Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Enjoyed it. Understand some of the hype. Not sure I'll listen again.
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
Pretty solid. Never really gave this one a full listen before.
3.5
Basic gammel indie
Chrissie Hynde: Cutting through vocals with attitude
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.
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)
didnt listen to much
Not bad, but probably wouldn't revisit. 2.5/5
Some I knew, lots I hadn't listened closely to.
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.
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
Some decent post punk/pop tracks throughout but Stop Your Sobbing, Brass in Pocket, Private Life and Kid (my favourite) really stand out here.
Not what I thought I was getting but enjoyed it.
Das selbstbetitelte Debütalbum ist ein Mix aus Punk, New Wave und Rock. Es überzeugt mit einer markanten Stimme, und Songs wie *Brass in Pocket* oder *Precious*. Dennoch fühlt sich das Album manchmal unausgewogen an – während einige Tracks kraftvoll und prägnant sind, wirken andere weniger inspiriert. Die Produktion ist solide, aber nicht herausragend, und der Sound wechselt zwischen roh und poliert. Insgesamt ein starkes, aber nicht makelloses Debüt.
Tres agréable en travaillant ! Mais ca sonne pas très complexe
J’aime bien. Par contre ça sonne quand même comme du pop punk un peu générique par moment. En 1980 ça a probablement fait école, mais en 2025 on est plus blasé de ce style. Malgré tout c’est agréable! Highlight: Private Life et Stop your Sobbing (qui est un cover par contre)
Pretty good :)
Wasn’t really a big fan of the album. Sounds like she’s speaking French half the time. Favorite song is Brass in Pocket.
My mom listened to this, so there's some sentimental value here. Trying to be objective, I like the sharp sound, close to punk rock, but the production with that clean, loud voice sets me a bit off. Songs are got but not outstanding.
I wanted to like this more.
3.5* 82%
3/5. Vocals are great, like the sound, interesting rhythms, but the songs don’t really do it for me. I like “Brass In Pocket”.
Some good songs. Some ok songs. Nothing that stood out too much.
3.5 - decent punky album
Pretty cool, not that special imo. Didn’t impress me much
Alright, but kinda repetitive and it stagnates in the middle. 6-7/10
A decent mix of Pop Rock, Punk, and New Wave. Nothing in particular caught my attention but it was enjoyable and didn't drag on like so many of the other albums lol. Favourites - Precious, Brass in Pocket
Feels like this is what punk was before they started calling it punk. Some of the vocals get a little mismatched with the music for my taste but I did like a good amount of this album. Also seems like this lady is incredibly horny. Highlights “Precious” “Space Invaders”
Sounded like a lesser version of Heart or Blondie. I liked the first song a lot tho
My phone got stuck on repeat during the third song “Up the Neck” but it didn’t bother me I think I listened to that one three times. the Cuban slide song- it was reminding me of another song that sounds exactly like it and I can’t remember what it was. Unless the song I’m thinking of is this song but I doubt it . I don’t have real thoughts jack u can’t ask me for real thoughts and expect real thoughts it just has to come natural I was thinking about me and u guys while listening to the first few songs
I have a soft spot for this album since it was the first hand me down record I listened to. It's a fun album, although I thought it started and ended weak. I liked a lot of the songs in the meat of the record. Stop Your Sobbing has been a favorite of mine for years since I first heard this. Space Invaders was a fun instrumental. Private Life sounds like a police song. I would probably give this another star if there was more songs I liked but the songs I do like I really liked. Fun punkish new wave stuff is fun. Highlights: Stop Your Sobbing Up The Neck Space Invader Kid
Good record.
This one didn't really blow my hair back. I like that they took a few risks, but they don't always land.
First time I’ve listened to this album alway through, although I was familiar with all the singles from it. A lot harder rocking than I thought it would be. Not really punk but you can see her associations with members of the Pistols May have rubbed off on her
Solid singing, great riffs, and a catchy bass, but I'm not going to pretend it's any better than that. Favorite Track: "Kid".
I never listened to it before but thought I'd like it more. Gets much better towards the end.
Personally, this was decent, haven't heard of this band until one of the songs that I clearly remember from guitar hero of all places. Nothing too annoying about this nor was there something to go crazy over.
Is this art punk? The vibe I got was if Laurie Anderson had a punk band
This album is super duper solid, it would be a 4, but the runtime is a bit too long. I feel like, by "Lovers of Today" you get the point, but then it continues. Cut the fat, and you'd have a bonafide classic.
Nice
Prima begin-punk
Best: Brass in Pocket
Just ok
Right off the bat it reminded me of movies like the Sandlot, Everybody Wants Some, Dazed and Confused, etc. This album grew on me a lot, I think 3 stars is too low, but 4 stars is too high. Lady vocals jam, lots of variation in style.
Non è brutto, ma ciò non lo rende nemmeno bello
Didn’t find many hit songs from here.
I didnt rlly like it
I love the fidgety, playful energy Pretenders bring to each song. They sound like they are continually teetering on the edge of exploding, actively working to hold the whole production together. Chrissie Hynde is great, keeping the momentum going with her powerful voice and force of personality. It’s an album of peaks and troughs though - it has the singles you know and love and some more quality tracks besides.
Vibes da vecchio film americano Carino non molto fiko ma ci sta
Carino,niente di particolare Ricorda in certi punti i rush Pensavo peggio
estuvo ok
Simple rock. Nice flow. Got a little bit bored by the end of it. I mean 26 (!) songs
Sort of fine, not something I found overly compelling. Can imagine others being into it 3*
yeah it was ok
Wanted to enjoy.
