Customer Reviews

Viva El Amor

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was not in the least dissapointed. I am tired of people taking the p... out of Chrissie Hynde because they keep expecting the early years all over again. What is it with these people, do they expect David Bowie to give us Ziggy Stardust at 50+ years? Iggy, to cut his chest with glass and smear peanut butter on his chest? Now, CH to me is in a class of contemporary singers and songwriters that I admire such as Elvis Costello, Scott Walker, Nick Cave and John Cale. She has maintained her integrity and by no means does she look foolish still doing it. Viva el Amor! is a classy record by all pop standards. The writing is tight and to the point and the vocals are amazing, almost effortless in delivery. Her last studio creation, "Last of the Independents" felt like a patchwork of half baked (no pun!)ideas, a last ditch effort to regain some weird rock 'n' roll glory from years gone by, no doubt fueled by music industry slime. It failed as a cohesive work while Viva flows! The new CD is clearly the work of someone finally grounded after a very tumultuous career. After all, people like Dionne Warwick, Scott Walker and Dusty Springfield have been heralded years after their prime, by many music fans and critics longing to look back to the past for substance. In an age of music that is so heavily steeped in irony I can guarentee that CH will be remembered for her unique soulfulness and her gorgeous songs. Viva el La Hynde!

Okay, so I admit that it took me awhile to buy this one. I was intrigued by the "Human" single after hearing it as the theme to the much-too-short-lived ABC show "Cupid", but not enough to rush out and buy it. It was months later when I saw it on sale that I bought it on a whim. Having now heard every album the Pretenders have recorded, this stands alongside LEARNING TO CRAWL as Chrissie and the gang's finest efforts. I really could just gush about this CD for hours, but here's what you really need to know:

This CD is solid from beginning to end. No filler, no lame ducks. If I could buy each of you a copy of this disc, I would, but I can't. That would cost a lot of money. Besides, I don't even know you. Buy your own copy, ya moocher! You can thank me later.

While most girl rockers manage to stay at the top of the heap for twenty minutes, Chrissie Hynde has held on to the title "queen of the hill" for twenty years. She's a reliable composer, exciting singer, and handles a guitar with the gentleness of rose petal (Samurai), and the power of a steamroller (Nails In The Road). Viva El Amor contains twelve terrific self-penned tracks ranging from Pink Cotton Candy Pop (Human) to down-and-dirty rock (Baby's Breath). Chrissie is a rocker's dream come true: she'll take you out behind the barn, give you a soft kiss and break you heart (From The Heart Down); or take you behind the barn and kick you tail (Legalize Me). Unlike most porcelain female singers who wouldn't dare be caught dead with a hair out of place, Chrissie sweats like a real person: something unfathomable on MTV's pristine videos. `Legalize Me' is as hot as a stolen SUV. My favorites include the sixties Girl Group Pop single `Human.' The song brings back fond memories of the Cookies and the Chiffons. `Who's Who' is also a sunny Jangle Pop track - check the dB's-like gorgeous rhythm guitars.

Two decades after she first strapped on a Fender guitar, Chrissie's lyrics don't sound at all like those of an angry teenager, and they shouldn't. Forty year old teenagers are a pathetic lot. Chrissie is a mature woman - and so are her songs. In `Popstar' she exclaims "they don't make `em like they used to." I agree - few rockers today can hold a candle to Chrissie Hynde. Granted, Viva El Amor is not my favorite Pretenders' album, but it sure beats the pants off ninety percent of the music available.

and in some ways, better. I resisted buying this CD for the first couple of months after it came out; now I don't know why (perhaps a residual hangover from "Last of the Independents", an okay album with a few good songs). I needn't have worried. From "Popstar" to "Biker" and everything in between, "Viva El Amor!" is simply a great album, one that, with the test of time, may become one of their classics. "Human", the first designated single, sounds almost like a Marshall Crenshaw song and recalls the early Beatles (as in "There's a Place"). "Baby's Breath" is probably, or should be, the next single. It features the best pop chorus I've heard in a long time and a striking image..."Why did you send me roses/Save them for someone's death/The love you had to offer/Is only baby's breath." Absolutely perfect. Chrissie is one great songwriter (but we already knew that, right?). She writes songs for both the long haul and the spiritual home-run and several of these are among her very best. Other standouts include "Nails in the Road" and the aforementioned "Biker." The band itself hasn't sounded better since the first two albums, very tight and energetic. For those who think the Pretenders' best work was behind them years ago, "Viva El Amor!" should give ample food for thought. It is terrific.

This CD is, like most later Pretenders material, both a treat and a disappointment. Some reviews here call it their best recording since "Learning to Crawl". I wouldn't go that far, but it is certainly their best since "Packed". The music may be more tightly played or better produced than anything since "Learning to Crawl", but it lacks the consistency of "Packed", both in quality and in its variety of musical styles. There seem to be divergent opinions here as to which songs are best, but a loose consensus that there are several songs you'll enjoy and several you won't. Personally, I think "Popstar", "From The Heart Down", "Baby's Breath", and "One More Time" are the only keepers, but they're enough to make me glad I bought this CD.

