Pretenders

Oh, this stands up great. Happy to have this back in the rotation 4.5 🌟

initially, the Pretenders serve high energy, meat 'n' potatoes new wave -- without fashion, without synth and pop appeal, without any further influence than its bare building blocks, their debut feels like the scientific control of its genre. as a result, Side A fuses together into this slab of sound, each song sounding pretty close to the last but still the same amount of fun. meanwhile, Side B has these singles that serve as high points in their discography interspersed with long, jammy tracks like "Private Life" and "Lovers of Today". it's like the whole thing is trying to keep it together, playing it safe in the first half like a glued Lego set. then it brings out this fragile original Lego creation that kicks the prebuilt set's ass but also has little greebles and bits falling off of it with each jostle of the table. i admire this hustle; i can't help but award it an 8. also, you're kidding me. nobody in the band was from New York City? Ohio and the UK? alright. i'll believe you... cautiously.

Precious - 4/5 The phone call - 2.5/3 Up the neck - 3/4 Tattooed love boys - 5/5 Space invader - 4/5 The wait - 5/5 Stop your sobbing - 3.5/5 Kid - 4.5/5 Private life - 3.2/5 Brass in pocket - 5/5 Lovers of today - 2/5 Mystery achievement - 5/5 4.09/5 My mom loves them, lol. I've never really liked Chrissie's voice (maybe that's why I like the instrumental Space Invader more?). The songs in general have a nice catch. Songs I might listen to again: tattooed love boys, the wait (nice bass line), brass in pocket, mystery achievement

Really fun album. This feels like one of the first true pop-punk albums. I love how it keeps that punk rock edge throughout, but it mixes in elements of pop, new wave and even rockabilly. Its fast moving, its edgy and its just really fun. All the things you want in a punk album.

Loved it

Interesting early new-wave and punky fun

uno di quegli album per cui parto con zero aspettative e poi mi devo ricredere. mi è piaciuto parecchio.

Molto bravi, non li conoscevo Mi incuriosisce sapere perché un loro album ha la copertina uguale a London Calling dei Clash ma sarà un dubbio che risolverò ad un loro prossimo ascolto

Realmente é um bom rock anos 80. Para quem gosta de Rock vai gostar, e quem gosta de anos 80 então. Gostou de Tattooed Love Boys, The Wait, Stop Your Sobbing, Private Live e Lovers of Today.

My dad always made sure to tell us that Christie Hynde was a bad bitch. Impressive debut with a lot of hits. Surprised that the reviews at the time were mediocre. I particularly like the drum mix

Chrissie Hynde is an interesting character, loved reading her Wikipedia. Raised in Akron. I can add her to the list of Akronites I’ve always known as LeBron, Devo, and the Black Keys. She played in a college band with a dude from Devo. Then moved the UK and tried to get both Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten to marry her to give her citizenship. And she has a baby with the lead singer of the Kinks. Really enjoyed this overall, but also agree with the take that a lot of this washed over me. Could see this becoming a real favorite or becoming completely forgotten in my collection. Deserves a few more relistens for sure.

A true 3.5, this is a great album with production that sort of bugged me I fear

the first half of the record was enough to earn a 4 from me. Fantastic energy and spunk and punky-grittiness. Super fun and a great listen that I will 100% be putting on again. The song The Wait was a huge discovery for me - a new favourite track! The second half wasn't as great and except for Brass In Pocket which is undeniably a killer jam and a big hit,... I could take or leave most of it.

Really good, Christie Hind has such a distinct voice and if you like it you're half way there as the songs were very good too. Brass in Pocket still gets lots of radio airplay in the UK and it is such a brilliant song. I think with their style of pop Punk music they may well have inspired others along the way. I could hear similarities with bands like Razorlight as I listened. Definitely deserves a 4

I have a soft spot for talky British bands but this is a good one

Not something I would listen to often, but a very fun album. The Wait is my favourite on the album.

This is an excellent album. It is musically on point, and Chrissie Hynde's sultry vocals are amazing. "Brass in the Pocket" has always been one of my favorite songs. Although I like Nick Lowe, I am glad he decided to leave this project. As far as his contribution, I think "Stop Your Sobbing" is one of the weaker tracks.

Who doesn’t love the pretenders, it’s not their best album so I’ll rank it down but it’s still really good!

A classic!

Fun album from a fun band! They are fantastic at having more punk-centric tracks mixed with poppier fun melodies. Underrated act that I need to delve further into. Notable Tracks: - Precious - Tattooed Love Boys - shout-out Guitar Hero 2 - Space Invader - Kid - Brass in Pocket - Mystery Achievement 8/10

This was a pretty cool post-punk album. The Pretenders are definitely more punk than I expected. Based on the few songs I already knew, I thought they leaned more into new wave, which they do at times, but overall, I’d say they’re heavier on the punk side.

could i write poetry to this? y

Any Northeast Ohioan with access to Classic Rock radio has probably heard just about every track on this album a million times. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just impossible to listen with fresh ears.

Wow, haven't listened to this since the mid-80s. Shame on me.

Songs I liked most: Precious, Tattooed Love Boys and Mystery Achievement Songs I disliked: Private Life and Lovers of Today Overall rating: 4. Liked the first half of the album better than the second half

Fun album.

Such a pleasantly surprising album. Really enjoyed this one

Enjoyable - plenty of recognizable songs to enjoy

good álbum

Groupe connu uniquement par le morceau 'Brass In Pocket' (+++) qui passait beaucoup à la radio à l'époque. Cet album est une excellente surprise, avec des morceaux très dynamiques (je ne m'y attendais pas) et originaux. J'ai apprécié en particulier : 'Tattooed Love Boys' 'Space Invader' instrumental 'Mystery Achievement' Même si je suis moins convaincu par certains morceaux plus calmes comme 'kid' ou 'Private life' (bons chorus guitare mais un trop long), je vais probablement ajouter cet album à ma collection. =>4/5

An excellent album with a variety of styles. There’s lots of punk and hard rock, especially in the first half, along with more melodic rock and new wave. But it feels like one cohesive sound too. Definitely the sort of album you can put on and enjoy in one straight listen. “Brass in Pocket” is the classic here — great song — but everything is strong. Chrissie Hynde is a great lead singer.

good rockin album

sure

Pretty solid -- I like this

The farther I went into the album, the more I liked it. Proper piece of rocking.

