Reviews (page 4 of 13)
Really cool. Great vocals, awesome little music breaks and instrumentals, a really talented group of musicians with a common goal to making some great music. What a way to kick off a discography.
No. 110 I really liked this, very emo but so mooth.
Had never heard this before. I liked it quite a bit. Good early 80s UK punk.
4 out of 5 Classic Brit rock. Chrissie Hynde kicks ass.
The Pretenders debut is rightly considered a classic. Its mix of ’77 punk, new wave and retro rock struck a chord with millions of music fans on the lookout for something new – but not too new. Both the album and the single “Brass In Pocket” topped the UK charts in January 1980 - which is quite the entrance. Considering its vintage, there’s nothing post-punk or experimental in what they do, the albums success is down to Chrissie Hynde’s great songs, pop hooks aplenty, and a band who know when to keep it tight and when to swagger. The singles are all first-rate and all proved to be radio-friendly, but it’s the strength of tracks like the ferocious opener “Precious”, the reggae influenced “Private Lives” - which Grace Jones brilliantly covered - and the brutal “Tattooed Love Boys” - which took on a significantly more sinister interpretation after Hynde’s autobiography was published - that make Pretenders such a powerful artistic statement. 9/10
My first listen to this album of theirs. Very strong first showing from them. Great lyrics. Loved the more aggressive tone of the band relative to their later stuff. I'm surprised more tracks from this album don't get played, it's better than just the hits that survived to their best-of compilations.
Loved it I think the version on iTunes was too long though I think there were four discs
It's at least 4 stars. This album is so diverse, versatile and with great sound and lyrics. The story of "Tatooed love boys" is so strange and deep. Every track has its own atmosphere. 4 for my taste and 5 overall
Dig the bass guitar on "The Wait" and the instrumentals throughout but especially on "Private Life". The songs with simpler instrumentation are my favorite. Really dig this one. Wasn't familiar with Pretenders before now. This was a happy introduction.
Awesome! Love The Pretenders!
The Pretenders are one of those bands that I don't listen to a lot, but when I do hear one of their songs, it reminds me how much I enjoy them. So, it was nice to listen to this album this morning and revisit some songs I knew and hear some songs I wasn't familiar with for the first time. The thing I will say about this album, generally, is it seemed a bit inconsistent to me at times. There are some great songs on the album and then suddenly there is a dud of a song. But overall, it's a great album.
Absolutely loving the vocals in this, and the instrumentation is very groovy. I'll probably return to a fair number of these.
Liked this album! Never heard of them before but I really like their sound here. Vocalist is great and whoever is on guitar is shredding. 4/5
Love. Faves are Kid, Mystery Achievement, and of course, the iconic Brass in Pocket which is the perfect hype song.
Great stuff
Brass in Pocket
a great album - love the sound 4/5
Early Pretenders were a lot punkier than I remembered, except that they know multiple chords and the lyrics are all intelligible. The second song on the album is in 7/8, for goodness' sake! So basically, these are clever and sophisticated songwriters with a punk attitude, which I appreciate. Chrissie Hynde has an amazing voice - sexy, playful, fragile, and furious by turns. I'm more a fan of "Learning to Crawl", but this was definitely a debut album that promised great things in the future. Favorite songs: "Tattooed Love Boys", "The Wait"
Killer album! I love everything about. The recording itself is top notch. The guitar tones, thumping drums & the bass is killer with all the melodic walking bass lines & of course Chrissie Hynde establishing from the very start that she is a badass not to be fucked with!
Just a great record. Not much more to say about it.
New wave punk, debut Stop your sobbing Brass in pocket Mystery achievement
I have a new respect for the Pretenders. This is a very solid album and fun to listen to. Makes me want to explore more of their catalog
Don’t know what I expected here but for some reason the album art and the fact it’s from the 80s initially put me off. I was completely wrong however. This is an interesting and fun album with plenty of crunchy riffs but also softer tunes. To attach a genre to it would be hard, but it was overall very good. A touch long and minus points for a cover.
Rockiger Sound mit prägnanter stimme, passt.
Gave it a listen right away and it’s not bad at all!
Very nice voice
A lot a sounds most of them were amazing
3.5/5
It's a good sign for an album when I've gone out and looked up the name of the singer by the middle of the opening track. I wasn't familiar with the Pretenders (though I know I've heard "Brass in Pocket") but I liked this immediately. "Precious" is a great opener and Hynde rules.
Some absolute bangers on this album but I struggled to like a couple of tracks, which is why I gave it a 4.
I don’t know what this type of 80’s music is called, but it’s a lot of fun
Loved a lot of songs but wasn't as fussed about a few. The ones that worked were great though, and the less so ones were still good
This album appeals to a certain kinds of people. Awesome people. Except Lovers of Today. I can’t get fully behind that song.
Two observations: 1) The Pretenders music has aged well. This still sounds great in 2026. 2) I love albums that aren’t built around singles. Brass in Pocket and Kid are tucked into the back half almost as an afterthought. There’s a coherency to the record, never a sense of filler/killing time until the bangers.
po é bão acho que eu gostava mto de pretenders há uns anos??
forte, hein! rockzinho new wave até meio punkzinho as vezes, bem gostosim de ouvir. nao eh um blondie, mas quebra o galho!!
Great
Hat mich überrascht, kann man nochmal hören.
This is a good rock album with strong guitar hooks and great songs. It sounds less like new wave than I expected, instead being a more traditional rock album. While the vocals work well in the context of the album, the real star is the guitar; it's hooky, muscular, and energetic in equal measure. It makes the album what it is, despite lacking the technical flash of say, Deep Purple. Essentially, this album has strong songwriting backed with a good band.
New Wave was a cool genre and the Pretenders show exactly why. You have the energy and attitude of punk, but infused into melodic maybe-pop rock. Of course, Chrissie Hynde might just be the Queen of Cool anyway. She is the chief songwriter and visionary here, with vocals described well as “casual but sensual.” She introduced the band to an old song by the Kinks (“Stop Your Sobbing”), made it the band’s first single, then had a baby with Ray Davies. Very good album. Can’t go all the way to 5 but this is a very strong 4/5.
I really like this woman's voice, sounds really cool especially for the time. I was enjoying this album and then got to Brass in Pocket and realized I already knew that song and liked it. That song is enough to bring the whole album up a point itself.
for the first half it mostly felt like pretty decent 80's background music, perfectly pleasant, but the second half was strong enough to bump it up to really quite enjoyable. favorite song is Mystery Achievement or Kid (Lovers of Today is also great)
Rating: 7/10 Turns out I really like this New Wave stuff. Doesn't feel wholly original for the year it came out but it's just so many solid rock songs with a punk edge. This might firmly be considered this a classic for the genre in this period, a clear staple of the sound. Lots of fun and Chrissie Hynde's voice is great
I absolutely haaaaaate the Pretenders when they play on Shaw's radio, but honestly this album was very solid. The vocals are still a little annoying but now it's a cool type of annoying when they're not playing on a grocery store speaker. Private Life fav song 7.0/10
It's always nice when you're surprised by an album. My only real exposure to the Pretenders before was through their more mid-tempo stuff. There's a lot more punk and new wave influence on this album that I thought. In particular, Private Life feels like it could be a Fear of Music-era Talking Heads album track, with the slightly more psychedelic guitar riffs. Chrissie Hynde's voice really elevates much of the material, and offers herself as a really captivating narrator, making songs like Brass in Pocket both sexual and wistful
.