"Popstar" is a catchy pop song with great lyrical and musical hooks that make for a good listen, but the theme is of limited interest, and when you take Chrissie Hynde's magnificent ability to be scathing and put it behind accusing someone of eating red meat, a great talent is being wasted a bit. "Human" is a light pop song reminiscent of songs on "Packed". "From the Heart Down" is a gorgeous slow love song that's among her best. The CD is largely downhill from there. "Nails in the Road" is a musically pleasing slow rocker, with well-written verses, but the nails-in-the-road metaphor in the chorus borders on silly, the "tires about to explode" line perhaps crossing the border. "Who's Who" is bubblegum-light pop, and Chrissie does such songs well, e.g. "Don't Get Me Wrong". The bitter lyrics here just don't match the sweet sound. "Dragway 4z" is a mediocre slow rocker with modal moments that faintly echo the beautiful "Tradition of Love". (This is not an endorsement of the disappointing "Get Close"; several songs on this CD are just reminiscent of songs on that one).

"Baby's Breath" is one of the better songs here, with a catchy chorus and a metaphor that does work well. The verses are weaker, and this is another enjoyable but disposable pop song that is almost too clever. Like several other reviewers, I'd say that's a weakness of many of the songs here - they sometimes seem overly crafted, overly clever. "One More Time" is a 60's-style soul song reminiscent of "Chill Factor". I agree with the reviewer who singles this one out for amazingly passionate singing, with Ms. Hynde playing it much safer on the other tracks. "Legalise Me" is catchy and captures a bit of the early Pretenders sound, but the Amazon review saying energy levels are taken to "breathtaking heights" seems way over the top; those heights were left behind 20 years ago, and that's OK - it would be foolish to try to reach for them at age 50. I largely agree with a reviewer who felt the final 3 songs could have been left off entirely. "Samurai" is very slow, pretty 80s pop with mediocre lyrics and music. I could have done without the Pretenders accompanied by accordion on "Rabo de Nube", or at least would have preferred the song in a different context - Chrissie Hynde doing an Astrid Gilberto-style album might be pleasant enough, but this song really doesn't fit here. I can't decide about "Biker"; it sounds alternately like an embarrassingly bad cliche or a great closing to me, usually the former.

Hynde and her band are skillful and crafstmanlike on this CD, but are often recycling old sounds and hooks to make new and lesser songs that are enjoyable but ultimately forgettable. There are rare artists who manage to re-invent themselves in interesting ways on and off for decades, many who degenerate into self-parody or oldies bands, and then there are those like Hynde who are workmanlike, continue to create, and continue to please with the same sort of music, relying heavily on their early material. If you want to hear Chrissie Hynde doing new songs in great vocal form, no longer trying to sound like she's 30, you'll likely enjoy "Viva El Amor". If you're looking for truly great new songs or sounds, or haven't been satisfied by other Pretenders albums since the early 80s, "Viva El Amor" may not be for you. This is no "Pretenders" or "Learning to Crawl", it's just Chrissie Hynde making some good music.

"VEA" sounds like '60s garage rock mixed with the band's pop-oriented mid-'80s/early-'90s material, plus a few nods to contemporary electronica. The songs draw from several years of inspiration, and this manifests itself in a slight lack of cohesion and direction - best seen via the lyrics sheet, which is very chaotically arranged. Long-time fans will certainly love "VEA", especially since the band sounds more aggressive and tighter this time. On the other hand, "VEA" also features what had become an album standard for the band: Two great pop singles, here "Popstar" (with some classic vitriolic lyrics) and the calmer "Human". "Who's who" is another uniformly good track, its electronica rhythms and shimmering, understated keyboard melody make it the album's most uplifting composition. The songwriting isn't always as catchy or strong, but the rocky tunes like "Nails in the road" offer enough energy and tension to keep things interesting. "VEA" contains more ballads than your average Pretenders album, however, every time Chrissie stretches for a ballad, she actually misses the mark: She either sounds over-dramatic or fails to come up with good melodies. Since these lackluster songs simply don't stand up to classics like "Brass in pocket" or "2000 miles" and constitute more than a quarter of the disc's running time, they cause this album to lose at least one star. OK, not everything here is a gem, but the album's best moments make this a quite rewarding purchase. Another good album from one of rock music's most reliable bands.

I've been listening to the Pretenders since the beginning. I still think their debut is on a different level from anything else they've recorded, but otherwise this is my favorite. After years of session musicians and changes in style, the Pretenders sound like a cohesive rock band again on this album. The songs are all good and some ("Popstar", "Legalize Me") are first rate.

More consistent in tone and production than the somewhat uneven "Last of the Independents," the CD mixes her edgy style with her mellow, providing one of her most listenable collection of tunes in years.

