Pretenders

this album would be a 4 if it wasn’t for god awful vocals

Terrible voice

One of the most iconic female voice of the 1980's

Bonne découverte que ce groupe de new wave féminin. Quelques bons petits bangers

This album is so up my alley, I'm surprised I'd never listened to it before!

Lekker punk geluidje met vrouwelijke zangeres

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.

A 2/5 album with a 4/5 song

Rubbish and too weird.

Je retiendrais juste que c’était sympa à écouter...

I only really knew Brass in Pocket from this album before so the punchier, punky nature of some of the tracks weren't what I was expecting. Tattooed Love Boys in particular was a blast, great attitude and guitar playing. Chrissie Hynde is a fantastic front woman as well, quality vocals and songwriting. Private Life is an intriguing song and shows confidence in lyric writing that I thought belied a debut album's lack of experience

The singles are bangers, and the rest are okay too.

-simple rock

Meh, nice vocals, vapid music

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.

I've never listened to Pretenders before, other than hearing them on the radio. This had a little more edge than most of the stuff you hear which I enjoyed and would make me want to give this more of a go. That punk edge is smoothed out by Christie Hynde’s rich voice which is the star here. Plus I’m practically family with Chrissie after she sat in front of me at the Lanegan 60 gig!

preppy, upbeat, nice rock. Nothing stands out though, wouldn't think to listen to it again

Wow they really pretended

Wow forgot how good this whole album is and that Kinks cover is too!

Man, I love this record! Chrissie Hynde has one of the best voices in the business. Kid, Brass, Tattooed Love Boys, Precious, Mystery Achievement, … pretty much every track is excellent. I’ll even forgive that they used a fade out on Kid which is one of the worst offenses that can be perpetrated on a record.

This was a really good listen. First time for me hearing the remaster of The Wait. that's good version.

A great album through. Some punk stuff, some pop stuff, a bit of new wave. All good.

Fairly good rock. Definitely some pretty memorable stuff here but a lot of whatever

i have never gotten into the mood for this sound and i am tired of waiting around for it to happen. wanted to give it a 2 but feel like it deserves a 3. there were some very nice bass lines somewhere. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A landmark record and a must listen for everyone, killer songs and great attitude throughout. It drags a little by the end, but enjoyable all the way through.

So close.

A good rock album. Chrissie Hynde has a great voice for this that might have benefitted from leaning slightly more in the punk-ish direction but it's already a great listen. fav tracks: Tattooed Love Boys, Mystery Achievement

When actual untalented pretenders like Courtney Barnett claim to a rock woman, Chrissie hynde laughs in her face. A great debut. A terrific band. Great songs. 4 stars.

Good grief, I don't think I can do this justice. As always happens with the pop music zeitgeist I was playing Mystery Achievement only the other day, for some reason that bassline popped into my head and I had to play it. I vividly remember turning up on a Monday 1980, Year 12 Economics and all any boy in that class could talk about was Sunday night's Countdown when Molly had played the film clip to Brass in Pocket. I can't do the moment the respect it deserves. Faaaark that song and Chrissie in the cafe! Faaaarrrrrrrkkkkkk! It was like time stopped and no one could be bothered to restart it, we all wanted to stay in that moment. Brass in Pocket, yep can remember the first time I heard/saw it, and yes indeedy do she was special alright, so special. And then buying the album, Precious coming right at you, a fucking Ray Davies cover cause she was fucking Ray Davies! Get out of the fucking way Ray! Up the Neck, the sweet delight of Kid! An absolutely cracking band who knew they were on a very good thing. The fucking bassplayer had been in the Bushwackers before this, how's that for landing on your feet! Wallah habibis I love this record. And Chrissie, what a supreme talent, as well as being a fantastic performer,singer songwriter, she gave women everywhere the chance to be who they want to be, and invented one of the best timeless rock and roll looks ever. Yes deadbeats I'll die to this one. "Got something...I'm winking at you"...I wish.

