Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell

Numbered, Limited Edition 3LP Box Set! Pressed at RTI! Includes Seven Extra Tracks from Japanese-Only Bonus Disc! Introspective Mood Piece Originally Released as Two EPs in Late 2003 Personal Document on Romantic Loss, Frustration, and Loneliness Hits Bittersweet, Spiritual Notes Adams' Voice Never So Poignant: Supported By Strings, Acoustic Guitars, Spare Pianos Revealing Sonics: Mastered on Mobile Fidelity's World-Renowned Mastering System and Pressed at RTI Originally released on two EPs, Love Is Hell is a staggeringly personal report on romantic desolation, personal frustration, and incurable loneliness whose themes play out via heartbreakingly intimate vocals, stark acoustic guitars, unembellished electric guitars, chamber-pop strings, and spare pianos. The excising of pain has rarely sounded more bittersweet—or spiritual. Due to Ryan Adams’ barren and tormented state, his record label initially refused to release the album out of concern it was too dark. Renowned for his introspective takes on splintered relationships, Adams has never sounded more severe, damaged, or frayed. Listening is akin to peering into the tiny soul of a human being reconciling what love is and what it requires, and whether or not it can be had—all the while conversing with the people that drift in and out of his life. Recognized by critics, peers, and fans for sketching impeccably detailed songs and lifelike protagonists, the singer/multi-instrumentalist doubles as a film auteur throughout Love Is Hell. Such is the value he places on atmosphere, scenery, and insightful specifics. Rain, snow, and cold color the songs’ environment, the gloom, austerity, and dampness blending with the music’s slate-grey vibes. Decaying, single-room-occupancy hotel rooms, unforgiving city streets, and long nights afflict characters that teeter on falling apart and seek solace by holding on to fading optimism—no more so than on the staggering cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall.” Removing boundaries between himself and the listener, Adams pours out naked fears and thoughts. Expertly placed, minimalist instrumentation accentuates his dramatic swells, emotional extremes, and shifts in scenery. Arrangements are nothing less than bracing. When employed, electric guitars resonate with tones that suggest showers and sleet, and on the title track—the record’s most aggressive song—inform an anthemic irony. Tempos slowly drift, Adams’ poignant voice remains unhurried, and looming metaphors threaten to swallow the hope on which the singer rests his head during his uncertain times. Throughout, via his phrasing and timbre, Adams makes you feel and inspires reaction. Love Is Hell is the antithesis of background music, its somber qualities and reflective intricacies akin to burrowing into the pages of classic literature. Mastered on Mobile Fidelity’s world-renowned mastering system and pressed at RTI, this 3LP set presents the modern masterpiece with full-frequency dynamics and riveting closeness. Close your eyes, and Adams and his few guests join you in your room, the effect equivalent to experiencing the singer-songwriter in a small café with warm, resonant acoustics. Even more, this unsurpassed edition contains seven extra songs previously only found on a Japanese-issued bonus disc. The entire third LP is comprised of this must-hear fare. Phenomenally rare on vinyl—copies, when available, sell for upwards of $150 on the aftermarket—Love Is Hell has never sounded better or looked more beautiful. About Silver Series: Coming from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, the MoFi Silver Label Vinyl Series features an eclectic mix of recordings. This series is mastered and cut on the famous Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab state-of-the-art Tim de Paravacini-designed mastering system. Vinyl is pressed at RTI on audiophile-grade standard vinyl and are numbered limited-editions. Future releases will continue to stretch stylistic boundaries, as the MoFi Silver Label continues to explore music from many different genres. Expand your musical horizons with the Silver Label! Features: • 3LP Box Set • Limited Edition • Numbered • MoFi Silver Label Vinyl Series • Mastered and Cut on the famous MoFi Sound Lab state-of-the-art Tim de Paravacini-designed mastering system • Pressed at RTI on Audiophile-Grade Standard Vinyl • Includes seven extra tracks from Japanese-only bonus disc Selections: LP 1 - Side 1: 1. Political Scientist 2. Afraid Not Scared 3. This House Is Not for Sale 4. Anybody Wanna Take Me Home 5. Love Is Hell LP 1 - Side 2: 1. Wonderwall 2. The Shadowlands 3. World War 24 4. Avalanche LP 2 - Side 3: 1. My Blue Manhattan 2. Please Do Not Let Me Go 3. City Rain, City Streets 4. I See Monsters LP 2 - Side 4: 1. English Girls Approximately 2. Thank You Louise 3. Hotel Chelsea Nights LP 3 - Side 5: 1. Halloween 2. Caterwaul 3. Fuck The Universe LP 3 - Side 6: 1. Twice As Bad As Love 2. Father's Son 3. Gimme Sunshine 4. Black Clouds