"Human" the theme from cancelled ABC TV show CUPID, is great to have on disc. "Who's Who" is equally compelling, on the lighter side.

On the darker, Chrissie delivers with punch on "Dragway 42". Plenty of power and angst here, kiddies.

Ultimately, a disc that stands up to considerable replay!

I saw an article about Chrissie Hynde in Interview magazine the other day, in which the author stated, "Like Jimi Hendrix's guitar and Keith Moon's drums, Hynde's voice is one of the most distinctive instruments in rock." I have to agree. Ever since hearing "Precious" jump out of the radio twenty years ago, I've loved her work. Here is my track-by-track breakdown of the new album: 1. "Popstar" - Fantastic intro, blending the shimmering Sixties with the knowing Nineties, not unlike our friend Austin Powers. Then the lyric starts, "So your girlfriend wants to be a popstar, And beat the chunks out of me." The voice-over outro is a crack-up, too. Rating: 9 out of 10. 2. "Human" - What better way to show that no one can touch her pop songcraft, by following up with an absolutely perfect pop tune. Her trademark vibrato shows up near the end to top it all off. Rating: 10. 3. "From the Heart Down" - An achingly pretty "power ballad". The lyric is about her head getting in the way of her heart. Rating: 9. 4. "Nails in the Road" - Straightforward rock. It starts off with a classic strat spank, and features some backing vocal harmonies that would be at home on a Beatles record. Rating: 8. 5. "Who's Who" - The jangly guitars and high background vocal in the intro will remind you of "2000 Miles" . The lyric is yet another put-down of an ex-lover, but not without a dollop of self-castigation as well. Rating: 9. 6. "Dragway 42" - This song is like a ghost ship on a dark night, pitching to and fro on a storm-tossed dream sea. Check out the bridge, which uses the same building sequence as "She's So Heavy" from Abbey Road. Rating: 10. 7. "Baby's Breath" - Another perfect pop song, with its insistent bass line, great lyrics, etc....the complete package. The third line of the refrain always does it to me--it reminds me of a 10,000 Maniacs melody, though I don't remember their stuff affecting me like this. Rating: 10. 8. "One More Time" - Astounding vocal. Rating: 7. 9. "Legalise Me" - Just as much energy as anything from their debut album, with a nod to "Precious" and other outright rockers from their catalog. Also features a wild solo by Jeff Beck. Rating: 10. 10. "Samurai" - A slow one that's supposed to be atmospheric, but just doesn't grab me. Rating: 5. 11. "Rabo De Nube" - A minute-and-a-half Spanish-language love song (at least I think it's a love song--for all I know it could be a restaurant review), with just acoustic guitar and accordion. Pretty enough, but nothing much. Rating: 6. 12. "Biker" - I'm sorry, a slow song with Chrissie singing "You bring out the biker in me" backed by a string quartet, just doesn't make it for me. (Interestingly, part of it sounds sort of like something from Simple Minds, whose lead singer, Jim Kerr, is Hynde's ex-husband.) Rating: 5. All in all, a fantastic CD. Just set your player to repeat tracks 1-9 ad infinitum.

It's too bad the Pretenders aren't still tops of the pops, for this unheralded gem should rank with among their best work. It is certainly the most varied. Chrissie Hynde has always been great for mixing toughness and tenderness. Here she's no different. Her rock and pop sensibilities are certainly also intact.

Chrissie and company show more adeptness here than their fine work 'Last of the Independents'. Experience with the same players brings out the best in the helmswoman and her able band. Here they're power pop perfect on "Human" and "Baby's Breath". Yet, we get both sides of the Chrissie Hynde coin: The former shows her at her most vulnerable, and the latter demonstrates she's not one to be taken lightly. "Who's Who" meets both character traits with a delivery that's nearly pop/rock perfect and more pleasing. There's at least one song with an edginess not appearing anywhere else: "Dragway 42," which adapts alternative like the band invented it. The album almost could be defined as having a Pretenders' "wall of sound," but they don't have the complacency to become formula, either. "Do It One More Time" is a mixed moment. Besides being a hard rock song, it starts with torch nightclubbiness that even increases the eclecticism of this effort. It is substantial, even if Hynde's voice uncharacteristically falters in the refrain. Then, there are spare moments that are accentuated. "My Favorite Samurai" has much more than what the surface conveys (musically, anyway). "Biker," however, is a fine anthem finale that is as bottom line musically as it is lyrically. Thoughtful, like the lead songstress, it punctuates all the observations of the good and bad in a love life, then figures out an ideal to follow up on. If it doesn't seem varied and engaging by now, then "Pop Star" and the athletic "Legalise Me" should stand up as more than exercises in rock and roll longevity.

Maybe, "They don't make 'em like they used to..." as she sings on her acerbic "Pop Star," but for the lucky few who have stayed with The Pretenders have been rewarded by a continuing update of Hynde and Co. as they continue to give it to us straight.