Reviews (page 10 of 12)
Very uneven - bangers and dreck
Brass in pocket *chef's kiss*
3/5 good but not quite there.
Pretty decent late 70s punk. Sounds very of it's time. Some really good songs, some bang average
Surprisingly punk. Got a little bored. Big hit: Mystery Achievement.
Something just felt kinda missing here... The first side felt like it lacked variety, and the second lacked consistency, and somehow neither side could fully make up for the other. It was still very strong for what it was, but just shy of a 4 for me.
I’m going to be frank- I have a deep-seated aversion to “Brass in Pocket”. Heard it one too many times, so this was always going to be a tough sell for me. But the album is pretty decent all things considered, a solid mix between punk, new wave and (ugh) ska. If it was a little shorter and didn’t have the cod reggae stuff I’d rate it higher. C+
I can’t put my finger on it, but something about this just doesn’t vibe with me. It almost feels like the vocals are sitting right on top of the instrumentation, instead of harmonizing with it. I knew a few songs already and the others just didn’t excite me anymore. I feel like this should be right up my alley, but it’s just not…
Brass in Pocket is my top track with Stop your Sobbing a distant second. After those songs, the rest of the record kind of leaves me cold. I feel the same way about some of their other records as well: a great single or two and the rest are just kind of meh. Essentially this is a band with all the right ingredients for good music but insofar as the cooking is concerned I'm not floored by a lot of the results. There's a lack of consistent creativity. When there's a spark it's pretty awesome though.
nah
Sounds like stabilized punkrock / new wave. Solid and a little boring.
I liked the 2nd half of the album. Cool retro sounding pop music.
Good
Hh
funny, easy listening, ok
its fine. some are the songs are bangers tho. but its just ok.
-i Have heard of the pretenders -her voice is So interesting!!!!! -i really like it -idk this isn’t really super standing out to me -from doing this i have been listening to so much rock/rock adjacent stuff, so this just seems very similar to the other stuff -love LOVE a female lead singer tho -i do really like the wait a lot -overall it was pretty good but i wasn’t in love. giving it a 3
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: I did really like this one, it was fun Favourite song: Track 4 - Tattooed Love Boys
impressive debut
Not too bad. Kind of fun album.
Paikoin hyvä, paikoin ärsyttävä.
ok. Got some classic tracks on it.
cute cute 7.5/10
Precious: Pretty good lead-in song. Not super loud. 8/10. The Phone Call: Like the incorporation of phone noises into it. Short song, loud, not a ton of lyrics. 8/10. Up the Neck: Much softer and I like the guitar riffs in this one. Very nice. 9/10. Tattooed Love Boys: Like the riffs on this one too. 9/10. Space Invader: Really good beginning I like this one. Name is cool too. No lyrics which is kinda nice in this instance. 9/10. The Wait: Riff is good on this one but I don't like the lyrics that much really. 7/10. Stop Your Sobbing: Less loud and rocky than the previous songs, a lot more pop/indie-esque. Message is pretty good, I like this but it doesn't necessarily fit with the rest of the message of the album. 8/10. Kid: Lot different vibe from the others. Like though. 8/10. Private Life: I do not like this at all. No no no. It's fucking long too. 5/10. Brass in Pocket: Most played song by the Pretenders, Spotify says it has 186,000,000 listens. It's like, okay. There are better songs to put on the radio though, unsure why they chose this one. 7/10. Lovers of Today: Slow, repetitive. Not a big fan. 6/10. Mystery Achievement: Pretty good. 8/10. Cuban Slide: Not a huge fan, different kinda beat than the others. 6/10. Porcelain: Oooh I like the riff on this one. 9/10. Total: 107/140 --> 76/100.
Some good songs and some okay ones.
80ee не знаю, в начале было ничего потом как-то не туда не сюда
QUE OCHENTOSIDAD! EL PURO GUITARREO
Precious, a great opening track, with Hyndes sneering vocals, sets the tone for an album that just rattles along. They weren't my favourite band, but this is a good album.
I very much enjoyed this album. Lots of well known songs.
Some great songs on here - bouncy, catchy rock and roll. Wasn't a big fan at the time, but have warmed to Chrissie Hynde over the years. A great rock voice. I also didn't realise that she / they wrote Private Life. I'd only heard the Grace Jones version previously. Enjoyable.
An album mainly full of fillers, with only the singles really standing out. Harsh, but I've been brought up on the Best of The Pretenders. Private Life is fantastic. I didn't realise the origins of this song. It gets a little more in depth with the song writing on Lovers of Today. There's a definite Pretenders sound with the bass and drums always deep in the mix. Not bad for a debut, but a little thin on the ground.
Sounded like a really committed gig band: good energy but I don't think this 'hits'. The latter hit isn't as good as a few of the records on this though.
Okay I guess.
The album was decent. I liked the instrumentals of many of the songs. The vocals is where it fell short, in my opinion. Additionally, some of the songs seemed repetitive throughout them. 3/5 is about right for this album.