Not a huge fan
Another solid album, was a lot more accessible and fun of a listen than I originally thought looking at the Wikipedia
Definitely ahead of its time but not particularly my jam
Thought it was great, especially for the 80s! Saved a few songs, really liked instrumental of Space Invader
Solid. Some interesting, excellent moments and some not great bits where they lost me. Standout for me was Space Invaders. Did not like Stop Your Sobbing or Private Life.
Strong album. Great voice. A few misses, but overall, good blending from punk to more mainstream rock.
Decent album imo
3.5/5. Thought it was pretty meh in the beginning, but it grew on me throughout
Not bad at all
I like other Pretenders' albums better. They were more elaborted, less raw.
Didn't really like this
Eh
Another boring useless 80s rock album to listen to no different from the last and I predict no different from the next.
This was pretty good. I was aware of the more well-known tracks, but the whole album was very listenable. I'd be quite happy to listen to it again, but I don't think I'll take any steps to listen to it again. That's a standard 3 stars for me.
Ok
What an energetic debut. First half doesn't nearly hold up as well as the back half of the album which feels more polished and realized. But let's face it, Pretenders hinges on those deep tones of that one-of-a-kind voice from Chrissie Hyndes. With all due respect to her bandmates, she IS the Pretenders.
There’s an attitude and a sneer that’s punk but it’s so smug that it’s hard to believe. I like a good amount of songs here but it doesn’t ever get to real punk energy.
Why is this album so long? Or am I just finding it boring and repetitive? I don't know. I enjoy the singer's voice and I think it could be good background music.
Chrissie Hynde is an awesome frontperson and delivers some great lyrics, but I kept waiting and waiting for the music to grip me, and it never really happened. Too polished for punk, too sloppy playing for anything
Enjoyable. Had heard a few of the songs in the past but this was pretty solid end to end. 3.5/5
They're shredding a bit, it's funky. I'm fine with it. Sultry, almost beachy? I can see 80s strutting to this. Glad Chrissie Hynde is still around.
I get the reductiveness of saying "It's a bit Blondie, init" about a female-fronted punk-pop band, but y'know, it's a bit Blondie init. Jangly guitars, spiky vocals, heartbeat-strict drums. Not bad, but not one I'm likely to return to to be honest.
I had a hard time getting into this one. While I liked the guitar parts and some songs had a good groove going, the vocals were not my thing. Didn't love Hynde's style and I struggled to make out what she was saying a lot of the time. Outside of that I don't really have a lot to say about it. It was all pretty average rock with some good guitar parts and a few catchy jams. Standouts for me were: "Tattooed Love Boys, " and "Private Life" - had some great moments Maybe this was a hit back in the 80s but I don't think this would hold up as well today. Musically it was pretty decent so I don't know why this one didn't win me over when on paper it should have. I think this is a completely average 3 star album that had some pretty good moments, some kind of boring moments, and some moments that somehow irritated me in a way I can't completely explain.
Love her vocals and edgy lyrics. Kind of a mix between new wave and punk. 3.5 stars
Didn't recognise the band name particularly but a couple of the songs sound very vaguely familiar, maybe just the style? Upbeat, I enjoyed having it on in the background, but I wouldn't seek it out to relisten.
This was fine. Not my favorite.
стилево неплохо, но уступает однокурсникам по новой британской волне
i liked the effects and varying time signatures, but idk if i would gravitate towards it
I enjoy this! I love the guitar riffs. It's edgy, musical, and cool girl 80s rock.
turns out i just really really hate brass in pocket but can handle the pretenders in general. good to know
Not bad. "Precious" is a good tune, and "Brass in Pocket" is justifiably popular. The rest is decent, but not spectacular.
Not sure how I feel about this They were trying to be something that they weren't. They played with style but didn't add their own emotion to it. 3.5/5 stars
Rock, 1979 -> 3
Random thoughts: * The first few song were way more punk than I expected. Then they ended up covering a lot of genres with pop and rock thrown in there. They were not easy to pinpoint. * I like Stop Your Sobbing quite a bit. * Brass in Pocket is the standout hit track for sure. * I guess they have been putting out albums since 1980, but this early 80s stuff is what I think about when I think of the Pretenders. I wasn't ever really a big fan and this definitely didn't make me a fan either. I could take it or leave it. It was perfectly fine.
Disappointed yet again, some songs had something interesting going for them, with odd time signatures and such. Just a bit boring in the long run though... EDIT: This was one of the first albums I reviewed. I've since come to learn there is some MUCH WORSE stuff out there. Bumping this up to a 3
Rimelig fin punk rock, rimelig tight, godt at træne til. Fede akkorder af og til
It was okay - some good songs
Pretty unremarkable. There were a few good tracks but felt like something was missing. I also hate Brass in Pocket.
Good Stuff.
I wanted so badly to like this more than I did, because Precious is so fucking good, but it's just not a very strong or memorable record. It does have its moments though.
Felt like this debut is a bit lacking. It's good but not great. Side A is mostly post-punk songs with "Stop Sobbing" by far best track. Side B picks up production and is def better. You know the songs that stand out and Pretenders certainly do shine on them. I was in and out of this one but the hits do hit...2.85.
Pretty cool debut album. I'll always appreciate when a band can carve out a fresh sound from the get-go. Pretenders did exactly that by bringing a modified punk rock edge to the 80's rock scene. Chrissie Hynde's vocals have a lot of character that stand out from other female vocalists of the time. The backing instrument tracks are varied and still contemporary many years on. While I have certainly been exposed to Pretenders I feel like I should get them into my rotation more. They seem like a band that is slept on that could have some other stuff in their collection I might enjoy. Solid entry. 3.33 stars
6.5/10
A game of two halves. Fairly strong opening followed by a poor performance in the second half.
