Pretenders

I also love it when this project forces me to listen to artists of whom I'm always saying, "I should listen to them more." Pretenders are one such artist.

5/5 - Really easy 5 for me. One banger after another. Love Chrissie's style. The groove is so good. If I saw a band in a bar today that sounded like The Pretenders on this debut, I'd be blown away.

Chrissie Hynde is the coolest! She has a strong and unique voice. She writes her own music and she hung out with the Sex Pistols. She then went on to form the Pretenders and the rest is history. I've known the Pretenders for years from their singles, but never listened to a whole album. This is more sophisticated than the average punk-pop-rock album. There's lots of variety and it's all very easy on the ears. Liked Songs Added: The Phone Call Stop Your Sobbing Brass In Pocket

OKish

Another one I’m eager to listen to again, but as for this inaugural listen I particularly enjoyed the second half

1.8/5 I didn't really like her voice that much so it detracted from my listening experience somewhat

Fun loving rockers launching an 80s style career.

I was at a shortage of rock bands with female leads- so glad I came across this. I def need to give it a few more good listens

A nice record to listen to. It has a couple of stronger, but the rest feels mostly like filler.

bom...

Oh, that’s who this band is! Yeah, I’ve heard a bunch of their singles before. Light, jangly 80’s pop rock is always welcome. Adding a bunch to my playlist right now.

Like the record cover, with the years this has become a bit beige.

So unfortunately I thought most of this album was pretty ass, it just mostly didnt sound good. There was one single song worth a damn, so that saves it from a one star

nunca lo escuche completo y simplemente delicioso

meh 🫤

Pretty standard early 1980s stuff. Not what I usually listen to but I can see why this kind of music was popular back then. Pretty cool guitar, great melodies and the vocalist has a really nice voice. :3

Chrissie Hynde is such a badass, and this is an excellent album. It's not five material for reasons I can't fully articulate, but probably because it falls somewhere between thrash metal and Americana, and is maybe just a bit too new wave-adjacent for my tastes. Nonetheless, I thought the whole was great and I'm glad we listened to it.

Very solid throughout. The guitar riff on The Wait is the shit.

Chrissie Hynde has a distinctive voice that I really dig, and I think she's cool as all hell. A handful of the songs don't work for me but overall this is great. The fantastic Cuban Slide, the first of the extra tracks on the rerelease, bumps this to 5 for me.

Yes yes yes yeah!!!!!!!!

3.5 but rounded up for Brass in Pocket

Det er ret hyggeligt, og man kan virkelig høre nogle inspirationer andre steder fra, og sikkert også andre, der har trukket lidt inspirationer herfra. Det er dog ikke noget, der kommer til at sidde fast i hovedet på mig, og jeg synes egentlig, at albums som disse plejer at have én eller to bangers, som man kan genkende for evigt. Det er der ikke her for mig, og derfor glider det her album nok også lidt ud i forglemmelsen på et tidspunkt 3.6

Meh it's fine enough

Outstanding first album! So many great albums in the late 70s just before MTV came in and narrowed the creativity.

Very surprising, amazing music !

The Pretenders' debut album marked something of a watershed moment between the decades. It’s not just about the release timing — late December 1979 in the US versus early January 1980 in the UK. The genre mix is ​​eclectic, too: classic punk rock and new wave — defining the end of the 70s — sit alongside the nascent sounds of college rock and jangle pop. And this is a case where the attempt to cover too much ground didn't quite work. The band veers wildly from style to style: one moment there are energetic punk guitar riffs, the next, cozy new-wave melodies; then, suddenly, an almost seven-minute reggae track, followed by a mechanical instrumental... Chrissie Hynde’s vocal delivery — bordering on spoken word — won't be to everyone's taste, either. All in all, while the playing is solid, it remains unclear exactly what the band wanted to focus on. It’s a decent album, but it left me with the feeling that I’d just listened to a "lite" version of Blondie.

An outstanding debut. One of the best albums of the 80s. An innovative mix of post-punk, new wave, and classic rock.

