Reviews (page 12 of 13)
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
Day 92: Exuberance. That's what I want from a punk/post-punk/new wave debut album, exuberance; joyous, pissed off, energetic, exaggerated, youthful, enthusiastic, outraged, utter exuberance. And in that aspect, the debut album by the Pretenders does deliver. The bouncing guitars on Precious and then the drop, and Chrissie Hynde's commanding vocals; on The Phone Call the bass goes a bit acrobatic and suddenly we have angular guitars in the style of Gang Of Four. Up The Neck slows things down a bit but the energy is contained. Tattooed Love Boys races, or almost derails, at the pace of Pink Flag-era Wire. Space Invader lets the bass guitar invade the song space while Chrissie takes a coffee break; I am amazed at how talented Pete Fandon is as a bass player and wonder if there was any coffee around the studio. Probably another kind of stims; the ending with bass feedback and aliens chirping is something to frame in a picture and hang on your living room wall. On The Wait they seem to be more frenetic and frantic than before, and then another drop with Chrissie almost rapping. Stop Your Sobbing goes a bit Byrds/Mamas and Papas; I would have probably preferred to have this on Side 2, as Side 1 was a don't-let-go affair up to this point. Side 2 starts off with Kid as we get a sense of later, poppier Pretenders. Private Life does a good Police job, which is not an easy task. Nobody gets arrested though. The band is quite solid. Brass In Pocket follows in a more poppy, almost yatch rock direction; I can see Huey Lewis and The News covering this. We finally get a ballad with Lovers of Today, the question is do we need that? Probably yes! It's quite a touch of sweetness; loved the part with the overdubbed vocals. Mystery Achievement closes the whole thing and we are back to a more new wave feel with angular guitars, but somehow more subdued than Side 1 and in line with what we had on Side 2. All in all, for being a sort of punk record, there is a lot of subtlety and some surprising twists within the songs, which is a good thing if you are a listener who needs some variety in order to keep engaged. Although I presume that they were not the first, it seems that at the time nobody was ready to bet on a female fronted band of this kind, or specifically on her, I am not sure; I am glad that she shut their mouths up, as she really is a great vocalist and performer. I personally never gave any thought to this band until my friend Jonny posted his favourite albums of all time and this album was featured. Upon listening to it on streaming for the first time, I promptly grabbed a copy for cheap as soon as I got a chance and didn't regret doing so. Just to get this out of the way before the next album comes up: I always preferred brunettes to blondies ;-)
Such a fun album!
A very entertaining album with a lot more energy right from the start. The New Wave/Punk sound is very refreshing and many songs sound like they influence more recent bands My favourite track is: Tattooed Love Boys
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.
Forgettable
Van demostrar que es pot fer rock clàssic i ser originals, aportant novetats en un génere tan desgastat. És clar que pertany a una època on les influències de la new wave o power pop són difícils d'evitar (per sort). Versions que milloren les originals, temes tan bons com 'Brass in Pocket' i 'Kid', i per sobre de tot, la veu i carisma de Chrissie Hynde fent de tot plegat una barreja irressistible que havia de perdurar décades
Better than expected. Shocked to discover 'Private lives' was Chrissie Hynde's song. Distinctive guitar sound,
Excellent
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
One of THE classic of the new wave era, The Pretenders eponymous debut is nothing but spectacular. Songs like Brass in Pocket and Precious played well at college parties while the rest of the album is just one great song after another. What makes this album so great is Crissie Hynde. Her deep alto perfectlt fits the band's big basket of punk attitude. Unlike other new wave/punk bands of the era, that attitude is tempered with an underlying sensuality that even Blondie (the original new wave sex kitten) couldn't muster. This is a true gem. Listen to it on vinyl to get the same visceral feel that late 70s' punk rockers did.
Very cool album! Have only heard a few from this band but really dug this listen! Super punk and raw for their first album! Super aggressive in some parts and with a great voice behind it! Solid album all the way through, under appreciated band!
I've heard of the Pretenders many times before, but it's only now I've just realised I had them mixed up with the Proclaimers in my head and (rightfully, if that were the case) never gave them the time of day. First track was therefore a bit of a pleasant surprise. First couple of songs in general had me interested, but then it tailed off a bit in the middle. Album wobbled it's way to the end, with a few decent tracks. Reading up on it afterwards I see it's lauded as one of the greatest debuts of all time, and indeed some give it a nod as one of the greatest ever albums. Had to be there I guess. 2.5*.