80s retro rock with a punk attitude. chrissie hynde is not one to be fucked with. highlights: “precious”, “the wait”, “brass in pocket”.
This isn't who/what I thought the Pretenders were. Brass in Pocket is a jam but the rest of it was non-offensive ambient sound. It was fine, but didn't really stand out.
This was just about what I expected.
Not to bad
Never judge a book by its cover, kids. Very enjoyable 3/5
13/7/23 fave track: the phone call? though brass in pocket is like. Everything
Tight and energetic punk rock/new wave record with quite varied styles of songs. She is a great lead singer. My issue is that it drags on a bit and it feels quite a long album. Towards the end of the album I already forgot what I listened to in the beginning. Overall it was good though not sure I will listen to it again soon.
This is ok I guess. Didn't really have any standout songs while passively listening. Just kinda serviceable rock music I guess. Their bass lines are nice I guess. The lead singer has a nice enough voice. A 3/5
Nothing stood out, but good background music.
It's pretty ok
Meh, alles zu gleich?
Some neat new wave tracks but also many songs that don't stand out. Very light on the punk though. I think that would've made the album a bit more interesting. Highlights: Stop your Sobbing
Good
I knew I had heard of Pretenders before today, but none of the songs on this album looked familiar. Upon listening, the song I knew was Brass in Pocket. Pretenders are a new wave band from UK/America. I have a history of not particularly enjoying new wave, so signs aren't looking good for this record. Sure enough, I wasn't particularly a fan of the pop style guitar playing, weird time signatures, and nonsensical lyrics (and also that washed out 80's pop sound that was done to death by so many other one hit wonder bands of the era). Overall, kind of bland. Not bad, but not my favourite. I wouldn't rush out and buy this record. I can't see myself wanting to listen again. Walmart brand 80's pop punk. Favourite songs: Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement, Tattooed Love Boys, Lovers of Today, Precious Least favourite songs: Private Life, The Wait, Stop Your Sobbing 3/5
- Good rock vibes, love some female vocals - Sounds very 80s
- Solid, but I don’t love her vocal style - Enjoyable rhythms - Can’t see myself coming back to this
Light 6
Enough with the splatty-moaning-narwhal-80's-weirdo vocalists already. SUCH a strange era for vocalists. Brass in Pocket is a classic, Kid is ok, then the rest are all very very same-ish.
I listened to “Pretenders” right after Blondie’s “Parallel Lines,” which made for an interesting comparison. “Pretenders” is an edgier version of the pop-punk-rock-new wave combo, also with a talented female vocalist. A great debut album, but less instantly catchy and memorable tracks than Blondie. Standout: Precious; The Phone Call; Brass in Pocket. 3/5.
Was good background coding music for the day. Nothing really stood out besides the one popular song. At the same time I enjoyed listening to it.
Love the opening track. Skipped the 'Stop Your Sobbing' track. 'Kid' was one of their top hits - never heard it before. Have never really listened to the lyrics for 'Brass In Pocket' before. Personally this is about a 3 for me, but I can see why it's on this list, and it probably deserves a 4. Just not something I'll probably listen to again.
Was only kind of aware of Pretenders. It's definitely feels like early 80s punk inspired pop/rock. Since it was released in '79, it was probably influential to a bunch or other bands which is why it's on the list. I don't think I would seek it out, but I wouldn't turn the channel if it came on.
I've realized that I've listened to the Pretenders a lot but have just felt they have a generic early-80's sound. I still do. "Stop Your Sobbing" is a pretty decent song. Brass in Pocket I have heard a lot. I realize that when this was released it wasn't just generic 80's music but here we are
Disappointment. Couple of classic songs but nothing much else
Great 80’s album. A couple of hits hidden in there. Outside of that, many of the songs start sounding the same.
I've heard of this band but never listened to them. It was okay. Not too bad but not mind blowing.
It was nice though not memorable
Highlighted by lead singer Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders self-titled effort is a solid album in new-wave history. Hynde's voice is what makes this album stand out. Her delivery is confident, sultry, and at times confrontational. She has an undeniable charisma that draws you in, whether she's singing about love and heartbreak on tracks like "Brass in Pocket" and "Stop Your Sobbing," or taking on societal issues in songs like "Mystery Achievement" and "The Wait." The music and production itself does it’s job. The band's sound is gritty, energetic, and full of attitude. The guitar riffs are catchy, and the drums and bass create a pretty nice driving rhythm. The production is clean but lacks a little polishing. One more thing that I like about Pretenders is how diverse the music is. The album blends different styles and influences, from the punk-inspired "Up the Neck" to the reggae-influenced "Private Life." There is something for many different people to find and enjoy.
There's a few good tracks on this one
3.4/5
Refreshing to hear all the big tracks backloaded onto side two. I do never need to hear Brass In Pocket ever again though.
Moderately entertaining.
