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.

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.

Turn off the lights, have a glass of wine, and listen to this album. This is brilliant stuff. This was meant to be the official follow up to his 2001 album GOLD, but Lost Highway shelved the album and asked him to record something more mainstream, which he did with ROCK N ROLL (which is good in its own right, but it can't compare to this or his other work). So ROCK N ROLL was released as the official follow up, and the LOVE IS HELL sessions were released as two EPs (although now I've heard that Lost Highway is going to release it as one disc, why they didn't do this initially remains to be seen). Part One of LOVE IS HELL is really good, even better than Part Two if you ask me. It opens with the piano ballad "Political Scientist", moving into the dark ballad "Afraid Not Scared". The tempo is kicked up a little on "This House Is Not For Sale" and the title track, which are both great songs. He does a really great cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall", with haunting vocals and arrangements. The last three songs, "The Shadowlands", "World War 24" and "Avalanche" are brilliant songs, that should not be missed. This is essential Ryan Adams to own, and should not be missed. Among some of the best work he's ever done in his career.

This was intended to be the official follow up to 2001's GOLD album. Lost Highway decided not to release this as an album though, thus why it is in two EP's, and encouraged Ryan to record a different album, which is ROCK N ROLL. Being an important alt-country label with a following, I suppose they didn't want an album like this, which is dark and depressing, with a more stylized approach to rainy day music. He worked with John Porter, who produced much of The Smiths albums in the 80s. Fans of Ryan's music would like the LOVE IS HELL EP's more than ROCK N ROLL, which is much more in tune with the musical styling of bands like The Strokes. Not that it's a bad thing, but this was the intended album to be released and it shows. LOVE IS HELL has the substance and depth in the lyrics we've come to expect from Adams. This EP flows well from start to finish, not one weak song in the bunch.

Ryan's label, Lost Highway Records, refused to release "Love Is Hell" as the proper follow-up of "Gold" in Spring 2003, as orginally contemplated, fearing "Love Is Hell" is not commercial enough. (These are probably the same suits that refused to release Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.) So they "suggested" to Ryan to come up with something else (which he did, with the dreadful "Rock N Roll"), and as a bonus we finally do get "Love Is Hell", albeit in 2 EPs.

"Love Is Hell (Pt. 1)" (8 tracks, 34 min.) is a great listen, and flows very well from where "Gold" left us. The opener "Political Scientist" finds Ryan on piano, beautifully moping as only he can. Other standout tracks include: "This House Is Not For Sale", a nice upbeat tempo rune with a tip of the ol' hat to the Smiths, "The Shadowlands", another beautiful ballad, and the haunting Oasis cover "Wonderwall", oddly enough the best track.

Why the record label refused to issue "Love Is Hell" as a proper album is incomprehensible. But at least now the music is out, well half of it (the rest comes in December). For anyone wondering whether to buy this or "Rock N Roll", the choice is very clear: "Love" may be "Hell", but at least Ryan makes it sound great.