(Light to Solid 8/10) A very fun debut LP! It's got a great blend of punk attitude with pop sensibilities. The musicianship is tasteful and proficient and Chrissie Hynde is a phenomenal frontwoman who stands out wonderfully, especially for the time. I don't have too much to say outside of this just being a great time.

mid

Never my thing

Really liked this, soft cool Indy rock

Really enjoyed this one

Easy 4.5 for me.

Uneven, as most debut albums are. Brass in Pocket and Mystery Achievement were highlights for me. You can see the promise and the direction that they were heading towards

Great stuff

(5/7) women in punk

Honestly, it's kind of cool to see The Pretenders' self-titled debut here. They're another group I was introduced to early on, thanks to "Tattooed Love Boys" being included in the Guitar Hero II soundtrack. Plus, "Brass in Pocket" is still a bop whenever I hear it on FM radio. How does the rest of the album stack up? Well, it's apparent from the get-go with the opening run of "Precious", "Phone Call", "Up the Neck", and "Tattooed Love Boys" that the band's early sound was defined by kinetic new wave meets power pop music. Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott traded delicious guitar riffs while Martin Chambers and Pete Farndon kept the rhythms tight, even with the changing time signatures. Hell, the full band got to show their amazing chops with the instrumental "Space Invader", with its thumping bassline, playful guitar licks, and touching use of sound effects from the titular arcade game. For most of the record, Chrissie delivered her stories of sex, anger, and fervent desires for freedom in her contralto range with an ethereal coolness, while still comfortably offering a vulnerable performance in the middle on cuts like The Kinks' "Stop Sobbing" and "Kid". It's impressive how well she modulated between both sides, to the point that those sides come together beautifully on the strident "Brass in Pocket". That said, if one aspect of this album is holding me back a bit, it's the pacing. It's apparent in the second half with the whiplash alternation between the longer, sentimental tracks "Private Life" and "Lovers of Today" and the shorter, hard-hitting bops "Brass in Pocket" and "Mystery Achievement", even if I feel that "Mystery Achievement" is an effective closer and "Private Life" is a neat deviation into spacious reggae rock. I'd also be remiss not to mention that the cover of The Kinks' "Stop Sobbing" stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the tracklist. I usually think Nick Lowe is a solid producer given his work with Elvis Costello & the Attractions, but on this one, the guitar overdubbing was irritating in the mix. Thankfully, Chris Thomas did a much better job for the rest of the record. Overall, this was a solid debut, showcasing a lot of potential for the band. Unfortunately, tragedy struck not long after its release, as James Honeymoon-Scott and Pete Farndon would both die from their respective drug problems, leaving Chrissie and Martin to essentially rework The Pretenders into a completely different band from Learning to Crawl onward. I can only imagine what could have been had the original iteration of the band continued for just a little more.

Well that was eye opening! My only knowledge of The Pretenders was "I'll Stand By You" and "Where Has Everybody Gone" from The Living Daylights soundtrack. I was not prepared for the punk energy of this album and loved it!

nothing special

Maybe I wasn't in the right place for this album, but it didn't grab me like I thought it would. Song good songs in here, but it didn't stick out to me. Rating: 5/10 Favorite Song: Brass in Pocket

Incredible album that I've never heard of before. This is why we're here. Great stuff. Personal shout-outs are "Space Invaders", "The Wait", "Brass in Pocket", and "Mystery Achievement". 8/10

disappointing

Back half saves this album

Back half makes this listenable

It all sounded pretty similar, but kind of bland. Some ok songs not my favorite

Pretty decent actually

Not the best but not the worst either. I like it but it also has moments of repetition or just meh for me.

The great Pretenders

It's fine.

#484/1001. I don't find comparisons between Pretenders and Blondie valid since the first has a singer with black hair and the latter a singer with blonde hair. How more far apart could they be?