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 don’t really get this one. It’s got some good elements but there’s no real hooks, the singer is just kind of whatever, and none of the songs stick out much. Feels like it’s halfway between punk and new wave in a bad way, not really achieving the strengths of either genre.
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
Fucking love this album
Never realised they have coasted their whole career on this one album. Omg.
Can’t get enough of this album. It has everything: attitude, energy, passion, ear worms, creativity… Great group of songs, but my favorites are Tattooed Love Boys, The Phone Call, Stop Your Sobbing, and Kid. Great album!
Sometimes a style of music is just not for me. This is one of those cases. Even the best songs on this album I found to be just OK.
Rock de los Pretenders. Un megahit. Un 4.
Good 8/10
This was great, I’d never listened to the Pretenders before & I’m glad I now have.
Fun and energetic.Brass in my pocket is a stand out song.There’s not a lot more to say about it.Just a pretty good album.
Great, easy listening, with some all time classics
grew on me towards second half of alb
Rubbish (probably)
Ei koveta ja wow-efekti jäi puuttumaan. Harmitonta taustamusaa.
Ei jääny erikoisesti mieleen
This was great! I only knew Brass in Pocket from this album going in, and the opening track blew me away. I wasn’t a huge fan of the second song so thought it might be a bit spotty but that was really the only subpar moment for me, the rest was fantastic
Way before its time and I really fancy Chrissie Hynde.
Love The Pretenders, great album
Bit dreary
Rock, lidt punket, lidt new wave, nice vokal, udmærket
Had a lot of promise, but ultimately under-delivered.
Sweet
i dint like the way she yells at me :(
What a blast.
Nicht meins
Particularly enjoyed the slower stuff. I had confused the Pretenders with the Proclaimers, so the opening track came as a shock!
Overall good album
Some early 80s rock with punk influences. Sadly, the songs aren't quite there and Chrissie Hynde's style of singing is a bit tedious for my taste. 2/5
Way better than I thought. I like the punk edge this has.
A couple of powerhouse songs, with a really good supporting cast.
This type of album is so sorely missed these days. A straight ahead rock record with some engaging writing, both lyrically and melodically. It excels both with slower tempo Kid/Brass in Pockets as well as high energy tracks like Tattooed Love Boys.
Some good moments and interesting instrumentation throughout. Really enjoyed the instrumental song but some of the poppier songs weakened the record vs the heavier stuff. Feel like other records from the same era hold up better
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.
It alright... "I'm very superficial I hate anything official" is a terrible lyric. Nothing really grabbed me.
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.
Tracks: 4 killer, 10 filler (28.5%). Highlights: Precious, Tattooed Love Boys, Brass In Pocket, Mystery Achievement
אף פעם לא הייתי פאנקיסט אז אני מניח שזה פשוט לא היה לטעמי. 4/10.
Nice album
Best: Precious Worst: Space Invader mid 2.4
Estuvo ok
This is not my cup of tea, too synth-pop to my liking. Feels like curated punk. I grew tired of the same overall sound. I guess if you're into this type of style you'll enjoy it but I'm not sure what makes it stand out to be in this list.
Love the pretenders, this album hold strong as a start to the 80's
I really love the variation in this album. You'll be getting a punky jam at first, then a new wave bop, and just moments later a ballad, all with really excellent singing and instrument playing. I mean, listen to those meter changes on Tattooed Love Boys. The thing holding this record back is perhaps a little too many instrumental only parts and a couple songs that aren't that notable, but this was super ahead of its time in pretty much all fields.
Confusing Pretenders for a singles band (and an overplayed one at that), this album showed how brilliant they were - new wave, spiky, confident, excellent musicianship, catchy and memorable songs and a lead take no prisoners charismatic lead singer. A great find and an album I would never have sought out before.
