Love Is Hell (Kitchens of Distinction album)

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.[1]

Love Is Hell
Studio album by Kitchens of Distinction
Released	April 1989
Recorded	1988
Studio	Berry Street Studio, Clerkenwell, London
Genre	Shoegazing, dream pop
Length	39:12
Label	One Little Indian
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]
Q	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]

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

Track listing

All tracks are written 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. Raggett, Ned. "Love Is Hell – Kitchens of Distinction". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
2. "Kitchens of Distinction: Love Is Hell". Q (34). July 1989.
3. Berger, Arion (18 April 1991). "Kitchens of Distinction: Love Is Hell / Strange Free World". Rolling Stone.
4. Allmusic - Kitchens of Distinction "Hammer" song review