The Pretenders were a great group. Christie Hyde is one of the cool chicks of rock and roll. This is their first album. It is a pleasure to listen to such a good album. I forgot how good it was. Christie Hyde is such a good singer. She has attitude galore. The Pretenders are such a good tight band. The guitar player is particularly good. Lots of hooks in his playing. All of the songs are good on this album. Precious is a great opener. Stop your sobbing is a great Kinks’ cover. Kid is another killer song. Wonderful lyrics. Brass in the Pocket has a reggae influence. You can understand why it was such a big hit. This is a fantastic album. Five stars.

Only the big hit stood out, and probably more because I recognised it than it being a great track. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good track - and the best on the album - but by the time it had gone on I think I’d already zoned out from the blandness and only the recognition of it brought me back. Shame it was three tracks from the end… although saying that I think I immediately zoned out the remaining two tracks and only realised when my playlist started playing something else and me thinking… “oh, this is quite a good one…” only to realise it was no longer The Pretenders.

I was excited to listen to this but it never really hooked me. brass in pocket just pulls this up to three points

Great late 70s punk rock album!

Bastante mejor de lo que pensé en la voz de ella es muy buena entre

Nothing too special for me.

Eh just nothing of note

At the beginning of the 80s you could hear a lot of interesting stuff. I quite like this.

more punky than the hit Brass in Pocket. good solid album.

Totally and completely uninteresting.

Dang, I never realised I haven't actually chosen to listen to the pretenders before I always heard other people talk about them and assumed I must have listened, now having listened, I get the buzz they have lead singers got the nice rock confidence, and never hurts to look kind of like Debbie harry

Boring.

While the Pretenders aren't bad and are listenable in most cases, for the most part, the album does not speak to me.

Pleasantly surprised, actually. I knew Chrissie was a badass but this was actually quite good.

Absolutely bizarre to be listening to this album full of almost-punk and suddenly get T-boned by the most Shania Twain-sounding track ever. It speaks to the really strange genre Venn diagram of Chrissie Hynde- someone who apparently played with the Sex Pistols and the Clash, has a song produced by Nick Lowe and also created a song like 'Brass Pockets'. This is pretty assured for a debut. The first four songs sound like they were trying to fit in with trends, but starting at track 5, with an instrumental of all things, the album really opens up, revealing songwriting, guitar work and vocal turns that are surprising and really far ahead of their time (with an able assist from the Kinks and the exception of a cheap Police rip-off). I really had no history with this band, which is the shame- it's absolutely the kind of music that never got played on Texas radio.

Love!

Album 329. Pretenders — Pretenders (1979) It's solid new wave. Some good, some absolutely forgettable and a pinch of hit. Strong combination for rating somewhere in the middle 3/5 Liked: — Space Invader — Brass in Pocket — Mystery Achievement

Could not get into The Pretenders. Felt kind of repetitive. The lyrics were lazy. The only thing I liked about it was the surf rock guitar on some of the songs. Other than that, for the most part it was just kind of there the whole time I was listening. Rating: 2/10 Stars: 1/5

Pretenders - Pretenders (1980) Was kind of looking forward to this as it had Brass in Pocket on it. It was all ok, a bit lacking in tunes in places. I won’t be back but it wasn’t offensive. A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️

liked it, not incredibly special, but I will be listening to it again <3

Adding this to my rotation

Good to hear this, I’ve never owned a Pretenders album, which in itself is quite remarkable- I do love Chrissie Hinds music, and the fact she lost band members toDrugs, she has my respect. I didn’t realise she wrote “Private life”, I’d only heard it by Grace Jones” 🙌🕺🏻

I liked a lot of this but am confused by some of the long tracks on here. Private life really drags for me. 3/4 of the final songs being >5 minutes doesn't stick the landing for me.

This is what I think of when I think about a great garage band. Guys who can play their instrument, a cool girl with an unusual singing style. A lot of vibes. But it’s still forming. They have all the elements but they don’t really know what to do with them all yet.

oli junnaava se on hyvä sana. nälkä on. tämä pahentaa sitä. semmonen aneeminen (sori). (mulla on anemia sain tietää).