The Good: They aren't pretending anything! The Bad: They have bad taste in clothes… The Ugly: only 47 minutes and 2 seconds long… What an absolute joy to listen to. I believe that I was familiar with 2 Pretenders songs, gratefully now I am familiar with more! Off to give them there well deserved 4*… oh so close to 5*

Bra gammrock

Pretenders are a classic staple

Really enjoyed this album who knew

Confident and entertaining 3.9

Personally I preferred Parallel Lines if I had to pick between those 2, but this was still really cool. Thank you 1001 albums very cool

Nice "old" Rock Sound

Only knew of “Brass in Pocket” coming into today and as is the case with most other albums with a prominent single, I figured the rest of this album wouldn’t quite stack up to that. I’d say I was quite wrong there, as the entire album was pretty enjoyable and somewhat up my alley. This is very early pop-punk/punk rock and its release date is appropriate, as it sounds like a bridge between the 70's and 80's. I'm not sure this could've worked with anyone other than Chrissie Hynde on vocals too, as she adds her own "punk rock girl" flair with some tender and soft tracks mixed in.

Chrissy Hynde rocks

Almost all great songs! Did already know and like half of them lol 4.5

This is a pretty good album. I was previously only familiar with Brass in Pocket, but really the whole album is good. I would come back to this one.

Enjoyed this album, catchy guitar parts and a unique sound. Reminded me of a cross between the Clash and Blondie. Had heard a couple songs before from guitar hero so I was picturing jamming out to this as a middleschooler. Favorite songs were: 4. Tattoos Love Boys 8. Kid 10. Brass in Pocket 8/10

Fine but a little repetitive. I liked some of the deeper tracks.

This really is a great album. The thing is that aside from one or two songs the performance and attitude are stellar but the songwriting itself is just okay. It’s a time when women weren’t aloud to rock- and Chrissie and the boys said F that. And for that, and Brass in Pocket, alone this album is a 4. This is the epitome of a record that I know that if it’s on I won’t skip- I’ll dig in and dig it- but I’ll rarely if ever put it on myself. And that speaks much more to my own limited comfort and taste and nostalgia than it does to The Pretenders.

A New Wave classic: The Pretenders debut! Some of the songs on this album are eternal classics like "Tattooed Love Boys" and "Brass in Pocket". Although the album has some low moments, it's still a great debut album and one of the most important New Wave albums of the 80s. I'll give it 4 stars!

I’ve definitely been guilty of writing the pretenders off as a ‘it’s only worth listening to the singles off commercial radio’ type of band. Very wrong! Very very wrong! Absolute bangers! The album takes a bit of a dip about 2/3 of the way through which is a shame. 4.3

I thought this was a super enjoyable album and an easy listen

Punky Brit Rock

It was interesting. There were highs and lows, but I'll definitely get back to this album/band later.

They hit the ground running here, though greater songs were to follow.

Ich kenne mehr die Hits von Pretenders. Dieses Album überrasch. Vor allem die Gesangsnummern sind total verspielt. Der Instrumentale Teil zündet nicht ganz. "Private Life" kenne ich mehr durch Grace Jones, wußte gar nicht, dass das Original von der Leadsängerin der Pretenders ist. Mir gefällt die Interpretation von Grace Jones schon sehr gut, aber die Originalversion überrascht durch tolle Chor Einsätze, entspannten Sprechgesang und von einem Arrangement weit weg vom Mainstream. Super

"The Pretenders" was a name I'd already known, but when it popped up, I couldn't figure out why for the life of me. I knew they were an important band for **some** reason... It just alluded me at the moment. Or maybe I never knew, I'unno. Well, after listening to the album, I can tell you the exact reason: these are just real good tunes. It's not any more complicated than that. Although, I will say in agreement with Robbi Miller (from SOUNDS): yeah, the second side's better than the first. I listened to the first side while I was taking a walk, and, sure, I could hear **something** in there, but overall nothing really struck me. I can't even think of a specific song to bring up as an example. Listening to the second side hours later, however, after taking a second to warm up to it... Damn, goodness. "Brass In Pocket" and "Lovers Of Today"? Absolutely incredible, both of them. Listening to this album was worth it alone for discovering those two. **Especially** the last minute or so of "Lovers Of Today", I swear. For most of the day I was feeling a pretty decent 3, but after taking in the second side, yeah, I'll give it a 4. I've been made happy enough to be generous and do that.

The original brat.

Great album. More punk rock than I expected. But more polished towards the later half of the album.

A fantastic debut album, but a couple of the slower numbers were not quite the ticket for me.

very fun

Liked the album, listened more than once :) But especially loved the below musics of the album: - The Wait - Precious

Brass in Pocket is a classic and there were some other great tracks. This did seem like it could be trimmed down but still a fantastic debut Rating: 4.0

Great album! I preferred the second half over the first but solid throughout

Stop your sobbing, precious, brass in pocket are excellent songs.

Hello old friend. I remember buying this LP back in 1980, enjoying it immensely, but not ever getting a CD or listening on Spotty. So, it great to revisit and appreciate the mix of raw New Wave punch, effective slower songs, and Chrissie's lovely voice. Well worth a listen. The cover of Private Life is better than Grace Jones' IMHO.

An impressively well developed sound for a debut album. Pop rock with more than a sprinkling of post-punk.

Solid rock album. Coil listen to this many times over.

Decent 8 Lots of banger on this record, especially the closing track.

Album #700 Chrissy Hines and the boys from Ohio in their debut album. Iconic, with some timeless songs, but on the whole, I have never been a huge Pretenders fan. Still, an album everyone needs to listen to at least once.

The Pretenders rarely disappoint...one of the most underappreciated bands from that era.

I wouldn't have listened to this album if it were not on this list and I would have missed out, great album and totally different from Brass In Pocket

What's not to love? Great pop.

Man, this album is dope start to finish. I have heard Brass in Pocket literally every time I hosted karaoke (frankly, I am sick of hearing it), but the rest of the album is so much better. There are some straightforward songs, but there are some offbeat rhythms throughout the record. I love it. Love the vocals, love the music, love the arrangements. I'm glad this one is on the list, because I don't know if I would've listened to this on my own. Phone Call and Lovers of Today were favorites.

