'Love Is Hell' is the fifth studio album by Ryan Adams, released on May 4, 2004. The album was originally released as two EPs, Love Is Hell pt. 1 and Love Is Hell pt. 2, at the insistence of Lost Highway, who deemed that the album was not commercially viable. A full length version of the album was released when the EPs proved to be more of a commercial success than anticipated. Adams describes the album as sounding: "a lot like Heartbreaker, but better and more severe. It's complex and it's damaged," and states that it "was the record I needed to make," Concerning the album, president of Lost Highway, Luke Lewis, notes that: "It was a big departure. I told him I thought he could do better, but I tell him that all the time. On a business level, I could've done fine with Love Is Hell. But we both knew...he was suffering from overhype. I said, 'Are you sure this is gonna be the statement you wanna make?'... His young ass was hanging out there. If [the record] wasn't good, he was gonna get whacked by a lot of people." Adams states that: "it was, 'This isn't the record that Ryan should make', but I think I should have the license to express myself however I want to. And if you have enough faith and trust in an artist to sign them to your fucking label, and you're an 'artists' label', then I think it has to be a consensual relationship. If I do make a record that totally sucks, then the public forum will take care of it. They'll get rid of you themselves - the survival of the fittest