Who Is Lydia Loveless?

I absolutely loved this documentary of Lydia Loveless, which I saw at an Chicago film festival.

Loveless' music is pretty well known among fans of Alt-Country/Americana rock, but aside from her reputation for solidly written songs and frequently messy but very enjoyable shows, I don't think there's been as deep a dive into what makes her tick as this film provides.

Intimidating and adorable all at once, Loveless comes across as ridiculously smart, which I don't think I'd know unless I saw the film. Her lyrics are very clever, and this film does a fantastic job of showing the viewer from which parts of her personal history that cleverness comes from.

There are tons of well-shot and exciting performances throughout the film, and without giving away too much, the film nears it's close documenting a performance of Loveless' "Boy Crazy" that is completely intense, surprising, and enthralling. I've watched a zillion rock docs, and this particular song performance is one of the most compelling 7 or 8 minutes I've seen in such a film.

Can't wait for this one to become available online or DVD so I can share with friends.

I watched a special screening of this film (so I had no exposure yet to all the extras on the DVD itself). When the credits ended I had to stay seated for a few minutes just to absorb the energy and feelings I had.

If you're already familiar with Lydia Loveless, the live music alone is worth the cost of admission ("More Like Them" gives me chills every time I hear it). If you're NOT familiar with Lydia - or you are but only in a small way - you will learn so much about her, and the band. But this documentary is SO much more than that.

It's a study of the way a "family" of five band members holds things together while maintaining individual identities.

It's a lesson in the economics of music, and the differences between being a "star" and being an artist and a critics favorite and making enough money to live.

It's a beautiful peek into the process of how pages of scribbled lyrics becomes a song, and then a different song, and then a completely different song...and then in the studio it takes shape into a work of art.

It's a diary of how Lydia Loveless has grown from a teenager just wanting to please everyone to a woman who has learned allowing input and ideas from her band is not a criticism of her craft.

Gorman Bechard has done some great work in the past, but this is the finest documentary he has ever filmed. The interviews are relaxed and off-the-cuff while maintaining honesty. You're really just watching conversations, not self-aware canned answers to obvious questions. The live music is as powerful as if you were standing in the audience. And like all great documentaries, so much of what you learn is simply shown to you instead of spoken. The film is an experience, not a lecture or a history lesson.

Lydia Loveless is an amazingly talented person, and the Patron Saint of the Socially Awkward. When I wasn't feeling my heart pulled out I was laughing hard and loud. And sometimes I was doing both.

I've ordered a copy for myself plus copies for gifts. I've already seen the film, and I'm still counting the days until the DVD is released. That's not just because of the long list of extra material I want to enjoy. It's mainly because I desperately want to watch this again.

Buy this film. Watch this film. Love this film. And when you play it, play it LOUD.

Update: Now that I have the DVD in-hand, I can also say the extras are tremendous. After you've watched the movie, make sure you enjoy the commentary track between Gorman and Lydia, as well as all the other bonus material. Too often the bonus features are ignored by the casual viewer. Don't make that mistake!

Being a fan of Lydia's music I was certainly predisposed to like this film. The filmmaker brought so much more to the party, with the visual treats of the funny animation and the photo albums for example. The style reminded me of other docs like 'We Jam Econo' but has its own flair. The biggest charm of course is Lydia herself. Admittedly slightly alienated from society yet at the same time very charismatic, the push-pull dynamic of her is fascinating. Her band mates are fantastic supporting players in every way.

This film goes into my highest echelon of music documentaries. I look forward to seeing Gorman's other films.

I loved this documentary for baring all the Heat & Soul and Warts and all of Lydia. I was pleasantly surprise on how each band member was featured & how much they contribute to the overall sound and spirit of Lydia Loveless the band. They fellow musicians are not only talented in their own right, but downright Funny!! Lydia herself was quite candid in this documentary and you get to see what makes her tick, come along for the ride in the songwriter process and party after the show with the band. One thing I did learn for sure from this documentary is that you cannot put Lydia Loveless in a box, she will scratch & kick her way out of it. A Must watch for true Rock N Roll Fans and for those of us who keep hoping for a Carson Drew Reunion.

Coney

I'll be honest – I attended the screening in Raleigh for the solo performance after the movie. At live shows, Lydia's amazing vocals are often overwhelmed by the mix of her band, so eight hours of travel was well worth hearing her solo.

I was initially skeptical of a movie about her – at just 25 years old, exactly how do you fill almost two hours of screen time??? But I came away really impressed. The movie is extremely well constructed, with artifices and devices that move the story in an interesting way. The scrapbook motif was brilliant, although the "super heroes" could have been left on the cutting room floor.

Even if you have no idea who Lydia Loveless is (your loss), this movie is put together in a way that will draw you in.