Pretenders by Pretenders is like a perfectly mixed cocktail – it's smooth, sophisticated, and just the right amount of kick. Chrissie Hynde's voice is like honey poured over a hot buttered biscuit, and the band's blend of rock, punk, and new wave is like a gourmet feast for your ears. It's the kind of album that makes you want to put on your leather jacket, hop on your motorcycle, and ride into the sunset like a badass. And with classic tracks like "Brass in Pocket" and "Stop Your Sobbing," Pretenders is like a time capsule from the golden age of rock. It's a reminder of a time when music was raw, authentic, and unapologetically cool. So if you're looking for an album to make you feel like a rebel without a cause, then Pretenders by Pretenders is the perfect choice. Just be prepared for Chrissie Hynde's seductive vocals to make you weak in the knees.
I've only ever heard singles by the Pretenders, so I definitely wasn't expecting this much punk on this album. Chrissie Hynde's voice fits so well on all of these songs
grew on me towards second half of alb
Rock, lidt punket, lidt new wave, nice vokal, udmærket
Had a lot of promise, but ultimately under-delivered.
Overall good album
Way better than I thought. I like the punk edge this has.
Really enjoying the instrumentals. The vocals feel like they are competing with the instruments and kind of brings it down for me. Criticism aside, this album makes me want to do board sports (skate, snow, surf)
Esittiin jotain muutakin kuin vain poppia.. hehh... Aikamoinen albumi siis heh.
PREFS : Precious, Tattooed Love Boys, Stop Your Sobbing, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievment MOINS PREF : The Phone Call
I’d never really listened to The Pretenders even though I love punk and new wave. Wrote them off as more of a pop-rock outfit for some reason, and there’s definitely some of that on display here. But this album is really solid 70s punk, at least in the first half, with a little 80s glitz in the mix. Crisp, energetic, and playful throughout, though for me it didn’t always live up to the strong start. A fun discovery.
Estuvo ok
Love the pretenders, this album hold strong as a start to the 80's
Sometime around 1985, I bumped into a drunken Chrissie Hynde in an Exmouth street; she was on the lash with a friend of mine. That was a highlight and so is this album.
Nokkur gullkorn. Talsverð pönk-áhrif. Chrissie með skrýtna víbradóið sitt. Já já, ágætis plata.
A couple of supersingles and a their recognizable genre
Not jiving with it, but Brass In Pocket is an all-time hit
Helt okej. Stop your sobbing är ju jäkligt bra.
Solid and interesting album, didnt like all of it but it was enjoyable
The lead singer sounded like a female Lou Reed. I can tell this was inspired by The Velvet Underground.
It's all rather same-y, but I enjoyed the music.
dort tane sarki begenmisim ama shuffleda denk gelse begenilenlerden cikarabilirim gibi geliyo suan
Pretty good overall. I enjoyed the listen, but most of this won't be in my heavy rotation. 3.5/5
Some great vocals. Simple yet effective song writing. It kind of faded into background music at times though.
Best Song: Tattooed Love Boys. That crunchy rhythm with the little solos in the middle of the song was nice. Real nice. Worst Song: Space Invader. Definitely a jam track that snuck its way onto the album. Overall: Totally inoffensive 80s pop rock, with all the pros and cons that that entails.
Some pretty good upbeat new wave music
-"Mystery Aceivement" had a catchy driving guitar/bass/drum riff going on -Idk the rest of the album was just not super interesting, nothing really drew my attention
Another band I’ve always known about but never really listened to. Interesting, I generally liked it, and particularly in the first half. The latter half seemed duller and more overlong songs. Vocally went off the rails for me at times - sometimes in a good way, sometimes detracting/distracting.
Profitez-en, ce n'est pas tous les jours que vous me verrez mettre plus de deux à du punk.
Mon camarade d'écoute roblampadaire m'avait promis un excellent album, grand fan de punk qu'il est. Malheureusement il n'en fut rien.
Not bad
2.75
Good but would be just be average without Chrissy Hynde's vocals.
Decent punk, decent new wave. Doesn't do either great though. It is a good album to just have on in the background.
It’s cool ig
Iconic 80s/90s voice it's easy to forget you've ever heard. A bit like the cranberries in that respect. So when Pretenders pop up it reminds you of childhood car journeys (should you be of a similar age that is) I will always know the pretenders as the band whose LPs are most commonly donated to charity shops. That's unmarises this album really, popular but not really enduring. A perfectly serviceable soft rock album other than that, if a bit mum-dad.
Some nice guitar/bass tones The songs were a bit boring to me
Beetje standaard rock met vrouwenstem. Klinkt wel beetje modern alternatief, waarschijnlijk was het toen zijn tijd vooruit. 3*
Eh, it was fine. Liked some songs but nothing worth call home about.
Never listened to this album front to back, only tracks. Always enjoyed The Pretenders and Chrissie Hynde is a force. Loved hearing her voice on this album, no skips on this album for me.
Even a few years ago, I would have hated this. But today I enjoyed it.
Pretty good. Post punk but still punk at times I liked Lovers of Today and Mystery Achievement; I don't remember which others I liked
Didn't know much about them, but this was enjoyable. Liked Precious, Stop Your Sobbing, Mystery Achievement. Didn't like Brass in Pocket which I guess is why I never bothered to check them out more
An enjoyable new wave record with really catchy and danceable tracks and a great energy. Quite interesting overall.