Repeatitive, vibe is there.
вайбово, ничего не скажешь, 3/5
Favourites: Up The Neck, Space Invader, Kid, Lovers of Today
Surprisingly similar to my last album, Throwing Muses self-titled. Female-led 80s alt rock/grunge. The vocals are interesting notes and rhythms. Tattooed Love Boys is a good song. Kid is good too. Pretty good album, it got a bit stale midway through.
Mostly fun albeit frivolous
Straight down the middle for this. Brass In Pocket is great, there was nothing else I found distinctive enough to notice. I’ll be sticking to their hits.
I do not like this album because I feel like the instruments overpower the singer's voice. However, I enjoy the upbeat.
Do you want to listen to some music that has some piano? Well in Stop Your Sobbing you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of guitar? Well in Kid you can! I rate it a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of drums? Well in Brass in pocket you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend this song.
i like the voice and isturments ofnit the abulm the voices sound cool i like them the cover is cool the last song i reconzined
Is the person in the red jacket a man or a woman? I thought "Stop your sobbing" was okay. It was a little bit boring. I liked the lyrics and I liked the singers voice. I liked "Kid" it was pretty good. I liked the lyrics a lot. I also like how the singer sounds. "Grass in Pocket" was good. I loved the singing and the music. They go really well together. I would recommend this album.
I do like this album because, the first song is very good. the second song is ok but I like the first and second better. what I like about the second song is the beat in the background. I would recommend this album to someone who likes old 80s music.
I like it but pretty middle of the road compared to all the other new wave albums so far on this list. Will keep it in rotation to see if it’s a grower and a shower. “Private Life” sounds like they had the Police come in as the backing band for one song. Standouts: “Kids”, “Private Life”, “Brass In Pocket”
It was quite Brass in pocket and other hits but it was over long and samey
I’m in the camp of “like the music, don’t love the vocals” Still enjoyed it.
There’s no denying Brass in Pocket is a classic—confident, sultry, and effortlessly cool—but the rest of Pretenders struggles to reach the same heights. The album blends new wave, punk, and pop with a slick but slightly restrained energy, making for a pleasant listen, but one that doesn’t leave a lasting impression. Chrissie Hynde’s voice has a great balance of toughness and vulnerability, and the band is tight, but too many of the tracks blur together without much to set them apart. Songs like Kid and Tattooed Love Boys have their moments, but nothing quite jumps out in the way Brass in Pocket does. It’s not a bad album by any means—everything sounds good, the performances are solid, and the production is clean—but there’s just something missing in terms of real standout moments. It’s an enjoyable listen, but it doesn’t demand revisiting beyond its biggest hit.
Buena mezcla de punk, new wave y rock clásico que ha servido de influencia a grupos como The Smiths, Yeah Yeah Yeahs o The Strokes. Musicalmente es muy bueno, con unos cambios de compás muy interesantes. También me han gustado mucho la voz y la actitud de la cantante, Chrissie Hynde, que convierten a este álbum en un clásico, merecedor de formar parte de esta lista. Aunque, a decir verdad, ningún tema en concreto ha conseguido atraparme, y tras haberlo escuchado dos veces, me quedo con una sensación agridulce. Esperaba más, pero me ha acabado resultando un álbum típico de su época que probablemente voy a acabar olvidando.
It's good
3/5
not bad, pretty cunty
Their hits were great but not much else on the rest of the album. I did like the instrumental mid-way through the album.
Different certainly, not my fav but I liked some of the songs.
Fun and new wavey
Never listened to a full Pretenders album before despite knowing a lot of their songs. Kind of what I expected, good album but not the best that's on lists like this. Chrissie Hynde has one of the best rock voices of all time though. Fav tracks: Private Life, Brass in Pocket, Up the Neck
Good
Not bad, punky
I've only ever heard their singles, but I might need to check out more of their stuff 'cause this was pretty good. I didn't enjoy it enough to give it four stars, but it's a decent album nonetheless. The second half of the album is far more interesting, with gems like 'Brass in pocket' and 'Private Life'. 3.5 stars
was ok
Interesting, nice mix for punk. But I don't think I'll revisit this.
Decent
Wel oke Brass in pocket is hitje Rest niet heel bijzonder Maar wel mooie stem
Нормальный такой роцк. Почему-то я был уверен, что эта группа играет музыку совсем другого толку, а тут паверкорды налево и направо. Лучшая песня - Space Invader.
At last! A decent album after several days of mediocrity never explored The Pretenders beyond their singles but really liking this and worth adding to favourites and will def listen again favourite tracks Private Life Brass in Pocket Stop Your Sobbing
🎧Very neutral on this. Chrissie Hynde’s voice is cool and has a lot of character, but some of these songs kinda stink (like Stop Your Sobbing and Private Life). Then there’s Brass in Pocket, a classic and undeniably fun, flirty tune. Overall didn’t love it, didn’t hate it.
Enjoyed this more than expected. Favourite tracks: Tattooed Love Boys, Space Invader & Private Life Will probably revisit. 3/5
This was my first time listening to this album all the way through and thought it landed right there in the middle of turn of the decade rock/pop albums. If my parents had played it more as a kid I might be more into it.
It was fine.
synth and punk together , makes sense for 1980… def an interesting mesh enjoyed the vocals as well.
