Pretending [CD-single] [Import]

pretending [cd-single] [import]

Track Listings

1. Pretending

2. Pretending

3. Pretending

4. Please Don't Let It Go

5. Lose You Tonight

Pretending,Him,Bmg,Rock

Pretending [CD-single] [Import]

Average customer rating:

The Pretenders-A Working Band That Just Has The Look
Excellent collection
Best Pretenders hits package
WORST PRETENDERS ALBUM EVER!
just get it

The Pretenders - Greatest Hits
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Wea/Warner
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pretenders
Learning to Crawl
Best of Bowie

ASIN: B00004YL2X
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Tracks:

Brass In Pocket
Message Of Love
Don't Get Me Wrong
Kid
Human (Tin Tin Out Remix)
I Go To Sleep
Forever Young
I Got You Babe
Night In My Veins
Spiritual High (State Of Independence)
Talk Of The Town
Stop Your Sobbing
Hymn To Her
2000 Miles
Breakfast In Bed
Popstar
Middle Of The Road
Thin Line Between Love And Hate
Back On The Chain Gang
I'll Stand By You

Album Description

While Sire's U.S. collection 'The Singles' concisely represents the best from 1980-87 by Chrissie Hynde & co., this import-only retrospective is sure to be treasured by fans as it contains most of that discs cuts (13 of the 16), plus all of the group's best ever since, (including gems like 'I'll Stand By You', 'Night In My Veins' and 'Human' (Tin Tin Out Remix), PLUS Chrissie Hynde's smash collaboration 'Spiritual High (State Of Independence)' with Moodswings! Listeners are treated to a total of 20 classics from The Pretenders 20 year career with this set, which also includes favorites like 'Back On The Chain Gang', 'Don't Get Me Wrong', 'Brass In Pocket' and 'Middle Of The Road'.2000 release. Standard jewel case.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Hits Collection of Recordings from the Band which is Essentially Chrissie Hynde's Legacy. In Addition to all the Pretenders Standards Are Hynde's Two Duets with Ub40 and her Hit with Moodswings 'spiritual High (State of Independence)'. In Addition, the Tin Tin Out Remix of 'human' Becomes the Standard Version Oftheir Last Single for Sire/Warner Bros.

Customer Reviews:

The Pretenders-A Working Band That Just Has The Look.......2006-03-22

I don't know why but when I think of Chrissie Hynde, I am reminded of Robert Plant. Led Zep plucked Robert out of some obscure English countryside village and blasted him off to Rock and Roll nobility. He had the look and he could dish it out. That's exactly why Chrissie brings up Robert Plant to me and vice versa. Chrissie was admitedly in some minor Ohio suburban laundromat watching the machine spin in it's monotonous cadence but she did have the look and when you buy this cd, The Pretenders Greatest Hits, you will quickly realize that Chrissie has the rock power to blow the roof off any respectable Super 8 in town. My favorite Pretender entries are Talk of the Town, Middle of the Road, and Brass in Pocket. All of these coupled with Chrissie Hynde on lead vocals and guitar is like watching a panther claw down a gazelle-it's sheer power and momentum. As I started to say and now expand, I know this review surrounds the Pretenders but just remember, Robert Plant, Steve Tyler, Steve Perry, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, all have to have the look and the power and Chrissie Hynde has that hands down.

Jay Adler, Massapequa, New York

Excellent collection.......2006-02-22

This is an updated collection from the earlier Greatest Hits collection and conatins some of their 90's hits. All Pretenders CDs not equal as their first was just SO good that you'd like to see more from that disc like "Mystery Acheivement" and "Stop Your Sobbing" and less from some later discs. What's here is great music , though, and it's probably a sign that a great band like the Pretenders need 2 discs to squeeze in all their hits, key album tracks, and concert favorites.

Best Pretenders hits package.......2006-01-13

This is similar to the "Singles" cd but contains more songs and is remastered. It focuses on their more radio friendly songs, so the more thumpy or punkish songs are not here. Thats good for me as this has the Pretenders sound that I want.

WORST PRETENDERS ALBUM EVER!.......2006-01-13

Don't get me wrong. I got good reason to say it. I'm down with Chrissie Hynde, man. In fact I saw The Pretenders about two years ago, and I thought the show was BAD ASS and a ton of rockin' fun. Chrissie, if you ask me is the TRUE rocker chick. There are a few of them out there, but, well first of all.. she tackles all the ground. A little punk, a little bar rock, a few mouth harp attacks (reoeeew), and even a crafty pop charting ability, that still stays true to rock. Most Pretenders albums are pretty damned good... and yet, they completley botched up this hits package.
I guess thats because when you boil it down, the best songs by The Pretenders weren't hits. The first album, is mint, baddest one there is, and most rockin, no hits.
Thats not the only problem though. The hits are still good CHAIN GANG, MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, hell I'll even sneak a STAND BY YOU when no ones around... they are represented just fine. My beef is with the remixes, cover songs, and extras. I GOT YOU BABE? C'mon man.

