Loose Screw

The Pretenders

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 12, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artemis Records
• ASIN: B00006LHXF
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,814 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Chrissie Hynde very rarely loses her cool, but on Loose Screw, the Pretenders' first studio album since 1999's Viva el Amour, she lets her anger and sense of betrayal rip, no doubt fueled by her recent break-up with her husband, Colombian sculptor Lucho Brieva. Hynde sinks her teeth into her material from the angular, anxious first cut, snarling her way through "Lie to Me," a play-by-play account of marital discord and emotional treachery. The CD is almost a song cycle centering around heartbreak, as Hynde moves on to self-recrimination ("Complex Person"), explicit pain ("I Should Of"), poetic sadness ("Nothing Breaks Like a Heart"), and revenge ("Fools Must Die"), showing more naked vulnerability than she has in her entire career. But before you get worried that this steely rock goddess is losing her edge, she emerges with teeth bared in a cover of Jarvis Cocker's sultry sexual challenge, "Walk Like a Panther." Seldom do you get to see an artist exorcise her pain in public with such poise and fearlessness. Pretender guitarist Adam Seymour cowrote most of the songs with Hynde, but that's not the only place where his talents lie. His subtle and understated guitar work is a perfect foil for Hynde. --Jaan Uhelszki

Product Description
Loose Screw is the first album from the Pretenders since 1999's Viva el Amor and the group's 8th studio effort overall. The band's line-up remains the same as it was for the recording of the Viva and Last of the Independents LPs.

Produced and mixed by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby (Finley Quaye, Ziggy Marley, del Amitri), many of the songs on the album incorporate reggae-tinged rhythms, including the first single, "Complex Person". Hynde co-wrote all tracks on the album, except for the cover of "Walk Like A Panther" (a UK hit for DJ collective All Seeing I, co-written and originally sung by Pulp's Jarvis Cocker).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hynde's Catharsis is our Gain, November 12, 2002

By	Jim Jenkins "Executive Coach and Inspiration ... (Near Washington DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders have produced a song cycle that's easy to tap into if you've ever had a relationship go bad and finally figured out that you're actually okay! Chrissie Hynde has never sounded better--in fact, she's much like one of her own musical heroes--Emmylou Harris--and a bottle of fine wine; the older she gets, the more her talent evolves. True, she's not lashing out in an angry way like "Tattooed Love Boys" or "Pack It Up" from the early days, but she's still got a seductive prowl about her, and you can't deny that hers is a voice that simply commands you to attention.
I've loved the band since their infamous debut, and it's nice to see Chrissie's vision still playing out in a well-balanced set of songs.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kinda Nice, I Like It, December 10, 2002

By	Jason Stein (Chula Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Seldom do you hear an artist admit their faults, but Chrissie Hynde boldly puts any masks or defenses aside to get to her issues on "Loose Screw". What's more, Hynde and band decided to go with a slight reggae feel to this cd. This choice has an interesting effect of offsetting the sometimes brutally honest lyrics. What sums up this cd is a light and airy feel with cynical and sometimes sarcastic looks at relationships and love. I don't know how many failed relationships Ms. Hynde has had, but to document her most recent failure is a testament to her courage to self-analysis in the public eye. Instead of going to therapy, Ms. Hynde goes into the recording studio. Key tracks: "Lie To Me", "Complex Person", "Fools Must Die", "Kinda Nice, I Like It", "I Should Of" and "Clean Up Woman".

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Been a while..., November 15, 2002

By	"jimmycokes" (New York City) - See all my reviews

...since I listened to the Pretenders. They sort of faded out for me in the late 80's, and I didn't care for their 90's stuff, even "Stand by You." Well, it looks like I came back at the right time. "Loose Screw" isn't the same sound they had in the early 80's, but that's not a bad thing. The band has managed to reinvent themselves without [fouling] up what they already had - namely Chrissie Hynde's powerful vocals and their ability to rock like few of today's sorry acts can. "Loose Screw" is the kind of Rock n' Roll that everyone else seems afraid of these days. It warms my heart to see the old guard showing the young turks how it's done. This album rocks.