Pretenders [IMPORT]

The Pretenders

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: January 19, 1980
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sire
• ASIN: B000002KO1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,371 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. Precious

2. Phone Call

3. Up the Neck

4. Tattooed Love Boys

5. Space Invader

6. Wait

7. Stop Your Sobbering

8. Kid

9. Private Life

10. Brass in Pocket

11. Lovers of Today

12. Mystery Achievement

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This nearly perfect debut album showcases both the extraordinary songs of Ohio-born singer Chrissie Hynde and the rhythmically complex performances of her U.K.-bred band, Pretenders. The band tramples through the sexual aggression of "Precious," "Up the Neck" and "Tattooed Love Boys"; the classic pop of "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket"; and a brilliant cover of the Kinks's "Stop Your Sobbing." Hynde's sneering vocals add resonance to these tales of sexual revenge, abuse, and longing appropriately fleshed out with blood, guts, and guitar. --Rob O'Connor

Product Description

2009 U.S. only audiofile gold disc pressing of one of the single greatest albums of the '80s! The album features Chrissy's signature vocal styling, James Honeyman-Scott's melodic and uniquely inventive guitar work, great songwriting and a pulsating backbeat supplied by the rhythm section of Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers. Needless to say, it's a classic and now sounds better than ever!. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First & The Best. Possibly The Best Debut Album Ever., November 15, 2002

By	Chris Matthews "nunyuz" (Ridgecrest, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The problem with the first Pretenders record was that it was so damn good it set expectations of the band incredibly high, and Scott & Farndon cracked under pressure.

In this album, you have the perfect mix of four musicians at a time when it was satori for them to get together.

First,Chrissie, who was at here cocky I'm-a-woman-of-the-world-and I'll-kick-your-ass-if-you-abuse-me-again best voice, sounds like a dominatrix with a hidden heart of gold & not the PETA militant we get now (although you can see it coming on this album, but it seems like it would be more). She has the perfect balance of rage AND sensitivity on this album. It's watching oragami fragile idealism wrapped in Kevlar armor with leather & studs over it. It's fascinating as to how the combo got wedded together. She sings tender-but-wary ballads ("Kid") along side of fever sex dreams that show that the mystery of sex still outweighs the mistrust ("Mystery Achievement", "Up The Neck", "The Wait") and tales of survival ("Tatooed Love Boys", "The Phone Call") & confidence ("Brass In Pocket", "Private Life").

Secondly, you have James-Honeyman Scott. Why, oh why, you a**hole did you have to O.D.? Didn't you know you were probably the greatest new wave guitar player this side of Tom Verlaine?
This album is rife with extrodinarily economic but blistering riffs. JHS was old enough to rock out melodically like guitarists of yore, but added enough punkish noise to the fuel like Nostradamus's match, predicting the coming of Sonic Youth & Nirvana. The use of the atmospheric harmonic line from "Tatooed Love Boys" is STILL brilliant. And, my god you played like a hot rod drives: foot on the floor to the end of the quarter whether you were going to explode or not. Maybe it's not a wonder that you flamed out...

Lastly, you had Farndon & Chambers. It's such a cliche to put the rythm section together, but they really did work as a unit. Like Scott, they mixed the best old school with a brave new edge of the new. Best of all, they were learned in the thump of R&B which kicked the Pretenders to the top of the heap in playing. Having been an O.P. (origional punker) in those days, let me tell you, it wasn't the snottiness or the aggression that made bands bad, it was the fact that they didn't GROOVE. These guys, however, had it in SPADES. Tragically, Petey decided to follow Jimmie & loaded the essence of poppy flower in his veins once too many times. So, after one more album, Chambers sounded lost without his groove mate.

One of the other reviewers was talking about the philosophy that old school punk was an attitude. This is SOOO true. This album was the first living proof that you could sell an album with it. It just took street smarts.

A classic.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flawless Debut; One of the Greatest Albums of All Time, April 25, 2000

By	punkreform (south carolina) - See all my reviews

The Pretender's first LP is one of the single greatest debut albums ever. Chrissie Hynde snarls when she wants to and doesn't feel the need to paint herself into a struggling female, instead a strong human. The Pretenders don't paint within the lines, instead coloring their first album with a range of influences from ballsy punk ("Precious") to vampy R&B ("Brass In Pocket"). Few albums make punk rock this accessible and immediately appealing. One of the greatest of all time and a massive entry in the rock and roll history books. Best tracks: "Precious," "Kid," "Stop Your Sobbing," "Brass In Pocket" Rating: 10/10

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chrissy Hynde sets the standard, December 8, 1999

By	James McDonnell (NJ) - See all my reviews

To think that this jewel of an album was released almost twenty years ago during the dark days of disco/Styx/Foreigner/Journey. A macho, guy band fronted by a woman, no less. This release heralded a renaissance of clean, honest, straight ahead rock, without the vulgarity of punk. This album features Chrissy's signature vocal styling, Honeyman-Scott's melodic and uniquely inventive guitar work (he will re-incarnate as a Beach Boy), great songwriting, a pulsating bass/backbeat, with the occasional whiff of a wired Bo Diddely. Martin Chambers' energy & drive on this and future Pretenders' albums is exceptional. There is not a dead moment on this album as it is one of the few releases of the time to which you can both sing and dance. Special mention - "Stop your sobbing" sounds as if it were produced by Phil Spector, "Mystery Achievement" - minimalist brilliance, "Kid" - accessible pop. Magnificent accomplishment by a band, whose members paid a steep price for their success, in two instances, the ultimate price.