Album cover is bland and uninspiring from a band with an uninspiring name. Never listened to them, though they seem to have a lot of streams. Could be good. Precious. Moves along nicely. Drum tempo is cool. Vocals sit oddly in the mix. I like the attitude of the vocalist's performance. The panning guitar effect could've lasted longer. Overall fine 3.5/5 The Phone Call Awful vocal effect. Garagey guitar performance. Sonically stagnant. I like how it ends. Average 2.5/5 Up the Neck Instrumental is a vibe. Verse structure is well fitting. Love the guitar and bass on this track. Cohesive. Gives strong post punk vibes. Solid. 4/5 Tattooed Love Boys. Sus title. Upbeat vibe was unexpected. Danceable. Bass sounds great. Vocalist sounds confident and like she's having fun on the track. The guitar solo doesn't work for me. The different sonic palatte is welcome at this point in the album. Perfectly fine track. 3.5/5 Space Invader. Solid bassline to start. Crunchy. The drums are a little too muted. Good panning effect on the guitar. Cool but a bit sparse. 3.5/5 The Wait. Vocals stand out over a bland instrumental. Chorus has great energy. Garagey guitars return. Standard solo. Danceable. 4/5 Stop your Sobbing Acapella opening is a choice. Not sure if I like it. Kinda annoying chorus. What a weird concept for a song. Unimpressed. 2/5 Kid Western vibes from the guitar. Lacks the attitude from the previous tracks. Bridge was good. Chorus feels a bit underwritten. The fade out stinks in comparisson to the many great endings to their previous songs. Average 2.5/5 Private Life. Vocals sit weirdly in the mix again. Bluesy. Not sure about the falsetto in the backing vocals. I don't mind the placement of that guitar part. I like the writing on the verses. Doesn't really do anything surprising. Is not bad, but not particularly inspiring. Good moments brings it above average. 3/5 Brass in Pocket. Upbeat and plucky. Backing vocals work well here. Could be fun to sing along to. Summer driving song. Solid. 4.5/5 Lovers of Today Cheesy. Expecting a grand over the top chorus anytime now. Don't like how loud the bass is here. Welcome instrumental switchup. Just sort of underwhelmed by the chorus. Decent little guitar parts helps smooth over a boring instrumental bit. Overstays its welcome. 2.5/5 Mystery Achievement. Opening bass part is really catchy though a bit rough around the edges. Singable and full of charisma. Works well with what is given. Enjoyable 3.7/5 First impression says pretty solid record. Nothing mindblowing, but it kept my attention throughout. Impressed by the fact this is a debut record. The singer does a great job bringing fun charisma and attitude to the table. Wish to see more instrumental variety should I hear more of them in the future. Bass playing was solid throughout, and the guitar solos worked well for the most part. Fave track. Brass in pocket Least fave track. Stop your Sobbing.
Quite eclectic with a great song or two and some mehs.
obviously good but not my thing..
This album is just as young as me!
precious- 5 phone call- 5 up the neck- 5 tattooed love boys- 5 space invader- 5 the wait- 4 stop your sobbing- 5 kid- 5 private life-5
I didn't mind this. It's a bit too much for my tastes sometimes but when it's good, it's good.
-The Phone Call: sounded like a phone call I don’t want to listen to -*Up the Neck: Blondie-esque; interesting lyrics -*Space Invader: that bass though! So immersive I didn’t notice it was solely instrumental. Great! -The Wait: nope -*Stop Your Sobbing: Hynde’s voice is so pretty and this song features that better than others (re: The Wait) -**Brass In Pocket: “‘cause I’m gonna make you see/there’s nobody else here, no one like me” true Chrissie, very true. lol, I like this one -Lovers of Today: rock lullaby, bit bored -Cuban Slide: interesting enough for background music at a dance -I Can’t Control Myself (Demo): like the contrast of the guitar vs Hynde’s lyrics/voice -*Swinging London: cool title; enjoyable instrumental journey -*Tequila (Demo): Chrissie Hynde goes country, lol, that was fun and ballad-y The sound is very cohesive. The talking-singing-talking thing doesn’t always work but Chrissie Hynde makes it interesting and what a lyricist too! Hynde has a great voice but while it’s in a rock song it seems like it doesn’t quite fit sometimes. I guess part of their style is to mess with what I might call lyrical rhythm (?), too many words in a musical measure. This could just be criticisms of their overall style. *Would download **Heard before Note: long album, unlisted tracks = “Meh”
The only song I was familiar with was “Brass in Pocket” and remained my favorite. I won’t be back. 2.5/5
Day 33: Pretenders - Pretenders. Pretenders Album 1/1. In my opinion, female-fronted punk is typically much more enjoyable than male-fronted punk. Something about female vocals raging to punk instrumentation feels quite satisfying. I don't typically have gender preferences when it comes to music genres. Contrary to what their band name suggests, The Pretenders feel very genuine. There is a lot of attitude. There is a lot of energy. There is a lot of angst. The vocals are great. The lyrics cover interesting topics, although, they aren't exactly "deep". Unfortunately, the instrumentation didn't feel very special. I found other female punk albums to be much more interesting. For example, "Nunsexmonkrock" is all over the place in a good way, and has a unique variety and charm to it. I wish that Nina Hagen was included in "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", because her music is incredible. Personal Enjoyment: 3/5. How Much It Belongs Here: 3/5.
Dodgy vocals at times, but overall pretty solid.
Was surprised I liked this as much as I did considering the genre. I feel like it could be a 4 but some of the slower songs drag it down to a 3.5 for me. This one feels like a round down instead of a round up for me. Liked the beginning of the album best and mostly less so as it went on.
Not sure there's much substance there, but I like the vibe.
I liked this one
Pretty straightforward rock/new-wave. It was fine but didn't really click with me. I knew Brass in Pocket before listening to this, which is the only song that stood out to me.