When you are in need of conjuring up Chrissie Hynde levels of confidence and badassery, cast this simple spell: gaze into a mirror, and use the following: ✅ Arms ✅ Legs ✅ Style ✅ Sidestep ✅ Fingers ✅ Imagination At the very least, you will feel special, so special. This was a fun listen, and exactly the sort of thing I had in mind when beginning this project, diving deeper into a band I was somewhat familiar with. Probably my new fave here is "Mystery Achievement."

I really dug this one. Chrissie Hynde has a unique and very recognizable voice that I really like. For some reason it made me think of Veronica Bennett of the Ronettes or the lead singer of the Shirelles. Just something about the style of her singing. The more punkish songs seemed to have an organized structure to them rather than just a more chaotic aggressive punk sound. I liked the Phone Call (which had some interesting timing twists and turns) and Up the Neck. Now I feel like I see where some influence comes from for the The Sounds, Ladyhawke, CSS, and New Young Pony Club. I'll definitely be listening to this again and will check out more of their albums.

Pretty banging

interesting, solid and fun. lotta vibes

A very pleasant surprise. I too had paid little attention to these guys, as I was never super keen on their singles. But there’s a lot more going on than I gave them credit for. Can easily be compared to their peers such as Blondie or The Police. Much more punk than pop, I would not have guessed half their line up would die of drug overdoses a few years later (I say that like it’s a good thing). Will try and find the time to listen to more.

The singer's voice was frustratingly familiar, and it took the entire album before I placed it as the band that did "Back on the Chain Gang." Overall, a unique combo of punk and new wave, with some 50's vibes. Given the retro movement today, with Stephen Sanchez, Bruno Mars, and others charting well, it sounds like it could fit in even if it came out today.

Tattooed Love Boys and Stop your Sobbing are great songs. We enjoyed this album a lot (it was a needed respite after a few less enjoyable albums).

A real classic rock sound with a “baddie” attitude. I recognize some of the guitar parts (e.g. tattooed love boys) but have no idea from where.

Pretty good actually, love this type of music

I heard this one once before. A good pop-rock-punk record. Chrissie Hynde has a great voice with some attitude. There are a couple of boring songs, but for the most part it holds up well. I will listen again.

Love her singing style. Good progression and unique play style. Can hear influences of 80s UK punk, The Police and Fleetwood Mac. I enjoyed the album!

Went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. Quite enjoyed this one but didn't blow me away.

Really enjoyed this one, verging on a 5, but it didn't really blow me away. A solid 80s rock album.

Outstanding debut album. Edgier blondie bridging pop & punk.

stronggggg start - at space invader and the wait I started to lose interest and private life was a bit too long 😭😭😭 but I LOVED The Phone Call and Brass in Pocket!!!! A really good album and I would listen again 🙏🙏 ALSO.. THE ALBUM FLOWS SO NICELY TRACK ORDER IS GENIUS

Chrissie's so cool

enjoyed it 7/10

Didn't realise at first this was a double album, but I'll bet 'Stop Your Sobbing' was track 1 disc 2. There's a definite change in style. If I didn't already know it was a cover I would have guessed it was. The first half was quite raw, like a diamond in the rough, you could hear what they were going to become. The second half was a bit more polished. With bits they would use in subsequent tracks. Like the bass line in 'Private Lives' and the drum intro to 'Mistery Achievement'. I have always loved Chrissy's voice it's got a special something about it. So all in all a great debut promising the great things to follow. Worth no less than a 4.

Wow. Wasn’t expecting this to be that good! Much more punky and more great guitars than I imagined. Added to my library and listened to a few times already.

A great debut album, before the rough edges were smoothed out for mainstream pop radio. I've always loved 'Stop Your Sobbing'. It's just not played enough, unlike the big single. 4 stars.

I liked it a lot

Haha this is so great. Such a fun debut. Precious is a great opener, Brass in Pocket is incredible but I think Mystery Achievement is the standout for me today. Certainly worth further exploration.

I didn't think I knew anything off this album, but when "Brass in Pocket" came on, that turned out to be wrong. I liked the first, punkier half of the album more than the second, I think - this is totally where the Yeah Yeah Yeahs got their schtick, right? - but I did enjoy the new wave and rock n roll elements in the second half too. I think more listens might get this to a 5, but for now it's more like 4.5... Fave tracks - "Precious" is a great opener! "Tattooed Love Boys" and "The Wait" both slap. Their version of "Stop Your Sobbing" is pretty cool, and heralds the direction change in the latter part of the album.... "Lovers of Today" has that Yeah Yeah Yeahs-get-introspective sound I like, too...

Sounds a lot like Blondie but never quite their stride. Cuban Stride comes close but it gets a little lost while also sounding a little too much like “I Want Candy.” A lot of what I like about the good tracks fees like it was lifted from other songs and their big hit (Brass in Pocket) is very middle of the road New Wave.

Very good. A few great songs.

Pretenders are one of those bands I take for granted, and then I’ll listen to a song or an album and be reminded how much I love them. This one in particular is a favorite, love the bass line in Mystery Achievement, the Kinks cover, the Howard the Duck shoutout in Precious. Absolute classic.

Some really cool songs. A few five star-ers. A very solid overall 4. I liked it a lot.

I don’t think I realised that this is what Pretenders sounded like. This list needs more female vocalist rock music, because whenever I get it I always love it.

Fun listen, very 80s

coming out of the punk scene, with a garage-band feel, great singles band, and really good live over the years

Wonderful debut.

Way more interesting than I expected.

Kid // Private Life // Brass in Pocket // Lovers of Today //

Oh man, I’ve only heard of this because of the Vandals Turns out, TV’s GE smith was no match for this

“I shot my mouth off and he showed me what that hole was for.”

Partly heard before Saved 9/12 Top track: Brass in Pocket

It has been sometime since I last heard the album. The singles drift through now and them. When the album was released almost everywhere you went someone had a copy or it was playing at a party. It certainly caught a wave. Forty years on it still resonates as a fine album, maybe no longer a great one.

It's a fun album

Coming into it, all I knew was \"Brass in Pocket\". The rest of the album was a breezy piece of new wave. Highlights were hearing the OG version of \"Private Life\".

You know, I've never listened to a Pretenders album, and I regret I waited so long. What a great album. Still sounds relevant. Has aged like wine. Just.... fantastic stuff.

Fun fact - the song 'Space Invaders' is used on the Sopranos episode 'House Arrest' when the rubbish truck dumps a load of stuff outside a deli. The bassline of that song hit me when I first watched it and I'd forgotten I knew this album until I heard Precious again. Also hadn't realised Chrissie Hynde wrote Private Life (as covered amazingly by Grace Jones). A fun album with solid songwriting and quite a broad mix of genres (punk, nu wave, reggae, 60s girl group-styles, rock...)