Coole New Wave-Platte. Mir gefällt auch, dass sie sich hier und da etwas ausprobieren, z. B. mit Instrumentals oder bluesigeren Songs. Insgesamt wars mir ein klein wenig zu gleichförmig.
Einfach richtig gut
Hat mir viel Spaß gemacht.
Liked it more than I expected. Vocals can get a little annoying.
Actually turned out to be a pretty good album, would listen back to a few songs. Great voice, fun melodies and riffs
Was gonna be a 3 but the last 2 songs were really great
I'm a sucker for anything vaguely punky with a female vocalist. Wasn't sure I knew them, but I did recognise "stop your sobbing" and "brass in pocket". It didn't blow me away and some of it was better than others, but overall enjoyed it and probably will be back. 3.5
Pretty good. Quite punky at the start. Got a bit more mainstream rock-pop towards the end, but not in a bad way.
My ears didn't hear anything even slightly punk about this album. However, it was a nice mixture of new wave and pop/ rock that kept me interested from start to finish. When I was young I remembered Brass in Pocket playing on the radio, and never knew what Ms Hynde was threating to use in the chorus. Sure, some words were clear, but "gonna use my sassy"? Turns out it was "sidestep" all along. Thank goodness for the internet! Four stars.
punk, romantic, definitely rock n’ roll at heart.
*listened before the project* I like her singing style:)
Je suis vraiment satisfait du pull de mon 1000e album, ça aurait pu être franchement pire. Belle énergie punk et la front girl rock à fond la caisse. D’ailleurs, je pourrais conclure en citant ma première review sur ce site, de la première à la millième (c’est si beau, j’en verse une larme symbolique): « Great punk tracks. »
Not quite sure what they're singing about, but it's a bit of a ride. Musically it's not bad, but I don't feel like it does anything original or unique enough in order for it to be memorable to me.
This was fun, better than I was expecting. I liked their version of Stop Your Sobbing better than the original. CLEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU
new year. I am locking in. this was fun
Quite good. Sounds a lot like Patti Smith at times
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. Refreshing to have a female led rock group on this list. RYM: N Saved a song: N
Way more punk than I was expecting. Probably a 3.5 but Brass in Pocket gets it to a 4.
I much prefer their LEARNING TO CRAWL and GET CLOSE albums when they finally matured into a multi-faceted band that showed more than just punk furor. A commercially successful debut album, but perhaps one of my least favorite of theirs. It felt to me at the time that they received attention in America primarily because of the success of Blondie's PARALLEL LINES, released the year before. I felt like it would take until those later albums to truly emerge from Blondie's shadow. Favorites: "Precious", "Space Invader", "The Wait", and "Brass in Pocket".
Gibts nicht zu meckern. Der erwartete Sound ist auf dem Album und es gibt keine bösen Überraschungen
Yeah, a very good start for a cery good group. Always good to go back and listen.
Iconic highs powered by Chrissie Hynde, surrounded by scrappy, inconsistent moments.
Loved this album. Saved 5 songs to favorites
Early 80s vibes, couple good songs couple boring
One of the greatest debut albums of all time! A true classic; Chrissy Hynde is a unique and raw talent. 4.5⭐️
1. Precious Pretty good, liked the guitar and the feel. Fun dark-ish rock. Got a little repetitive 7.5/10 2. The Phone Call I don't like this one as much, they just have a long kind of static intro. Mostly just like an instrumental song that has like background groove stuff, don't like it as much. 6.5/10 3. Up the Neck This song is 100x more interesting, I like the bass. Very interesting, nice softer feel compared to the first two. It's a good song, but there is something a little bit weird about some of the transitions they have. But mostly I like the song and it stays interesting throughout the whole things. 7.5/10 4. Tattooed Love Boys I don't like this song as much, the groove and backgrounds are a little to fast for what the song is. It sounds almost sped up, I think either the vocals need to be sped up or like the band just needs to slow down. Something isn't right though. I like the little guitar solos though, kind wish it would build into a full on solo, but I liked how it fit with the song. 7/10 5. Space Invader Oooh, I like this song's start, it's really cool. Nice bass, and the guitar building is very good. I like the development of the guitar, and just the texture in general, it's really cool. Kinda wish the vocalist actually did something, but honestly it might be cooler just as an instrumental. Honestly I kinda feel like this whole song is just a really cool intro to another song, but it's just the whole song. 7.5/10 6. The Wait Kinda wish there was just a solid transition from Space Invaders into this song, that would have been really cool. I like the way this song sounds too, it's kinda cool. I like this band because all of the parts are kind of doing something interesting, it's good. I like this song, sometime the things the band does feel a little weird, but most of the time the stuff they do is stylistically accurate. I like the little breakdown part with the loud dissonant chords afterward, really cool. This song just sounds like a band having fun, it's really cool. 8/10 7. Stop Your Sobbing I don't really like this transition, but that's just my opinion. I don't know if this song really works, something about the way the lyrics interact with what the band is doing, or maybe it's just the lyrical sound, it doesn't really work with me, I dunno why. 7/10 8. Kid I dunno about this song, sounds like rock and country had a really ugly baby. Maybe that was too harsh, the songs isn't that bad, but I dunno if the song really works, it's a little interesting and cool, but there's also something about this one that doesn't quite work for me. Maybe if I listen to it again I'll like it more, my brain might just be stuck, I think I'll like this song if I listen again. 7.5/10 9. Private Life I like the beginning to this song, it's fun. Nice kind of melancholy as well as some loud and crazy parts. This feels like it fits the bands vibe a lot more, the other slow and "pretty" songs don't work for the band as well. Gotta say peak guitar solo. Very nice tension and release in this song, I like it a lot, really cool song. 8.5/10 10. Brass in Pocket Okay, this is one of the "prettier" songs, but this one actually fits, the other ones didn't quite work, but this one is really good. I like the bass on all these songs, it like actually plays an audible part in the band, it's amazing. It's fun driving song, it's like almost a romantic song, but it has this bands kind of darker deeper feel kind of laying in the background so it's a little bit of a gritty smooth. 8/10 11. Lovers of Today Another of the pretty songs, this one also feels pretty okay, but the band does some weird things with the chords that sound a little weird. These type of slow songs it's really hard to have complex and more dissonant chords without the song sounding bad, I dunno if the Pretenders did it well. They definitely did better in some of the thicker texture parts of the song, but in the lighter parts it just felt weird. But I don't think this song was too bad, for the most part is was really cool, and had some fun parts. One of the things is I like most of these songs more as they go on, which is a really good thing, they don't get boring and they don't play all their cards right at the beginning 7.5/10 12. Mystery Achievement This was a really cool finish to the album. I liked it a lot. Some of the melodic content was a little weird and repetitive but still good. 7.5/10
This is a debut that snaps and crackles. The punk energy is palpable, but the sound is more diverse than just punk. Chrissy Hynde is really one of a kind.