Some songs were better than I thought they’d be but I’ve never really gotten into her voice. At some points she almost sounds likely Patti smith but without the grit. Solid album but still. It a pretenders fan.
Unique sound and great debut. Some songs didn't connect with me but I think they'll grow on me with time
I respect the music but not really my cup of tea. The like upbeat rock from the 80s…
7/10
Good :)
I never was able to get into this one.
# 396 : They've done a pretty decent job, good album, it’s enjoyable and fun overall with Chrissie Hynde's great voice. Great debut album. I wouldn't spend my hard earned on this, but I'd certainly listen to it again. Brass In Pocket
Me mola el new wave y aunque la segunda mitad de este álbum salva lo flojita que es la primera, me sigue pareciendo demasiado mid como para apreciarlo más. Nada especialmente reseñable. Canción destacada: Mystery Achievement
Big meh for me
Pretenders
Blast from the past, a couple of great songs but I think I like the Pretenders in smaller doses.
normal, just... normal
Really enjoyed this. Knew their hits growing up but never listened to them beyond those. Really like how clean and well put together this album was. Also surprised at how much Brit-Pop-Rock'ish they were. Didn't know that from what I was exposed to on the radio. High 3+.
Some certified xrt classics but I just don’t love it
fine, I see the vision but it didn’t grab me immediately. apart from wondering how much Chrissie Hynde influenced Florence Welch 6/10
I didn't like the first two songs The rest were good
Nice, not groundbreaking.
some good songs on here, probably need a relisten
I’ve given this several listens, and while I enjoy the back half much more than the first half, and the songs Brass in Pocket and Mystery Achievement are great, the good stuff comes too late for me to really want to come back to this one.
Woah. Right off the bat, those vocals are RIGHT up front. I only knew the guys by the pretenders. This is good. The last couple of tracks were not my favorite. But I liked this quite a bit
Didn't blow my hair back or anything, but enjoyable enough. 3/5 Highlights: Private Life Brass in Pocket
Solid album.
3*
Huh, interesting. Pretenders actually had punk songs. Brass in Pocket and the like seemed to be their entire deal, but this record proves not so. It's alright you know. I had no idea Private Life was by Chrissie. It does feel like it suits Grace more I suppose but I've just never heard this version, whereas the cover is ubiquitous. I lost interest a bit in the middle there, but Lovers of Today is probably the best song here that I haven't heard a million times, and the record finishes strong.
Pretty nice to listen to, but doesnt seem to quite make it to 4/5. Standout tracks: Brass In Pocket, Tattooed Love Boys
Some nice songs, and some not so good. Overall just ok.
Some fun, energetic rockin' songs with a lot of charisma
Great energetic and catchy rock with a few nice hits, but I also fail to find genius in it or completely love the tracks.
Second half of the album was much more enjoyable than the first. Solid mid table album.
Nice. Very 80's
I really enjoyed this album, it went harder than I thought it would - particularly enjoyed space invaders! Would give a 3.8
nice fave track: mystery achievement
Easily digestible 80s new wave. The big track “Brads in Pocket” is undeniably an ear worm, but I was impressed by the multiple genres and odd time signatures found on some tracks. Standouts include the “jungle” tom tom beat on Cuban Slide, and the reggae feel + tasty guitar solo on Private Life
Was surprised to hear the Punk notes in this album. I really enjoy her voice, too.
I ain’t gonna pretend to say this is a great album
Eh, average 80s new wave rock
Meh
Okay. Didn’t blow me away. Probably won’t listen to again
medio aburrido 63
Good rock album. For me this one goes not that far but its easy enjoyable. Less memorable to me at least 3.0/5.0
Not too shabby
More music that I listened to and enjoyed but was not particularly excited by.
Fun and good!
hmm never heard this and it kept my attention ... but not sure i need to venture back to this one again
Ok enough. Lots of the songs sounded pretty similar to me. I like the vocals, but the album was so-so.
Quintessential New Wave - tight compressed and slightly dirty guitars, a bit of jangle, loads of hooks, a touch of corny cutting edge for the day production, and heavy dose of retro flair recalling the rock-n-roll of the early 60s. I only knew the hits, but there are some bangers on this one and the instrumentals are great surprise. Favorites: space invader, private life, Kids
A mixed bag for me. Brass in Pocket is great of course. I also really like the first track, Precious and the last track, Mystery Achievement. Everything else fell sort of flat for me or didn’t work at all. I can see why the album is significant though. Chrissie Hynde’s voice and style probably started multiple female-led bands and some songs sound likely they could have been released in the last 20 years.
Pretty standard run of the mill new wave album, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
Was this the quintessential one hit wonder album or where they just pretending?
3.5☆/5 11.21.2024
I liked this. But once again while I didn’t hate the experience I wasn’t overly in love with anything either. 3/5
Queria dar 3,5, mas como não existe meia estrela vai 3. Achei um album legal de rock, com altos e baixos, mas que no fim, foi uma experiência bacana. Destaque: Up the neck, Private life
I dont knowwwwwwww. I'm impressed but not blown away. Cool to blend these genres and make something main stream. Great sound, great vocals etc. I think i listened to this 4 times and only a couple songs really stand out (Space Invaders and Brass in Pocket). At times it feels very faceless. I'm sure there are strong arguments for 4+, which I respect. 3 for me.