Throughout the 1970s, Chrissie Hynde cut her teeth in the music world through many years of hustling: as well as playing in and mixing with nebulous forms of The Clash, Sex Pistols and The Damned, she first expressed her way with words as a journalist for NME (that's right, fellow reviewers, there's hope for us all yet). In "Pretenders", she finally gets the chance to shine. Although it drew a lot of disparaging remarks at the time for harking back to artists of the 1960s, today "Pretenders" sounds refreshingly contemporary, in more ways than one. Firstly, James Honeyman-Scott is a tour de force on guitar. His chiming lead parts, squalling solos and glistening rhythm accompaniments go a long way to defining the record's signature sound, giving it a certain polish and finesse that many lauded bands in their circle lacked. Listen to the serrated call-and-response in "The Wait", the arpeggiated solo at 1:30 in "Kid", the signature riff of "Brass In Pocket". There's a lovely, open stringed Rickenbacker jangle, suspended in time between the Byrds and Johnny Marr. It's the perfect complement to the edge of Hynde's vocals, and Honeyman-Scott's untimely death in 1982 (at the age of 25) was a great tragedy for the alternative music scene. Ultimately, though, Hynde is the undisputed star of the show here. She sneers and snarls her way through the whole set from top to bottom, with lashings of charm and charisma. Her withering put-downs, powerful mid-range, suggestive phrasing ("Up the Neck"'s perfectly timed "veins in his... brow") and iconic turns of phrase (the end of "Precious" is one of the most satisfying uses of "fuck" in a song I've heard in a long while). She's excellent and makes for a constantly engaging listen, even where the material is lacking. As far as the songs go: obvious as it may be, "Brass in Pocket" is the ultimate highlight. It's relentlessly contemporary and effortlessly cool, perfectly pitched between pop, punk and new-wave. I also really enjoyed "Kid" and "The Wait", while "Precious" is a powerful, aggressive opening. I didn't realise "Stop Your Sobbing" was originally a Kinks song, but it makes perfect sense: it's a bit of an outlier with its sunny 60's jangle and harmonies. Elsewhere, it's more of a mixed bag. There's some commendable experimentation with time signatures ("The Phone Call", "Tattooed Love Boys"), filler instrumental ("Space Invader") overbaked, dreary cod-reggae ("Private Life") and a gently stirring ballad ("Lovers of Today"). It's not always amazing, but the sheer force of Chrissie Hynde backed by the fluidity of James Honeyman-Scott's guitar gives me a sheer surge of goodwill that I can't help but make it a 4.
A lot of filler. Karen O, owes Hyde a career like.
I was surprised to find that, "Brass in Pocket" aside, this album didn't do much for me. Maybe I'll enjoy their later stuff more.
Essential Pretenders & top tier post punk. Chrissie Hynde is in a class of her own with that snarky sultry rock voice. Great band & great album.
ihan kiva, kasikytluku pelottaa..kuuluu musiikissakin SE VAAN TULEE.. EI VOI PYSÄYTTÄÄ ISÄ AIKAA... mutta vielä löytyy seitkytluvun.. instrumentaaalit.. hyvää on tässäkin... jos osaa etsiä. space invader
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.
4.5
Nokkur gullkorn. Talsverð pönk-áhrif. Chrissie með skrýtna víbradóið sitt. Já já, ágætis plata.
A couple of supersingles and a their recognizable genre
Rien de sensationnel mais loin d'être nul
allez les rockeuses
Very into this. Was not expecting so much punk feel. Then it slows down a little. Then there it is. I'm special. So special
Another band that I didn't know I liked. Add this one to the list! So many good songs on this album. All killer, no filler. As they say. I think Tattooed Love Boys might be my fave, but Brass In Pocket and Precious stood out too. I need to give this a few more listens, and I'll be happy to do so. 4.5/5
This album is FANTASTIC!! I'm blown away by how good it is...I have heard of this band but clearly never listened to them, my mistake! Really deserves a good sit down listen which I will do in the future, it really blindsided me! A few tracks are a little lacking so it's not perfect but it's damn good!
Not jiving with it, but Brass In Pocket is an all-time hit
I really like this album. It's fun, had a bit of a hard edge, and was pretty original at the time. It also has a few timeless songs on it so doesn't feel like it's aged poorly. I never really get tired of "Brass in Pocket" for some reason.
Best track(s): Stop your sobbing & the latter half of the album. Not really any bad tracks. Quite liked it! Will give this another listen sometime later.
cool
Patong.
4/5
I put this in the same camp as Elvis Costello. Too clever clever to be good punk, too traditional and songwriterly to do anything interesting save for play with some studio effects. It's not bad but it's deeply unexciting. Chrissie Hynde has a nice voice.
Chrissie Hynde got to live out most Anglophile's dream by putting together a band with British musicians and banging out an album full of out there phone calls, pop hooks, instrumental adventures and whatever suited their fancy. Not exactly pretending when it comes to conjuring up stellar statements, huh? Favorites: Precious, Tattooed Love Boys, Space Invader, Stop Your Sobbing, Private Life, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement.
