Love Is Hell

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Love Is Hell
Studio album by Ryan Adams
Released	May 4, 2004
Recorded	New York, September 2 to September 6, 2002 and New Orleans, February 2003
Genre	Alternative country Folk-rock
Length	68:01
Label	Lost Highway
Producer(s)	Ryan Adams, John Porter
Professional reviews
All Music Guide (4/5) link
Ryan Adams chronology
Love Is Hell pt. 2 (2003)	Love Is Hell (2004)	Cold Roses (2005)

Love Is Hell is an album by alternative country artist Ryan Adams, released on May 4, 2004. This album made Love Is Hell pt. 1 and Love Is Hell pt. 2 into one complete album. The only new track was "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home?", which was released on Adams's album Rock N Roll before as an edited version; the song on this album has a longer intro and other additions. The UK/European bonus tracks, originally included on the EP's, were left out of the single album.

This was the version Ryan wanted to be released, a sticker on the album says: "The complete album as Ryan originally conceived it." He never intended to get the album out as two EPs. But his record company Lost Highway thought this album was too depressing and not sellable. Ryan was sent home to make another record, which became Rock N Roll. As a compromise the record company released Love Is Hell as two EP's. Later Love Is Hell was seen as the better of the two records and was given a re-release.

In the UK there was also a single. The cover of the Oasis song, "Wonderwall", was released on June 28, 2004.

[edit] Adams' comments on the album

"It's done. We went into the studio on Monday (September 2, 2002) and we finished on Friday (September 6, 2002). I stopped for two hours on Wednesday to go to the art show, then we went back that night and cut two more tracks. It's 11 songs, no B-sides, and it's called Love is Hell. I can't even listen to it yet because it's so spooky. It sounds like someone possessed. It's like someone on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Or on the verge of a nervous breakthrough. The minute it was done I felt better. It's definitely the most intense record I've ever done."

--Adams' comments on Love Is Hell from an Australian Magazine, 2002

[edit] Track listing

1. "Political Scientist"
2. "Afraid Not Scared"
3. "This House Is Not for Sale"
4. "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home?" (Long Version)
   • Short version originally released on Rock N Roll
5. "Love Is Hell"
6. "Wonderwall"
7. "Shadowlands"
8. "World War 24'
9. "Avalanche"
10. "My Blue Manhattan"
11. "Please Don't Let Me Go"
12. "City Rain, City Streets"
13. "I See Monsters"
14. "English Girls Approximately"
15. "Thank You Louise"
16. "Hotel Chelsea Nights"