The artfully delivered 'fuck off' on Precious is great. Shortly after that I started to lose interest though. It's that kind of in-betweeny rock that's completely fine but doesn't excel at any particular thing. Brass In Pocket probably is the track that stands out the most. I'll give it 2.5.
Not really my cup of tea but great production
Not what I thought it was going to be, but its a fun collection of songs
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would but mostly because I thought they were the Proclaimers. Good pop punk tempo throughout, Brass in Pocket was the only recognizable track. Favourite songs were Precious and Lovers of Today. 3/5
Fun album and I even knew a song already!
Enjoying a lot but after a few songs it's become just pleasant background
I thought I was going to love this based on the first few tracks but it loses some of the punk energy as it goes on. Still good.
It's cool but forgettable
niet slecht maar dit gaat me nu ook niet bijblijven ofzo
I agree with one of the other reviews here in that one of the great things about this project is hearing albums, when you are only aware of the hits and singles. This album is a perfect example of this. I really enjoyed it, and will definitely go back to the Pretenders.
Quite acceptable Monday offering. Notable because the vocalist and the instruments seemed to be able to stand alone from each other but united they were good.
While the individual songs don't particularly stand out, the vocals of Chrissie Hynde are so distinctive and cool that it lends a great vibe to the album
It was fine. Some songs had a good groove but not my cup of tea.
Clean punk that is surprisingly ahead of its time.
80's rock album this one is a little more low key and pop oriented than others brass in the pocket is the standout single 3.5
Detta stämmer bra. det är okej.
I can see why this is on the list, even if I wasn't super into it.
Pretty smooth album i liked porceian and mystery achievement 3.5/5
Just OK
Kind of indifferent on this one. I think the sound and style are pretty cool and having a female singer for pop punk is great but many of the songs didn’t hold my attention for all that long. 5/10
pretty cool punk rock album, with interesting vocals along with the classic punk rock sound
I dig it
Interesting pop-punk, although not my favorite.
Rocked the Thriller jacket two years before Michael 1 Ok "Kid" rocks 3 "Brass in Pocket" is great too 3 I swear theres a riff from Hotel California in "Lovers of Today" Ended up being pretty great
This is fine. Nothing special about it in my eyes.
private life is nice a bit samey nice drums 7/10
It was an alright album. One song was really well known. The rest were just kind of there. I did not skip any songs.
Without Brass in Pocket this would be only 2 stars for me.
While it doesn't feel like it reinvents the wheel or anything, these are some real hypnotic tunes that take more than an initial listen to sink in. It doesn't leave me much to talk about aside from the occasional weird lines that pop out at you, but I had fun with it.
Decent Indie pop rock but nothing more.
Pop punk with attitude...great singles. Kid and Brass in Pocket. Love Private Lives that Grace Jones made famous. Some of side one is a bit anonymous. Hyndes voice is so distinctive. Its not groundbreaking but hey. Solid 3.5
This was more punk rock than 80s pop than I was expecting. Not all that bad
The album tracks are better than the singles.
kind of punkish new wave sound. side A is pretty good, but side B drags a little.
this was an okay album! it's always a little difficult, when an album on this list contains the artist's most popular song. "brass in pocket" is great song and rightly a classic. but the classics can easily overshadow the rest of the album. i can say it was a smooth, easy listen, despite its punk-y nature. i do love a good instrumental--that deep bass on "space invader"!
This is likely an unpopular opinion, but I love how The Pretenders, on their debut album, mixed punk with pop to make that punk sound more accessible to a general audience. I have long thought that Brass in Pocket was an outstanding and catchy song, but the rest of the album didn't quite grab me the same way. The album was good, but not great. Space Invader was a nice grab, though!
I like Christy Hynes voice. kinda punk. Not bad album but not great. Stop your sobbing, brass in pocket is a famous song.
bit 80's punkier than i was expecting
Decent energy, a quality all-timer in Brass In Pocket but loses me somewhere in the middle, so the strong start and finish gets a bang average 3.
Good energy to this, but ultimately not that interesting. Brass in Pocket the clear standout, but I did like the sass throughout. 3/5, just.
Honestly this goes pretty hard. Not a ton that I loved but still solid. Feel almost guilty for the three, but I probably wouldn’t listen much on my own. Still props
I've gotta listen to my soul here, and what it's telling me is not enough. This just doesn't give me that electric jolt in the guts often enough to rate it as highly as my brain says I should. But I'm too sensible of The Pretenders gifts, which are many, to get caught up listing their faults. Hynde's tough gal attitude is a thrill in itself, as is the derisive way the guitar lines get cast out. And the lyrics are oblique enough that I'm not entirely convinced she wants me to fuck off, even when she tells me to fuck off.
Very enjoyable
I always want to like The Pretenders but I just don't jive with Chrissie Hynde's voice. Oh well
Fine but not as good as I was hoping it would be.