5,5/10
Nothing too special, album sounded quiet
It's poppy, it's punky, a precursor to divergence of music in the 80's. Second side is better than first
This was an awesome album. Felt like a Joan Jett meets ramone’s or dare I say strokes/pixies. Just a great rock/alternative album that was fun to jam to in the kitchen while cooking dinner. I didn’t think I’d like it but the opening song sold me.
I really liked this one. I know the Pretenders mostly for the Rush Limbaugh song, which is a strange admission, but "My City Was Gone" is an incredible jam. I haven't heard this album, but of course I recognized "Brass in Pocket," a song that's played all the time at different life events. I never knew it was from these guys and Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie is the one thing I know about this group, she's got such a cool mystique and persona to her. She really made it out of Ohio. Favorite tracks: Brass in Pocket, The Wait, Kid, Private Life. Album art: Just a band photo, made exponentially cooler by Chrissie Hynde. I'm not sure why I'm so enthralled by her, she's just a quintessentially cool rocker chick. Deserves to be in the convos with Joan Jett and whoever else. 4/5
Helt okej. Stop your sobbing är ju jäkligt bra.
The album is way too long, and for some reason it didn't really interest me all that much despite having many of the elements I'm usually drawn to. Favorite track: Mystery Achievement
Yeah, Chrissie!
This sounds way ahead of its time. Late 70s, really? Impressive.
What a cracking opener, had no idea And brass in pocket is such a killer tune, kinda carries the back end though
Classico, mas ainda atual
Wow, what a great album. The whole thing is a banger.
Wow, it’s moments while listening to albums like this that makes this journey so enjoyable. What a great listen, amazing female vocals. TBz 1. Brass in Pocket 2. Tattooed Love Boys 3. Private Life 4. Up the Neck 5. Precious
Great album. A mix of a lot of genres
Solid and interesting album, didnt like all of it but it was enjoyable
De manier van zingen is me te gemaakt. Klinkt daardoor ook gedateerd. Elvis Costello met een baarmoeder. Ik ben er geen fan van. Het begint als een soort punk-omdat-het-moet, maar richting het einde van het album laten ze die act ook maar vallen omdat ze er zelf net zo moe van werden als ik als luisteraar. Helemaal aan het einde herontdekt ze nog dat ze als kind in een ketel met vibrato is gevallen en mogen we nog genieten van wat kattengejank. Dit was vast ooit heel cool, maar nu is het momrock voor rokende, vergane glorie, gescheiden vrouwen die hun haar nog elke vier weken (zelf) zwart verven met een potje Kruidvat huismerk haarverf en daarna in de lokale kroeg zelfingenomen kijkend slechte whisky zitten te drinken fantaserend dat ze elke man nog om hun vinger zouden kunnen winden als ze zouden willen, wat dan weer bevestigd wordt doordat stamgast gekke Henkie nog wel eens een rondje wil geven als ie zelf al de hele avond zit te tanken. Favoriete artiesten Janis Joplin, Blondie (waarvan ze 1 nummer kennen) en Kiss (2 à 3 nummers). Maar misschien vul ik nu te veel in.
The lead singer sounded like a female Lou Reed. I can tell this was inspired by The Velvet Underground.
its fine but like why is this one here. 1001 albums is a bit too much i fear. maybe like 100 guys?
It's all rather same-y, but I enjoyed the music.
dort tane sarki begenmisim ama shuffleda denk gelse begenilenlerden cikarabilirim gibi geliyo suan
yok abi 2 kere dinledim albümü arka arkaya ama beğenemedim ya özür kadının sesi çok sinirimi bozdu böyle şekilde şarkı söyleyen insanalr sinirimi bozuyo albüm iyi ki kısaydı ama yani dinlenmeyecek gibi de değildi
говно
2 stars, not super compelling - a few songs that are decent and recognizable, but a really weak album.
Never listened to the Pretenders much but I really enjoyed this album
Pretty good overall. I enjoyed the listen, but most of this won't be in my heavy rotation. 3.5/5
was expecting the 5000 miles song then i realized that was the Proclaimers and not the Pretenders. still good
4.5/5
Meh
Some great vocals. Simple yet effective song writing. It kind of faded into background music at times though.