Parhaimmillaan tosi hyvä, mut huonoimmillaan vähän turhan junnaava. Biisit oli mun makuun turhan pitkiä niiden sisältöön nähden. Tunnustan myös että mulla saatto olla shuffle päällä osan levystä, joten voipi olla että palaan päivittään tätä toisen kuuntelun jälkeen.

No nyt on posti punkkia miun makkuu! Muutama biisi meni ennen kuin sain kiinni et mikä bändi - joskin entuudestaan tuttuja lähinnä kovimmat hitit. Mut toimi loistavasti siis 😍 Sain joskus lapsena porukoilta lahjaksi kokoelmalevyn ”It's Only Rock 'N' Roll... But We Like It! - Virgin Radio Vol 1.” ja siinä oli ”Don't Get Me Wrong” mikä on kyllä kova ralli! Tais olla mun ekoja CD-levyjä se.

Taustalle jäi tämä, vaikka kuuntelin useampaan kertaan. Muistutti etäisesti jostain, muttei tarpeeksi. Mut ei ollu offensive, ajoittain meneväkin, eli kai se 2,5 tähteä saa ja pyöristyy kolmeen.

Honestly, a pleasant surprise! Good, fun rock n' roll with some teeth behind it.

Good rythms and lead guitar work on this one. But the voice has an interesting technique. It slaloms around the long notes and I don't know if I like that. I saw them live a couple years ago and I don't remember this bothering me then.

I haven’t explored beyond the hits before - enjoying this one!

Catchy songs that will keep me coming back.

Kid

3.8 A lot of songs that I can dig, so very consistent but a not anything too crazy.

Punk excellence.

Rock royalty.

If your view of Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders is based on the big ballad hits - Brass in Pocket, Hymn to Her, I go to Sleep, I'll Stand Beside You - then the punk energy of the beginning and the first five songs of this album is going to come as a shock. All snarling vocals and furious guitars with tricky rhythms and time signatures It runs out of steam towards the end, but it's a great first half.

Qué se yo. Está bien. No me rompió la cabeza. Algunos buenos temas. Ya se venía extrañando la guitarra eléctrica por acá. 5/10

I didn't pay much attention to The Pretenders in the 80s, as I was more into hair bands. Listening now, I enjoy punk / new wave more.

I do appreciate getting a female singer every now and then in this very male-focused list.

I like it. I was thinking I wasn't going to know any of these but I do know Brass in Pocket from the radio when I was young. It seemed to start off more punky which I liked more though.

I thought I was in for generic 80’s pop, but this was great! Really fun and energetic punky new wave. Also I didn’t know “Brass in Pocket”, which I would’ve guessed was called “I’m Special” or something, was by this band. Just very enjoyable, I don’t know what else to add to this.

They were a largely British band, but their lead singer, Chrissie Hynde, was from my hometown.

A pretty wild mix of pop and punk, leaning more towards pop than anything. They've got such a killer vocalist it really helps sell the rest of the album. There's a lot of complexity thrown into this musically. The rhythms, the drumming, the guitar work all really work well together to give a crunchiness to the sound, but with the pop sensibilities it really stands out as its own thing. I've never really listened to the Pretenders before, and now I'm bummed at what I've been missing. I didn't love all the songs, but I did enjoy the fun edginess that signifies punk music throughout the lyrics.

Brass money

the first 3 pretenders are required listening. this may be my favorite, but it's too hard to choose

Very good debut album. Strong songs, Sparkling guitars

I just love Christie Hyde. Her voice, her presence is just so effortlessly cool. Even the songs I didn’t love still hit for me. 5/5

Doesn't know whether its new wave or punk and the songs aren't enough to carry the contrived vocals

Brass in Pocket is one hell of a song, the vocals are extraordinary and the guitar lines are so lush! Fancy the vibe of the vibrant "The Wait" aswell, the walking bass is superb. Can really imagine how this was the bomb in 1980!