Buy the first album if you just want some solid, somewhat sexy rock, maybe even the second.

If you are a PRETENDERS fan (even a casual one) buy ANY other album than this one. You will be pleasantly rewarded, no doubt.

just get it .......2006-01-01

the pretenders are a great band. they are a great album band and such, any greatest hits album will not do them justice. however, they do have lots and lots of great singles which are worth listening to, in and of themselves. i am not going to give this record a great rating, but i am going to recommend it highly simply because all the songs on here are worth listening to, on their own merit. very good stuff. it's the pretenders, for god's sake.

Average customer rating:

The Pretenders Third Album Is Finally Remastered!
I've got a smile, for everyone I meet

Learning to Crawl
Pretenders
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000NA2ALY
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Middle of the Road
Back on the Chain Gang
Time the Avenger
Watching the Clothes
Show Me
Thumbelina
My City Was Gone
Thin Line Between Love and Hate
I Hurt You
2000 Miles
Fast or Slow (The Law's the Law) [*]
Tequila [*]
I Hurt You [Denmark Street Demo][#][*]
When I Change My Life [Denmark Street Demo][#][*]
Ramblin' Rob [Denmark Street Demo][#][*]
My City Was Gone [Live][#][*]
Money [Live][*]

Customer Reviews:

The Pretenders Third Album Is Finally Remastered!.......2007-06-19

Released in 1983, The Pretenders third album included several new band members in Robbie McIntosh who replaced James Honeyman Scott (who died from a drug overdose) on lead guitar and Malcolm Foster who replaced Pete Farndon (who was fired because of personal and drug problems) on bass. While The Pretenders debut album (simply titled The Pretenders) will always be my personal favorite, "Learning To Crawl" is a close second (along with The Pretenders II album). The album produced the hits "Back On The Chain Gang", "Middle Of The Road", "Show Me", "2000 Miles", "Thin Line Bewtween Love And Hate" and "Fast Or Slow" ("The Law's The Law") (this bonus track was released as a single and was the b-side of "2000 Miles" and sung by drummer Martin Chambers). The album wasn't as punk influenced as their debut but was more pop rock and the band seemed more mature. This newly remastered edition of "Learning To Crawl" includes seven excellent bonus tracks which are a nice addition to an already superb album. The only downside is that the cd inside the cardboard mini album replica has no inner sleeve to prevent it from scuffing and scratching. It just slips into one of the two the cardboard sleeves and that's it. Why Warner Brothers Records couldn't have included a paper inner sleeve for the cd is beyond me. My disc was scuffed badly and I returned it to the place of purchase and got my money back. Warner Brothers Records (Rhino) really needs to improve it's quality control. Sound quality wise the remastering is excellent with increased bass and midrange and output level. Highly Recommended!

I've got a smile, for everyone I meet.......2007-06-16

Many will disagree with me, but for me this is THE Pretenders album. The songwriting, musicianship, and lyrics which showed so much raw talent in the first two Pretenders albums are overflowing here. On this album, black and white turns to color. This is their Rubber Soul, their Pet Sounds, their Parallel Lines. It's where the rubber meets the road. Whereas the first two albums have some (sorry) filler in the form of extended jams and obscure experiments, this is a self-contained unit that doesn't pander, always entertains, and never disappoints. Oh, and the remastered sound and packaging are great, too. This may be the single best ten dollars you spend all year.

Average customer rating:

Rhino's Done It Again! Great Packaging! Great Sound Quality Too!
Pretenders + bonus CD = worth buying again
The Reviewers Got It Right -- So Did The Pretenders
Debut album sounds terrific in deluxe two CD edition with rarities, b-sides, outtakes and deluxe packaging
Amazing

The Pretenders
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HIVQD0
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

Precious [Disc 1]
The Phone Call [Disc 1]
Up The Neck [Disc 1]
Tattooed Love Boys [Disc 1]
Space Invader [Disc 1]
The Wait [Disc 1]
Stop Your Sobbing [Disc 1]
Kid [Disc 1]
Private Life [Disc 1]
Brass In Pocket [Disc 1]
Lovers of Today [Disc 1]
Mystery Achievement [Disc 1]

Tracks:

