Lydia Loveless Details New EP, Shares Title Track ‘Accolades’

Singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless is back with a fresh set of songs dropping in just a few weeks. Set for release on Oct. 30 via Bloodshot Records, Accolades is a reflective six-track EP that blends elements of 90s alt-rock, vintage country, and acoustic folk. Although the accomplished Ohio native has earned acclaim and a firm footing in Americana, her captivating soundscapes push past genre borderlines, delivering a fresh, authentically unique sound anchored by Loveless’s always stellar, raw lyricism.

“I do feel like there is a very Americana sense to it as much as there isn’t,” shares Loveless. “I was really inspired by Tom Petty on a lot of these songs, where I wanted to give them space to breathe, like I feel like a lot of his songs do, and focus more on telling stories than dumping my life on everyone.”

Matt Ross-Spang, known for his Grammy Award-winning work on projects by John Prine, Margo Price, Jason Isbell, and Lori McKenna, among others, co-produced and engineered the project. Recorded at Southern Grooves studio in Memphis, Accolades features musical contributions from some of the city’s most renowned session players, helping to build the EP’s bold, expansive sonic landscapes.

“I really feel at home in these songs,” Loveless explains. “I stopped trying to make any stylistic choice and just served each song. It didn’t feel like I was trying to craft this long, cohesive narrative. I just allowed myself to enjoy making music with my band.”

Loveless has also shared the first preview of her upcoming project, the EP’s slow-rolling yet punchy title track. The song finds the talented songsmith trying to find her footing in the present moment while also longing for the comfort and familiarity of the past.

“I think for me the heart of ‘Accolades’ is trying to return to a place of quiet observation and meditation, the deep dark hole being more a place to sit and think about motivation for doing things as opposed to a place to wallow,” Loveless explains of the track. “Of course there’s some nostalgia in there too, not for the good old days exactly but for a sense of self.”