Lydia Loveless kicks off “Longer,” the dazzling new video from her upcoming LP Real with an assault of crunchy power-pop, but behind the confident swagger are the tinge – and twang – of vulnerability.
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25 Best Country & Americana Albums of 2016 So Far »Confined to her bed throughout the clip, Loveless occupies herself with tarot cards, paper dolls and junk food, reading Cat’s Cradle, Catcher in the Rye and Playboy, and playing guitar to pass the time. Spinning a globe and pointing to a random location, she sings, “Maybe I should move away, ’cause I don’t know why I stay.” At one point, from the other side of the bed, a topless woman rises and walks out of frame, her back to the camera the entire time, but it’s Loveless who boldly exposes herself throughout this and all of the tracks on Real, tempering her vulnerability with newfound strength.
“Because I feel like I spent my formative years flopping around like a fish, masking pain with substance abuse and somewhat ashamed of who I was — a hayseed, a phony, I felt — it was absolutely necessary for me to become a stronger, more confident human, or I was going to die,” says the Ohio native. “Real is my sort of love letter to that realization, that my existence was just as valid as any other.”
Real, Loveless’ fourth album, was recorded at Sonic Lounge Studios in her home state, engineered and produced by Joe Viers (Dr. John, Twenty One Pilots). This fall, she will play several shows with Drive-By Truckers.
Here are Lydia Loveless’ tour dates (*with Drive-By Truckers):
July 9 – Chicago @ Square Roots Festival
September 8 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
September 9 – Indianapolis, IN @ The HiFi
September 10 – Madison, WI @ The Frequency
September 11 – Milwaukee, WI @ Colectivo on Prospect
September 15 – St. Louis, MO @ The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
September 16 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
September 17 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
September 24 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue*
September 25 – Sioux Falls, SD @ The District*
September 28 – Missoula, MT @ The Wilma*
September 29 – Seattle @ The Showbox*
September 30 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom*
October 1 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom*
October 2 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw*
October 5 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades*
October 6 – San Francisco @ The Fillmore*
October 7 – San Francisco @ The Fillmore*
October 8 – Stateline, NV @ Montbleu Resort Casino*
October 11 – Los Angeles @ Teragram Ballroom*
October 12 – Los Angeles @ Teragram Ballroom*
October 13 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up*
October 14 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ The Fremont Theater*
October 15 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Live Wire*
October 18 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s
October 19 – Houston, TX @ Continental Club
October 21 – Birmingham, AL @ The Saturn
October 22 – Atlanta @ Terminal West



Source: RollingStone – Videos