Mediocre until Brass in Pocket which is genius. Then Kid which is almost as good. Other than that, disappointing.
They were probably imspired by video game music; or they became video game BGM...lol
Pretty easy listening- thought the rhythms were fun
It was fine
A modern-day classic
This is the debut album from the Pretenders and it made the band famous. It debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums chart and made it into the top 10 on the US Billboard 200 top albums. Just 3 years later the album was certified platinum in the US. This is a great album filled with rock, punk, and pop music that deserves the recognition it has received.
meh
Buen rock con melodías sencillas interpretado por una gran voz femenina
Good, but not great, aside from brass in pocket of course.
Konnte da jetzt nur beiläufig reinhören, ganz chillig und spaßig aber dann auch nicht viel mehr. Nettes album 6/10
Unterhaltsam, coole Instrumentals aber find den Gesang irgendwie generisch und hat mich insgesamt jetzt nicht wahnsinnig beeindruckt
das hat sooo stark angefangen, die erste hälfte mega geil aber dann leider ganz ganz schnell ganz ganz belanglos geworden 😐😐😐 mochte die spoken word artigen vocals auf den ersten tracks sehr, hat zu dem generell recht punkigen vibe beigetragen, aber ann echt ganz langweiliger poprock auf einmal, 3/5 mit gutem willen
Musste mich etwas an die Spoken word vocals gewöhnen aber sonst sehr sehr cool, kannte ich vorher auch nicht. Echt solides Album, komm ich bestimmt nochmal zurück zu. Gute 3-3.5
Ich werde ehrlich sein ich habe stand jetzt ca alles vom album vergessen ausser dass der letzte track gebangt hat und dass der erste track auch relativ gebangt hat
Vieles richtig geile new-wave punk Mischung, zum Ende hin wird es dann leider immer mehr zu dem was man im Radio erwartet, wenn „die besten 80er“ gespielt werden
Ich hatte die irgendwie NULL aufm Schirm, keine Ahnung wieso. Also schlecht find ich das auf jeden Fall nicht, aber diese glossy Version von Punk Rock aus der ~Neuen Welle~ kommt einfach nicht so an bei mir. Der Gesang ist zwar interessant, gerade wenn sie mehr spricht, aber wirkt auch oft zu steril - hätte bisschen rotziger sein können. Die Punk Riffs sind stabil aber auch gleichzeitig berechenbar und unspektakulär. So ein Song wie Tattoed Love Boys stechen da wieder rum - einfach bisschen verspielter und runder. Sonst ist es oft leider einfach eher bisschen flotterer Pop Rock. Was nicht schlecht ist, aber auch nix was mich vom Hocker reißt.
Vintage sounds form The Who. Dreadful recording quality, back when the studios hadn't yet worked out how to record rock bands. The group show potential though; they should do well. Actually want to give 3.5 stars.
it was alright, the voice kinda really made me mad for some reason but it was fine.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Mystery achievement
Some nice tracks and a unique sound.
Has some classic tracks could be great but at best average xx
I feel I've heard of the Pretenders from an older uncle or aunty who were really into them. I can see where the hype would have been back in the day a pop/punk outfit that would appeal to a lot of people. Best: Brass in Pocket Worst: Private Life
Pretenders are pretty good. Fine debut album. Other than "Brass in Pocket," I probably won't listen to these songs again.
In general I like the Pretenders. "Brass in Pocket" is a good example of the best of what this band has to offer. "Stop Your Sobbing" was the only other track from this album that I know I've heard before. "Space Invader" was a new potential favorite. Overall, the album was okay. I would skip "Tattooed Love Boys". I don't feel enough of a draw to the album as a whole to come back for a second listen.
Special. So special.
Solid
I liked it, but it's too much generic.
Not memorable, but enjoyed some of the tracks
rockig schwungvoll Frauenstimme
Was unfamiliar, but this is good stuff. Kind of 'clean' punk? Anyway, I enjoyed it. 3.5ish.
Chrissie is one of the hardest rockers there is! Plus ... who else could sing about Cuyahoga Falls (not on this album, but still)?
3.5
Solid Album, but nothing special
Fairly good album. Might revisit precious and brass in pocket.
Very middling. Ok at best.
"The Pretenders" starts with terrific punk energy on "Precious," but the next two tracks don't quite keep up the same raw gusto and the album ends up being promising yet uneven. Things seemed like they were picking back up with "The Wait," but then "Stop Your Sobbing" was far too poppy and jangly. It was their first single, and their first producer dropped them after releasing it, as he thought the band was "not going anywhere." And I've gotta admit, if that was the first impression I'm not sure I'd have stuck around. "Sobbing" is fine, but it doesn't grab the listener and offers to hints of the edge found in the band's better work. (edit: It's because it's a cover of a Kinks song! Doubly interesting because we drew the Kinks for the previous album. And covering this song led Chrissie Hynde to meet, date, and have a kid with Ray Davies!) "Private Life" shows yet another side of the Pretenders, restrained and rambling and quirky They return to pop with "Brass in Pocket," and I want to be frustrated again, but it's just such a terrific song that it's hard to be mad. I had no idea what this song was called, so I totally wasn't anticipating it popping up on this album. There was a strong finish with "Mystery Achievement," but listening to some of the Pretenders' other most popular songs, I couldn't help but be struck by what could have been. Their debut showed a lot of different influences and different possible directions for the band. If only they had embraced the side that wrote "Precious" a little more.