Some of my favorite pretender songs. Blasting on Rte 81 with Bob Mury
An important record bringing some of the energy of punk and girl rock into the mainstream, though built around (and perhaps forgotten) a few beautiful mid tempo and ballad numbers. A remarkable first statement for Christie Hynes and her stalwart band, most importantly James Homeyman-Scott.
The musical talent may have been typical of the era, but Chrissie Hynde was definitely not pretending- that voice is iconic.
Spannender RnR.
Slick and confident. Oozing with fab songs.
(4)
Punk pop perfection. This debut album is a nice introduction to what the 80s sound will become. My rating 4.2.
This album ripped honestly. 80s dance new wave punk mash went dummy. Some awesome breakdowns that have kept me listening even through the bonus tracks
Really good.
Buenos tracks, entretenido
I wasn't as enamoured with this as I thought I would be based on the songs I'd already heard- but it's definitely good music! :)
Catchy and fun
Some great tracks on this album that I'd almost forgotten. Brass In Pocket of course, but also Stop Your Sobbing, Kid and Private Life, the Grace Jones version of which I loved and didn't even know this was a CH song.. and her version is as good if not better. Extra star for Chrissie Hynde's drive, determination and desire to shag, snog, (nearly) marry and avoid her way to the top when it wasn't particularly easy for a female in rock. A hell of a debut. 4½
I was kind of stuck between 3 and 4 stars on this one. There's some good stuff in here but nothing really sent it over into 'frequent rotation' territory. It might have been my crappy car stereo as well as that it was some 'deluxe edition remaster etc' but Chrissy Hynde's was a little too forward in the mix and it was kind of at odds with some pretty straight forward late 70's punk-adjacent instrumentation. When I got through the actual album and then was hearing some of the demo versions of the songs I honestly liked the rough mixes better. It made them sound like a band playing and not a voice hovering above a song. When I was a kid I thought Brass-In-Pocket was cheesy but now I secretly look forward to hearing it
Had some better songs than I had thought it would. Glad I listened and I can see how it is influential. Having said all that, not really my cup of tea.
this was soo fuun! At first I thought hmm, sounds like Sonic youth if they were less edgy.
Awesome post-punk goodness from note one. Punk energy and DIY ethos executed by a band that knew how to play their instruments. Chrissie Hynde's lyrics and performance are often perfect. She weaves tales of the underground scene, not quite as dark or salacious as The Velvet Underground or The Stooges before her, but still with an edge. There are shades of Blondie, The Cars, and even Television here. "Brass in Pocket" is the one hit from this record, and it's a little out of place because it's a bit too sweet as Hynde's persona softens a bit. It's not unwelcome, just a little inconsistent in the track list. The Pretenders' first record isn't exactly unknown, but it deserves more attention than it gets. After the unfortunate drug-related deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band has had a killer rotating line-up, including even the great Johnny Marr, but I can't help but lament the other outstanding records that we fans could have had. I'll be adding this one to the lineup. Four stars.
Pretty good album. They would have been really fun to see in 1979/1980
Precious 3.7 The Phone Call 3.4 Up the Neck 3.8 Tattooed Love Boys 3.5 Space Invader 4 The Wait 3.3 Stop Your Sobbing 4 Kid 3.3 Private Life 3.5 Brass in Pocket 3.7 Lovers of Today 3.6 Mystery Achievement 3.3 Score: 3.591666667
Incredible songwriting. Not the best remaster, so I think I’ll be seeking a vinyl copy.
Why had I never heard this before. I knew it would be up my street from the first track. I recognised the song Brass in Pocket but loved the rest and will be listening to this again.
I wonder why I never listens to this before? This was way cooler than Brass in Pocket would lead you to believe
Hynde es una figura ESENCIAL en el música, por talento y por influencia. Una americana que llegó a Inglaterra para marcar estilo y liderar una banda que publicó varios discos deslumbrantes, del que este debut es uno de sus mejores ejemplos. El otro es Learning to Crawl que apunta más hacia el pop pero que condensa mejor todo el caudal y legado de la banda. Luego vendría una banda que en realidad es ella con alguien más, pero no exenta de estupendos momentos: "Sé que los Pretenders han parecido un grupo de tributo los últimos 20 años, y es que estamos rindiendo tributo a James Honeyman-Scott (guitarra, piano) y Pete Farndon (bajo)". Técnicamente no era un portento, su voz y su capacidad lírica así como su visión y determinación si que marcaron la diferencia. Era una tía que molaba, mucho. Transmitía un poder y una seguridad que eran diferentes. Sabía ponerse dura y ponerse suave, y en ambos casos acertaba cúando y cómo. Ella (y Siouxsie), ajenas al rol sexualizado otorgado a las mujeres en el rock y sobre todo en los 80 marcaron terreno y siendo un ejemplo para todo lo que vino después (tal vez Joan Jett, Dolly Parton, Jackie Deshannon...) las Bangles, Kim Gordon... hasta Beyoncé o Rosalía. La guitarra de James Honeyman-Scott (otro talento enorme) remite a los mejores Kinks o Byrds (era fan de los Beach Boys), junto con la Fender de Hynde hace una dupla melódica excelente. Pete Farndon tampoco era malo. Ella marcó un camino, y fue de las primeras bandas en evidenciar las limitaciones del punk. Su radar y talento eran mucho mayores para conformarse con cuatro acordes y algún exabrupto. Este disco no tiene ni un momento que baje del notable muy alto. Lejos del rock progresivo pero diferenciándose del punk. Abre con fuerza Precious (autobiográfica desde el primer verso donde ajusta cuentas con los USA de los que se largó porque no había nada para ella allí -salvo los B-52´s o Talking Heads) y The phone call, y ya con Up the neck se vislumbra un cambio con muy buenas melodías (hablamos de una americana que se había empapado del s buen soul sesentero y los grupos de chicas) destacando Stop your sobbing (de su adorado y aun no esposo Davies) y Brass in pocket. Space invader tiene un desarollo instrumental, pero lejos de los eternos y engreídos ejemplos del progresivo aquí todo encaja y no hay una nota de más. Suena a Television. Up the Neck y Tattooed Love Boy , también son autobiográficas y sus letras nada tienen que ver con la simpleza del punk. Tampoco son los agobios del Post-punk sino que es otra cosa, y otra perspectiva mucho más rica. The Wait, es otro buen ejemplo de ese sonido y apunta a nueva ola o pwer pop. Es un tema excelente que acaba cerrando la cara A del mejor modo posible con Stop your sobbing. El comienzo de la B tampoco es menor: Kid, donde ese trémolo en la voz de Hynde se hace marca de la casa. La letra es otra maravilla. Private Life no tiene el gancho que la versión que hizo al poco Grace Jones. Lovers of today tampoco tiene desperdicio. Puede que la cara B sea la mejor de este álbum. Mystery Achievement (la batería se la saben los Stone Roses de I am the resurrection de memoria) así lo confirma. Enormes.