Chrissie Hynde is a major rock talent who had a surprisingly hard time breaking into the industry. She clearly had the brains, drive, ambition, talent and charisma who seemed to be constantly shut out of opportunities. She made sure she was in the right spot with the right people (she has an incredible eye for talent), but it just didn't come together for five years before The Pretenders finally came together. I suspect a lot of the reason is that she was a woman. Woman have often been excluded from rock music based purely on prejudice. This 1001 albums list has a massive over-representation of straight white males, and woman are probably the most obviously under-represented cohort on the list. This is both a result of the long-standing sexism of the rock industry, but also a symptom of the fact that that sexism has seeped into the cultural fabric of rock history. I am always glad when a female artist turns up on the list, because they have to work twice as hard for half the credit. And Chrissie Hynde deserves every accolade. The subsequent history of The Pretenders has become the Chrissie Hynde Show and often veers a bit closer to the mainstream than fits my personal taste, but I really love this first record. The Pretenders are playing like a real band (James Honeyman-Scott is a particular standout - his lead playing is really great), but it is Chrissie's voice (both literal and in the songwriting sense) that gives this record all of its soul and character. This is loud, fast, hungry rock and roll with a slight punk edge (without being behoven to generic restrictions). The songs are outstanding, and the whole thing is played with an exciting verve. Tight, but with a dangerous edge. This record knows what it wants to do and lands it perfectly. Favourite song: Precious. There weren't many prior examples of female front-people doing this before 1980, and Chrissie Hynde absolutely nails the brief. We need more female artist on this 1001 albums list. Also, today I learned that Chrissie Hynde co-wrote 'Smelly Cat' for the Friends TV show. 4.5 stars, rounding up.

4.9

Listened to this a lot in the reality eighties as my dad was a fan. Good solid debut.

2025-09-18: A bit better rested than yesterday, physically worn out, listened to this during dinner after a shower. I enjoyed going through the album, found variety in the songs, was pleased by the singer's voice, felt like dancing around while sitting. I feel like the album is a solid 4, perhaps a touch above; and since I am feeling like going through it once more, I'll up the score a touch.

It took me years to truly appreciate the Pretenders. They weren't as accessible as Cheap Trick or as polished as Styx or as cool as The Police. They got lost in the shuffle, they were too rock n' roll for me during the new wave era, but they pressed on and kept making solid rock music for decades. I found them again years later. I've never listened to this debut album from first to last before but know the massive hit "Brass In Pocket" (which is a timeless classic, MTV staple), and the radio friendly glue tracks like "Kid", "The Wait", "Mystery Achievement" & "Stop Your Sobbing" (which I just heard on XM). Influential because of Chrissie Hynde and having a strong woman fronting a true rock band. Longevity for "Brass" and it's 230M listens. I'd give it 3.5 if that was possible, but it wouldn't make my personal T1001.

Generally boring, few stand out songs but not going to listen again.

Still awful 40 years later

Meh

only someone who munched on asbestos in nursery would think this was good. left guy looks like my dad in the 80s

I pretended I didn't hear a harmonica! shite

What if I say I'm not like the others? What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays? You're the pretender What if I say I will never surrender?

Not amazing but also not offensive

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.

And it all seemed so very run-of-the-mill

great punk vibes

didn't recognize any songs from this album

Post stop your sobbing is great

Just great rock’n’roll. That’s all.

I was expecting to like this more than I did. Although the influence of this record on that skinny-jeaned NYC new wave indie sound is very obvious, I found the whole album a bit of a tuneless slog. They’re very much a singles band to my mind, the famous tracks being the only real standouts for me. And it might just the version I was listening to (2006 remaster) but Chrissie Hynde’s vocals seemed way too upfront, it was distracting just how much they seemed to dominate the record. I think I’ll stick to their Best of…

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

Des trucs sympa

Chrissie Hynde has one of the best voices I've heard. This is a great album

Good solid punk album

Fierce energy and fresh lyrics drive the album forward through a variety of rock/punk/pop styles. I liked the first half better on the second listen and the second half better on the first listen. I think that speaks to both the overall quality of the album and to how tedious some pockets of songs can be. Hynde is consistently engaging, but the rest of the music didn’t always carry the same charisma or sharpness as her songwriting and singing.

