- Audio CD (2 Feb 2004)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Single, EP
- Label: Universal
- ASIN: B0000DZEAX
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 210,613 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
Jubilee Offer: Patriot Classics for £2.50 |
Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. My Blue Manhattan |
| 2. Please Don't Let Me Go |
| 3. City Rain, City Streets |
| 4. I See Monsters |
| 5. English Girls Approximately |
| 6. Thank You Louise |
| 7. Hotel Chelsea Nights |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The source of much-reported discourse between Ryan Adams and his record company, Love Is Hell Pt 2 is the second EP instalment of Adams' aborted Love Is Hell album and it would seem a triumph of artistic integrity over label expectations. A gentle, introspective beauty, this is among Adams's best work to date, falling much closer to his emotive debut Heartbreaker than the recent raucously derivative label-appeaser Rock N Roll.
These tracks of acoustic-led emotional narcissism find Adams at his most comfortable, wielding an acoustic guitar and mulling over making and breaking love. "English Girls Approximately", a Dylanesque ode to English girls with guitars, features the distinctive voice of one Marianne Faithful while "Please Don't Let Me Go" is a perfect slice of poignant balladry complete with atmospheric slide guitar and heart-wrenching lyricism: "I'm alone now; I can do as I please/I don't feel like doing much of anything." --Christopher Barrett
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For those of you that don't know the story, when Ryan Adams presented what was intended to be his third proper solo album (excluding last year's Demolition - a collection of demos rather than a coherent album), entitled Love Is Hell, it was turned down by his record company, on account of it being "too dark" and "not his best work"...
Well, we all know what record companies know about music, and this just goes to prove it... While Rock'n'Roll, the album released as Ryan's official solo album is an effective piece of fun, but little more, Love Is Hell, released as two EPs instead of a full length album, is spectacular - deep, dark, emotive, tuneful, intelligent, and altogether rather wonderful - everything you'd like from an album, and everything you might expect from a songwriter with Ryan's prodigious talents...
This, the second of those EPs, more than lives up to the promise of the first, and stands up to his earlier highly acclaimed albums, Heartbreaker and Gold... Particular stand outs are "I See Monsters", and "English Girls Approximately", in which Ryan sings "Said you didn't love me, you didn't want a thing, English girls can be so mean..."
As with the first EP, the international edition comes with two bonus tracks, making it almost the equivalent of a stand alone album in terms of length, and more than value for your money...
Together, Love Is Hell Parts 1 and 2 would be the best album of the year - undoubtedly blowing Rock'n'Roll out of the water, as well as all the other great albums released this year... As it is, Ryan's record company has made a massive misjudgement of the quality of this material - don't be guilty of the same thing - this is certainly some of the most compelling and beautiful music made this year... Well done to Ryan for making sure this got a release at all, albeit not the way he might have wanted...
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Three albums at once (classed EPs the Love is Hell's are far from it) is alot to take in. Rock & Roll is great but not the lyrical standard we've come to expect of adams. out of the two love is hell discs, this is better song for song for me. although my favourite songs are on pt1, pt2 is more consistent and has some real beauty, fragility and defiance in it. he may be petulant and not the best guy to talk to (according to various journos) his music is better than brilliant at times. buy this, its cheaper than albums yet is longer than most and is adams at his melancholic, honest best, if thats how you prefer him. which i do. it rocks.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Forget all the record company wrangling for a minute, forget the unweildy beast that is "Rock'n'Roll", and concentrate on "Love is Hell Part 2" as a collection of songs in its own right. This is Ryan Adams back at his best, recapturing the Dylan-esque beauty of "Heartbreaker". I should get my one grievance out of the way first, and that is, the bonus track "F*** The Universe" - not a necessarily bad track, but out of place on this album compared to the nature of the rest of it.
The rest of the album though is sheer listening bliss, the ending of a love affair proving to be the greatest muse a songwriter can have! The thinly veiled letter to a former lover that is "English Girls Approximately" stands as the highlight, with a knowing wink to Dylan with its title, and an opening acoustic riff that wouldn't sound out of place on "Highway 61". Other delights are the opener "My Blue Manhattan" with its bar-room piano opening, and the fantastic lonesome blues of "Hotel Chelsea Nights".
Taken along side Part 1, "Love Is Hell Part 2" showcases some of Adams' finest writing to date, firmly establishing him as the foremost singer/songwriter of his generation. The boy from Jacksonville done good.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Love is definitely NOT hell!
Ryan Adams CD's 'Love is Hell' parts 1 & 2 have some of the most sublime lyrical and musical content produced in recent years. Read more
Published on 2 April 2009 by Mr. Peter B. Dean
This is (really) it
Like the man himself it's short but full of great songs. This is what Ryan Adams wanted to release, but the record company rejected it and released the soulless Rock n Roll... Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2004 by Mr. N. D. White
Record of 2003
Taken as a 9-track EP (incl. bonuses), ‘Love Is Hell Pt.2’ is exceptional; taken as the second part of his lost ‘Love Is Hell’ album it approaches the first... Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2004 by M. Cole
What you've been waiting for
I've always thought I "should" like Ryan Adams, he's got the right voice, right style, nice jangley American guitars, a bit of an attitude, etc, but he's always managed to avoid... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2004 by J. Williams
part two of under rated masterpiece!
After hearing the record company's rejection of the whole 'love is hell' material i was stunned at the quality of part one!now after hearing the second so called 'e. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2004 by taters
Love is'nt all Hell
For a boy from Carolina Ryan Adams certainly is obsessed with his new adopted home of New york city. Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2003 by "manorman2"
Not dark yet, but getting there ...
With the possible exception of one music magazine who now seem to have it in for our Ryan, most people welcomed Part 1 of Love is Hell as a return to the form that brought Adams to... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2003 by Mark Bradley
Record companies can be so mean
"They say that love is hell, but I've been laughing ever since I fell".
So sings Adams on the track Gonna Make Me Love You from his outstanding 2001 record Gold. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2003 by Gavin Bell
A good end to the album
As a seperate EP, Love is Hell Part 2 works less well than its predesessor, however when seen in context of being a continuation from love is hell 1 after track 8 (Tracks 9 & 10... Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2003 by E. Holt
troubadour excels again
This is the second dose of 'Love is hell' the album Ryan wanted to follow up 'Gold', but his record company had other ideas. Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2003 by J. Baglin
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