This was a little slow burn for me but some great tracks on there make this just beyond good
huey lewis meets joan jett. punk for a moment and coporate nonsense the next. can be music with pizzaz, but also frizzled muzak. pretenders! pretend!
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
Hard nut to crack, this one, or whatever the expression is. On one hand it was a simple, a little monotonous at times rock music, but on the other hand you could say straight away, that this album is so much different than usual 70s and 80s music from UK, and even today some of the songs are very entertaining. The duo of tracks to start the album were really excellent - "Precious" and "Phone Call". I think what I really appreciated the most in those songs is the bass track, together with drums, giving an amazing base layer for the rest of the band. I am not a big fun of punk music, but this mix of punk rock is really unique and fun to listen to. Chrissie's vocal is rather hit or miss. I think, contrary to what's more popular, that the slower songs don't sound that well and Pretenders, as much as the vocalist, is much better at higher tempo music. Nevertheless, listening to this album was a very fun experience, worth having four out of five rating.
Very enjoyable - starts with a punk 1-2 full of comedy vitriol then third song moves to classic Hynde vocals and some great pop/rock. Amusing to note how her “too many lyrics” vocal style reminds me of the great Joni (not the beauty of Joni’s voice, although Christ’s voice can be lovely). Good LP worthy of its high chart position in 1980.
Very interesting and different album for the time. It's got the 80s sound but there's more creativity in there than in most albums from the time.
Classic case of knowing the singles but never heard the album. By God, this is good. Feels underrated if anything. It's almost embarrassingly obvious to choose Brass in Pocket as best song, but what a song!
Doesn’t quite hit for me. It’s very professional but a lot of the tunes just pass me by. The second half is better than the first.
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.
Just an outstanding debut album. A little bit punk, a little bit pop, but all Pretenders. 4 stars.
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.
Wow! 11/10
This album was one of those that I thought I was going to be on this list. Happy to see that I’m not disappointed. Interesting to hear that Johnny Marr considered this to be key to his playing style. And Tattooed Love Boys is one of my favourite Rock Band jams.
Some nice guitar/bass tones The songs were a bit boring to me
Je ne connaissais pas vraiment ce groupe, j'ai aimé le petit côté rock pop
flawless
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.
I really like Chrissie Hynde voice. Plus she is Stephanie and knows all the chords!
Before this album was released, I didn't listen to any female-fronted bands. On my first listen of the Pretenders debut album, something clicked instantly, it was amazing, like nothing I had been exposed to up to this point. Chrissie Hynde's snarl in her voice, the guitar interplay between Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott and the well crafted songs, their sound was both catchy and energetic. It wasn't exactly punk, nor was it new wave, it was rock that combined some of those elements for modern rock sound with a punk attitude. I consider this one of a handful of albums that helped shape and define my musical tastes. In my opinion, the Pretenders didn't release another record this great, though Learning To Crawl was close, but the band was never the same after the deaths of Honeyman-Scott and bassist, Pete Farndon. The Pretenders became more of a Chrissie Hynde driven "project" and to this day has continued to release some pretty fine music.
This album is fantastic! I am familiar with it but hadn't really heard it all the way through, maybe so, maybe not. Either way, this is energetic, skilled, and fun music. Excellent work here.
This wasn't an album where I ever thought, "Oh, hey, THIS is a great song!" but rather one where I thought, "I like this journey it's taking me on over its course." Now, "Brass in Pocket" is an exception, as the only song I knew from the album, and quite well (although I would never in a million years have been able to tell you its true title or known that those words existed in the lyrics). It's a catchy classic. Is it new wave? Is it punk? Is it classic rock 'n' roll? A little all of the above? Whatever it is, it's pretty cool and I enjoyed this listening day.
I do like the sound of the Pretenders and the album totally rocked for me!
This is badass.
I’ve always liked the Pretenders but can’t recall ever listening to any of their albums. I really enjoyed this album. I didn’t realize what song Brass In Pocket was until it started. Not sure how I never knew that was the name of the song which was a surprise since I really love that song! The rest of the album had a lot of great tracks. Other favorites include Previous, Space Invader (yay for the video game samples!), The Wait, Kid, and Mystery Achievement. I really loved the album as a whole. Great stuff!
I didn't know how good this is!
4.5/5
Pretty good
Love Chrissie's voice and really enjoyed this album. I was going to give a 3-3.5 but listened to extended version with demos and live performances again this morning. A very good album, ranging from punk/rock sound to a mellow side. Favorites include Precious, the wait, mystery achievement, tattooed love boys and kid. Brass in pocket an all time great. Even the more mellow tunes like stop your sobbing, Tequila and Private life were good. Very good album and great listening! A solid 4 and there are even better songs out there.
