A nice little marketing idea, this release is a double collection of 2008 release Break Up The Concrete and the latest Greatest Hits collection of the one and only Pretenders. I don’t know many people who can say that they don’t know and love at least one Pretenders classic and this album is a great addition to those who want more.

Fronted by the awesome Chrissie Hynde, The Pretenders are fully fledged members of the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame and were one of the greatest bands to emerge out of the 80s and stay standing with the test of time. They oozed sex appeal, Hynde especially and I personally still remember the tingle I felt from listening to the smooth and sexy Brass in Pocket.

Of course it wasn’t all sexy crooning and it would be criminal to forget that The Pretenders had the Rock ‘n’ Roll class of the Rolling Stones with their guitar licks, best exemplified on the classic Back on the Chain Gang. Impressive until guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon both sadly died from drug overdoses in quick succession in ‘82/83.

Listening to all these hits in one sitting is powerful stuff and, in that respect, perhaps it isn’t such a clever idea on the part of the PR people to package the new album together with their bona-fide golden classics. The new material can’t possibly compete with the memories of the past, or can it?

Well no, but it’s not far off the bloody mark that’s for sure, Chrissie’s voice is still as haunting and sexy as it ever was and although the band doesn’t have the original members, she has put together a group of serious musicians. There’s just no way that these new songs can realistically compete with some of the best songs of all time.

That said, there is plenty to admire and pacify fans here, from the rockabilly chops of opening number Boots of Chinese Plastic, which tips a cheeky nod to Bob Dylan, and roaring rock from the speakers in Stray Cats, to the countrified melancholy of One Thing Never Changed, Break Up The Concrete engages the listener completely.

VERDICT:

Faced with the choice of the loin stirring Brass in Pocket or the professionally competent Don’t Lose Faith in Me however and the hits CD will be the one you always return to, still it’s nice to have a change now and then isn’t it?

Back to CD Reviews