Didn't feel particularly excited by this one popping up, but I didn't realise Pretenders were this good. Space Invader my fave.

First few tracks were mediocre imo, but as the album went on it got a lot more consistent

Simply good music :-)

love this album

Tuneful, frantic, energetic. The best kind of punk.

Great album, nice songs all around, 4*

What a pleasant surprise! This is a prime example of what this list is for ... I had no prior exposure other than the singles I've heard on the radio through the years. This doesn't sound like a debut album (in the best way possible.) It seamlessly transitions styles with ease and the production is top notch. While the single is the obvious choice, the rest of the album is a very enjoyable listen. Would definitely give this another couple spins. Standout Tracks: Space Invader, Kid, Brass in Pocket

1979 - their first album. Straight ahead club rock with simple guitar, drums, bass, vocals - Brass in Pocket, the only song with an asterisk, is one of the mellowist. Mystery Achievement is a fun one.

Wasn’t expecting much. Punk, but female vocals. Rather pleasant. Space Invader goes hard Kid was really good Let this one play. Keeps getting better as it goes on I wasn’t a fan of the first 4 or so songs. Much like that Meat Puppets album, it really got better when they got they punk out of the way 4 star

Good stuff.

4 stars

Loved a lot of the songs on here. Precious, Tattooed Love Boys and Stop Your Sobbing are all fantastic. Solid album fair play, was a nice surprise

I really liked this! I LOVED her voice, although I didn't like the way it was mixed in a few of the songs.

I've definitely listened to songs by The Pretenders before, but hadn't ever sat and listened to an album. I enjoyed it!

If I were 14 in 1980 I could see this changing my life.

Great (post) punk rock album. Lead singer has a good range. Diverse instrumentals. Got better as the album went along. Didn’t pay too much attention to the lyrics, they seemed fine. Standouts: Space Invader, Stop Your Sobbing, Kid, Brass In Pocket, and Mystery Achievement.

I had to give this two listens, after the first it would have been lucky to get a 3, but something about it pulled me in on the second listen.

Honestly really liked this album. It was fun and rock-n-rolly with some really interesting compositions thrown in. Reminded me of Blondie, obviously. But unlike blondie I enjoyed the whole album more. 4.5

Good album, great vocals. 4.0

I love Change in Pocket but really enjoyed a lot of the other tracks – I was surprised at how punky it was and how good the lyrics. I'd definitely listen again.

I discoverd the Pretenders after watching the Pistol mini-series, and even tho i havent listen a lot to them i notice them and the Song Brass In Pocket became for me a wonderfull song. Chrissie Hynde is probably on the best roxk frontwoman, and a criminaly underated singer (all genders) she also had a very fasinating story, with the Sex Pistol and all. The album feel Punk Rock, but also new Wave, wich is mostly punk that can go on mainstream radio. Precious is a pure punk rock song, brutal riff, agressive lyrics and hard core drumming. The Phone Call is a very short song nothing much to say, cool riff Up The Neck have a very good intro riff, more Blondie Inspired i guess, she sound a bit like Debby Harry sometimes but a bit rauchier Stop your sobbing could almost look like a Beatles Song of course with the Punk vibe but still, very good song Kid is more like a ballad, and also sound a it like the 60’s rock (The Beatles) very good song, one of the best in the album. Brass In Pocket is their best song, overall, just so iconic riff, very great vocal performance and lyrics more mainstream new wave aproche but still perfect. The others song are not bad but simply not so much impactfull The debut album was a commercial success, and it is totally deserved, the album is the best new wave albun i have heard and really show the talent of the band, with Chrissie Hynde a the front (love her)

one good song the rest was bad

I really like the Pretenders. Chrissie Hynde has such a cool voice and the band has a very unique sound. We have Get Close on vinyl, which I love. This is a good one too! Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement and Stop Your Sobbing are great standouts.

Great stuff, love her vocals.

Good stuff, good times, fun album. Not an incredible amount of range here, but they do their one trick very well. We get a little taste of something slower on “Stop Your Sobbing”, however, no full fledged experience. It does what it does well and that’s worth something. 4/5

This one came to my like as for many others here: a surprise. Later days Pretenders were what I knew so far and I never felt inclined to listen to their back catalogue. What a miss . Great energy, cool playing, no fillers, nice raw punky edge to the pop/rock lingo. And Chrissy Hynde should deserve much credit for the singing here. This will not be heard for the last time.

Honestamente, antes de escuchar este trabajo, solo había escuchado singles de The Pretenders. Este LP cambió completamente mi perspectiva con respecto a la banda. Un disco sumamente sólido con interpretaciones muy interesantes, buenas composiciones y letras nostálgicas con un claro espíritu punk. Pretenders claramente fueron uno de los eslabones más importantes de la fusión del pop y el punk de los '80s, aportando desde su vereda al New Wave.

Solid.

really engaging. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would

Very nice

They have such a unique sound

Enjoyed it more than expected, but it dragged a bit at the end. Didn’t like the one that sounded like sting and the police

An interesting album, cool new wave vibes, great guitar playing, some sweet bass lines. I like the singer's voice and lyrics too.

That is a good example of something I may not have really (like,really!) listened to, if not for this list. I knew the Pretenders were good, but I did not realize how good. I thought this was great. It carries tons of attitude, it's sexy, it oozes personality. A really fun record, that draws on the energy of punk rock but is also quite sophisticated. I loved the sound of the guitars - the crisp and sharpness, but there are also lots of textured, subtle work. And that voice of Chryssie Hynde, completely unique. I will come back here.

Can't believe I haven't heard this before. Loved the sounds, sentiment, and attitude throughout. Def coming back to this.

Respect for Chrissie Hyde and this album- why listening to these 1001 albums is worth it.. First time enjoyed kid…. Knew Brass but didn’t know it title…

Love

I think Chrrissie Hynde's voice is what make this such a good album rises it above a lot of othere bands at this time.

No pretending here.

