Review: The Only Man - Lydia Loveless

Lydia Loveless' album, The Only Man, released under the Columbus, Ohio-based Peloton Records label in February 2010, is a country music revival. I mean, real country -- traditional American tunes born in honky-tonks and rooted in folk fables and quilted farmlands.

The Only Man is a promiscuous, dark-humored diary of lost love, bourbon whiskey binges and revenge. Amidst today's neo-country-pop craze, Loveless boldly breaks out with this 33-minute roots-country medley of self-written originals.

Traditional country music of this caliber is not an easy sell in mainstream markets but this 10-song compilation is a loaded gun, and this songstress is ready to take a pinpoint shot at the country crown. Loveless is coming up as a strong contender against the genre's finest, even the "Queen of Country" herself, Kitty Wells, and she's only 20 years old.

Recommended tracks: "The Only Man" and "Paid"

Find more artists like Lydia Loveless at Myspace Music

Editor's note: Loveless signed with Bloodshot Records in 2011.

Read about Loveless' recent performance at The Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in this article: The Conductor, Oldboy roused fans at The Grog Shop

Oldboy, 'The Conductor' rouse fans at The Grog Shop

The Conductor and The Creator packed the house at The Grog Shop on Saturday night, playing, in jest, under a naughty pseudonym, “Ralph Geer and the Flesh Lights.”

(If you’re wondering what a “flesh light” is, as did this reporter, you’re better off left in the dark; just beware unabashed pokes from below the belt.) Led by frontman Rob Geer, the group’s popular rock sound is a bricolage of early British pub rock (before the punk revolution), blues rock and modern alternative with folk and swing influences. Ultimately, this band offers a unique sound complementary to easy-listening or a full-on progressive jam fest. It was no secret that this artistic group has made an impression with audiences as the wall-to-wall crowd dissipated following the conclusion of the band’s set.

Lydia Loveless followed up with an alternative country-bluegrass set. A long, curly haired rube slapped the upright bass on stage left as the singer from Coshocton, Ohio, crooned angsty, down-home melodies sure to rile up a boondocks bonfire. Loveless proved herself a talented vocalist and songwriter, but, on first impression, she seems to lack the stage presence to back it. The singer’s indifferent demeanor may be in line with a “country outlaw” persona but drove the set into a lull in between songs. Luckily, the band was able to pick up the energy with each twang of the guitar and bass strings. I’d like to catch this artist on her home-turf to watch her liven up. [Read up on this artist's debut album on donewaiting.com.]

Headlining act Oldboy closed the night on a high note. The band’s Americana-jam-band sound harkened me to an open-field festival in mid-August. The dynamic five-piece is fronted by the energetic Shawn Brewster, who pulled the audience in with quirky, so-bad-they’re-good jokes and lighthearted commentary on familiar individuals in the crowd. Brewster’s vocals channel a Dave Matthews quality; perhaps contributing to why I felt as if I ought to be dancing in the lawn area of Blossom during the set. Alas, at the show’s end, winter chilled to the bone outside but Oldboy provided a nice breakaway into the mind’s favorite memories of summer. Perhaps we’ll see this group opening for arena acts in the future.

Oldboy was recently featured as the "Local band in focus" in Cleveland Scene magazine and also received a media hit on Cleveland.com.

Watch The Rhythm Report's latest videos, including Rob Geer performing Assassin live at The Grog Shop.

Beans' Top 10 beats of 2010: No. 3, 2 & 1

The Rhythm Report with the help of David Beans has counted down an eclectic soundscape of artistic contributions made throughout 2010. The list ends here with an original film soundtrack, an oxymoronic folk-electro orchestration comparable to a modern-day melding of Pink Floyd and Simon & Garfunkel, and a poppy indie rock quartet. The following albums finalize Beans' Top 10 Beats of 2010:

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Road OST
Imagine a post apocalyptic world with nothing left - the skies are gray, the trees are dead and the only other survivors in the world have a notion to eat you and your son that you are attempting to survive with. This is the soundtrack for that. Haunting, lonely and gorgeous.
Recommended Track: 'Home'

Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz
Everyone loves a record for different reasons. I'm a sucker for records about loss and realization. Known for subtle folk tunes with hushed vocals, Sufjan returns with one of the most ambitious and complex projects I've ever heard. The last song alone is over 20 minutes long and still does not seem over done several months later. Combining elements of folk, electro and playing with a palette of production techniques, this record requires you to listen from its beginning to end. Sfjan transforms the singer/songwriter to an entirely new level.
Recommended Track: 'I Walked'

Vampire Weekend - Contra
Quite possibly the best pop record of the year. Coming off their first record, which I had no interest in, Vampire Weekend produced Contra in a pop-fashion and thrives off melodies and hooks that you will end up singing, even if you don't know what they are talking about. This is a catchy and moving album that has car commercials written all over it.
Recommended Track: 'Giving Up The Gun'

David Beans collaborates with Recording Engineer and Musician Keith Vance to offer recording and audio mixing services. Recent clients include Tom Evanchuck, Diamonds and Pearls, and Justin Markert. Beans also released a self-recorded solo album entitled The Loss & Recovery EP in 2008, available atwww.david-beans.com. Contact: davidbeans@msn.com.

Read about and listen to the other artists who topped this list in 2010:

Beans' Top 10 beats of 2010: No. 3, 2 & 1

Beans' Top 10 beats of 2010: No. 4 & 5

Beans' Top 10 beats of 2010: No. 6 & 7

Beans' Top 10 beats of 2010: No. 8 & 9

Beans is on beat with Top 10 of 2010