In terms of this genre of garage new wave bands (thinking of The Cars, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker, Elvis Costello) I don't think the Pretenders can really compete in terms of writing a hook or just songwriting in general. They have a strong, clean sound, but the songs themselves aren't always strong enough to stand out, even from each other. Since this is basically pop, I think lack of catchiness has to be held against them. Still this album rocks pretty hard in some places (The Wait and Kid are my favorites), and Chrissy Hynes oozes cool. Brass in Pocket is probably the most catchy song, but it feels like it doesn't fit in with the rest of the album. I think I might be contradicting myself, saying in one breath I want the songs to stand out from each other, then complaining about one standing out too much. It makes sense to me.
Liked some songs, didn't like some. Brass in Pocket was really fun. Some of the spoken word / dialogue was really funny and quirky. Most of the album didn't jump out to me though
great voice
Cool album but does not really separate itself from the rest. I still very much enjoyed it.
I didn't love this, but also didn't hate it.
Enjoyed this, would have been 4 if there was more consistency in good songs. A few too many filler tracks for me. Chrissy Hynde, great voice though.
Det är svårsmält för mig detta sound. Känner mig helt ointresserad. Det är kanske inte dåligt musikaliskt. Det är ju lite poppigt. Men never again.
Precis som jag gillade sångerskan i Yeah Yeah Yeahs så gillar jag sångerskan i Pretenders, det är verkligen hon som bär upp det här albumet. Lite svajigt i början, men tyckte det var trevlig lyssning under hela andra halvan. Inte tillräckligt många låtar med samma höjd som Brass in pocket för att bli mer än en stark trea dock.
3/5
I don’t know. I think she could have said baby a few more times.
It's no masterpiece.
Brass in pocket is catchy. There is a change from punk to pop within this album alone but how do they get from pink to I’ll stand by you? Crazy style change. Chrissie’s vocals are great and addictive. Probably won’t add to my collection but doesn’t bother me to listen.
Some good songs, but I don't think I would listen to it again.
3<x<3.5
Yep. This is definitely the self-titled 1980 debut of the Pretenders. I don't have a ton to say about this one. While that does mean I don't have any major praise, it also means that I don't have any real complaints either. This is a perfectly solid album that gives me no reason to be upset. The sound is fun. It's got a nice blend between new wave and punk that actually kind of works for me. The singing is also solid, as is the writing. "Brass in Pocket" is probably my favorite song on the album. I like it. Overall, this album's good, but it's not exactly exciting. Still, I respect it for what it is. High 3/5.
Me like guitar
Kid and Brass in Pocket are great. The rest is pretty good. 3.5 stars.
I won't walk 500 miles for this album, but maybe a 5k would do?
The Pretenders are like rock Blondie. Over/under on Ohio based references is one per song. This is more New Wave than I would have thought. The lyrics are ridiculous. LCD Soundsystem must love this album, this is what they would have been if they came out in 1980 instead of 2000. Stop Your Sobbing is not good, the 60s girl group vibe is out of place on the album and in the song. There is a Pretenders sound that carries through every song though. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs probably love them too. There are too many songs that are dominated by Chrissy Hynde's stange delivery and voice. And some of these songs are rock songs and others are just straight New Wave/Ska. Brass in Pocket is the hit, for good reason, it's a great song, maybe the perfect Pretenders song. They definitely had an influence-Beck, Scissor Sisters- you can hear pieces of this album in a lot of places. This is a hard album to rate, a lot of things to like and a lot of things to hate.
érdekes volt, de valahogy hidegen hagyott I guess
Not something I'm likely to return to but pretty fun while it was on. The opener 'Precious' provided impetus and there were a handful of eccentric punk grooves scattered throughout the tracklist to keep things interesting. Top 3: 1. Brass in Pocket 2. Precious 3. Stop your Sobbing Bottom 1: Kid Overall score: 6.6/10
I actually don't hate this, I thought I would, I'm usually not a fan of 70s/80s punky music. One thing I'm noticing is that the vocals seem SUPER high in the mix and seem to bury the instruments, which is a shame because the parts actually seem kinda cool. This one is kinda growing on me as it goes on, not a bad album.
3.5
3 - very 80s
Pretty good, her voice sounds so familiar, but i didn't recognize any of the songs
So challenging. Love the band, love the sound, love five songs off this album. But it doesn't seem well produced as a whole album. Everyone loves to say nobody makes albums anymore, but the 70s and 80s are full of hit packed albums without a lot of substance just as much in current times.
That thumping bass and Chrissie Hynde's vocals. Yes, please. Great album.
Another first listen for me, though I knew Brass In Pocket. Chrissie Hynde has a fantastic voice (IMO) but jeez it is forward in the mix. Almost painfully so with headphones. This was a solid, enjoyable album. I've seen it called one of the best debut album of all time, which seems a bit over the top. I think you can hear the influence it had on later rock music though, so for that alone it deserves to be on the list.
Much different from their hit song from the 90s “I’ll Stand By You”, which is a song that women who drink Bud Light and smoke menthols sing at karaoke bars (from my experience).
pretty cool
Good, boring at times, but Tattooed Love Boys and Brass in Pocket make it worth the time spent.
This would go so much harder if it was recorded more recently. The production is kind of an immediate turn off as the band are just a bit subdued and hamstrung by the quality available- I can tell they want to rock and slam their instruments around and I get that affect in the vocals, but the band sounds like they were recorded without any kind of saturation or edge and it definitely hurts the first impression. "Brass in Pocket" is a standout that I think most people are familiar with, it seems to have that magic "thing" that makes it a special song and more timeless than the others, and I'm happy to hear songs like "Lovers of Today" which show a nice bit of dynamism in the record. It's a solid record. With a few more tracks like "Brass in Pocket" it could be a 4.