I listened to this twice and Mystery Achievement really grabbed me both times. I was familiar with Brass in Pocket but had no idea that was the song title or that it was by the Pretenders. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Brass in pocket is my fav so far. Vocals are interesting in a lot of the songs

This album will always be special to me personally, but there is a great arc here; the frenetic opener with Precious, the interplanetary journey with Space Invader, the ageless hit with Brass In Pocket, the wide open spaces of Lovers of Today, the underrated album closer in Mystery Achievement. Anyway, this is a cornerstone of the new wave movement and a debut album any band would aspire toward.

Smooth blend of pop and various rock genres. Pretenders are easy to listen to. Chrissy Hynde's lyrics are generally well constructed and meaningful with very nice productions. 4 / 5

I love this type of 70s new wave punk. The bass on this album kills me, great lines that I feel like I'd pull from. Also when do you hear a 7/4 time signature in music like this?

Spent my entire first listen recognizing this woman's voice but unable to place it. Then I got to Brass in Pocket, a great song that I am embarrassed I didn't know the title or artist of. Lovely new wave with great vocals and fun instrumentals.

I own this one

Old school cool.

pretty good! just shy of being great, not even much of a Pretenders fan, but Space Invader is always a good listen.

The Pretenders are great and this album has many examples of that. Loved “Brass in Pocket” and “Tattooed Love Boys”

I unfairly always thought of the Pretenders as not a serious band but I was wrong, this rips.

Solid vocals, solid instrumentals. 7/10

Cooler people than me probably love this album. To me, it’s better than neutral, but nothing to write home about.

Aside from those really popular ones, there were some really cool tracks on this one. A really nice edge to the record on the whole. Lots of fun to explore the debut!

Private life is an absolute rock banger

It must’ve been late 1979 or early 1980. My father went to buy me a copy of Smash Hits. Different issues had different badges on them. He chose the one with the pretenders badge. I think he ended up wearing it. Their music at the time felt very fresh, even though I’m sure Chrissie Hyndes channelled Patti Smith a bit. Every single was brilliant, and we knew all the words. The album still holds up. I’m not sure where that badge is now. Am sure it got lost in the vortex of time. But the pretenders still have a touch of magic. I’m not sure the album is completely five star but it’s great nonetheless.

I’m not the biggest Pretenders fan, but there’s no denying greatness. I saw Chrissy tour solo 5-6 years ago. It was a little weird when her in between song banter included talk of her grandchildren!

Thoughts before listening: I am new convert to this album having only recently picked up a used copy at a record store on a whim. I knew the Pretenders were well respected, but I only really knew their hits. I never would have listed them as one of my favorite bands, but this album is really good. I'm glad to see it made the 1,001 album list. Review: Yeah I love this album. It is so much more than its massive hit "Brass in Pocket". Sure thats a great song, but the power of this album is the rockers that bring punk rock attitude with pop hooks and strong musicianship. Songs like "Precious", "Tattooed Love Boys", "Private Life", "Mystery Achievement", and my personal favorite "Lovers of Today" are the highlights here. 4-stars.

Surprised by how good it was

4.4 - this was really really good. Definitely going to be in my cycle of listening and want to explore more of them

an early new wave album with quite some merit to its name. lovely sets of songs with just the right amount of edge, spunk, and grace. lots of feel-good tracks. but that's about it. can't really say too much other than it's a nice little set of tunes

Chrissie Hynde's voice is irresistible A great debut album with the absolute classic 'Brass in Pocket' leading the charge. An excellent introduction to an impressive talent.

A combo of Talking Heads and Blondie - I liked it!

4 because I would absolutely listen to this album again, but I'd skip a couple of tracks (Space Invader, Lovers of Today) in the future. Definitely enjoyed it though. Standout tracks: Up the Neck, Precious

So freaking good

This was greattt. I haven't listened to more than a handful of Pretenders songs, but I'm keen to put this on more so I can once and for all learn that this is Chrissie Hynde not Amphlett, and the band is the Pretenders and not the Proclaimers.

Fun album

I didn’t know the Pretenders hit this hard on some of these. Nice little post punk romp. Clearly I need to listen to more than just the singles.

ganz nett

Fab

Good stuff - bangin' rock guitar, good vocals, nice variety of mood and pace - couple very good songs. I liked it.

Surprisngly punk and new wave (I’ve known of the pretenders but never actually sat down and listened to them) so it starts right up my street - with some reggae influences at times and also a tinge of good pop with Brass in Pocket. Didn’t expect I’d like it so much.

Why did no one tell me to listen to this?? It’s great. My main complaint and compliment are that it’s not a very cohesive album. The songs are all there but they don’t go together, which is good or annoying, depending on mood. Overall, two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Why did no one tell me about “Kid”???

A cool and tough and quite assured debut. "Precioius" sets a clear and strong tone. "Kid" and "Stop Your Sobbing" (the latter produced by Nick Lowe, who deserves more representation in this list) are the gems here, and among the sweetest songs of that era, one's personal faves to be sure. At during one's teens, one struggled to determine to whom one was more attracted – Chrissie Hynde or Madonna. Glad to see the latter was influenced by the former.

3.65

Heerlijke stem en punkier dan ik dacht

I think my favorite song was their cover of Stop Your Sobbing by The Kinks.

Solid album. Enjoyed it.

I can’t really say much because I don’t remember much of this album. But I can say that it is a 4 because I did listen to it so anyway. 30th album btw

Great album-tastes of punk, rock, ska and a great vocalist in Chrissie Hynde!

Some nostalgia factor here as this was a tape and later CD that was in the case on family road trips back in the 80s-90s. Solid album overall and it stands up after 40+ years

A truly seminal late 70's new wave album that is packed with hits. I was never a big fan of Chrissie Hynde as a singer, but she did bring the attitude.

Solid rock album.

Pretty good album. Classic punk pop sound.

Another great debut.

🤟🏻🤟🏻🎸🎸 Awesome!

Good album.

Pretenders Cool album cover with the one guy in the suit and everyone else with leather jackets End of “up the neck” was cool with the different bass notes Tattooed love boys- punky dissonances cool and so are bars of 7 “Space invader”- sick dirty bass tone, cool riff, prog punk? The wait- this song rocks pretty hard Stop your sobbing- wow total change of vibe. Alternative rock Kid- retro 60’s pop vibe. Private life- moody. Police vibes. Brass in the pocket- 5/5 great pop song. Lovers of today- 70s rock vibe. Kinda the oddball track of the album Mystery achievement- kinda generic rock but not necessarily in a bad way. I like her vocals. Better than London Calling.

yeah, this is swag. i like the vibes in all the songs. not something i would choose to listen to again though so only four stars. one note is that the music and lyrics feel disconnected, it sounds as if the lyrics are sitting on top of the music rather than combined. maybe it's a result of the remaster?

