Say one thing for Ryan Adams; he doesn’t half-ass anything. These two EPs were originally one album that his label rejected as too depressing for release, so Adams turned around and handed them the brilliant Llor N’ Kcor, one of the best rock records of 2003. In turn, Lost Highway agreed to release Love is Hell in two parts, one simultaneously with Llor… , the other following a month later. They should thank their lucky stars they did. With Love is Hell, Adams has turned out a largely acoustic, slow paced collection of songs in the same vein as his excellent solo debut, 2000’s Heartbreaker .

The first half (part 1, obviously) of Love is Hell is the ultimate soundtrack for the newly spurned lover. Clocking in at a little over thirty minutes, it’s seven Adams’ tunes and one cover that consistently echo feelings of loss, depression, and bitterness. Let’s sample a line from each of Adams’ originals on Pt 1:

“There’s no guarantees”- “Political Scientist”
“I’m getting really cold and I’m looking at you”- “Afraid Not Scared”
“Tell them that this house is not for sale/ We’re still living here, how come nobody can tell?”- “This House is Not For Sale”
“I could be anything, anything but sticking around/ Love is hell.”- “Love is Hell”
“Most people never find a love”- “The Shadowlands”
“She takes some stuff, I take a lot…I’m feeling like an afterthought”- World War 24
“They taught us how to feel, but we feel numb”- “Avalanche”

Now, reading these in order makes for one depressing poem, but it also establishes the tone for Pt. 1: love is hell. And I know what you’re thinking- the title establishes this. But it’s more than that. Adams doesn’t allow it to be so simply stated. He’s not just saying, “You bitch, you left me.” He acknowledges it’s a joint effort to screw up relationships (see “Afraid Not Scared,” Avalanche.”) Nor do these problems exist solely in his universe. Love isn’t hell for one; it’s hell for all (“The Shadowlands.”) Most interestingly, Adams uses a brilliant cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” to convey his bruised ego and contradictory feelings. When he sings, “I don’t believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now,” it’s hard to tell if Adams is pledging eternal love or expressing sincere disgust. Ambivalence is hell, too.

Part 2 is by and large a more optimistic affair, which is welcome after the melancholic intensity of the first EP. There’s still an undercurrent of sadness, but the sadness is tempered with hope and humor as well. “Please Do Not Let Me Go” expresses a vastly different outlook on love than anything from Part 1: “True love ain’t that hard to find…Please do not let me go.” “City Rains, City Streets” is Adams poking fun at himself “Genius in a hospital bed with briar patch hair/ It just isn’t fair,” and chastising himself; “I really miss you/ I fucked you over a million times.” Adams allows himself to laugh, at the same time admitting his responsibility in the doomed relationship. It’s a nearly seamless transition from humor to hurt.

There are two songs here that remind one of another young singer/ songwriter (warning- Dylan comparison ahead) who was a NYC transplant in his twenties, namely Bob Dylan. “English Girls Approximately,” in everything from imagery to its title, sounds like something from his Bobness, circa ’65; “She’s got eyes pretty as a pair of jewels/ Falling down the Camden, like a couple drunken criminals.” “Hotel Chelsea Nights” is the same; “Fire and blood all into the streets/ In fact, I’m tired of 23rd Street/ Strung out like some Christmas lights/ Out there in the Chelsea nights.” Did Adams stumble across one of Bob’s old notebooks? Part 2 also has “Thank You Louise,” the best song concerning the death of a child since Bright Eyes’ “Padraic My Prince.”
Love is Hell 1& 2 contain a total of fifteen songs, none of which can be dismissed, or played once and forgotten. Adams’ emotions are manifest in each song; sadness and hurt are conveyed through his deceptively simple phrasing and sheer tone of voice. At other times, his guitar picking is so clear and harsh his anger is tangible. It’s a listening experience to remember. With all due respect to Slayer, hell’s never sounded so heavenly.

2004 1-42 Online