any other way.
Lydia, 21, has spent the past several months on the road playing songs from Indestructible Machine, which was released last year by Bloodshot Records, the Chicago label that's put out stuff by everyone from Ryan Adams and Neko Case to the Old 97's and Justin Townes Earle. She speaks her mind both in person and in every song.
Of Lydia's new album, allmusicguide wrote, "If you're someone who seeks out the place where punk rock, country music, crafted songwriting, and raw, immediate, visceral garagey rock & roll meet, look no further," while popmatters called the record, "Nine rounds of haymakers without a weak link."
Lydia is headed to South by Southwest next month in Austin, Texas, and until then she'll play a string of shows. Check here for all details and catch her while you can.
Above: Singer Lydia Loveless and Jeni in the Short North shop Wednesday afternoon.
Above: the sweet Lydia Loveless merch table built by Lydia's husband and bass player, Benjamin Lamb. When you catch Lydia on the road, make sure to pick up some goods, including her new album, Indestructible Machine.
Yay! Been listening to her all week. :)
Posted by: Lisa | February 18, 2012 at 10:25 AM