Not bad for an old sound. Cool that they cuss even though it was probably taboo when this was released
I never really had the Pretenders on my radar. Not because I’ve never heard of them, but because I remember not really clicking with them. They felt too soft to me as a rock band and their new wave-punk fusion really really grabbed me in. Though, after I expanded my musical palette, I’ve come to really appreciate the Pretenders. I especially come to really like this debut. There’s definitely a great balance of new wave and punk and Chrissie Hynde does a great job carrying the album through the genres. As someone who never really hears the Pretenders too much, this was a great way into getting more into them. Favorite track: Stop Your Sobbing Other hits: Tattooed Love Boys, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement, Kid, Private Life, Precious, Up the Neck, The Wait
Took a while to get going but then settled into some pretty solid post-punk(?) fare. She has a great voice too.
I found some of the tracks a little too similar to others. Loved hearing the hits in context of the rest of the album.
heard they’re big songs before but i’ve never delved any further. i enjoyed this and will be listening again
Erg lekker
Really cool album that I wasnt expecting. Standout songs: Space invader Private life
Enjoyed
Pretenders are not pretending they know what they’re doing. They know what they’re doing this awesome jams at times they lost me a little bit. Some of the stuff is pretty hard hitting though and the songs are super catchy love the guitar. Work vocals are on point just my mind wandering sometimes and kind of forgetting what I was listening to on some songs overall pretty bad ass. We definitely listen to it again.
I was really wowed by this album! Every song hit and it finished really strong with Mystery Achievement
I really liked this. The vocals are idiosyncratic without being irritating, and the instruments have great energy - I especially liked the bass playing.
Clean vocals, and really well constructed songs. Not much else you could really ask for.
Feels ahead of it's time. Very fun album.
35/1001 I think this is a great album. I don’t play this one enough. Are there a thousand better albums? I don’t think so. 8/10
Some good new wave to start out the day is always refreshing!
Loved every song, will be revisiting this again soon.
What even is “New Wave”? Is this New Wave? If so, where are all the dated 80s synths? Whether my preconceptions of New Wave are accurate or not, I shouldn’t ask and simply be glad I was served this excellent portion of no-nonsense attitude. Loved the instrumentation and vocal delivery. Will definitely revisit this one.
I was expecting a bunch of good songs that I already know. What I got was a bonus punk intro followed by a bunch of good songs that I already know. Will listen again.
Felt almost like two albums, with a more punky vibe than the more 80s feel. Good though
This is an interesting coincidence as a couple days ago in my review of the Who’s Live at Leeds review I mentioned seeing them in 2006. Well, who opened for them at that concert? The Pretenders! At the time I had no idea who the Pretenders were; I didn’t even catch their name during the show, so it wasn’t until years later that I figured out who I had seen that day. I remember they put on a good show, but not much else from that time. Listening to their debut album now and I really quite enjoy it. It's a solid pop-punk album. There's maybe a bit too much 80s pop flair for my tastes on a couple of the tracks, but not enough to turn me off the album.
It was a breath of fresh air to hear more diversity of song both in melody and instrumentation. Main singer is sultry and has great expression with her voice for the in between parts
Pretender? I liked this a lot. Favorite song was probably Space Invader. Vocals were incredible. Did feel a little repetitive at points.
Let me see what you got Akron legend Chrissie Hynde! "Moving through the Cleveland heat" let's fucking go. She's bouncing around on Precious, I really like the way she's moving at her own pace. The Cleveland bars are obviously firing me up. Shoutout Euchlid Avenue. I love the little guitar riff on "Up The Neck", and I'm really enjoying Chrissie's vocals so far. Nothing too groundbreaking, but I really like how she's intentionally a little off-beat at times. Obviously where Blueface got his early influences. Great energy on "Tattooed Love Boys". There's some really fun moments on the guitar so far, this song has a few of them, I love the switch back and forth between the main guitar riff and the ongoing solo. These guys fucking rock, and Chrissie is really entertaining to listen to. The whole band does a good job switching pace throughout songs in a way that keeps things lively. "Space Invader" is a fun instrumental break. I was gonna say take a break Chrissie but I forgot she's one of the guitarists. Really enjoyed this one, and the Space Invaders outro is the cherry on top. Reading her wikipedia page, Chrissie was really Akron blood. Graduated from Firestone, went to Kent State, was even there during the Kent State Massacre. She's a living Akron legend. Hate to show my bias but makes me enjoy this so much more. No disrespect to the Black Keys but Chrissie is coming for their crown. Love the guitar scratching on "The Wait". First slow song on the album so far with "Stop Your Sobbing". This was a nice change of pace. "Private Life" is a vibe, super groovy from the jump. I really like when she's almost rushing through a stanza, there's points where she's almost rapping throughout the album so far. Keeps things super fresh. We've reached "Brass in Pocket", which is supposed to be the standout from the album. It definitely doesn't dissapoint - some funky details on the guitar and really captivating vocals from Chrissie. This is a really great song. "Cuban Slide" rocks, I don't even care enough at this point to go in-depth on it I just think it rocks. Chrissie I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm gonna sound like a broken record here but "Porcelain" just flat out fucking rocks. These guys rock. They're shredding that gaht damn guitar to open this one up. Then a minute and a half in they slow it down and Chrissie comes in for clean up. And she does just that. I haven't mentioned the drums yet because I'm bad at reviewing music but they've been really great the whole time, Chris was right, shout out Martin Chambers. I really enjoyed this album. I acknowledge my bias but I don't really care, I think it's really cool that somebody from Akron in the 70s moved to London and put this band together and they actually make good music. It 's not a revelation or anything but it's really good. That's a 4 in my book.
Akron Queen. What else needs to be said. Honestly though, good music. Solid listen.
This shit was good. Idk why I never really listened to them before. Recognized two songs from my parents playing them when I was young. Gonna have to dive more into their big ass discography. Chrissie Hynde got me feelin some typa way. Way more sexual than expected, makes me want to ignore how much my parents love chrissie hynde. Angsty, solid riffs. Feels ahead of its time. I like.