I’d never listened to a full Pretenders album before. I really liked this one!

Fühlt sich chlige disingenuous dem es 3 geh wenn ich Quicksilver Messenger Service es 4i geh ha... hm schwierig... Es isch generell würklich not bad und ich find guet isches so chlige my speed vo musik. Absolut überzüge duets mich aber halt au nid. IDK 4.1/5

I love weird women.

rock on!

Good stuff!!

Enjoyed this. Love the tone of Hynde's voice. Just enough polish on the songs compared to other albums considered to be influential. I enjoyed the pop songs more than the others on here but this is certainly worth repeated listens.

Solid 80’s rock album

A good album, I like the music style. My favorite songs on the album are Stop Your Sobbing and Kid.

Great surprise, the punkish sound of the first half of the album really shines

Kom á óvart! Sjúklega mikið stuð! 3,5 frá mér!

Frábær plata sem kom mér skemmtilega á óvart. Aldrei verið neinn Pretendesrs aðdáandi, en þessi plata er virklega heilsteypt, þétt og góð. Back on the chain gang er gott lag, en mér fannst mörg hinna laganna alls ekki síðri, eins og Precious og Tattooed love boys. Platan í heild bara svo góð. Á örugglega eftir að rúlla þessari í gegn aftur.

Fun stuff. Thought it would all sound the same but good variety b

I’ve always been a Pretenders fan in theory more than practise. I like a lot of their singles, and James Honeyman-Scott is one of the few famous pop musicians to have come from Herefordshire, where I’ve lived for quite a long time. However, I’ve never sat down and listened to one of their studio albums all the way through. This was a shame, because Pretenders is a great debut. Much spikier than I’d have thought based on their later singles

Ok, like the woman rock sound

3 or 4

One or two songs felt like I could pass but mostly I really enjoyed this. I knew a few of the better songs but hadn't heard the whole album and picked up a few new songs I really like, including "Stop Your Sobbing." Great choice!

Today’s pick for #1001Albums was The Pretenders. I knew just one song from them, but it’s a song I love: Brass in Pocket. Why? Because I love Lost in Translation (the movie) and this song is on that movie’s amazing soundtrack. So, today’s album pick is definitely a win for me, for that song alone.

onverwachts beter dan gedacht. Maar een paar mindere nummers.

Going through this list makes me realise I generally like female-led punk bands. Many songs on this album were more calm and kinda groovy, I liked it. Stand-out: The Wait

Ronly knew Brass in Pocket, prior to listening to the album. Really liked the rest of the album especially the bass in Private Life

Great energy, few low points, surprising range

Good listening

Tirando a primeira música, gostei de ouvir. Definitivamente ouvirei novamente!

Fun!! Enjoyed this one a lot - decent lyrics, good musically, I get the hype!

Great band, I love she, the band leader

Foundational album, but I prefer the maturity and diversity of songs on Learning to Crawl, which would’ve been my choice.

Good mix of good and bad music.

I didn’t realize how cool Chrissie Hynde was until listening to this album. I mean, I knew people thought she was cool, but now I think she’s cool. She had the “Beat It” jacket 3 years before Michael! 44 years later, this album still sounds fresh and relevant. 4.0

Guay, dinámico, guitarrero y algunas canciones buenas, pero el rollo me aburre un poco. 3'5 alto, tira a 4.

many bangers

Highlights: Precious, The Phone Call, Space Invaders, Kid, Brass In Pocket, Mystery Achievement. In a nutshell: rough, brassy, toe tappy rock You're in for a treat if you only know Brass In Pocket, there are some 80s new wave punk rock/guitar pop bangers on here. I can hear influences of Patti Smith, Iggy, The Kinks, maybe The Police. It's so satisfying to hear Chrissie mumble "fuck off" in Precious. Overall: 8/10

Day 2. Not a bad selection. Haven't listened to this album in many years. I'm sure I'll get a really bad album soon enough. Fave tracks: Precious, Tattooed Love Boys, Private Life.

Love

pretty good 80's pop

Man. That was great. I loved the way that it's punk but also very early new wave. Mystery Achievement has been a staple for a while, but I also never listened to the whole album. I've only been familiar with their radio stuff. No deep cuts. Her Hynde's vocals fucking rock. And the production value was great. Well mixed and great sound. 4.5/5

Released when I was early in HS, this has been a part of my soundtrack since. Glad for the chance to listen to it with fresh ears. Overall it holds up as an example of the merging of punk and pop that would become guitar-based new wave (no synths). Some poor decisions (budget? recording tech? vinyl limits?) in how to make the guitars sound. They are robbed of what must have been tremendous power seen live. "Precious" hits the ground running. Chrissie sets the tone for her vocals and persona: "But not me, baby, I'm too precious, I had to fuck off..." The 3 guitars and drums attack is perfect of its time, but the studio effects are gratuitous and distract. The guitar is phased, treated, and hints at what Andy Summers was doing, but holds back too much to be effective. "The Phone Call" starts with a callback to Blondie's "Hanging on the Telephone" of the previous year. The words spill out faster than the melody can take them, but the song doesn't really go anywhere otherwise. Waste of a great riff, perhaps. "Up the Neck" is a morning-after song (with imagery that Lorde can only dream of writing) that moves from sensual enjoyment to regret. She stays a bit detached throughout: "I remember the way he groaned/ And moved with an animal skill / I rubbed my face in the sweat that ran down his chest/It was all very run of the mill" Underwhelming guitar solo. "Tattooed Love Boys" upbeat bo-diddly track with showy drums and restrained guitars. Chrissie speak-sings a tough story that both appreciates and criticizes the tattooed Boyd (and herself for getting involved). A ripping solo that's undercut by poor recording/production. "Space Invader" unexpected instrumental, reminds me of Adam and the Ants - fat bass over tribal drums. The arcade game of the same name was huge then, and its effects make an appearance at the fadeout. Not one of Chrissie's tunes. "The Wait" Another driving drums with a ripping but over-limited guitar riff. Sneering, fast-paced vocal full of bruises and hurt. "Stop Your Sobbing" has always been a polarizing song among my friends group. Some love it, some despise it. The true test is whether it's because they liked the Kinks' original. Chrissie does a lovely reverb-drenched vocal over and homage to 60s 12-string guitars (Byrds, etc). Rare use of vocal harmonies on this album. "Kid" Beautifully emotional vocal delivery accompanied by surf-guitar lead line. More a 60s guitar pop track than a punk-inflected rock song. Guitar solo switches from surf to jangle-pop. Rhythm track is very Phil Spector girl group. Looks forward to influencing REM, Smiths "Private Life" Reggae accompaniment for Chrissie's calmly dismissive vocals. More rare background vocals. Joins the pile of UK punks adopting reggae. Eclipsed for me by Grace Jones' cover of it the same year. However I really like Chrissie's vocal. The length of the track (6+ mins) really allows the space for the track to develop. Her line with "emotional blackmail" reminds me of Elvis Costello's "Emotional Fascism" in Armed Forces from 1979. Languid yet scorching guitar solo, not often found in punk-does-reggae. "Brass in Pocket" Inescapable #1 single from this album. Iconic vocal/lyric which probably cast Chrissie's early confident persona in stone. The remaster reveals some nice rhythm guitar flourishes that didn't come across on the radio back then. "Lovers of Today" Basic ballad and an exercise in vibrato for Chrissie. Remaster means you can finally hear the drums (thanks Chris Thomas). Again, some nice guitar filigrees enriching the verses. Some of the chord changes are very MOR 70s guitar band. Strong shades of Neil Geraldo on Pat Benatar records. "Mystery Achievement" The only reason I'd leave the record on after Brass in Pocket." Extended drums and bass intro, layering in guitars before Chrissie vibratos her way in and then joins herself on backing vocals. Shimmering guitar solo that is over a type with the pop-punk of the times: Neil Geraldo, Sniffin' the Tears, Nick Lowe. The trade-off of guitar to drums over pounding bass must have made for a great extended section live.

