If you’ve never been sad, alone and desperate, you’ve never lived. Just ask Ryan Adams. Here’s a man who, through his (often self imposed) troubles, has learned how to get the most artistically out of both the high and low points of his life.

Seeing Adams in magazines and on talk shows, he seems like a fun, jolly and often despicable character; hearing his records is another thing. Often disconcerted and excessively self critical, Adams is becoming more and more misunderstood with every album. Strangers Almanac and Heartbreaker were powerful enough releases to build Adams a cult. Why not stick to his surefire methods? Love is Hell abandons everything Adams stands for musically and thrives on his covert attribute - his ability to put it all on the table, a trait that I surmise very few of his critics have the ability to do. Otherwise, they’d grasp his appeal.

Now ,with my Ryan Adams sales pitch temporarily completed, let us get on to the music: part two of Adams’ third official solo album, Love is Hell. Starting with the unpredictable jazz-ballad, “My Blue Manhattan,” Adams tells of sad days in Manhattan, fighting with the woman he loves. Continuing the theme, “Please Do Not Let Me Go” is the aftermath of “Manhattan.” Alone, free, and stuck in a moment he’s not willing to leave, “Please” starts as a simple, yet involved acoustic crooner and moves into a fully orchestrated Heartbreaker-esqe track, minus John Porters crystal clear production.

Next up is the aesthetic “City Rain, City Streets,” another song that could very well be a sequel to its preceding track. This time, Adams seems alone and introspective, pinpointing the small details of his lost love, eventually admitting his faults to himself and doing what he needs to get through his pain. Next is “I See Monsters,” another song about being alone and fighting to stand back up. The music and lyrics on “Monsters” seem lackluster compared to the rest of Love but still manage to put a big part of Adams’ soul on the platter.

Following up “Monsters” is the most immediate track on the EP, “English Girls Approximately.” Adams is fighting back in his own self-defeating fashion. On “English Girls” Ryan goes back and forth between loving and hating his exes and, in the end, taking the blame and genuinely singing, “celebrate the differences, I’ll celebrate the songs you sing. Just two words my love, you meant everything.” On one of his very best moments to date, Adams shows the rare capacity to put his everything into a single momentof his life.

Next up is the expendable “Thank You Louise,” a song that lyrically and musically rival “Wonderwall” for the worst track on Love. The EP closes with “Hotel Chelsea Nights,” the final chapter to Adams’ NYC love affair. The soul-tinged track is Adams’ ode to being alone and geared to move on. Although clearly still very upset, Adams seems pulled together and ready for his next lost love and, inevitably, his next album.

In the past five years the music world has seen an abundance of new, young singer-songwriters emerge, most of whom write uninspiring, generic love songs. One thing is certain about Ryan Adams: every one of his songs happened and, likely, damn near killed him. It’s a shame that Lost Highway didn’t “get” Love is Hell, but hey, at least its out. Music this good can’t be overlooked for long.

Copyright 2004 Ad Media Inc.