Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An embarrasment of riches, March 8, 2004
By A Customer
Once I was able to let go of the alt country/Whiskeytown era of his career, Ryan Adams really started to stun me with his talent and range, nowhere more so than Love is Hell pt. 1 and 2. The more I listen to this album, seeming to channel so many artists (to my ear, Jeff Buckley, Pearl Jam, Nick Drake, too many to mention) and also, sounding completely original at the same time, the more I can't believe my ears. The ease with which he can switch genres and sounds, with a different feel and voice to every song, really makes me wonder how fellow musicians who hone their signature sound must secretly feel about his embarrasment of riches. Love is Hell stands out to me because of its tremendous depth and sincerity, something that at times takes a backseat to his cleverness and talent (Gold, to me, is an example of that). Every song on this record makes me stop and feel inspired, with the possible exception of the Wonderwall cover (which I may be alone in thinking is the weak spot on the record, maybe a favorite because it is accessible, I don't know. The original is too spot on to improve). In short, this record (one record, it doesn't make sense as two EPs) is brilliant, and deeply felt.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fragile Masterpiece, November 12, 2003
By A Customer
How dumb are record companies? This collection of songs narrowly escaped the discard pile at Lost Highway despite being the very best work Adams has done since "Heartbreaker". Moody, intense and at times, painfully beautiful, Love is Hell 1 is destined to be a classic.Favourite tracks include "The Shadowlands" (echoes of low-fi Springsteen), "This House is Not For Sale" (which wouldn't be out of place on any Whiskeytown album) and the despairing "Afraid Not Scared". The much discussed cover of "Wonderwall" leads a catchy if fairly insipid pop song into territory the Brothers Gallagher could never have imagined. This is intelligent music by one of the most talented songwriters around. As for Lost Highway - perhaps they should find a pretty boy-band to promote - I hear they sell lots of albums.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Love is Hell", but this CD is not, November 4, 2003
Those of you who love the alt-country version of Ryan Adams will be disappointed to some extent but this album seems to harken somewhat back to "Heartbreaker." It is distinctly British with the jangly guitars and understated melodies. The ep is also dark in its scope and starkly different from Gold in almost every way. "This House is Not for Sale" is the best track on this disc while "Political Scientist" seems to be the most unneccessary. "Shadowlands" channels "Sylvia Plath" and the cover of "Wonderwall" is very good. What is the most striking though about this album is that it is so much stronger lyrically than Rock n' Roll. The melodies are more descernable and hooks abound in the least likely places. It's surprising that Lost Highway would want to keep this album off the shelves and instead force Ryan to make another completely different record. "Love is Hell" has a greater sense of cohesiveness that was absent to a great extent on "Gold" or even on "Demolition." The influence of the Smiths and Joy Division is quite apparent. Adams seems to take on this genre well. The truest test though will be to listen to "Love is Hell pt. 2" and decide just how good an album these two EP's would have made. Until then, pick this up and skip out on Rock n' Roll if you want more than fluff.
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