Listened Before? No Well this is a jarring transition from Sonhoy Blues to this... Album opens on a glam-punk stomp with Precious. Immediately, I recognize the vocals and see Brass in Pocket down in the tracklist. Interesting tempo gymnastics in The Phone Call. Four tracks in, I'm really enjoying the groove of this one. Everything about it oozes a particular confidence. Space Invader is just that, a more spacey instrumental exploration allowing the guitar to climb up and down and drums to stretch out a bit. Stop Sobbing almost sounded a bit like Dancing Queen at one point. If you stripped the vocals from Private Life I would swear it is a Police song. Brass in Pocket is a classic new wave jam. I wish that the bass had been given a bit more throat in the mix, but something about this song is infectious. This was a very solid album and exceeded all of my expectations going in. I grew up hearing Brass in Pocket, but never thought to dig in further. This was a treat to listen through. Lots of different styles on display with one notable constant: Chrissie Hynde's confident (often) strutting vocals. I would say this is a 4 / 5 and a library add, but its not something I would go out of my way to listen to, I don't think. Added to Library? Yes

Took me a few songs to get into this album but I eventually started liking it. I would describe the album as boppy. I was grooving to Private Life and Mystery Achievement those songs rocked. Would be a high 3 but those two song alone pushed this one up to a 4 for me

I used to listen to Brass in Pocket all the time growing up and is a classic. The rest of the album flowed really well and had pretty interesting instrumentations. Downright weird at times and reminded me a bit of some Talking Heads. We need to normalize playing Stop Your Sobbing to people who are crying. The end of Lover of Today also rules with the layered guitar. Also, the bassline on some songs (specifically Mystery Achievement) create such a dynamic sound to build off of. Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.

Private Life could have been 4 minutes shorter

Pretenders are a lot cooler than I thought they were. This is just a smart clean punchy post punk new wave album. It's honestly great from top to bottom.

Obivous classic, love the obvious tracks, brass in pocket and stop your sobbing, but i also enjoyed Mystery achievement, Kid, and private life!

Alfa. Better than I was expecting. Drums are great. First half is better. A couple eh poppy songs that kind of don’t fit it in here but all was enjoyable.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Maybe it was because I had a warped thought of who The Pretenders were, but dug the straightforward rock sound. 3.5/5

Im giving the album a 4 because I really enjoyed it but it didn't blow me away. I'll definitely be going back and listening to more of their stuff though

very cool sound. favorite track was mystery achievement

I had only heard the Pretenders hits and so this is my first full album of theirs that I have investigated my enjoyment of. It's better than I had thought it would be and I am glad it was included on this list. I have read the REALLY high praise this album receives and it probably deserves much of it. I can't say I liked the album quite as much as others may have, but consider to be essential listening.

V punk and fun

Not what I expected and enjoyed it more than expected. Nice proto-Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs sound.

I've always enjoyed rock bands with female vocalists. It's a good sound. Chrissie Hynde is a legend.

Really good. Kind of punk. Lead singer is a badass!

- Irgendwie ein geiles Album, hab ich gar nicht mit gerechnet. - Kannte Pretenders nur von den Hits her, hab mich aber nie näher mit denen beschäftigt. - Das erste Drittel des Albums ist mMn ULTRA stark, mit dreckigen, roughen songs und der Sprechgesang der Sängerin passt wie Arsch auf Eimer zum Vibe - Das mittlere Drittel baut dann etwas ab und nimmt ein bisschen das Tempo raus, fängt sich aber zum Ende mit dem ziemlich coolen Reggae-Einfluss bei Private Life, dem großen Hit des Albums und zwei weitern echt coolen Songs. - Ich mag die Platte: Dynamisch, abwechslungsreich aber linientreu, charakteristisch und große Prise "mir doch scheiß egal, was ihr von unserer Mucke haltet"-Vibe 4,25/5

Only aware of the singles and pleasantly surprised, good energy

HL: "Stop Your Sobbing", "Brass in Pocket", “Kids”, “Phone Call” Hm, there's both a harder edge absent from their radio hits as well as the jangly pop they're known & loved for Neat-o November 22, 2023

Great album - really impressed with this one!

Good Lekker uptempo Goeie gitaar, bass en drum

Only ever heard The Pretenders well-known songs. So glad 1001AG selected their first album. Love the compositions and time signatures and feels of the songs, and Chrissy's presentation and interpretations on top of those... So good.

Very good album, raunchy most of the way through

Honestly I feel like I've heard of the Pretenders a lot but never knew what they actually sounded like. I was super pleasantly surprised.

