The music of the Pretenders has endured for about three decades now and there are plenty of reasons why including the fact that they seamlessly blended punk, new wave and radio friendly pop. That feat is all well and good, but when Chrissie Hynde’s sassy vocals sidled up to James Honeyman Scott’s guitar licks – that was truly the sweet spot for not only the Pretenders, but also for the pop music of the day.
Enjoying a re-release, the band’s self-titled album showcases a bunch of precious players who were steadily on their way. Their cover of Ray Davies “Stop Your Sobbing” still plays like malt shop doo wop with a perfect punk edge. Hynde may have been one of the 80s fierce rocker girls, but here she plays Brenda Lee with a touch of the Ronettes and it works like a charm. The band was also trying out their power pop chops with songs like “Mystery of Achievement” and “Brass in Pocket” which was a major hit in both the UK and US. “Kid” is still a killer track that aches with a cool sense of false bravado.
The re-release also comes with a second disc that offers 16 tracks worth of demos and live tracks. Not all are revolutionary or noteworthy, but the original demo of “Brass in Pocket” definitely deserves a mention. While the version that made it onto the album was full of sexy swagger, the original demo plays more like a lament from a wallflower high school girl who sighs after the captain of the football team. Just take the confident “I’m Special!” refrain of the official release. Originally, it was a plaintive “You’re special!”. Both versions have their own message to convey, but Hynde and her bandmates hit on the motto of the yuppie Me decade when they opted for “I” over “You’re”.
The Pretenders have endured a number of deaths and line-ups over the years, but check out this disc to hear them at their best. |