Cuban Slide (outtake) [Disc 2]
Porcelain [Disc 2]
The Wait (demo) [Disc 2]
I Can't Control Myself (demo) [Disc 2]
Nervous But Shy [Disc 2]
Swinging London [Disc 2]
Brass In Pocket (demo) [Disc 2]
Kid (demo) [Disc 2]
Stop Your Sobbing (demo) [Disc 2]
Tequila (demo) [Disc 2]
I Need Somebody (live BBC) [Disc 2]
Mystery Achievement (live BBC) [Disc 2]
Precious (live) [Disc 2]
The Phone Call (live) [Disc 2]
Tattooed Love Boys (live) [Disc 2]
Sabre Dance (live) [Disc 2]

Customer Reviews:

Rhino's Done It Again! Great Packaging! Great Sound Quality Too!.......2007-07-07

This reissue of The Pretenders' great debut album is a real treat for fans. Not only has the sound quality been remastered to near perfection, the cardboard packaging is also very well designed and executed with the inclusion of a 16-page booklet that has a great essay on the band with great photos to boot and especially with all the lyrics included as well.

I'm not a fan of extra tracks and especially of bonus discs because most of the time they are just filler tracks or even worse, interviews or alternative takes of songs which end up detracting from the main course. Fortunately, the extra disc here, doesn't fall into that category as most of the tracks are actually very interesting to listen to including a live rock version of Khachutarian's "Sabre Dance" too which was delightful.

What can you say about this album that hasn't already been said though. Although the cover of the Kinks' "Stop Your Sobbing" and "Brass In Pocket" were the major hits, the rest of the tracks aren't album filler either as in any classic album, the cohesion and flow of the tracks in this album seemed to be predestined somehow. Chrissie Hynde's voice is so distinctive that you know you're listening to a Pretenders' record after the first few bars. Sadly, half of the band would be dead shortly after this release, just like Def Leppard more recently, the band would rise to the occasion to produce an even better album later on in "Learning to Crawl". Still, as far as debuts go, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one with perhaps the exception of Television's debut which is an underrated work of genius and should be among the top 20 albums of all time or maybe Elvis Costello's "My Aim is True".

Good packaging, good sound quality, good price, all spells value for money. Recommended.

Pretenders + bonus CD = worth buying again.......2007-05-11

Pretenders first LP "Pretenders" once again re-released on CD. Geeze how many times does one have to buy the latest new improved sonic love so-called perfection? This time it works ..swell!
A lot of us bought "Pretenders" went first out 1979. We were thrilled and thought YES us! Music for Us and our times...
I won't go over and over just how important it was at the time, how many boy's and girl's lifes changed from this beauty. History, both written and unspoken is the legacy.
But! This is a truly best mastered CD with crisp clear Chrissie vocals and eager guitar by James Honeyman Scott deeply heard bass by Pete Farndon and pounding drums by Martin Chambers. Each classic track sounds like one was there at the time.

Disc 2 stuffed with demos like a BEATLE anthology. And respected the same. Sweet to hear "Stop Yr Sobbing" like an offering head on shoulder teen age girl, "Brass in Pocket" like the ache fake bravado well put, + live versions of classics, "Mystery Achiement", "Precious", "Tattoed Love Boys".

This is so much fun!!!
Chrissie won!

The Reviewers Got It Right -- So Did The Pretenders.......2007-05-02

This is a terrific re-release of the classic first album, with extraordinarily improved sonics -- as clean a cd as I have heard in a while.

The songs are all great, but I want to comment on James Honeyman-Scott's guitar. He was a real stylist, a spare, efficient guitarist in total control of his pitch and sound, even on his first record. Incredible. Though I hear some Television licks in there now and again, this guy was as original as Chrissie's utterly unique voice.

I'm always iffy on tacking on outtakes and demos to what are already-great records. The question I always ask is why? Do we need a demo of "Welcome to the Machine" tacked onto the magisterial ending of Wish You Were Here?

That said, I think it was smart to put all the odds and sods on a second disc, that way the listening experience of the first record remains complete. There are no revelations in the outtakes, but there are a few good b-sides and completists are no doubt very happy to have them.

This is pretty much a must-have record, as vital today as the day it was released.

Debut album sounds terrific in deluxe two CD edition with rarities, b-sides, outtakes and deluxe packaging.......2007-01-29

This deluxe reissue of the band's classic first album features the original album remastered plus a second disc of b-sides, outtakes, demos and live tracks. The original album sounds terrific here--much warmer and with much more detail than the previous CD version and captures the feel of the original vinyl release much more accurately than the first CD version.