Akron vs. the world babyyy 74 year old Chrissie Hynde can have my babies Absolutely incredible vibe all around 4.2/5
Unique, very casually listenable, Private Life is a great song!
Yeah really interesting, I feel like they certainly have their place in the history of indie music, as I'm pretty sure Johnny Marr was quite inspired by them guitar wise, and you can kind of hear that in the tones, like the 'jangly' chorused guitar parts, which are all used really well. Its a really great mix of more straightforward punk stuff, alongside quite a lot of Talking Heads style new wave, among other stuff, and the two are often blended really well. She's also an amazing singer, both a lot of more catchy stuff with some arty more abstract choruses and lyrical ideas. I also think the more hard rock/blues inspired solos are weaved really well into hear, which I think is good, as it can very easily become cheesy and horrible. There's also some more reggae type stuff, which I guess was going round at this time with bands like the slits and the clash (thinking about the private life song). Also some great and varied drum and bass bits now that I relisten. The bass has that more trebly tone which Andy Roarke did in the Smiths, among loads of other people probably. Maybe a downside is that some of the vocals feel a bit aimlessly meandering where instead you could have had an instrumental section or something idk. Favourite songs: all but stop your sobbing. Overall around 8/10
This band has grown on me over time and I actually like the pop-ier elements that pull it away from the more raw punk sound. And it makes sense that they continued to pull away with each further release. Not putting this on myself, but I'm not going to as to turn it off either.
23 seconds in, an immediate yes her voice is incred Some really interesting time signatures here. Want to comment on how much I love how the music feels, but can't find the right word. Groove? Flow? Movement? Progression? Unsure, but I'm enjoying Songs added to playlist: - Precious - Up the Neck - Brass in Pocket
very good, very nice, but I've felt like something is missing ❗️
James honeyman-Scott on guitar. Wow. The man who influenced Johnny Marr. This is a great album. My sister got this album for her Xmas and played it nonstop so much so my dad knew the words when they appeared on TOTP. But I think it may have been because he had a soft spot for Chrissie. Pretenders is a good album but pretenders ll is even better.
I already knew a couple of songs from here, but never really listened to the rest of the album before. I'm pleasantly surprised. It frequently rides the line between punk and new wave. This was pretty good
Led Zeppelin in the 80
Pretty cool album, I think it might be one of those I'd like better once I listen to the songs a few times but I did still quite like them. They have a nice style that seems like it started and inspired a lot of later things and I liked the vocals as well. Preferred the A side mostly I think
Never really got into them before but obviously heard a lot of their music. Cool to experience.
Album 44/1001 Chrissie Hynde is the queen of cool and a total badass. 👸🤘 Favourite lyrics: BRASS IN POCKET "Gonna use my arms, gonna use my legs Gonna use my style, gonna use my sidestep Gonna use my fingers, gonna use my, my, my Imagination 'Cause I gonna make you see There's nobody else here, no one like me I'm special (special) So special (special) I gotta have some of your attention, give it to me" "I got rhythm, I can't miss a beat, I got new skank, so reet" PRIVATE LIFE "J'ai les glandes with your theatrics" "I'm very superficial I hate anything official" PRECIOUS "But not me, baby, I'm too precious, you had to fuck off" Favourite song: Brass In Pocket 💵🤑 Honourable mention: Lovers of Today 💑📅 Stop Your Sobbing 🛑😭 Tattooed Love Boys ⚓️💘👬 Up the Neck ⬆️👔 Precious 💎 Kid 🐐 Private Life 🤫
First time listening I've never searched out the Pretenders because I've always been under the impression they were some cornball 80s pop band. And while there was a little bit of that, this was more of a pop-punk album that was heavier than I expected. Really good, catchy songs. Only 2 bad songs. I was surprised by how much I liked this album. Best songs: Space Invader, Kid, Mystery Achievement Bad songs: Private Live (bad white ska), Brass in Pocket (exactly what I expected the whole album to be)
1980 was peak guitar chorus imo.
Perfect blend of good songwriting / bad attitude.
Rocking and shi. Liked a handful of songs a lot, others were either p good or okay. Some kinda floated out of my ear but a lot of great songs and stuff.
8/10 Kid - Lovers of Today (honourable mention) Really enjoyed this one. It is more in my normal genre, but I was not familiar with it prior to listening!
Stunningly modern for a record released 46 years ago. Hynde was way ahead of her time.
i think late 2010s - early 2020s music primed me to like 80s music more
3.5 really close to be a 4.
Great record. I had never heard this album before except for Precious. Great bass playing and the lead singers voice is very clear throughout.
'Bondage to lust, / Abuse of facility / Blackmailed emotions confused, / The demon and devilty.' Chrissie Hynde is neither Poly Styrene nor Patti Smith: she's Strummer + Reed w/ a little bit of Costello there for nerdy relief. The music is essentially unclassifiable - every time I'd like to call it punk or new wave, it displays an edge that's older and more fundamental, a feel for 50s rock 'n' roll and Doo-wop that brings to mind the likes of Link Wray and girl groups such as The Crystals. The reggae-rhythms on tracks like 'Private Life' are purposeful rather than a distraction, more than you can say about most whites attempting that sort of thing. There's a whole lot of joy here, but it's of a perennial kind: summer jams don't monopolize their ambition.
Great album. Always loved their sound.
Enjoyed this, by and large. Even though I'm usually a punk guy I actually enjoyed the second half of the album more. The ballads and more New Wave sound worked quite well and were just a bit more interesting to my ear than the punk numbers. If I had to pick I would probably put "Kid," or "Lovers of Today" as my favourite tracks. Thought Chrissy Hynde's vocals were awesome throughout, just falls a little short of a five for me, but will definitely be giving this further listens.
Wow, completely forgot how many big hits were on this record. Punk-adjacent music. Excellent guitar playing throughout.
Decent, unique vibe
This was a hoot and also a holler. I had a great time listening to this one. Brass in Pocket was a banger, for sure, but the energy was there all throughout the album. Solid experience overall and a great start to my day.
I had known the name Pretenders but I couldn’t tell you any of their songs. I didn’t think I’d know any tracks but shortly after Brass in Pocket started, I went, “Wait is this the ‘I’m special’ song I can never remember the name of?” I was surprised by the range on this album, as there was a good bit of punky stuff but also some more jangly bits. I really like Chrissie Hynde’s vocals they’re unique and have a lot of personality. 4/5
Goes down smooth
I’m pretty familiar with Pretenders’ biggest singles, but this is the first time I’ve listened to a whole album and I really enjoyed it. Brass in Pocket is obviously a classic, but I also really enjoyed Precious, Space Invader, and Private Life. I’ve never enjoyed Tattooed Live Boys for some reason, but I like it more now than I did yesterday!
