Love Is Hell

Ryan Adams

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 4, 2004)
• Original Release Date: May 4, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Lost Highway
• ASIN: B0001ZMX68
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,303 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Japanese only 2 CD re-issue of his ace 2003 album now includes a bonus disc of seven additional tracks, three of which were only released on the UK EP's, 'Halloween', 'Caterwaul', 'Fuck the Universe' and the remaining four are previously unreleased; 'Twice as Bad as Love', 'Father's Son', 'Gimme Sunshine' and 'Black Clouds'. 23 tracks in all. Universal. 2007. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lost Highway should be ashamed..., May 5, 2004

By	W. Price "bobharris1" (Senatobia, MS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I, as I imagine most Ryan Adams fans, bought the Love is Hell e.p's seperately. I must say I was a bit surprised to see this in the stores yesterday (along with a bonus track!!!).
Well Lost Highway, what gives? Initially, you guys felt that this album wasn't worth releasing. Since then you've broken it in half and forced the fans to purchase each seperately and now you are releasing it as a whole and cohesive album (as it should of been in the first place) and trying to intice the fans to give you more of their hard earned money by placing an extra track on there... and this is what really kills me...Lost Highway has put a sticker on the CD that says, "...as the artist originally intended...". Are they serious??? If that is indeed how they truly feel then why the "Hell" wasn't it released this way to begin with?
Lost Highway should be ashamed of themselves.
Hey, this is a GREAT album and I would recommend it to anyone, but I still feel cheated. I shouldn't have to buy this album three times!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ryan Adams at his peak, June 23, 2006

By	drum6282 - See all my reviews

If you're a fan of Heartbreaker and Gold, this may not be for you. This album is not like his alt. country predecesors. Instead, Love is Hell is an album with lush electric arrangements and unforgettable melodies. Ryan Adams is the master of making memorable melodies. This album is where he peaked. The opener, Political Scientist is (I hate saying this) like a lost Jeff Buckley song. Much of the album hints at Buckleyesque and Beatlesque type arrangements. At times Adams is quiet, other times he screaming...a very emotional album from start to finish. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 stars is because the album gets too long. There are 16 songs on here with a tune that's also on Rock n Roll...it fits well on this collection, but did you really need to make the album one more song longer? Other than that, I love this album.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shadowland, March 29, 2006

By	Joseph Friend (Oxford University & Maryland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am sad to say that I LOVE this album. The reason why is because I cannot find any other Ryan Adams CDs that are even comparable to this masterpiece. I have spent little over a year listening and absorbing so much from these recordings.

I do find the CD to be somewhat depressing but there is an overwhelming uplifting aspect to the entire CD. For instance in `Shadowlands,' the beginning of the song really does sound like Adam is in the abyss crowded amongst tragedy and sorrow. Then, slowly his voice begins to shed the reverb, it sounds as though Adams is lifted and startlingly enough right here with us, which the music supports as well. He transcends his suffering into something so much greater and ultimately enjoyable for a listener.

I could go on about each one of his songs in such a way that is inescapable once you sit down and listen. Of course it still has all the enjoyable aspects of just pleasant music that don't require a listener to analyze every song. But if a listener would just take on the task of trying to figure out what the hell happened to Adams before/while writing this record then this record would become so much more than just a compilation of well crafted songs.

I mentioned this before, this album is completely different from his others and Adam's fans generally don't understand it. I find that extremely disappointing since his most skilfully crafted piece of work is but more than a cold murmur to them. There are some similarities to 29 but it doesn't feel as natural (I don't mean to suggest either improvised or planned) and sincere as `Love is Hell.'

I suggest if you are unfamiliar with it, get this record, start it on track six, once the CD is over start from track 1 and just let it unfold for you. A timeless masterpiece and personal favourite trust me.

-Friend