Lydia Loveless to play Lee's, Hymie's tomorrow night

​Hearing 21-year-old Ohioan Lydia Loveless' Bloodshot release Indestructible Machine, your immediate association upon taking in her rich, steady and intense voice is "Neko Case. She sounds like Neko Case." But no, that's not quite right. It's got a rougher edge than that. Stay instead within the Buckeye State, and look alternatively to fellow Ohioan, Heartless Bastards frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom, and that feels a little more right. Then you listen to Loveless' angsty lyrics and you think "Taylor Swift? Risque Taylor Swift?" No, not it. "Um... trashy Leslie Gore?" Yep, that's closer. Throw in the attitude of Miranda Lambert, if Lambert was on Bloodshot and not angling for the Top 40 set, and in Lydia Loveless you find yourself with the results of a pretty rockin' mix, which you can hear for yourself come Friday.

Loveless, whose album was heartily endorsed to me by the folks at Hymie's (who in my experience do not lead astray), is kicking off her Minneapolis stop with a free in-store performance Friday December 2nd, 6:00 PM at Hymie's, followed by an evening show at Lee's Liquor Lounge ($8).

Does my Erika Wennerstrom-cum-Leslie Gore-cum-Miranda Lambert description not entice you? Go at least to hear her song about how Steve Earle is stalking her. It's a weird 'un. And no, that Steve Earle is not actually stalking her - the song's about a guy who described himself to her as "The Steve Earle of Ohio." Creepy.