Pretty good
I really like the singer but as a whole the band just doesn't do enough to stand out. The singles are great but otherwise the rest of the songs on the album are a little bland.
nice
Good old energetic ROCK / Has aged well / Chrissie Hynde made it /
Not my favourite Pretenders, but some nice tunes here.
5.9
Helt ok
Fun punky sound
Overall a decent album for its time, a bit too long for its sound to maintain long term interest in full album listens. Favorite song: Private Life
80’s punk/pop, pretty solid. A few songs ive heard before. Space Invaders, was a really cool instrumental
Fun.
yeah, that was ok.
It sounded like less good Television.
Surprised by this album but it just didn’t hit on all levels
great find from 1001, didn't know about Chrissie Hynde before this. Favorite track: precious other picks: tattooed love boys, mystery achievement, private life, brass in pocket
Hmmmmm…a lot of people really like Pretenders, but I’ve just never been into Chrissie Hynde’s disaffected vocal style. Something similar that’s better I think is the Cars debut album.
I have to admit that when I started this album I thought it was by the band who sang "I Would Walk 500 Miles". It turns out that is The Proclaimers. That was a disappointing moment. I always kind of knew I didn't love the state of music in the 80s, but this album listening adventure is really solidifying that for me. This album was fine, but too long, a little boring, and too many 80s things goings on for me. I don't really have any specific comments, it just kinda blew by me. 5/10
Nothing wrong with this album at all. Rock with some punk influences but also poppy. The songs are quite varied but Chrissy Hynde's vocals are - however excellent her voice is - too monotonous or me. Almost every phrase ends with the exact same signature vibrato. This album leaves me a bit wanting even though some individual songs are really good.
If you're going to make a list of 1001 albums, I think it's okay to put this on the list. The problem is that 1001 is too much. This is a good but not great album. It, like so many other "good but not great" albums, can't get over the 7 out of 10 hump. The main reason this would make the list of 1001 and not some of the oh-so-many other "7 out of 10s" is that 1) it's a debut album from 2) a band that had decent success in its time. Still, 7 out of 10, rounding down.
182/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Preslušao dvaput na pola uha, a i s razlogom. It's not doing much for me. Ne znam ni kaj bi objektivnog rekao, ima par fun trenutaka, al ne znam ni koji su kontekst i značaj ovog albuma. 5/10 dosta sam indiferentan al nije mi ni nešto posebno loše. Možda da sam više puta uspio čut.
Dosta kul 😁 čisto da presječemo malo neke očite bendove dosad. Realno, mini me je ovaj djir puno više cjenila (znala sam za njih ali nisam aktivno slušala), ali druga stvar mi je jebena i baš mi nekako paše sad. Ali nije ni čudo pošto iz panka izničem. Još par stvari mi je skroz okej kroz album (Private Life npr. dosta dobra isto). Dosta tragična bendovska priča. Iako podržavam ovaj switch nakon jučerašnjeg mučenja, za ovaj album mi je malo teško reći zašto se našao na ovoj listi. Ona je, čini mi se, više poznata po svim drugim angažmanima i pokušajima. Ocjena 3 (ili 5.5). Još čekam svoje velike 4 ili 5 (7-10) nakon Beatlesa.
5/10 Donekle buntovnicki rock sa zenskim vokalom, sto mi je super u cijeloj prici ali nazalost nije mi uspio naci svoj identitet kroz cijeli album. Gitara zna biti zanimljiva na par trenutaka ali generalno mi fali svega ostalog. Malo je i pankerski pa nije za ocekivati neki bogati i raznovrsni zvuk ali prekilava mi je ta njihova energija. Cini mi se da je ovo jedan od onih albuma koji ne sjeda nuzno na prvu i s vremenom postaje bolji, ali nije mi puno pruzio ni na prvo slusanje. Blaga dosada jebiga. Ne bi digao ruke od njih i zanima me sto su kasnije radili ali ovo mi je tipican primjer mjuze koja svira u bircu i mozak samo percipira da nije u potpunosti tisina. Jedina numera koja mi se pomalo svidjela je Private Life, iz razloga sto neodoljivo podsjeca na EKV-ov Geto i Kad Krenem Ka (odnosno te '84. kad su ih izdali su se zvali Katarina II, jedan od drazih exyu albuma btw) gdje su si posudili neke elemente i napravili svoje, puno bolje stvari po uzoru na ovu. I Brass In Pocket mi je ajd malo konkretnija u odnosu na ostatak. Vec pricam o drugom bendu tako da je ovo zijevanje. Isto tako, cekam da Blondie iz ovih godina dodje na red, malo za usporedbu.
Lowest of 3s, but wasn’t bad enough for a 2
Fairly melodic punk/new wave sounds with good vocals, some cool guitar sounds, a propulsive beat, but not much stands out in the songwriting stakes. The Kinks 'Stop Your Sobbing' seems an odd choice of cover, but it does share a radio friendly listenability with the rest of the album.
Was ok, kinda punky poppy vibes was enjoyable
Good but not great (apart from 'Brass in Pocket' which is great)
Here's what you need to know: It's OK.
It's a listenable album, nothing offensive, good rhythm. I did struggle to understand many of the lyrics, I'm not sure if they were nonsensical or it was Chrissie Hynde's vocal style.
I was familiar with the album, but hadn't listened to it start to finish. Glad I did. Found some really great surprises, like Space Invader and The Wait. I've always liked Brass in Pocket. Makes me want to listen to other Pretenders albums.