Love it. This is my kind of sound

Just kinda ran through me

It was quite good. Female artist which I don’t usually listen to, but it had a good rock vibe and lots of unique and very interesting songs.

Great album!

My first full listen of a Pretenders album and I loved it!

Doesn’t age well

Haven't been in the mood for this style, will try again sometime.

Good

Lots of love for this. I wasn’t feeling it. It’s not Butthole Surfers level of shit, but it’s not great.

Boring pop punk album. Very generic.

I just really don't get this album and a bit confused. I'm definitely quite lost with this one. Lots of this album is just underwhelming, just nothing exciting happening perhaps. I did try to get into it, but some albums I just sense that I won't come around to like it. And I believe this is one of those albums.

Right from the off, the album is a great blend of punk guitars with a pop sensibility which evokes Blondie et al. Catchy tracks with enough about them to make them musically interesting. I had unfairly dismissed Pretenders as just another pop act of the era, but they're much more than that.

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.

Favorite Track: Brass In Pocket

I like The Pretenders a lot, but I didn't really gel with this album. It was fine, and better than average, but there were only a couple tracks (Brass in Pocket and Lovers of Today) that I really enjoyed thoroughly. The rest of the tracks just kinda faded into the background and all I remember is Chrissie Hynde's awesome vocals and nothing else, really. Three stars.

Just sounded like a average rock record, liked a few tracks but nothing really stood out to me.

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

Just ok

I thought this was okay! Can't say it'll be a relisten for me. Liked the general sound and didn't get too bored.

Completely fine, there were a couple of songs I liked in the first half but the second half kinda trailed off imo.

All around solid, but nothing to write home about.

Decent album. Nothing really stood out to me, just a somewhat generic 80s situation. I would've left halfway through producing this too.

Pretty generic pop-rock sound. It ended up being true background music for me.

It just seemed like a weird recreation of all other music of the time

Years from now, I might feel like a three is too harsh but this album just didn’t resonate with me at all. I love ‘Brass in Pocket’, so I was really looking forward to this one but think my expectations were too high.

Solid album.

Good

Although I really like a couple of The Pretenders’ singles, most of the songs I know by them are variations on a theme. So while I thought this album was patchy, I do appreciate that it was more varied and punky than I was expecting.

General thoughts: Reminds of The Runaways, but less hard and creative. Not bad but nothing trascendental nor particularly entertaining. I also think production-wise they don't sound as good as they prob could, its very bland. Good background music. Truly middest of them all. Favorite song(s): The Phone Call Worst song(s): Most songs where a 2.5/5 imo, nothing is outstandingly bad. Cover: Very british. Very boring. The red jacket looks cool though. Real rating: 3.07

I wanna go in the subway and score some drugs! Great album

Enfin une voix féminine ! Franchement cool comme groupe dans les rythmes et tout, j'y reviendrai je pense

Premiere suggestion avec une voix féminine ! Je ne connaissais pas le le groupe, c’est sympa ! Franchement, il y a des sonorités vachement chouette que j’ai déjà entendu dans des groupes plutôt punk hardcore (notamment sur la basse) ! Je suis moins fan de la voix sur certains morceaux !

Pas mal ! J'ai noté Up the Neck, Space Invader et Lovers of Today comme titres qui m'ont plu. 4/5

I started out liking it ,but as the album went on, it kind of went down to just meh for me.

I thought I knew of the pretenders but I didn’t know any of these songs, though I swear brass in pocket sounds familiar, but ultimately I don’t know it. 3.5

Fairly fun

Super underrated debut. Just a fun time

This is so kickass. Precious is incredible for an opener and a song I’ve never heard. I’m giving it 5 because I’ve never listened to a Pretenders album and now I feel like I’ve been missing out. Tattooed Love Boys? Incredible. And then obviously Brass in Pocket is a banger forever.

