IN BRIEF: ** 1/2 Patty Loveless, “On Down the Line,” MCA. Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (a classic).

This is one woman’s view of trying to get by in an all-too-loveless world, and in the choice selection of material from a variety of writers, this Kentucky wonder exudes a steely resolve that never gives in to self-pity. Instead, she relies on a great sense of humor and an unflagging faith that things will get better, even when disappointment strikes. As a singer, she may not plumb the depths of the human soul as Emmylou Harris can, but she compensates with miles and miles of heart.