2.5 The Pretenders are a band I've always wanted to like, but for some reason I just can't quite get to click with me. This album feels like something I would love... I adore Chrissie Hynde's voice, and the music I would best describe as a manifestation of the punk to new wave transition. Hell, Johnny Marr would even later credit the guitar work on the album as his biggest inspiration for The Smiths (one of my all-time faves!). Yet despite all of that, it just feels like they neglect to do anything overly-interesting with the tools they have at their disposal. I'll admit this album kicks off pretty strongly with tracks like Precious and Up the Neck, but starting around Space Invader, slowly but surely, I feel like the album becomes less and less musically interesting, to the point where I was kind of over it at Private Life. Overall, a net okay album - Tattooed Love Boys is a jam though and by far the best song on the album. Favorite songs: Tattooed Love Boys, Precious, Up the Neck
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
This was great! Only heard one of these song before but I loved every song on this album. A really great mix of British and American rock. Favourite: The Wait
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
Appreciate the energy, but.. whose idea was it to write whole songs entirely out of ad-libs?
An enjoyable new wave record with really catchy and danceable tracks and a great energy. Quite interesting overall.
Pretty good album. 4/5
I like the Pretenders. And this is a great album. But I blame their brand of "punk" for the Green Days of the world.
One of the great debuts of all time. Chrissie Hyndesexy swagger is captivating but it's not only that the music is mature and confident in a way debuts just aren't supposed to be. They seemlessly move from Punk to new wave to ballads with the skill of a veteran group. Their rendition of The Kinks Stop Your Sobbing is simply perfect. This truly is an album everyone needs to hear. 5 stars
Discazo
How about I pretend to dislike this album
I haven't gotten one of those completely bland albums that plagued my first six months of this list in a while but here's another one. "An album that mixes punk, pop, and rock" describes countless albums and this one doesn't contribute much to that massive pool of similar albums. I like the album cover for some reason though, maybe ironically.
There’s a reason this album is considered a classic and it’s because every song absolutely rips from the six minute epic right in the middle to the all time classic single Chrissie Hynde and crew are so damned good!
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
Argh! I've just rediscovered this after 40 years. I bought this from the record stall at Wembley market but wasn't overly into it so consigned it to the back of the collection. Listening to it now I realise how wrong I was. Brass in Pocket is the big hit but my favourites now are: Kid, Stop your sobbing and Private Life (written by Chrissie and covered by Grace Jones). Can't stop playing it now.
I don't especially like the lead vocal's voice.
Pretty decent album, though not really my thing. Enjoyed it overall.
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
Rockin'. Not my favorite Pretenders album, but still 100% solid.
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
Timeless.
Loved this one. Chrissie Hynde is pretty much all you need to know but the band stays with her every step of the way. Top rating here.
probably 4.25 but fuck it, chrissie deserves the extra star for being so cool
I really enjoyed this listen.
niet slecht maar dit gaat me nu ook niet bijblijven ofzo
Excelente pintura de época
It's very good. Like it a lot more the aggressive side of this album than the softer side, but it's very good.
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.
Chrissie Hynde is an absolute kick ass vocalist. I love the drive of this album from the rhythm guitar and drums.
Really enjoyed as just some easy listening, great background music. This one is rounded up from 3.5
Do not like pretenders. Struggled through half an hour of this 1;45 album. Just confirmed to me I don’t like them
As I have fond memories of Brass in Pocket and Stop your sobbing I was looking forward to listening to this. However it was disappointing. The tracks that were released as singles (Stop Your Sobbing, Kid, and Brass in Pocket) are the only tracks of any note. The rest ranges from average to downright poor and monotonous.
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
Much more a classic punk sound than anticipated having only heard a few singles before from them. Decent songwriting and vocals but fairly forgettable instrumentation. I'm not blown away.
Detta stämmer bra. det är okej.
This album is energetic and has a strong punk ethos. The music itself I would classify primarily as post-punk. However, the Pretenders are experts at knowing exactly when to lean into the more pop and new wave elements giving way to an album that retains its musical integrity while remaining commercially viable. It’s certainly a delicate like to walk and they do it very well.
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.
Excellent album!