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.

3.5 - not bad but didn't totally grab me. 'Brass in Pocket' still holds up....favorite song was probably 'Stop Your Sobbing' - was kind of surprised to see it was a Kinks original.

If someone asked me what a stereotypical punk sounding, female fronted, 80's band sounded like. I'd show them this.

Brass in pocket slaps so hard.

Listened 6 times and didn't really stick. Not bad, not really great. 2.5/5

Bro I could not actually make out what they were saying

Chill rock from my childhood

A really fun and original rock album

Liked but not loved this, maybe suffered unfairly in comparison to Blondie though 😐

Interesting but falls off too quickly. I like how punky it is for the era though.

This is rock and Chrissie Hynde is the coolest. Bye ✌️

This is like a bridge from 70s music to 80s music. So cool!

Its fine, better than I expected but not my cup of tea.

I did not know that Grace Jones’ Private Life was a cover. Not that it matters. This is a cool album.

Need to listen again

I liked the style, the way it's very punky and rock with raw distortion chords. Voice reminds me a lot of Joan Jett, so it's kind of the same style, but overall can be a lot better and sounded repetitive

This one is part of Heidi’s record collection, so I listened to her album. It’s a debut album, mostly rock with a bit of punk rock flavor. The last track is the best in my opinion, although Brass in Pocket was the biggest radio hit. Overall it’s solid for a debut album but there are not enough good tunes for a high rating.

A very British album cover. I feel like I should know the Pretenders, but maybe there are just a lot of "The XYZers" bands out there. The Proclaimers? Maybe that's what I know. Oh, but the lady is Chrissie Hynde, and I have heard of her (because she's in the Pretenders). Whew. 'Precious' seems to be about Cleveland, which is not what I expected. Turns out Chrissie was born in Akron. That explains why "shut the light" is a lyric. I wonder if she knows Lebron. Anyway, I've never heard any of these songs before, I'm pretty sure. They sound pretty 80s to me, like Heart or Hole or Blondie or any number of one-word lady-led energetic rock bands. Weird tempo variation shenanigans though. Glad I'm not wasting this super sleepy week on my most beloved albums, but this isn't doing it for me. It's not offensive or terrible or anything, but there's no real hook what hooked me. I think the second half of the album is much stronger. Good energy! Highlights: 'Kid', 'Brass in Pocket', 'Mystery Achievement'

It was fine, nothing grabbed me about it.

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.

This album is fine. But there's a flat feeling to it. And Chrissie Hynde's vocal range is a bit limited. It's fun to know and it makes sense that Nick Lowe produced this. While I know the hits, I'm not likely to return to this.

So many great tracks

Muy cool este new age

1st half rocks, 2nd half is overly long and kind of dull. Private Life seems to go on forever.

The Pretenders are one of those bands I’ve always known, but never really got into. Their era produced a wave of poppy, new-wave, post-punk acts that all sort of blurred together, kind of like how post-grunge and nu-metal did later on. That said, this debut is undeniably solid: sharp, confident, and full of attitude. Chrissie Hynde’s voice and presence stand out, but overall, it doesn’t quite blow me away. It’s good, just not personally essential.

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.

Today just not feeling these guys as much. I think they very much sound like a band from the 70s/80s and sometimes those hit for me sometimes they don't. I still have tracks 9-12 left to listen to. Finished listening to it and I think it was pretty middle of the road. I can see how people really like these guys but they weren't for me and that's ok. If I were to change something I would have just wanted things to be more up-tempo.

Not a huge fan of the vocals, but the rest of the music was fine. 2.5/5

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.

Liked it more than I thought I would, but less than I wanted to.

If you don't like the pretenders you're either too soft or too hard. Get over it!

it alright. Every time i thought it was over it kinda just kept going.

Not bad

God vibe. Fin denne. Faller av litt innimellom. Solid 3,5/5.