This album surprised me. It’s an interesting mix of styles: a little pop and a little punky. I like the album enough to listen again, but not enough to bring it into my musicsphere and call it my own.
Nothing stood out to me, perfectly fine to play this album in the background, but didn’t fall in love with this one that’s for sure...
I hadn't really heard much of their stuff beyond the well known singles. Not bad.
Pretty good 80s pop. Heard a bit of the punk influence. Liked the female lead singer.
Veel beter dan ik dacht! Goed album.
Leuk, divers plaatje. Zo heb ik de Pretenders ook eens wat beter leren kennen.
Nooit verder gekomen dan de bekende nummers, maar dit was echt een goed album!
Heb het niet helemaal kunnen luisteren maar dat ga ik nog wel doen want het klonk interessant. Ik begin daarom met drie sterren.
Generic rock, nothing that really strikes my fancy.
I was familiar with the hits, but leadoff track Precious is the best on the album. I wish there was more like here. Overall it's a pretty enjoyable album, but I felt it started losing a little steam toward the end. 6.5/10 or maybe 7/10
6/10
was aighttttt. I was expecting more, there's like 1 really good song, rest is OK
This one was very OK, very middle of the road for me. Absolutely listenable, but nothing great, nothing really worth revisiting.
Great rock, musically, but the vocals just take away from the potential. She has a good voice, but it wasn’t used well in the songwriting to make any one song catchy or memorable.
Not a big fan of her voice but also overall lacking any big and great songs
I didn't really like Side 1 very much. I think it was too \"punk\" for me? But I liked several of the latter songs that were more melodic. My favorite song on this album is Kid (and part of the riff sounds a bit like Telstar). Other songs I liked were Mystery Achievement, Stop Your Sobbing, Brass in Pocket, and Space Invaders.
This kicked ass. I never knew where "Brass in Pocket" came from so it was great to stumble across that absolute banger in the track list. Strong songwriting dripping with attitude, finely produced. Very good record, will need to check out more from Pretenders.
Significantly aged, but despite better songs coming in later albums this is still something special. Chrissie Hynde forever
Some classic tunes; some hissy production. Three bangers
Cool Vocals and riffs man. It's a solid voice the lead singers voice mixing felt a bit odd at first, but it grew on me.
A welcome blast from the past. 3*
Cover bildet Inhalt recht gut ab. Als würden Alt-Punks kurz vor Abschluss eines Bausparvertrages stehen. Durchaus starke, zwischen Rock’n’Roll und Pop platzierte Songs. Die Vocals virtuos und mit saftigen aber coolem Pathos. Ohne sie wären Yeah Yeah Yeahs undenkbar. „Kid“ hätte ich gern einem Mädel aufs Tape untergejubelt. Sexy 3.4
Hab’s am Freitag schon gehört, daher nur Gesamteindruck aus dem Gedächtnis hier: großartige Stimme und Attitude, der man nicht anmerken würde dass das hier ein Debutalbum ist. Nun gut, Chrissie Hynde hatte bis dahin auch zwischen Akron, London und Paris schon ne Menge Rock’n’Roll hinter sich gebracht und außerdem für die Platte nur die derbsten Checker aufgekehrt. So klingt das dann auch: nach Erfahrung, Sehnsucht, Lust, Dreck und Eleganz. Klassisch, möchte ich sagen und vergebe 3,3
I think this album probably stands out as a reflection on the era. I assume it was innovative for the time, and while the percussive forward march on some of these tracks inspired head bobbing, I can't help but feel like this has been bested by many since.
Pretending to be good at music, right? Am I right? Like they're not actually good at music, they're only pretending...because they're The Pretenders...they pretend to do stuff. In this instance, they're pretending to make music, but fail to... It's all Pretend. They're The Prenenders. I'm not sure if you're getting it.
Pretending I remember a song from this album, fun listen but nothing memorable to this reviewer
Chrissy 's great voice!
A nice enough listen but bar one standout track it all seems a bit generic.
I like a few songs. I've personally not listened to a lot of "New Wave" - I know it's often referred to as an iteration of punk. I can hear that a bit in some songs and some of the attitude, but it's so much more commercial sounding generally. One song had a notable amount of Flanger.