Pretty cool and Chrissie Hynde obviously kicks ass but it’s also not the most exciting album. Best tracks are Precious (which I was imagining Amyl and the Sniffers doing a cover of) and of course the famous Brass in Pocket (which I used to rock on PlayStation SingStar with my sisters). Mixed bag. (3.5 stars)
Very long album but i thought it was kick ass
The first track "Precious" has that huge flanger thing going on, reminds me of the new Turnstile record, so that is super cool. I have only heard the hits so I'm interested to see what The Pretenders are really like. "Tattooed Love Boys" is pretty dark but has a neat structure and hearing 7/8 is definitely not a common thing back then. Lots of great punky riffs and killswitch tricks which is cool and they are definitely a lot better sounding than a lot of punk bands in my opinion. "Space Invader" is a cool instrumental jam. "Kid" is a real bright spot! "Private Life" is a neat reggae-inspired song that's just slinky and cool. "Brass in Pocket" is of course far and away the best song on the album, but it really is a good record. I definitely enjoyed and would be curious to listen to more of The Pretenders!
Nice
Chrissie's vocals are good! Some songs are very good, but also are few fillers. Precious is simple but infectious, Tattooed Lover Boys has fantastic riff
Gute Mischung aus allem, aber für mich sehr nahe am Pop, trotz allem.
surprisingly fun!
Good Pretenders. Brass in Pocket is a classic.
Oh yeah, this album is great and I honestly believe it's because of Chrissie Hines. Her voice and even her attitude on the awesome album cover makes the Pretenders exactly who they're supposed to be. I heard a story once how it was so hard for her to get a punk band together because she was a woman and the dumb men didn't want her. I'm so happy she found a group, I'm so happy this album is good, I'm so happy of how great they've become in the canon of music history.
Très sympa !
Ct cool
This packs a lovely punch, while still being melodic and relatively easy-listening. I didn't know much beyond Brass In Pocket (a great song), but it was impressive in a way that I didn't expect. Now I think about it, I think maybe my opinion has been sullied by only ever really seeing them on the telly at Glasto, playing the Park Stage every year and looking several hundred years old.
I like this - nice mix of catchy and punky rock. 8/10
I've quite enjoyed this. It's a very tight punk/new wave album without too many bells and whistles, but sometimes a relatively straightforward rocker is just what you need. The album opens up a bit more in its final third with tracks such as "Private Life" and "Lovers of Today"; the latter in particular exercises a great use of build in creeping up from quiet into loud passages, and was a very welcome segway towards the end. I'm impressed by how consistent a package this is for a debut, and I could very well end up buying it.
Great album.
I enjoyed this quite a bit. If I'd been alive when it came out I would've been obsessed
Bonne découverte que ce groupe de new wave féminin. Quelques bons petits bangers
Okish. Instrumentals are actually great. In my humble opinion, the vocals are hit and miss, though.
This record is a gem. It’s the perfect example of “oh yeah I love these guy. I should listen to them more.” Then you don’t. It’s also a great band name. Brass in the pocket is a fantastic single. Not all of the songs are equal, but a good listen.
-simple rock
Overall, a very solid rock album. Everything just seems to sound well done on this album. I would say my least favorite moments would be the opener with how the singer vocalized "precious" throughout the song. Later songs in the album like Brass in Pocket and Lovers of Today stand out as strong tracks to me.
4.9
Listened to this a lot in the reality eighties as my dad was a fan. Good solid debut.
Genre: New Wave A very pleasant surprise. Great vocals, some really great full band playing, and a decent collection of late 70s/early 80s sounds. Chrissie Hynde, lead vocalist and lead songwriter, does a really great job throughout the album providing all-star vocal performances and some great songwriting variety throughout, from pop rock to dub. Really solid! 4/5
I really enjoyed this. I'd never heard of them but this was super chill. Doesn't feel unpleasant like other stuff like this. Vocals were smooth and nice to listen to. This was wonderful.
Post stop your sobbing is great
Just great rock’n’roll. That’s all.
Off the cuff remark: I always put Blondie alongside the Pretenders, and Blondue always won in my book. That side I think the Pretenders album serves up a great slice of guitar pop. Nostalgia aside it's hard not to enjoy the better known moments of sassy attitude and melody, but the other tracks aren't fillers. Standout track: just has to be Brass in My Pocket. A pop glory. Revisit?: undoubtedly.
Super première moitié d'album, le reste un peu plus relou
Good solid punk album
Love it. This is my kind of sound
My first full listen of a Pretenders album and I loved it!
Good
Feels alive, a pulse in the rhythm, somewhere between punk edge and pop. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Tattooed Love Boys - Stop Your Sobbing - Brass in Pocket - Mystery Achievement
The pop and punk influences bring a unique sound to this classic 80s rock album.
I played an extended version of this album and I think the additional tracks added nothing to what was a pretty good album. It's along time since I listened to this album and I thought it pretty good with some real standout tracks. Not essential.
It was fun. More my vibe. I blame Dad
Solid album.
Enfin une voix féminine ! Franchement cool comme groupe dans les rythmes et tout, j'y reviendrai je pense
Pas mal ! J'ai noté Up the Neck, Space Invader et Lovers of Today comme titres qui m'ont plu. 4/5
Super underrated debut. Just a fun time
I dug it more than I expected going in only really knowing Brass In Pocket and Back On The Chain Gang. 3.5 rounding up.
Chill rock from my childhood
This is rock and Chrissie Hynde is the coolest. Bye ✌️
This is like a bridge from 70s music to 80s music. So cool!
This was more punk/garage rock than I was expecting, if a bit too "shiny" production in parts. I like how the bass is way out front in the mix. They are fans of phaser and flanger FX.
So many great tracks
Muy cool este new age
Don't pretend you don't like this. Essential pop punk for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the genre. The songs here will get in your head quicker than Baby Shark.
One of the definitive showcases of the guitar-forward, ass-kicking front-woman sound that helped defined this era of rock.
Never knew Private Life was a Prentenders song and I never knew Stop Sobbing was by The Kinks! This is the first time in 40 plus years I’ve listened to one of their albums all the way through and I’ve been pleasantly surprised, it’s pretty good to be fair.
If you don't like the pretenders you're either too soft or too hard. Get over it!
Okay
I like her vocals a lot
The vocals and the instrumentals are lush - easy driving music!
Несподівано прям сподобалось мені. Гарна музика, хітова та навіть різнопланова місцями.
Finally something to get the blood pumping in the morning! Getting tired of these long boring albums lately!! Awesome debut album, starts kinda slow but stop your sobbing, kid, brass and mystery achievement are A+
перший альбом тут, який мені прям сподобався, дуже свіжий на фоні всього іншого. у вокалістки неймовірна харизма, і мені звісно подобається слухати про жіночу емансипацію і просто girlhood experience. воно не клацнуло зараз на п'ятірку, але я вже бачу, як буду повертатися до цього альбому в майбутньому
3.5 stars. Polished but still punk rock enough to balance out well. Almost like an edgier Blondie. Chrissie Hynde's singing and songwriting carries this, standout is the hit "Brass in Pocket" as well as leadoff "Precious".