Okay

ЭТО ОЧЕНЬ КРУТОЙ АЛЬБОМ!!! КАК ЖЕ Я ЛЮБЛЮ ТАКОЕ НЬЮВЕЙВОВСКОЕ ПАНКОВОЕ ЖЕНСКОЕ!!!! КЛАСССССССССС!!!!!!

One of my favorites

Pretty basic and simple but still enjoyable. There's nothing special here, but the riffs are fun, the vocals are fun. Good energetic album but unimpressive. 7/10

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.

Album ok. Really like some of the songs but I think it’s a bit inconsistent. Clearly huge potential with “Brass in Pocket.” Also really liked “The Wait.”

Not a huge fan of the punk new wave, and this didn’t really change that for me. I liked some of it, but not sure how often I’d really listen to this

Weirder than expected. I liked Stop Your Sobbing and Space Invader.

10/10. lol can you guess my favorite one? Yes, Stop you sobbing lol. I like it when the kinks sing it too. All good. She’s so good

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+

This was Precious. So just Stop Your Sobbing and listen to this one.

Only grabbed me towards the end. 3.

Fun, but ultimately a bit forgettable. Possibly should return to it.

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

they could never make me form an opinion abt this album. deeply unmoved.

Absolutely slaps

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".

Big fan of the Pretenders’ singles but haven’t heard too much outside their greatest hits. They’re overall pretty good. Brass In Pocket is of course the standout on this collection.

Nice classic rock album with plenty of hits. Always hits when it comes up on shuffle.

Classic rock/punk album to listen to. Some songs were much better than others imo. Makes the whole album okay overall.

How could I have forgotten how awesome this album is?!

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.

Brass in Pocket raises this one to 2 Stars - just a little boring otherwise.

its okay

70er Rock/Pop/Punk Mix. Ok zu hören. Bekannt ist "Brass in Pocket" 3/5

Some of the British invasion with some of the clearest sounds. Their first album was one of the best, though I did listen to the remaster from 2018. And the demos. It's hard to tell how much of this is me purely enjoying it, or how it felt like putting on comfy old slippers and sitting in a well loved couch to relax

cool sound but no must-have song for me

I can hear many elements of late '70s - early '80s punk/pop/rock. From U2 to The Police. It wasn't bad. I'm tired of Brass In Pocket. I don't understand how people aren't tired of that song as it's overplayed in every market I've lived in. Didn't love the album - didn't hate it either. I will give them credit for being original. 3.5 Stars Favorites: Private Life & Space Invader

ok al nis posebno. izuzetno forgettable. ali bar je slušljivo

Fairly good

Очень даже прикольно весело! Вокал понравился больше музыкальной составляющей, пожалуй, крутая тетя сразу понятно

The album started out with a bang. As the album went on, it lose its stamina when the ballads started and it recovered after that. It wasn’t a bad first attempt. It just just the The Pretenders had better songs off their following albums.

enjoyable throughout, bass goes hard. at times a little generic. a fun solid album

6.5/10 First side: post punk Second side: new wave Second half much stronger Best: Up the Neck

Early punk, real cool.

Mix Police-styled arrangements but with female vocals (not angular like Sting but more raw rock). Good mix of songs and themes.

I typically enjoy post punk and new wave type stuff, this just isn't clicking with me. Not much really stands out, though a second listen definitely brought out some moments of greatness, only moments though. There is a pretty good Kinks cover in there.

not an 80s fan

I never liked hearing the pretenders on the radio, mostly due to chrissie's voice. But, I gave them a fair shot here

Lots of fun and clean new wave in the first half, if nothing too special, but then it bombards you with the blandest tracks towards the end and the big hit single isn't particularly special or interesting enough to rescue me from it It's able to be enjoyed when the spirit of cheer still resides in the tracks, songs like Precious are at least enough of a treat to be held over, though I'd rather just listen to Blondie or the Cars, and they did it first, anyways Keeping my brass out of pocket for good luck