The second disc consists of songs recorded as b-sides such as the classic "Cuban Slide","Porcelain" (both of which originally appeared as both a b-side and on The Pretenders "Extended Play" release that follow this album but preceded "Pretenders II")and "Swinging London". It's missing "In the Sticks" a Martin Chambers b-side which I suspect was probably just overlooked. The two former tunes sound much better than the previous CD release on the budget import "Don't Get Me Wrong" odds and ends/hits CD. "The Wait" showed up on the boxed set previously in demo form and again here. We also get "The Phone Call", a cover "I Can't Control Myself", "Kid", "Stop Your Sobbing", "Tequilla" (which is a different earlier version with the original line up as opposed to the one from the boxed set which featured the Hynde-MacIntosh-Chambers-Foster version of the band), "Nervous But Shy". We also get five tracks recorded for a BBC radio cast. " I Need Somebody" (which has been on various bootlegs over the years), "Mystery Achievement", "Precious" (again different from the boxed set version), "Tatooed Love Boys" and James Honeyman Scott ripping through a hit for Dave Edmunds' old band Love Sculpture "Sabre Dance" as the concluding track.

The artwork includes all the original artwork for the album as well as a booklet with a insightful essay on the origins of the band and the recording of their first album. We also get the lyrics for all the songs (a first for this album). My only complaint about the design of the packaging (which mirrors an LP sleeve although it folds out unlike the original release)is that the two CDs don't come in plastic protective covers which would prevent them from being scratched in the cardboard housing. It's a curious oversight from Rhino.

The Pretenders debut album had it all in spades. Great songwriting, singing, production and a unique mix of a harder rock sound mixed with the melodic bands (The Kinks, The Beatles) that songwriter/singer Chrissie Hynde admired. Hynder's songwriting always struck me as much closer to someone like John Lennon in that there was an emotional directness to all of her songs (and sexuality)that made it feel as if she was connecting with the listener individually. This is a great debut album and certainly one of the top 50 albums of all time. Highly recommended

Amazing.......2007-01-14

Owned the original and saw the Pretenders in concert in 1981 and 2006. This is great -- great new tracks and great demos of old tracks. I love these 2 CDs.

Average customer rating:

Don't pretend
Love the music
Mellow, Dramatic, and Rockin' Chrissie
Pretenders Deliver the Hits
I'd probably have bought the greatest hits if I had known it was available

The Singles
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Learning to Crawl

ASIN: B000002LD7
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Stop Your Sobbing
Kid
Brass In Pocket
Talk Of The Town
I Go To Sleep
Day After Day
Message Of Love
Back On The Chain Gang
Middle Of The Road
2,000 Miles
Show Me
Thin Line Between Love And Hate
Don't Get Me Wrong
Hymn To Her
My Baby
I Got You Babe

Amazon.com

Ignoring the "Precious" side of Chrissie Hynde's rocking and writing, The Singles still captures a good bit of what was special about her in the '80s. Bopping assertions of strength ("Brass in Pocket"), wistful dreaminess ("Talk of the Town"), flat-out weepers ("2000 Miles"), her tough-mom attitude ("Middle of the Road")--the many sides of her seven-inches are generously surveyed herein. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Don't pretend.......2007-07-06

Good collection. Thought it would be a little better. The running combo of tracks 7-8-9 back to back makes it worth it. If not a pretenders fan, pass on this one

Love the music.......2007-06-16

Chryssie belts out the songs (as Pretenders fans know) bringing feeling from the depths of the soul. Bravo!

Mellow, Dramatic, and Rockin' Chrissie.......2007-01-29

What can I really say that no one else has said already, I'm not sure? BUT, I will have to say something anyway. I've never been a Pretenders fan, I've listened to some of their music over the years but couldn't have said which songs they were. I recently heard Brass In Pocket and my ears liked it, so I bought the Cd. I'm so happy that I did because I am now an official Pretenders fan. All are great songs, which make this a great because it includes their hit singles, which I'm sure doesn't expose all of their greatness.

Pretenders Deliver the Hits.......2006-08-25

Chrissie Hynde and Company remain a formidable rock entity in this hard-driving overview of their 1979-86 work. "Brass in Pocket," "Back on the Chain Gang," "Middle of the Road" and "Don't Get Me Wrong" still pack a sonic wallop. If they had included the classic B-side "My City Was Gone," this CD would have merited five stars.

I'd probably have bought the greatest hits if I had known it was available.......2006-05-30

But any Pretenders is good Pretenders. Just check out GH and Singles if you are looking for a good compilation and make sure you get what you want!

Average customer rating:

Unfortunately, the Pretenders' weakest album.

Get Close
Pretenders
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000NA2AM8
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

My Baby
When I Change My Life
Light Of The Moon
Dance!
Tradition Of Love
Don't Get Me Wrong
I Remember You
How Much Did You Get For Your Soul?
Chill Factor
Hymn To Her
Room Full Of Mirrors
Hold A Candle To This (Alternate Version) [Bonus]
World Within Worlds [Bonus]
Tradition Of Love (Remix) [Bonus]
Dance (Take 1) [Bonus]
Don't Get Me Wrong (Live) [Bonus]
Thumbelina (Live) [Bonus

Album Description

This Iovine/Clearmountain production features hits like "Don't Get Me Wrong," "I Remember You," and "Room Full of Mirrors." Bonus content includes an alternate version of "Hold a Candle to This" and a take on "Thumbelina."