Nice classic rock album with plenty of hits. Always hits when it comes up on shuffle.
Sharp, swaggering new wave bite with hooks, heartbreak and danger wrapped in leather and eyeliner.
Thoroughly enjoyable
Much more punk than the single Brass in pocket would lead you to believe. Liked it more than I thought I would.
Fairly good
Очень даже прикольно весело! Вокал понравился больше музыкальной составляющей, пожалуй, крутая тетя сразу понятно
Early punk, real cool.
Better than I thought it would be
Solid 4, not a huge fan of the vocals but very fun musically
Very pleasantly surprised by the consistency and musicianship of this one. Had not heard this album before other than Brass In Pocket. Feels more similar to the Police than I was expecting. I googled to see if anyone had noticed the similarity between the opening guitar riff in Up the Neck to Def Leppard's Photograph. No one had. But they are for at least the first five notes.
Oh this is totally up my alley! Pretenders have been at best in my musical periphery for awhile now, but without anything but the odd song listened to here & there. This is my first time listening to an album start to finish, and it is FANTASTIC. Chrissie Hynde brings the 'tude to perfectly accompany the music being played. Love the energy of this album and glad I finally put it into my ears. A few tunes toward the end didn't quite hit on this first listen, but overall this has been great stuff.
coming out months before remain in light, theres something kind of similar in the side a/side b setup here, where tightly controlled bangers give way to something more uncanny and expansive. in both cases full of great songwriting ideas and more than anything just gives plenty of space for chrissie hynde's vast voice, managing the warmest punk snarls youll ever hear. hynde is embarrassed about her old days writing half-baked philosophical drivel and nonsensical tirades" for nme but like many of these new wavers i can see the connection between that and the desire to make music Wider and Deeper, big lofty ideals given form that is "mundane" in the best way possible...jittery, jangly, joyous, and probably other words that start with j too
v interesting
Fun, groovy, solidly enjoyable
damn i didn’t realize how much i actually like this album… thank you, generator 🙏
Sharp, energetic lyrics pulled me in, the catchy melodies held me there. Quite good.
What a fun jaunt from everyone's favorite campy 80's Transatlantic group! Putting it in the rotation. All of the spoken word has such a silly cadence that I can't help but laugh to sometimes. I can't tell if this was ever sincere and I don't care. A good time with or without a plastic guitar.
It was ok and enjoyed
Fantastic album. Hynde is a force of nature
Good shit. This, I can get behind.
The bass lines on this album were spectacular. This was the first time I've actually listened to this album as a hole, and not just the singles. Chrissie doesn't like when you cry. She makes that very clear through the whole album. No tears from me here. What a great album.
Controversial opinion, but is this pop punk? I feel like it is. Clearly at least punk influenced pop-rock. It’s fun. Catchy and good songwriting
Kid, brass in pocket, mystery achievement are great, stop sobbing
Excellent. A little punk-ish, but more refined. Love Chrissy Hynde's vocals.
Don't get me wrong, aber die Pretenders hatte ich in den 80ern für mich abgehakt. Umso erfreuter bin ich, das mich dieses, mir bis jetzt unbekannte Album, überrascht hat. Bewegt sich zwischen Punk, New Wave und Rock, garniert mit einer unverkennbaren Stimme. Wieder mal eine Entdeckung auf der elenden Liste. Weiter gehts...
Wow, some sexy lyrics. Cool new wave meets punk (or maybe it's the other way). Some more traditional rock sounds too.
It's special! So special.
It's pretty good! As Newman said, it should be a 3.5. But since I don't want to make women into whipping us, I'll bump it to a 4. It's a short album with a few good tracks to lift the album. Top Tracks: "Brass in Pocket," "Space Invader," "Stop Your Sobbing"
Great stuff! It's nothing earth-shattering, but what it does do is everything I'd want out of a good, solid new wave record. Easy 9/10.
Really enjoyed this! I can see myself going back and listening to a lot of the tracks which just had good, fun vibes. More importantly OH MY GOD I FINALLY KNOW THE NAME OF BRASS IN POCKET AFTER HEARING IT FOR YEARS AS A CHILD
Classic Pretenders / Chrissie Hynde
I really liked this album. As an 11 year I remember hearing Brass in Pocket and writing the band off. The album had an edge and an energy that I really enjoyed. I liked the Chrissie Hynde's voice and the way they moved between punk and new wave. I'll listen to this again
For the band’s debut record, it is extremely solid. There are so many cool guitar solos, amazing female lead vocals, and catchy tunes. I really loved this one.
incredible.... amazing.... a work of art.....
This was a lot better than I was expecting. Would listen again.
This album slowly improves as it goes on making it seem better than it maybe is, and Brass in Pocket and Mystery Achievement lift it to 4 stars or B.
A really good album, there were a few songs here which didn't do much for me preventing it from full marks, but the playing especially was fantastic. Kid was the song I liked most on my first listen. 4 stars.
I'd never listened to this album before, and aside from the couple of radio faves, didn't know what to expect. Actually punkier and edgier than I knew of and better for it. Quite good!
Big fan of this.
The great thing about this list is you get to hear so much more from bands you think you're familiar with. In this installment, the very much Punk / Post Punk / New Wave album from the Pretenders. You'd think they were a rock act based on their radio hits but after a listen here you get so much more. 4/5
Chrissie Hynde is another strong figure of female empowerment in music and I’ve always loved her voice which I consider both feminine and mature, punk yet sensitive. The instrumentation on the album is solid (the build-up on “The Wait” is excellent and shows the band could go beyond the usual pop structure). The moods shift naturally, from punk vibe to “Lovers of Today.” A great debut album, especially mature, and one that has aged quite well.
The bad ass female frontman feels like a formula, but I'm a sucker for it pretty much every time. No offense to whoever's singing but she's almost like Zorro. The mask gets passed on from decade to decade. Patti to Chrissie to PJ to Karen O etc etc. All amazing individuals to be sure, but yeah, the formula works. Do they wear leather jackets while eating breakfast?
I only knew their singles. Which are definitely the best tracks. Despite some not great tunes I would say It’s a better than average album. 3.5 which i will likely round up for its originality.
Not a single bad track on it. I'd only heard the one big hit prior. Glad to have heard the whole album. Faves: "Precious", "Space Invaders", "Brass In Pocket", "Mystery Achievement"
Solid debut by an iconic band with a tragic beginning. Favorites, Space Invaders, Brass In Pocket, and Mystery Achievement.