New Wave, Punk pop. Jagged guitars which often have almost sing/speak vocals over them. Best Tracks: Precious, Kid, Brass In Pocket
better than normal indie grunge
I actually rather enjoyed this album. Good MOR punk
Has some of the best Pretenders songs
Om helemaal uit mijn dak te gaan moet het tempo van deze rockmuziek toch een flink stuk sneller. Als achtergrondmuziek vind ik het niet relaxt genoeg. Ik kan er eigenlijk net niks mee. Sommige gitaarrifjes klinken wel heel lekker "middle of the road" maar andere riedeltjes klinken gewoonweg vals. Hadden ze toen maar computers gehad voor de effectjes. Ik werd alert bij "The Wait" dat me een beetje aan Blondie deed denken. Helaas ook daar weer een snerende gitaarsolo die het toch een beetje verpest. Zou deze band dan vooral groot geworden zijn door hun live optredens? Het nummer "Kid" vond ik wel heel lekker poppie. Het gitaarspel is daar ook een stuk beter. De zang bibbert wel een beetje op het eind van het nummer, wat wat onervaren overkomt. En potjandorie, nou doet ze dat met het volgende nummer ook weer. Ontdek ik nu een tweede imperfectie aan deze band? Ten slotte is "Mysterie Achievement" ook wel een nummer met potentie. Doet me beetje denken aan de film E.T..
I mean, it was alright. I've been struggling through a ridiculously long install process while listening to this, so maybe the activity corrupted the music, but I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Might give another listen at some point when I'm in a better place.
Este disco lo escuchaba mi padre xd
Good.
Pretty good. The kinks cover surprised me in a good way, and another song was likely inspired by Love-Orange skies. At least the intro sounded very similar.
Quite nice.
Enjoyed it, some recognizable songs.
Only the hits stand out as special, but overall good album
It was alright. Brass In Pocket is a classic. Didnt dislike it so won't rate it down Real rating 2.5/5
Didn't hate this, even though the first couple tracks were a bit weird. Brass in Pocket came on and I was like "oh!! it's this song!!" it's a tune.
Tatooed Love Boys: divertente. Private Life: Carina la scelta di farla reggae e pure l'assolo di chitarra m'è piaciuto però la durata è ingiustificatamente eccessiva. Lovers of Today: Strana ma l'ho trovata interessante. Mystery Achievement: Anche questa a tratti m'è piaciuta. In conclusione: Anche con questo disco mi trovo un po' in difficoltà. L'ascolto è stato interessante, mi è sembrato un gruppo abbastanza eclettico e ho apprezzato spesso gli assoli di chitarra che è inusuale per me. La voce è un po' sopra le righe ma non mi è dispiaciuta, i testi sessualmente ammiccanti erano un po' la moda del periodo. La patina '80 c'è ma non è così terribilmente fastidiosa, tranne nella hit Brass in Pocket che è tipo l'equivalente del pezzo trap di oggi col feat. di Loredana Bertè per fare i soldi. Non so, probabilmente non lo riascolterei ma più che altro per questione di gusti personali. Ho visto su Wikipedia che hanno fatto uscire un disco l'anno scorso e sono ancora in attività, questo era il primo disco, sarebbe interessante vedere che roba fanno oggi.
Questo è un gruppo che mi sta simpatico, è un anni 80 che però non è eccessivamente stucchevole e alcuni pezzi tipo Precious mi coinvolgono però altri brani sono meno convincenti.
I love the song Brass In Pocket. I love the energy of Chrissie Hynde - Karen O owes a debt to her, for sure. And that arrangement on Precious is pretty fun. But this is another one that seemed to go on too long for what it is. Still, Brass In Pocket.
Didn't listen to it all but started well. Good punk tunes
Inicialmente pareceu catita, mas continuou e mostrou-se chato e só mais um álbum de rock da época. Nota 5/10
OK, good for what it is. Catchy singles and interesting tunes.
groovy
Sorta catchy, not off putting. I just wish it were more in some direction, more goth, more punk, more pop. It feels like it sits too squarely between genres, never really finding a sound for themselves, stays bland when I feel their could really be moments.
Decent. Good rock band. I probably would have enjoyed them live.
Only listened to half because will rushed me, it’s not as good as like Lilly Allen but yeah whatever 3
good songs with nice guitar and accompaniment but a weird voice and odd vocals. not too bad on the whole but not as good as some that are similar
6/10. Pretty good, nothing too special doesn't seem.
Decent straight ahead rock album.
A game of two halves, Clive. Really enjoyed the spiky, sexy first half - but felt it ran out of steam in the latter portion of the album. Never liked 'Brass In Pocket', but it's fairly atypical of this collection. I really enjoyed the instrumental, more bands should do this.
Brass in Pocket good. Others meh. Vocalist is better than other Britpop. 6
Three stars for the three good songs on the album
Carried by Brass In Pocket
Me gusta como empieza con "Precious". En general suena bien, "Tattooed Love Boys", "Lovers of Today" y sobre todo "Brass in Pocket" que es una canción de 10.
Okay… I can’t be the only one here who didn’t know that song was called, “Brass in my Pocket,” right? RIGHT??? Anyway, if you talk about shitting bricks in the first minute of your first song that’s a pretty good way to make me a happy listener. An uneven record overall, but I love the uptempo snarly stuff.