Some good songs, some meh ones. Favorite: Kid

No expectations. Let's see! Nice start, but didn't leave too much of a mark. Same thing for the second track, though I like it more. Nice guitar riffs. Up The Neck is much better. Or maybe their style of playing is just hitting more after a few tracks. I'm really digging this mix of punk and old rock elements, and the lyrics are just edgy enough. The instrumental's nice, but Stop Your Sobbing trie to be more appealing and ends up failling. "Kid" also lacks the edginess that was plentiful before. Private Life gets better and better as it goes, building on the effective base that is the repetitive guitar riffs and bass line. Brass in Pocket is fun but leaves something to be desired. Lovers of Today starts off slow, almost like a ballad, but builds towards a gigantic finale. The closer also builds towards a big finish, but is less effective in doing so. A lot of this album felt like that: ok beginnings, with good ends. This could just be my first impression, but it does sometimes leave something to be desired. However, when the record's good, it's good. And there are no bad songs. So it's solid, but not one of the greats, although future listens could change my mind on that. As is, I was pleased with this listen!

Very 80s but not in an objectionable way. I am still puzzled how music from the 80s can feel so dated when other music from other time periods that precede it do not sound as dated.

Better than I thought it would be

Solid 4, not a huge fan of the vocals but very fun musically

Chrissie Hynde has never done much for me, though I recognize the Pretenders' place in rock history (and Hynde's role in the early punk scene in the UK). That said, I liked this more than I expected, probably because it's much closer to punk and post-punk her later stuff. While the songs blend together after a while for me, it was nice to be introduced to songs other than "Brass in Pocket" that I may return to in the future. ("Mystery Achievement" is great.)

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.

Not bad for a first album, a few nice moments. A bit more punk than I would have imagined. I love Chrissie Hynde’s voice, she seems comfortable with a wide range of different styles. It still sounds a bit dated in my opinion, and the songs are really hit-and-miss. I loved « Space Invader », « The Wait » and « Lovers of Today », while tracks like « Private Life » sounded terribly outdated. I spent the album hesitating between a 2* and a 3*... Too bad the grading scale is so limited. In the end it’s probably not an album I’ll listen again, but I don’t think it’s bad, so I’ll go with a 3* for effort.

Precious - 4/5 The Phone Call - 3/5 Up the Neck - 4/5 Tattooed Love Boys - 4/5 Space Invader - 3/5 The Wait - 3/5 Stop Your Sobbing - 3/5 Kid - 3/5 Private Life - 3/5 Brass in Pocket - 5/5 Lovers of Today - 4/5 Mystery Achievement - 4/5 Average score: 3.7/5 (rounding down) this was alright, but i found a significant chunk of the tracklist pretty underwhelming. first few songs were promising, then that momentum drops off in the middle. fortunately the album finishes strong with the last few tracks, but i personally don't think it was enough to justify giving this 4 stars

I do not like this band at all. Plus it’s Rush Limbaugh theme music.

Chrissie Hynde has a one of a kind voice and really makes this album work. Some great tracks on this album.

Has the style that became the signature of the 80s

É emblemático que minhas faixas favoritas deste disco foram Private Life e Space Invader. Por quê? Uma delas é mais longa e espaçosa, e a outra é instrumental… O que estou implicando? Que talvez os vocais, em um escopo geral, não me conquistaram integralmente. Algo curioso, visto que a vocalista é claramente talentosa e têm uma linda voz, mas acredito que ela poderia ter empregado melhor seus vocais. Talvez em outros discos deles ela me impressione mais. Não se engane. As faixas de maior sucesso como Brass in Pocket são agradáveis, e lá, os vocais obviamente brilham. Durante toda a duração do disco a banda toca bem, com algumas composições até interessantes. Mas um álbum não é apenas os seus hits. E os cortes mais profundos daqui, com exceções dos dois que mencionei, não impressionam. Não se elevam tanto e nem chamam atenção particularmente. A banda é boa, mas falta muita excitação e nuance. Talvez por ser a estréia deles. Imagino que um disco coletânea Greatest Hits dos Pretenders seja fantástico. Mas esse LP em si não passa de mediano. 3.5/5

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.