Bueno
Was surprised by the many odd time signature songs in the album. Not a typical pop album. Other than a couple of songs, can't say I really enjoyed the album
This got better and better as the album went on. Good listen. I enjoyed some parts a fair bit. I could see a relisten. I wasn't wowed but this has some solid work
So much Newwave on this list. Okay, this one is more of a Rock and Roll album, with some 1960s sound. This is fine, but feels they could be better. The vocals aren't the strongest. Kind of curious about what else they have to offer.
2nd half of the album is so much better than the 1st. Low 3*
10/09/2024 It was okay.
somewhat ok
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR (vegan) Artwork: ⬛🟥⬛⬛ Mix: 😲🙂👌 Musik: 🙃🔥🤷♂️ Wertung: 🎭🎭🎭/5
3.5 I think. This sure is an album and it sure is pretty decent
Not too bad, but not really for me.
Aside from the radio hits, I don't think I've ever really listened to the Pretenders, so it's nice to get a full album of their music. It's not really my thing, and wasn't at the time either (or at least a few years after the release, when I had at least a hope of musical preference if not taste), but I like it that Chrissie Hynde wrote most of the (non-cover) songs, and the A-side has a bit more edge than later new wave music (including their later stuff); the B-side definitely has a strange Police vibe to it. I think the most interesting songs to me were "Precious", "Brass in Pocket", and "Mystery achievement" (so mainly the radio hits). Kind of a bummer that their main single on the album is a Kinks cover ("Stop your sobbing"), as I want them to have made a splash on their own craftwork (but it's a decent cover, and pretty cool that it ended up getting Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde together, and even a little sobbing baby to boot). And what a bummer about the short-lived lives of half of the band not that long after this album came out...
This is the only Pretenders album I've ever listened to and it was all I ever wanted to listen to. Their cover of Stop Your Sobbing is my favorite song on the album, and Private Life isn't bad, but Grace Jones's cover is better. Brass in Pocket is also pretty good but in general I'm not a big fan--just not as good as I want it to be.
There was it's highs (Stop Your Sobbing, Lovers of Today, Brass in Pocket) but for me it is rather limonade rock than real rock.
A 1979 "combination of rock, punk and pop music" with vocals that, during "The Wait", made me look up Adriano Celentano's "Prisencolinensinainciusol" for a comparison and then a good amount of frumpy, stale guitar solos? I was ready to give this a 2 but in its whole, especially, then, the second half - and in songs like Kid or Lovers of Today - it's such a playfully weird, mixed bag of sounds and possibly influences that I can't say it didn't hold my interest. Will I wish to listen to this album again? No, but it neither offended nor bored me.
This is where I learn the Pretenders are more than just Brass in Pocket. It's a good album, band is great and songs are catchy.
Ok not great
The vocalist has a unique voice and I like listening to music with a strong female presence. The album reminds me of something you might listen to while at a dive bar in the desert during the middle of the day. Favorites: - Private Life - Brass in Pocket - Mystery Achievement
Pretty mixed album but overall pretty decent 3.1 stars
Pretty good, I recognized “Brass in Pocket” from the movie “Lost in Translation”, so it got some points for that. But overall I wanted to enjoy it more than I did.
I liked it
Chrissie Hynde is just so damn cool. Her vocals and attitude were definitely the highlight of this album. The band is great, and at their best when sounding Ramones-ish, but ultimately they struggled to grab me often enough. Brass in Pocket gets its due via radio play and otherwise, and rightfully so. The lead off track is where it’s at though… PRECIOUS!
A mixed bag of stuff. Brass in my Pocket is probably the song I’ve heard the most outside of later releases.
I've never heard this album before. The first side of the album is such a punk statement from a female perspective. Really ballsy stuff. The hits show up later on the album. I've never been a huge Chrissie Hynde fan, so only giving the album 3 stars...but this album definitely deserves to be on the list. "Lust turns to anger A kiss to a slug Something was sticky On your shag rug, look at the tile 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"
Notable tracks: The Wait, Kid, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement
“The Cars” came out about a year before this and I think the two albums are very similar. Both debuts; both straddling punk, new wave and pop; and most importantly, both so incredibly cool. The difference being that “The Cars” had like six all-time classic new wave songs on it and this “only” has three. I prefer “Learning to Crawl” to this album, but I prefer “Learning to Crawl” to most albums, so that’s hardly a knock on this one. The Pretenders had just enough punk in their pop to make it interesting, but they always seemed to know they were making pop music. For Chrissie Hynde’s voice to be as distinctive as it is, it always surprises me how different the Pretenders sound from song to song, and I think that’s because they were so eclectic in their sound. They were unafraid to incorporate any genre that brought something positive to their songs. This is a great debut album by a great band.
cool style, nice energy, a bit generic overall
It's not bad, but I definitely don't see the hype. I sound like perfectly standard early-80's New Wave to me. I guess I had to be there. Key tracks: Precious Brass in Pocket
The Pretenders' debut album is a raw and straightforward rock and roll affair with minimal studio embellishments. Initially, it didn't excite me much, but I’ve grown to appreciate it for its unvarnished approach. The vocals are prominently mixed, which sometimes overshadows the band’s collective impact, but the songs themselves are solid. While the mixing can feel a bit rough, it aligns with the punk aesthetic where less can be more and benefits from loud listening. Despite several attempts to connect with the band in the past, this recent listen surprisingly won me over by the end. "Brass in Pocket" stands out, partly due to its memorable use in one of my favorite movies, Lost in Translation. “Mystery Achievement” is a banger of a closer with it’s building intensity and crushing added layers.
It was alright - in my head I thought they were going to burst into 500 Miles but then I remembered that was the proclaimers.
This was pretty good. More interesting than I thought it would be. After hearing Brass in Pockets so many times when I was young I pretty much wrote the Pretenders off