| | Full Review | Ratings (159) |
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| 4.0 excellent | Erwann S. STAFF | April 17th 20 |
Punk rock, pop rock? Bit of both, but rock is its main attribute. It's like 80s hard rock with punk attitude and pop hooks sung by a relentless woman who didn't give the single shit. Pretenders were essential but stuck between different trends: not always catchy enough for their music to be new wave, having too much attitude for poppy new wave and not enough of a bite to be truly punk. They still merge these influences perfectly with this hell of a record led by Chrissie Hynde's amazing vocals.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | Robbit | November 13th 16 |
The Pretenders debut album bristles with such kinetic energy even three decades after its original release. Musically, they
created their own brand of brash, punky hard rock, while incorporating a melodic sensibility that helped their musical hooks
become so tasty and resonant. The chemistry of the original Pretenders lineup (Hynde with Honeyman-Scott, Farndon &
Chambers) made for a perfect musical marriage.
Chrissie Hynde may have been a reluctant and self conscious rock star when she originally made this album, but her
songwriting and overall performance provided the X-factor that makes this album so powerful. She combines an often sneering
rock & roll attitude with sexually aggressive lyrics ("Precious" and "Tattooed Love Boys"), while still baring her softer,
more vulnerable side on the ballads ("Stop Your Sobbing" and "Lovers Of Today"). Her warbling vibrato is smooth and
engaging on these songs. Chrissie's excellent songwriting and tough chick attitude would influence countless female Indie
rockers to follow in her footsteps.
This original lineup of The Pretenders would sadly be cut short after two albums after the dismissal of Pete Farndon,
followed by both his and Jimmy Scott's tragic drug overdoses within the space of a year. This outstanding debut album
remains a bittersweet testament to the potency of Chrissie's collaboration with these very talented young men. I've
listened to this album more times than I can count and it never grows tiresome to me. One of my favorite Rock albums of all
time.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | random | August 24th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | perival | June 25th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Bren80 | August 2nd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | CRX | December 30th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lucman | September 30th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Denis | February 26th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | bobbart | November 24th 19 |
| 3.5 great | solrage | September 10th 19 |
| 2.0 poor | vil1 | September 8th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | kb3984 | August 3rd 19 |
| 3.5 great | igi78 | March 19th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | dunnope | November 15th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Josh | October 20th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ankit | May 16th 17 |
| 1.5 very poor | old | June 18th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | jsegura | January 19th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | F1Aaron | September 27th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | aguzman | December 7th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | DrDom | October 24th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | QMan72 | June 20th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | TwigTW | February 12th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Mac666 | November 29th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Steedo | March 12th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | bonus | December 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | mistercb | September 26th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | KaliMa | June 29th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Muzix | May 25th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | cvrcmrc | September 1st 10 |
| 3.5 great | bab808 | August 24th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Iai EMERITUS | March 13th 10 |
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