Overrated Brit mediocrity, but that’s not a surprise considering how many of these type albums I keep getting. 2.5 / 5

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

some classic songs on this album. Chrissie has a very distinctive voice

v interesting

Fun, groovy, solidly enjoyable

I like the bass on this one

Can pretty confidently say I just did not enjoy this album

damn i didn’t realize how much i actually like this album… thank you, generator 🙏

Loved it

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

Pretty good.

punks punk

Fantastic album. Hynde is a force of nature

Fun 80s rock but nothing stood out

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.

Nice 1st album. Not my favourite from them though

Knew them by name and a bit of one song before this album. Good example of wanting half stars for the rating. Liked it more than I thought I would but not enough to put it with some of my higher rated albums.

Any time the Pretenders are mentioned, my dad starts talking about how much of a crush he had on Chrissie Hynde. She's got swagger, but most of the songs are just okay.

no me gustó mucho algo en la voz/actitud/ en la cantante

9/10 love me some catchy experimental punk!

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

Objectively I should give it a 4 star based on my current listen but this bring back so many memories that I had to give it the 5 star for nostalgia’s sake. It’s a crossroad of rock, punk and new wave that hit just when I was at the same crossroads for my musical styles.

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.

Great stuff. 3.5 stars

It's special! So special.

Some cool punk stuff

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"

--Precious...nice opener --The Phone Call...kind of uneven but I like it --Up the Neck...this one checks all the boxes. Good stuff --Tattooed Love Boys...fun pop punk --Space Invader...instrumental. I feel like they could have added lyrics to this but whatever --The Wait...nice bass line. Everyone seems to be having fun on this one --Stop Your Sobbing...interesting turn. Sounds like a 50s/60s throwback. (edit: it's a Kinks cover and it was produced by a different person than every other track. Explains why it sounds so different) --Kid...sort of a ballad. Chrissy Hynde has a good voice but this sounds like a song written for a different singer in a different genre --Private Life...Hynde's sultry alto carries the track but she can't make it any better than mediocre --Brass in Pocket...never loved this song but its continued appearance on classic rock radio speaks for itself -Lovers of Today...I didn't hate this but it feels like a time filler --Mystery Achievement...a good jam. Maybe should have been earlier but I appreciate when the final track isn't just a throwaway

Know it

The only good song on here is “Brass in Pocket”, the rests are meh. 1001 album worthy: nah - 101/186

Ahh this is another one of those likely candidates to be a 4 on future listens, but just isn't quite hitting me enough to make it there right now. REALLY strong start though.

This simply did not hit for me.

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

I vibed. This is peak "live band at the bar" music, maybe even a notch above that. Love Chrissie Hynde's vocals and attitude. No real standouts to speak of, but everything's pretty good.

Very solid album with a fantastic, unique singer. Had listened to this album before and it really did not move me, but it's a ton of fun. I just can't give it a 4 because I've never sat around thinking I need to put this album on. But it's pleasant to discover once in a while.

Two hits, rest sounds similar. 80’s rock

Classic Pretenders / Chrissie Hynde

Muy soft, me ha aburrido un poco

Such a fun album- they hit the right balance of playful beats, and unserious, high school style demeanor, and unlike groups like the beastie boys they can actually rap without just yelling at you. It’s not earth shattering but it’s a really good listen.

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

One of those albums that doesn't really feel like it belongs on the list. Can't really see what is so special about it, not like it was the first or only New Wave band fronted by a woman, and surely it's not the best or most important one at that. I found most songs to be kind of middling but the last 3-4 songs were nice and picked up the pace. Brass In Pocket is a fun song and I probably didn't pay that much attention, so this album gets the benefit of the doubt,

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.

i like it because my girlfriend liked it

incredible.... amazing.... a work of art.....

Enjoyed it. Understand some of the hype. Not sure I'll listen again.

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.

Great album had since it came out

langwiilige rock, han zugegebenermassen aber au nöd s ganze album glost

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.

This album is so precious.

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!