Customer Reviews:

Unfortunately, the Pretenders' weakest album........2007-06-14

After the death of two of the original Pretenders, the band was, of course, in major disarray. However, Chrissie Hynde perservered with replacements, and was able to reemerge. With the help of producer Chris Thomas, the band was able to come up with a pretty good approximation of the original Pretenders sound on their third album, the successful "Learning to Crawl". The following tour had them playing to the biggest crowds they had yet seen.

However, Hynde then proceeded to blow it. First, she replaced Thomas with U2 producer Steve Lillywhite, which in itself wasn't a bad sign. After completing only one track, she then fired him, as well as her rhythm section. To replace Lillywhite, she enlisted Jimmy Iovine and Bob Clearmountain, the team behind the mega-smash "Once a Upon a Time", the hit album by then-hubby Jim Kerr's band Simple Minds. She and guitarist Robbie MacIntosh then went through a bunch of session men during recording before settling on two of them, bassist T.M. Stevens and drummer Blair Cunningham, as official Pretenders (although they actually appear on only about half of the cuts).

However, what's good for a synth-pop band like Simple Minds isn't necessarily good for a band like the Pretenders. Iovine and Clearmountain seemed to have forgotten that the Pretenders are a guitar-based band. Instead of the powerful rock guitar attack of Thomas, they instead slicken up the sound and go too way heavy on the keyboards in the mix. A lot of the songs are undermined by either gloppy synthesizers ("When I Change My Life", "Light of the Moon") or annoyingly tinkly pianos ("My Baby", "Don't Get Me Wrong").

More importantly, though, is that Hynde's songwriting took a big dip. She felt that she had to branch out, but the problem is that she wasn't particularly good at what she tried. For instance: funk with obnoxious, obvious social commentary ("Dance", "How Much Did You Get For Your Soul?"), melding hard rock with Indian sounds ("Tradition of Love") or reggae ("I Remember You"). "Chill Factor", which combines a 50's-type doo-wop melody with a moving lyric about single motherhood, is the only one of these experiments that succeeds. The more pop-oriented songs ("My Baby", "When I Change My Life", the boppy hit single "Don't Get Me Wrong") were a bit more listenable, but pale considerably when compared with previous work.

Hynde always included at least one cover on her albums. Here, she includes three, and it's telling that two of these are the best songs on the album. "Light of the Moon", by David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alamar and two New York jazz musicians, is forgettable. But "Hymn to Her", by a high school friend of Chrissie's, is a gorgeous ballad about the ambiguity of the female role in relationship. Beautiful, with the ethereal keyboards applied appropriately for once. However, the Lillywhite track, a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Room Full of Mirrors", blows everything else here away. The band had been using it as a wall-of-noise part of their encore, and I think they really do it justice here, rocking hard like they did on their earlier (and later) albums.

The lack of cohesiveness of this, their worst album, carried through to the tour -- Stevens was fired before it even started and MacIntosh quit at the end.
Fortunately, Hynde rebounded again, but the band wouldn't be stable again for years.

Pretenders hardcore fans will want this album for the strongest songs, but everyone else will probably just want the hits on a collection. Get any other album (definitely the first should be the top choice) before this one.

Average customer rating:

Their best
Worth the upgrade
contempt and tenderness
A blast from the past with a full vintage concert (from 1981) and bonus tracks
Amazing, too!

Pretenders II
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Pretenders
Learning to Crawl
Pirate Radio
Get Close
Live at the Fillmore East

ASIN: B000HT38KS
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

The Adultress [Disc 1]
Bad Boys Get Spanked [Disc 1]
Message Of Love [Disc 1]
I Go To Sleep [Disc 1]
Birds Of Paradise [Disc 1]
Talk Of The Town [Disc 1]
Pack It Up [Disc 1]
Waste Not Want Not [Disc 1]
Day After Day [Disc 1]
Jealous Dogs [Disc 1]
The English Roses [Disc 1]
Louie Louie [Disc 1]

Tracks:

The Wait (live) [Disc 2]
The Adultress (live) [Disc 2]
Message of Love (live) [Disc 2]
Louie Louie (live) [Disc 2]
Talk Of The Town (live) [Disc 2]
Birds Of Paradise (live) [Disc 2]
The English Roses (live) [Disc 2]
Up The Neck (live) [Disc 2]
Bad Boys Get Spanked (live) [Disc 2]
Stop Your Sobbing (live) [Disc 2]
Private Life (live) [Disc 2]
Kid (live) [Disc 2]
Day After Day (live) [Disc 2]
Brass In Pocket (live) [Disc 2]
Higher And Higher (live) [Disc 2]
Talk Of The Town (demo) [Disc 2]
I Go To Sleep (guitar version--outtake) [Disc 2]
Pack It Up (radio mix--outtake) [Disc 2]

Customer Reviews:

Their best.......2007-04-11

I agree with those who find this album their best. It is much more mature and well played than the first. The first LP made a hauge splash when it came out due to its punky attitude and first-rate writing and playing but it is on the second one that you could see (or hear) what a great band the Pretenders were. Unfortunately this would be thier last effort since quickly two of the founding members would die. There was also an EP that was quite great around that time.

