Love Is Hell (Kitchens of Distinction album)

Love Is Hell
Studio album by Kitchens of Distinction
Released	April 1989
Recorded	1988 at Berry Street Studio in Clerkenwell, London
Genre	Shoegazing
Length	39:12
Label	One Little Indian (TPLP9)
Producer	Kitchens of Distinction
Kitchens of Distinction chronology
Love Is Hell (1989) Strange Free World (1991)
Singles from Love Is Hell
"Prize" Released: October 1988 "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule" Released: May 1989

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

Love Is Hell is the debut album by British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, first released in April 1989 by One Little Indian Records in the UK and A&M Records in the US. While the album earned KOD comparisons to bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and The Chameleons, the guitar soundscapes created by Julian Swales and the passionate lyrics and vocal delivery from Patrick Fitzgerald gave Kitchens of Distinction their own signature sound. The album also maintains a punkier sound than to be featured on the band's later albums. The 1993 CD edition of the album includes the band's 1989 "Elephantine" EP as 4 bonus tracks.^[3]

The album takes its title from the last line in "Hammer," a song about love gone wrong:^[4]

“

What would you do if you were like me Were taken in when he said that he wanted to take me home And he takes me up to his room And he says "no no no no, it's good" But it's a last fatal fuck Then you know that love is hell.

”

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kitchens of Distinction; all lyrics by Patrick Fitzgerald. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"In a Cave"	4:34
2.	"Time to Groan"	3:56
3.	"Shiver"	5:19
4.	"Prize"	5:26
5.	"The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule"	3:19
6.	"Her Last Day in Bed"	4:32
7.	"Courage, Mother"	2:50
8.	"Mainly Mornings"	3:14
9.	"Hammer"	6:02

1993 edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Elephantine"	3:20
11.	"Margaret's Injection"	4:33
12.	"The 1001st Fault"	4:07
13.	"Anvil Dub"	5:17

Singles

• "Prize" (October 1988)
  1. "Prize"
  2. "Concede"
  3. "Innocent"
• "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule" (May 1989)
  1. "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule"
  2. "4 Men" (early version)
  3. "Into the Sea"
  4. "Prize" (Demo)
• "Elephantine" EP (October 1989)
  1. "Elephantine"
  2. "Margaret's Injection"
  3. "The 1001st Fault"
  4. "Anvil Dub"

Personnel

• Patrick Fitzgerald – vocals, bass
• Julian Swales – guitar
• Dan Goodwin – drums
• Anna Palm – violin on "Her Last Day in Bed"
• Barry Sage – engineer
• Sleeve design by Me Company
• Distributed by The Cartel

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Rolling Stone review
3. Allmusic - Kitchens of Distinction "Love Is Hell" album review
4. Allmusic - Kitchens of Distinction "Hammer" song review