Rock simples e poderoso. Vocal funciona muito bem.
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.
not my cuppa tea
This album is really cool. I feel like I absorbed some of the cool just by listening to it. None of the songs are really catchy or anything but they’re all interesting. It’s between 3.5 and 4 stars for me.
private life is nice a bit samey nice drums 7/10
Dont like the vocals. Great growling Bass Sound though. Overall Sound kinda meh. Gets better in the second half of the album. Private Life and Brass Pocket are ok. But they are different to the overall sound of the album. The rest is more punkish.... and although punk was the music of my youth, this album does not work for me. It sounds to me like... they are pretending to be punk.
It was an alright album. One song was really well known. The rest were just kind of there. I did not skip any songs.
p470. 1980. 4 stars. Fabulous rock-pop-punk hybrid. Outstanding songs and vocals about sex, desire and loathing. Needs to be played loud for maximum impact. 1 star deducted for occasionally straying into guitar wankage. Still sounds fresh 40 years on. PJ Harvey has based her entire career on trying to write something as good as this.
The best record of Pretenders, when they were still making new wave music.. ..some catchy singles but especially with lots of strong album tracks, like the first triple of songs..
Without Brass in Pocket this would be only 2 stars for me.
I got the replacements and the pretenders confused and was incredibly disappointed. This was fine.
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.
Fun rock album! There's a cool. Variation in the song styles here too, which I enjoy
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
Classic album, top notch
Like.
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.
Ah Chrissie Hynde, alongside Debbie Harry, every 70's straight teenage boys fantasy! (Gail Advert was my personal fantasy!) What can you say about the Pretenders, Chrissie was a Music Journalist turned Superstar (Gamekeeper turned Poacher really) and this was a great debut album. Shame that the band was destined for tragedy with both James Honeyman-Smith and Pete Farndon died too early. My Favourites on this are "Stop Your Sobbing", "Kid" "Private Life" and "Brass In Pocket". Chrissie's longevity is notable and the fact that she is still touring into her 70's suggests that she is still able and talented musician. This album is in My top 100.
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!
Goeie muziek. Ik was blij toch een nummer te herkennen
A New Wave classic with Chrissie Hynde dropping the F-bomb in the first song. Lots of variety and great guitar playing in the songs with Chrissie Hynde exuding charisma and a fuck off attitude.
Eh it's fine
First song was a bit punk and fun, downhill after
4.5
It's hard to believe this is a debut album. The songs are edgy, confidently combining different styles into an original sound, oozing attitude. For reasons I can't articulate Brass in Pocket has always been one of my all time faves. I can't get enough of Chrissie Hynde. It was good to have her in the world while I was growing up and figuring out who I wanted to be.
I didn't hate listening to the album but its not my favorite style of music or singing. Couldn't get into it.
Some cracking tunes!
Great powerpop
Var ekki svo hrifinn við fyrstu hlustun, en önnur bætir miklu við. Ánægjuleg blanda af léttu pönki og góðu poppi, og gaman að heyra originalinn af Grace Jones smellinum Private life.
4.15, un band dont jai entendu parler mais )amais ecoute. Cest bon dans le style new wave c’est excellent.
Bomb
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
Great album with "Brass in Pocket" the best most known song. 7/10.
It's very strange going from growing up thinking that the 1970s was a wasteland for music to it being perhaps my favorite decade for music bar none. There was just so much happening, and everything was changing so quickly. Case in point, this album is a nice pop and punk in the post-punk era that doesn't really get talked about much. I think the success that Blondie experienced just prior to this album's release. This album is a lot of fun, well worth a listen 4/5
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.
Really enjoyed this
This felt like a chore. Best track: ?
Better than expected, a 3.5
Hi- Brass in Pocket Sorta girl punk-pop; I'm okay with most of it, but Brass is still probably the best song on the album.
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.
Such a fun listen and does not sound horribly dated!