Worth the upgrade.......2007-03-02

Sometimes reissues are worth plunking down money for, and this is one of them. The packaging and sound are great, disc one is the album as originally issued (no extras), and the extras on the generous disc two are good to great (most of it is a vintage live show, with a couple of demos and outtakes at the end of the disc). The live stuff is pretty hot and sealed the deal on my satisfaction with this purchase. To the reviewer who complained about the cardboard album jackets, i often have the same problem: sometimes they scuff the disc or the disc is hard to get out without damaging the sleeve - I think i found the solution. Since the packaging is slightly oversized, if you go get a packet of paper cd sleeves (available from a number of places on the net, like Bags Unlimited), they should fit into the pocket and protect the disc, and allow for easy removal and protection of the disc. i've had to do this with several 'mini-lp' reissues and the Pretenders reissues have jackets big enough to accomodate the sleeves without any trimming. (I also recommend upgrading to the 2CD reissue of the first album, too - Rhino did a bang-up job on these. The Box set (Pirate Radio) is also quite good).

contempt and tenderness.......2007-02-12

This album is a great continuation of all the elements of their debut. It rocks and shines, goes from vitriolic to sweet, and though it's uneven at times, there are a consistent amount of great songs. Chrissie Hynde was a fantastic lyricist in the day. I think this album was very underappreciated and even disliked on release. I have always loved it, though. The bonus cd of live tracks is uneventful but the sound is good quality.

A blast from the past with a full vintage concert (from 1981) and bonus tracks.......2007-01-26

I finally broke down and bought this reissue. I purchased the boxed set (which is essential if you're not going to rebuy their remastered albums). The concert did it for me. It gets a fifth star (the orignal album rated a four and 1/2)for the live show.Enhanced with a second CD with the bulk of the concert the band played in Santa Monica, CA in 1981 (I wasn't there but I did want to go--couldn't get tickets at the time)along with a some wonderfully clunky demos for "Talk of the Town", an outtake/demo version of "I Go To Sleep" and a remix of "Pack It Up" that repeat the experiment that Lennon did for "I Am the Walrus" and "Glass Onion" incorporating random radio ads and programs. It's bizarre and truly only something that Chris Thomas might actually consider worth releasing.

This version of the album is the keeper if only for the concert alone. This terrific follow up to the band's first album had a few weak songs but overall carried on developing the band's sound (and Hynde's songwriter muscle). The only thing missing here is the take of "Precious" which was released on the "Talk of the Town" EP just prior to this album's release. We do get a live version of "Precious" here but if I'm not mistaken, it's a different version entirely from a different show.

The only thing I dislike is that the two CDs slide into the cardboard sleeve without any protection. The booklet is nice with complete lyrics, an overview of the recording and where the band was at the time along with some really cool pictures. I'll probably break down and buy the first album as well (my other favorite Pretenders album aside from the third "Learning to Crawl").

As much as I love "The Pretenders" (the band's first album), I love "Pretenders II" more. Why? Because in addition to some of Chrissie Hynde's most melodic songs ("Talk of the Town", "Message of Love", "Birds of Paradise"), a killer cover of a classic Ray Davies tune and a rockin' closer called "Louie Louie" (no, not the better known one covered by every bar band in America), crunchy rockers we also get some naughty songs as well. "Bad Boys Get Spanked" isn't a great song but I have to admit I crack up when I hear it. "The Adultress" with it's classic line "I'm the adultress/I didn't want to be/But I'm convienent/And I make good tea" sums it all up. Oh, and let's not forget the great James Honeyman Scott on guitar. This is the classic line up (although the latest edition comes a close second).

Amazing, too!.......2007-01-14

Just rated the first Pretenders CD that was remastered. Love both of these. Really worth buying them even if you already own the originals (as I did).

