In Brief

Patty Loveless, “Long Stretch of Lonesome,” Epic * * 1/2 . The Kentucky country singer’s unflinching vocals are best suited to songs expressing steely determination in navigating the troubled waters of relationships, and she’s got a few here that suit her beautifully. She still can’t really let go, though, so kick-up-the-heels numbers lack the bite they deserve. Loveless appears at the Greek Theatre with Bryan White on Friday.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).