Pretenders by The Pretenders (1979) There’s so much more to The Pretenders than that stellar opening groove to “My City Was Gone” (from Learning to Crawl [1984], used with approval by conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh in his heyday). Singer/songwriter/frontwoman (and Ohio native) Chrissie Hynde has a lot of violence, pain, sadness, contempt, and anger to spread around on this debut album, and lead guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers help her do it with style, skill, and sense. References are obscure but rockingly indelicate. The energy is raw, and the listener gets the message loud and clear. Chrissie Hynde is, in my view, one of the top ten female rockers of all time. Unafraid of idiosyncratic time signatures (“The Phone Call”, “Tattooed Love Boys”), radical variety (“Space Invaders”), and anti-dance rhythms (“The Wait”), The Pretenders play up power chords and driving grooves in a masterful rock mien, with enough restraint to keep each track from overwhelming the ears. The only two main weaknesses here are, first, the steady descent (a regression, really) into ‘commercial’ pop on tracks 7-11 (especially the cover of Ray Davies’ [of The Kinks] “Stop Your Sobbing” and “Kid”). It seems out of character, and sometimes out of sync with the mood of the lyrics. But by the end of the closing track “Mystery Achievement” we’re comfortably back into driving rock (although the song should have been extended about a minute, with a fade at the end). As for the second weakness, the rapid spoken word melding with sung melodies (“Private Life” and elsewhere) sounds awkward if not anti-poetic, as if Hynde has too many words to fit into an otherwise well crafted song. Released on December 27, 1979, this album put an fitting exclamation point on the fine music of the 70s. Truly an enjoyable listen. 4/5
cce
I know a lot of people love this album but for me it's jarring, unsettling and disconnecting. Just not my thing.
One great track, couple of other interesting ones, sounds like one foot in the 80s and one in a different time. Not bad, won't be listening again though
Good early new wave. Favorites: "Precious", "Brass in Pocket", "Mystery Achievement"
Very enjoyable
talk-singing. universal mullet music.
Je préfère le côté punk rock de la face A, mais le mix mets la voix beaucoup trop en avant. La reprise de Stop Your Sobbing des Kinks est bien réussie. Un essentiel pour le rock féminin, mais pas si accrocheur pour avoir envie d'y revenir régulièrement.
Love it.
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.
Love them!💕
Middling.
This is so fun!
it was ok but not my vibes. too much hablar
Such a nostalgic album for me. My dad played them a ton as I was growing up. Still rips to this day.
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
Did not like
Un bon album punk-rock, défénitivement à revisiter.
Had previously only heard Brass in my Pocket, but enjoyed listening to the whole album. Listened all day. Great vocals and guitar. Need to listen to more of their other albums.
Ah yes, I remember it well...
Pretty easy listening- thought the rhythms were fun
It was fine
Brass in Pocket was a good hit with lyrics that weren't serious but Chrissie shows that she is good at dealing with tricky topics. Kid is a conversation a mother has with her child when the child finds out her mother is a prostitute. It's a solid album top to bottom. Quite the debut. The two songs that start w a P are fab. Private Life is great instrumentally. Precious is the song I most identify with Chrissie Hynde. Full of confidence, edge, spunk and don't fuck with me attitude. I'm precious . . . fuck off!
I like the contrast between the two sides. Side 1 is straight forward punk-inspired (my faves are The Wait and Tattoo Boys) that sound a lot lot like what many other bands at the time were playing, except better, and then they get more creative on side 2, with reggae and pop. It reminds me of Blondie's Parallel Lines. Chrissie is a real force, smart and angry and talented, a great band leader. I saw them in 1980 at Heatwave and regret that I didn't know most of their material then.
I had forgotten just how good this album was. A very impressive debut album that really showed their range, they can really rock out, post punk and then switch to a nice top 40 ballad. Everyone talks about Brass in Pocket but maybe I've heard it too much because I think a lot of the other songs are better. They even managed to out Police the Police on Private Life and then they close out the album magnificently with an absolute killer song - Mystery Achievement. OMG that driving bass plus the guitar solo at the end! The common denominator in all the songs though, the glue that holds it all together, is Chrissie Hynde's incredible voice. I see that she wrote most of the songs too, so extra kudos to her.
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Tattooed Love Boys, The Wait, Stop Your Sobbing, Kid, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement Cutting Edge: Precious Overall Notes: This was the embodiment of cool. Chrissie Hynde kills this on vocals. I only had exposure to Brass in Pocket before listening to this album and didn't get the hype, but some of the rhythms in these songs are sooooo cool I fully get it now. Cut the two 5:30+ minute songs without hooks and it's a 5. As it stands, 4.5 rounded down.
I really enjoyed the first half. Punkier than I expected. You can tell it's an album that's designed to be played over two halves of vinyl. Brass in Pocket is still a bit cringe for me, but.
A modern-day classic
Fine, I guess.
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.
Rock de los Pretenders. Un megahit. Un 4.