Average customer rating:

The best Pretenders album.
Best Pretenders album that didn't come out in the `80s...
Kudos to the genius of songwriters Steinberg & Kelley
Nice comeback
Several memorable songs, but disappointing overall

Last of the Independents
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Viva el Amor
The Isle of View
Loose Screw
Get Close
Learning to Crawl

ASIN: B000002MQ4
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Hollywood Perfume
Night In My Veins
Money Talk
977
Revolution
All My Dreams
I'll Stand By You
I'm A Mother
Tequila
Every Mothers' Son
Rebel Rock Me
Love Colours
Forever Young

Customer Reviews:

The best Pretenders album........2006-06-10

Many Pretenders fans prefer their first, self-titled, album. In my opinion, "Last of the Independents" is by far their best album. Chrissie Hynde still has the cocky attitude from the first album, but this one is more melodic. While many of the group's other albums contain a couple of weaker filler songs, all the songs on this album are great. The song sequence is just right, with a perfect balance between the faster, energetic songs and the slower ones. It never gets dull. Chrissie Hynde's voice is as good as ever, seeming both confident and fragile at the same time. After several years, this remains one of my all time favorite albums.

Best Pretenders album that didn't come out in the `80s..........2005-05-08

This is the best Pretenders album that didn't come out in the `80s. This doesn't compare with those great classics but it's still well worth owning. Favorite tracks are "Night in My Veins", "Money Talk" with some great guitar by Adam Seymour, "Forever Young" which is one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs, and the hit "I'll Stand by You" which is simply a beautiful ballad that Chrissie's voice really shines on.

I think the reason why The Pretenders albums of today don't compare with the early stuff is the songwriting. The best songs on this CD were mostly written by Tom Kelley & Billy Steinberg (the same guys that wrote "True Colours" for Cyndi Lauper and "Alone" for Heart). But I still have hope that Chrissie Hynde has one more great album in her. She still has the voice.

Kudos to the genius of songwriters Steinberg & Kelley.......2005-03-16

I love this Pretenders album and Chrissie always rocks but I love the songwriting skill of Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelley. They wrote "Love Colours", "Night in my Veins" and the hit "Stand by You". Her follow-up to this, "VIVA! EL AMOR!" also contains three tracks written by them. I purchased this long after its release and was glad I did. Steinberg Kelley write memorable hooks and good lyrics with interesting chord changes. Something not all big names can do on their own and Chrissie wisely is aware of this.

Nice comeback.......2003-11-06

After releasing 3 sensational albums, the Pretenders starting going downhill with Get Close and bottoming out with Packed. They (she) made a nice recovery with Last of the Independents. It is interesting how a group will release an album every year, but as they get older, the time between albums gets much longer. Packed was released in 1990 and this came out in 1994. The next Pretenders album (the poor Viva La Amor) wouldn't come out until 1999.

This is an album of very good songs, but nothing sensational. There aren't really any bad songs on the album (unlike Get Close, Packed or Viva La Amor). My least favorite song on this album is the one hit, I'll Stand By You.

The song writing is strong throughout, with many interesting ideas and phrasing, like Just Another Night in My Veins. The music is strong and rocks.

I would get this, and the first three (Pretenders, II and Learning to Crawl) and skip the rest, unless you really need your Hynde fix.

Several memorable songs, but disappointing overall.......2003-10-27

Notable for a few fine songs and for getting Chrissie Hynde back on tour in 1994 with a great band that is largely not featured here, this CD is for the die-hard Pretenders collector only. The Last of the Independents tour was well worth attending, with an aging Chrissie moving gracefully to focus on slower songs instead of trying to pull off the fiery sets of the 80s - perhaps a prelude to the lovely Isle of View CD. Night In My Veins is the standout rocker here, and Stand By Me is also a fine song. While several other songs may be worth a listen or two, none are remarkable - I do like having her cover of Forever Young, though. That song is worth owning if you needed to have her covers of I've Got You Babe, or Angel of the Morning. (Personally, I'll buy anything she records, and considered it worthwhile to get the Friends DVD just to see her sing the chorus of Smelly Cat). Otherwise, this batch of songs hasn't stood the test of time all that well. For those who loved the Pretenders in their youthful prime, more recent CD's have done a better job of recapturing that sound and contain better-written material. I would never recommend against buying anything that lets you listen to Chrissie Hynde's voice, but I'd recommend nearly any other Pretenders CD more strongly. Pretenders or Learning to Crawl for the early sound, Viva El Amor or Loose Screw for contemporary material.