I always associated the Pretenders with a completely different genre. I was excited about the album and after listening to about half of it, I was unnerved. I did listen to the album all the way through, but in between I was on the verge of abandoning it. This doesn't qualify as one of the best albums. 3/5

Brass in Pocket was the only song that stood out for me on this album.

Fantastic debut album. Punk, post punk, new wave, all delivered with Chrissie Hynes’ signature avant guard delivery.

Big fan of this.

Pretty solid. Never really gave this one a full listen before.

3.5

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

Basic gammel indie

Brilliant!

Not for me. 1/5

Chrissie Hynde: Cutting through vocals with attitude

Good thing we don't judge a book by its cover. Univen more than eclectic .I 'd favour the punk tunes.

Maybe this album was a game changer at its time... but today it really seems classic and I didn't find anything particular at its listening.

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.

Absolutely not a fan of this. Just not my cup of tea, I understand the style and the flow is impressive. Very much has a place in history, but it's not for me.

Ugh, just so generic.

I have another Pretenders album that I like more than this

I’ve never been a fan of punk. I’ve always had a disdain for The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, and others like that, but any time I hear a female led punk band I can always dig it. The vocal performance is the highlight of the album for me; not too gritty and not too smooth. The other factor into my liking this album is the blend of new wave atmospheric guitars and punk bass and drums. While it does get tiring towards the end of the record, and I probably couldn’t tell the songs apart now after listening, the instrumentation is varied enough to keep my interest for the 45ish minutes. I’ll probably end up coming back to this album a few times, I didn't dislike anything I heard, but I feel like this is an album to pick songs from to play one at a time instead of listening through all of it.

jag lyssnade inte särskilt aktivt men ändå bra (tror jag)

More 80’s blah

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.

Badass!! Love the guitar work, the overall punk attitude, the fifties like ballads with a sharper edge to them, the atmospheric reggae of Private Life. A perfect example of that sweet spot between punk, new wave and power pop.

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

didnt listen to much

Honestly, I couldn't even get through half of it. Same beat, same voice; it just sounds like listening to the same song multiple times, and it gets changed up just by the lyrics. Even the lyrics are the same, it just gives the same song, wanna get laid then anger nothing deep in my opinion, but congrats if you like it!

Not bad, but probably wouldn't revisit. 2.5/5

♫ Listening to "Precious" by Pretenders (Pretenders (Expanded Edition) [2006 Remaster], 1979) ♫

Boring and annoying

Not a fan of this one. I can’t stand the dramatic performative nature of 80s music at the best of times, let alone when it’s as washed up and forgettable as this. The songs are so forgettable, instrumentals are bland but my biggest issue is the singing. Every lyric is delivered with this smug swagger but is completely mumbled. The things she’s singing about don’t make any sense or you can’t make them out at all. Her singing is really unplesant Brass is Pocket is arguably the only good song but it’s floating in a pool of shit which really brings It down. Fav tracks - Brass in Pocket Worst track - The Phone Call ( seriously what the fuck)

Some I knew, lots I hadn't listened closely to.

3 hours was a bit too long to listen. But they are a great band!

"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”.

Not only one of the best debut albums ever but one of the best rock albums ever. So many great songs on here and Chrissy Hynde's vocals and songwriting are incredible. The band, too, is tight and rocks hard. "Learning to Crawl" should be on this list too.

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

Nice

I was familiar with Pretenders but this was my first full album. I enjoyed it- they have a wide variety of genres that they cover on the album. And Hynde's voice is powerful and lovely. Overall- good album

Yeah, they're ok. The deluxe edition of this album is a bit much though! I even kinda liked some but wouldn't listen again on purpose. Did I mention Morrissey is absolutely terrible? Well he is. Three stars.

Pretenders are amazing. Chrissie Hynde has got the rock pedigree. She was everywhere you wish I/you could have been. She still rocks to this day and so does this album.

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

I wanted to give this more. Some tracks were cracking but I just couldn't connect with it on the whole. It's a high 3 though

One of my all time favorite albums.

very solid