Precious - are we in the early punk scene? this band sounds the exact same way they look. (3/5 a rock song. an intro but i want more) The Phone Call - okay the chill punk rock vibe is actually pretty nice. (4/5 the tone was from The Wall too) Up The Neck - its like a beach party! (3/5) Tattooed Love Boys - i think this song is like a swing rock. very interesting. i like it (4/5 very of its time) Space Invader - just a chill guitar spotlight. i enjoy a good instrumental. (5/5) The Wait - we didn't start the fire. this song is a secret sometimes. it's okay (3/5) Stop Your Sobbing - this kinda gives a Cranberries vibe a little. (3/5 it's on the pop side of it but it's alright.) Kid - it feels like we're doing a punk Beach Boys thing right now. not quiet beach goth but close. (4/5 i imagine a group of pale goth people doing Charlie Brown dances on the beach) Private Life - the reggae sound is fucking. it's very warpled all over. journey of a song honestly. (5/5 i like the artsy-ness of it. of fucking course it's 6 minutes long) Brass in Pocket - interesting change to the pop rock sound. (3/5 i'm not a fan actually) Lovers of Today - the slow dance sound of this is nice. reminds me a little bit of Pink Floyd. (4/5 didn't hold my attention the whole time but i enjoyed it) Mystery Achievement - catchy mumble rock :) (4/5 catchy) 4/5 good feel through the whole album even if there were a few snags along the way. this album doesn't blow me out of the water, but i ended up enjoying it more than i thought i would at first.

Decent

I really enjoyed this, although I was maybe just relieved it wasn't another country rock album. Anyway, Chrissie Hynde's voice is great and Brass in Pocket really shows it off

This is a great album. The Pretenders were an exceptionally talented band, and this is a fun one.

This is pure pop goodness. Chrissie Hynde's vocals are top-notch, and the instrumentals strike a perfect balance of punk and New Wave influences. It's a concise and compelling album that leaves a lasting impression.

В голове этот альбом поделился ровно на две половины: как они и есть в альбоме, две стороны. Сначала нас ожидает "тяжелячок", с относительно быстрыми композициями, в которые очень аккуратно вкрапляется новая волна со своими синтетически-дискотечными звуками. Вторая же половина - очень взвешенные, спокойные и мечтательные (почти все) поп-композиции, с глубокими мыслями. Открытым остаётся вопрос, стоило ли их так разделять или нет? Я считаю, что это хороший ход. Немного двуличный, но оттого более эффектный и понятный. Энивей, какая же сладкая музыка... и какой томный и страдающий вокал, будто бы уже отчаившейся женщины. Марианна Фейтфул, но не курившая тонну беломора в день.

Such Fun! Good times. This seems like the origin of the '80's' sound

Their best album. They never topped it. Lots of solid tracks. Space Invaders is an absolute banger. Brass in Pocket is a classic. Nice blend of punk aesthetics with new wave sensibilities. A shame that addictions thwarted such a promising group.

Good rock

brass in pocket is idol coded for sure

NOT what i expected but i was feeling this and i support all women in punk. i can't believe she went from this to i'll stand by you.

i liked this a lot more than anticipated!

Was a fun album! Hear a lot influences that other bands have used! was a blast to listen too!!!

Enjoyed it as much as the previous one. Was good to listen to, same trend but never feld repetitive

I really enjoyed this British sassiness that I've never heard before, 'cept that one song.

Based off the album cover, was not expecting a punk opener. Good variety and super fun throughout, great lyrics, big Television vibes in the guitar work, Blondie an obvious comparison in many parts, even some reggae vibes on Private Life (No Doubt MUST have listened to these guys). Was never too familiar with these guys outside of Tatooed Love Boys from GH2 (lol), enjoyed it.

I liked this one. Would listen again.

Solid album.

Favorite Tracks: Precious, The Phone Call, Up the Neck, Tattooed Love Boys, Space Invader, The Wait, Stop Your Sobbing, Kid, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement

El álbum "Pretenders" de The Pretenders es una mezcla estilizada de punk pop y rock ochentero. Se destaca por su simplicidad en melodías, instrumentación, acordes y estructura, lo que le confiere un atractivo distintivo. La actitud de la cantante, Chrissie Hynde, impregna todas las canciones. En general, "Pretenders" es un disco sumamente entretenido y dinámico. Cada canción aporta su estilo único, y se percibe la influencia de bandas como Blondie, The clash, The Police pero tambien se ve su repercusión futura en grupos como yeah yeah yeahs, pixies, paramore. 3.5/5

Not my genre but I dig it

Good, punkish

Good stuff. Brass in pocket is a classic.

La femme chante. Y'a un mélange de Clash et Pretty reckless on dirait. Très bon vibe. Belle découverte.

Tattoed love boys - fave track

Someone I know said they went to see Guns N Roses the other day and the open act was pretty good. Some unknown band. Turns out it was The Pretenders - haha. I just looked at them and was like ummmmmm…. Not really unknown.

3.5 - There's some pretty good tracks on here. Even the ones that are the best are still good. There are a few tracks that don't quite grab my attention and sometimes they're even boring, but I'd say the good stuff outweighs that enough for a 3.5. I quite like the songs where they get kind of weird with the beat at times, like The Phone Call and Tattooed Love Boys.

i like this album

Some elements on here I really like. Chrissy Hynde has a lovely voice. instantly recognisable. There are some songs on here that don't really seem to be sure what they want to be. But also some lovely tracks that do.

Decent pop .

I enjoyed the Pretenders in the 80's but they were always on the periphery of my musical tastes. I had "Learning to Crawl", but not any of their earlier albums. Looking back, I think the Pretenders influenced my musical tastes more than I knew, especially with the "jangly" sound of a lot of bands at the time and later.

Classic album

Good shit, high quality version of that genre

Chrissie Hynde is such a cool chick rocker. Good album. Not as many songs I knew as I had thought I would. Enjoyed it. Brass in Pocket - classic! 4 stars, almost 4.5

Strong album, a lot more up my alley. A lot of this sounds like something that would have came out 10 years later, so it's easy to see the impact it made.

I know the singles but there are some bangers on here I never heard before (Space Invader, Mystery Achievement). And of course Chrissie Hynde is an inspiration.

I love me some Pretenders. This album is really great in the first half, but then loses a little of bit of steam in the middle. Overall though it's a solid rock album.

Very good album. I don't think I've ever sat down and listened to a full Pretenders album. Liked the variety on here. 4/5