On Down the Line

1990’s On Down the Line finds Patty Loveless consistently hitting her stride as she dives into a superior batch of tunes. These tracks feature an eclectic mix of country, folk and rock influences and show a blue-collar emphasis that would recede somewhat on later albums. At times, Loveless rivals Emmylou Harris in her command of bluegrass material — she especially connects with her Kentucky roots on the aching “Some Morning Soon.” She’s equally good on upbeat rockabilly-style tunes like “Overtime” and “I’m That Kind of Girl.” On the barroom ballad “I’ve Gotta Stop Loving You (And Start Living Again),” she dons the tear-stained robes of a true honky-tonk angel. But what really distinguishes this album is its rollicking title track (a Kostas-penned working-woman’s complaint) and “The Night’s Too Long” (a bittersweet nighttime sketch written by Lucinda Williams); these reality-steeped songs helped define Patty’s persona. Tony Brown’s production makes these tracks radio-friendly without smoothing out every last edge. On Down the Line is the first fully-realized Loveless album, an indicator of great things to come.