Fun
definitely an example of the time - and one of those albums i feel like i should've liked more than i did. it was...you know, fine. but apart from Lovers of Today, nothing really jumped out at me
Good. Old classic drum sound that I don't enjoy but the music is fun
I liked this more than I thought I would, liked the bright chippy guitar sounds and the vocals. Wasn't expecting to recognize any songs, but knew "Brass in Pocket," though I don't really like that song.
Did not know "Brass in Pocket" was Pretenders. Interesting, overall not bad but nothing that struck me as very interesting. I kind of like her vocal delivery though.
Her voice is just tremendous. The music around it doesn't live up to her.
Enjoyed it. Couple of classics in there. Prefer their ballad stuff to their punk stuff
A decent Brit pop-rock LP. Female vocals are a much-welcomed change of pace from the usual fare in this genre.
1980s UK Rock
Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass ich nach dem Hören Lust hätte, diese Platte noch einmal zu hören. Habe ich tatsächlich aber. Wird in der 2. Hälfte stellenweise gut bis sehr gut.
It was fine
Better than I thought it’d be honestly
oka
Very new wave. Chrissie Hynde has a very unique voice. Nothing super crazy for me here. Favorite tracks: "Mystery Achievement", "Brass in Pocket"
Hynde's voice floats beautifully above the guitar music. It ends up being a fun record. There's nothing mind-blowing on first listen, but there are also no weak tracks. The aesthetic of the album is total, from production to attitude.
non mi è piaciuto molto
Js not my vibe tbh it's too shallow and inconsistent and I'm not a big fan of that sounds tbh
Great voice, heard these songs growing up, just never was my thing.
Yeah. Not for me, hate the vibrato in her voice, not that special, and overall not a wow
not my cup unfortunately
Pretty standard 80s fare
buenas guitarras
Started out slow and picked up for two songs somewhere between tattooed love boys and the wait, then became commercialized MTV-Bait pop-punk for the second half (I am aware this came out before MTV so perhaps this was actually part of the protolith of the generic migmatite of pop-"insert genre here" that MTV loved so much). I'll give them credit for vibes and perhaps pioneership but what they make up for in intent they lack in execution.
I just do not connect with this band. Good instrumentals, but I'm not a fan of either the lyrics or the vocals.
Un poco aburrido, pero suena bien. Intrascendente.
Thought I liked them, turns out I was just pretending
I don't really get it. Needs more of a hook for me, whereas it is 90% talking over some decent instrumentals
Раніше не чув про цю групу. Це щось таке, що я сам би не вибрав слухати. Ось це і є плюсом цього сайту- заставляє слухати щось непередбачуване. Прослухав 4 пісні. Поки нічого такого, типу Blondie. Трек Tattooed love boys класний. Трек Space Invader інструментальний, що явно не потрібно мені на такому альбомі.
I don't understand this album, it feels derivative compared to others I've heard as earlier as this week, might need to come back to this one!
I didn't really enjoy the voice and album felt a little borring
Eh right on the border but not a fan of the semi-punk vibe despite having a few decent songs
yea i mean it's aight kinda like if you mashed every late 70s new wave record together, somewhat anonymous but not bad
This album had a few songs I liked but wasn't something I'd really seek out on the balance
Meh, ni bueno ni malo. Me sorprende que sea de los 80s porque suena más moderno. Es un álbum debut para la era del new wave e influye en el rock alternativo de los 90s. Private life suena a "en la ciudad de la furia", pero Cerati no lo usó como sample (pensé que si). Brass in pocket también esta buena. Aparentemente son las dos canciones con más personalidad del álbum. No creo que lo vuelva a escuchar.
Did not like it as much as I thought I would.
I maybe should have appreciated this up to at least a 3. But it's a 2 for me.
One song I knew and it’s decent. The rest I can’t say the same for. Very mid.
really just good for the singles other tunes aren't catchy, appreciate a band trying to jam and work out stuff but it's nothing I'd listen to again vocals are mixed too high as well
Kinda Joan Jett y maybe. Rock, didn’t love. I think I knew one of the songs bc goodwill plays it
Irriterade mig mer och mer, sjukt generiskt
I did not like this very much; this is one of the 80s vibes that made me say I hated 80s music when I was younger. The rage I felt when “Brass In Pocket” started (one of my least favorite songs of all time) was incredible. The last track, “Mystery Achievement”, did some heavy lifting for that second star. I skipped listening to the entirety of the deluxe version that Spotify offered, nay, threatened, me with.
It was okay. Fun jackets.
Meh
4/10
Wasn't my favorite.
The swift paced, punky tracks at the start of this album were not what I expected from the Pretenders, and it’s that edgier spirit/tone I most enjoyed. I did wonder whether it would be possible to sustain that same feel throughout the whole disk without getting repetitive, but actually tracks soon evolved into the band I kind of expected to hear - from punk through a something a bit more reggae inspired to something I more remember from the radio hits of the era. I’ve never been a fan of ‘Brass i your Pocket’ followed by another ballady track. Probably won’t listen again, so 2. Number tracks 12 07/04/26
I just don’t vibe these guys at all ⭐️⭐️