Good riffs and more odd time signatures than I expected — super fun stuff
Love the vocals, love the guitar work, album starts more rockish, but becomes more melodic later
"Brass in Pocket" was one of my favorite videos/songs in the early days of MTV. I was surprised to not see "Back on the Chain Gang" on this album, but Wikipedia says they originally released it as a single and then it was on their third album. Chrissie Hynde was and is awesome - her background is fascinating. I'm glad I got to see these guys open for the B-52s about 25 years ago. I guess this was probably called new wave at the time? But a lot of it sounds just like what would have been called punk a few years earlier. This is awesome. If only I had been a little bit older back then...
I always felt like these guys got overlooked. Solid, inconstant stuff from them. 7/10
Damn, what a debut! Great mix of styles and grooves. Loved the rawness of “Precious” as an opener and shifting gears until finally ending with the poppier groove of “Mystery Achievement”.
Love this. You can just hear how great the band's chemistry is on almost every song. Kind of confused why Brass in pocket is considered one of their best songs, its alright but far from my favorite here. Think the energy they bring on songs like tattooed love Boys and the wait is brilliant
4/5 its really good
First few albums remind me of drycleaning. Deep voice talking over badass guitars and bass. Me gusta
Enjoyable album, will listen to it again.
Favorites: Precious, Up the Neck, Private Life Absolutely on the punk side of new wave, I found a lot of things enjoyable about this first listen. While I don’t consider this to be a hallmark of the genre, it’s certainly groundbreaking in the popularity and evolution of new wave.
Chrissie Hynde ran so Karen O could limp
very solid
I knew some of the hits but never listened to a whole album. This is really good especially for a debut!
Like a greatest hits album, but they have a lot more songs. I’d share this with any rock music fan.
Solid sound. I like the overall vibes. Good instrumentals and vocal work. Not super compelling any whichway and kinda peters out at the end of its fairly long runtime. 'Brass In Pockets' was my fave.
Bravo Chrissie Hynde. Belle voix chaleureuse, bons riffs de guit.
Un son punk doux, une jolie voix de la chanteuse qui laisse pressentir des Tori Amos et Alanis Morissette (Gwen Stefani?). J'aime l'énergie et quelques passes musicales un peu out (fin de Up the neck sonne un peu grunge). Pas eu beaucoup de temps pour faire tourner en boucle, mais j'ai bien aimé en gros.
Great listening
Chrissie Hinds is a queen and the band is excellent. Some of the songs are a little too in-your-face for me — maybe I would have gravitated to that sound when I was younger. But, many tracks are just brilliant lyrically and melodically — and when Hinds’ delivery lines up with the right song, it’s magic! There are some absolute classics here — it’s a four.
A great mix of power pop, new wave and punk spirit. I really enjoyed listening to it.
After the first listen, it didn't sound that good. However, it's a grower once it's in your ears. I understand now why they say this is one of the best debut albums ever. I even ordered a vinyl.
Pretty fly
The Pretenders are a great band but they would be nothing without Chrissy Hynde. She’s got a great voice. Check out Mystery Achievement for a good example of her sonic capabilities.
Now this is what I’m talking about. A proper, new, refreshing classic that I haven’t heard before to delve into. Personality-filled, energetic, Blondie-esque fusion record which has so much to enjoy. Love the vocals and the drums are very well produced and, I’d say, somewhat addictive. Slows down in the last couple of songs and doesn’t offer as much within these due to the length and lack of complexity, however the majority of the record is upbeat, or if not, memorable and confident.
New wave classic
This is a solid debut with some genre-influencing elements. When listening to 'Mystery Achievement', for example, I couldn't help hearing Adam Ant's 'Desperate But Not Serious', and 'The Phone Call' reminded me of Aerosmith's 'Shut Up And Dance' (both released well after this). I think I also heard The Kinks, but they would have come before. At any rate, this is great. Probably not one I'll add to my personal collection, but I'm glad I listened to it, and it DOES deserve to be on this list.
82% Best: Precious; Tattooed Love Boys; The Wait; Brass in Pocket; Mystery Achievement Must-Hear? Sure
Once again an album that's part of my collection but never got much attention. It's a strong album though. It starts off really well and punky, reaching a high point in 'The wait'. But then we have to listen to a totally unnecessary and weak Kinks-cover, 'Stop sobbing' How could they make this their debut-single? 'Kid' is pretty weak too, with some country-vibes. But 'Private life' is excellent, as of course 'Brass in pocket' is. The closing songs are good too. Great album, almost five stars if it weren't for the wek songs in the middle.
enjoyed!!
Слушал с удовольствием. Рокенрол и панк и новая волна.
Impressive debut from this group. So many good tracks on this one. I never thought The Pretenders had the magic that this album captured on anything after...I mean there were good songs and singles and what not, but as an overall effort, nothing came close to this. 3.67/5 stars = 4. Can't miss tracks: Tattooed Love Boys Stop Your Sobbing Private Life Brass in Pocket
Such a great album even if you exclude the hits. I always discounted The Pretenders, but now I see I was wrong to do that.
Shania Twain meets Joan Jett and writes a perfectly decent pop-rock album. Bit of a weak start, definitely gets better as it goes. Precious (5/10) The Phone Call (6/10) Up the Neck (6/10) Tattooed Love Boys (8/10) Space Invader (5/10) The Wait (9/10) Stop Your Sobbing (7/10) Kid (8/10) Private Life (6/10) Brass in Pocket (8/10) Lovers of Today (7/10) Mystery Achievement (9/10) 7.6/10
Chrissie Hynde can step on my balls! Fantastic album, great change of pace from yesterday’s pile of shit. Albums got the angst, sadness, happiness and sexuality we all look for in music. At a first glance I got a sense of Big Marlins Jessica Snyder early years on the vocals but that then was switched to a Joan Jett vibe which was completely way off and wrong. Space Invader, Private Life, Lovers of Today are probably my favorite three. I like to believe that when we all got to Brass In Pocket we all went “Oh shit they did THIS song!?” Stop Your Sobbing really resonated with me simply for the reason I daydreamed of bawling uncontrollably in Chrissie Hyndes arms and she yelled at me repeatedly to stop sobbing. Enjoyed this one enough that I gave it a full re-listen today to refresh what I liked specifically. Would definitely listen again but at the same time not the best album and not really any songs I would put on alone I think. Honorable Mention: Porcelain 7/10
A really exceptional debut! Somehow perfectly 1980.
Quite a lot of memories from home growing up. The whole album works well. 4/5
Who’da thunk Grace Jones’s Private Life was a cover? Not me. Like this quite a lot.
Pleasantly surprised by this one - a lot more of a straight rock, post-punky album than Brass in Pocket would have had me believe. Gonna have to come back to this one again
One of THE BEST debut albums. Not a bad track on it.
I keep forgetting about the Pretenders, but I shouldn’t. Solid all around album.
Strong end to the album, was slightly unsure at the beginning but really got into it. Chrissie Hynde has a fantastic voice and you can really see her influence on modern artists.
Great album only let down by Private Lives and some filler tracks.
chrissie hynde i want you so bad
Hyped me up for the pemi
Nice