Tracks:

Precious
The Phone Call
Up The Neck
Tattooed Love Boys
Space Invader
The Wait
Stop Your Sobbing
Kid
Private Life
Brass In Pocket
Lovers Of Today
Mystery Achievement

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

Customer Reviews:

Pretenders to the throne of Rock n' Roll .......2007-04-14

I'd trust Chrissie Hynde driving; in fact, I want her behind the wheel in the driver's seat. I believe she'd get me there fast and with a minimal amount of wasted time or fuel. There aren't many people I'd feel comfortable relinquishing control to, but Chrissie is one of them. Finally a band came along that has the scorching "raw power" of THE STOOGES, and the in-control Pop song writing ability of THE BEATLES, melds the two, and lays a cornerstone upon which the next 10 years of Rock rests, unmoved until the Grunge movement a decade later. It had to take an American woman in an English group to marry these influences (and later, literally marry Jim Kerr of SIMPLE MINDS, after having leader of the KINKS Ray Davies' baby. She later divorced Kerr). With tongue-in-cheek, I must inquire: how could a band fronted by a girl get it all so right? This album does not feature Chrissie Hynde, but rather the band she founded (though she is the genius who wrote most of these tunes including the sizzling "The Phone Call," scorchers "The Wait," "Up The Neck" and "Tattooed Love Boys," the classic "Brass In Pocket," and the unforgiving "Mystery Achievement.") The Pretenders truly were pretenders, in this case, to the throne of rock n' roll, vacant since Elvis' death, the demise of THE BEATLES, and the soft phase of THE ROLLING STONES . . . and Chrissie Hynde is the Queen. For a moment, the Pretenders were the greatest Rock n' Roll band in the world. Also, I must correct myself, since the Pretenders could get away with referencing the "Space Invaders" game on the song of that title on this awesome debut album. It is the record's weakest moment without doubt, and that's saying a lot for this incredibly strong, superb album (that "Space Invaders" track is not composed by Hynde). My self-correction references David Bowie's timely 1977 LOW album and my Amazon review of same, a record which uses some of the same sound of that game 3 years prior to this release.
Loaded with strong rockers, hot pretension, and superb songwriting, this is one of Rock's best records by a band that came out of nearly nowhere.

Pretenders.......2007-01-27

By all accounts, the Pretenders should've been a great band. The had it all: a distinct sound, lots of skill (especially when it came to sadly short-lived guitarist James Honeyman-Scott), a charismatic, instantly identifiable singer (Chrissie Hynde), and a slew of catchy, hook-filled hits, all of them very good and a few found here: Brass in Pocket was the biggest of them, not their best song but certainly great. The only thing the Pretenders lacked, at least in my mind, was an album that was thoroughly good from start to finish. This, arguably their best, certainl has some good points: the aforementioned Brass in Pocket, for one. There's also their first brilliant Kinks cover (Stop Your Sobbing), the crunchy rocker Precious; Kid, pure glorious pop; and the closing Mystery Achievement. But there's too much generic, forgettable, faceless rock (The Phone Call; Up the Neck; Tattooed Love Boys; the Wait), a boring spacey instrumental aptly named Space Invader; and Lovers of Today, which drags. Ironically, what could've been the best song is probably the worst: Private Life. Interesting lyrics, and I love Hynde's vocals on this song. The problem? The song itself is a repetitive six-minute pseudo-funk vamp best suited for the likes of the admittedly better Talking Heads.
I'm not the biggest Pretenders fan, but they've got several good tunes. Inconveniently, they were all spread across their albums, rather than condensed into one. They were an extraordinary singles band (much like the Police and CCR), but not an album band.

The rave reviews are right..........2007-01-27

It defined an era, was an exceptionally tight band, and Chrissie is a punk goddess...Listening to this defines being 18 and falling in love for me. One of my top ten, stranded-on-an-island albums, and that's saying a lot...

One of the best debuts ever.......2007-01-04

Released in 1980, the Pretenders' self-titled disc is certainly one of the best debut albums ever released. Although many music fans and critics like to categorize them as a new wave band, this album showed they were so much more. The opening track "Precious" is as close to punk as the band got and Chrissie Hynde's vocals have so much attitude that it's hard to believe she would sound so soft and tender on the future hits "2000 Miles" and "I'll Stand By You." The tracks "The Phone Call", "Tattooed Love Boys", and "The Wait" are awesome hard rockers full of energy and conviction. As great as all of these songs are, the more melodic material is just as strong. "Up The Neck", "Kid", and their cover of the Kinks' "Stop Your Sobbing" are all great and feature beautiful vocals from Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott's distinctive guitar work that owed more to the 60's pop bands than hard rock. "Brass in Pocket" would be the band's first hit single and remains one of their most beloved tracks. The songs "Private Life" and "Lovers of Today" are also very strong, featuring great arrangements and drama. The instrumental "Space Invader" would later gain a great deal of exposure in the opening scene of the Sopranos' second season episode, House Arrest. Finally, the band saves the best for last with the bouncy "Mystery Achievement", an excellent melodic rocker with a cool bass line from Pete Farndon. All told, the Pretenders' debut disc is a timeless album that still sounds great today. Highly recommended to all music fans.

Pretenders - self-titled (Sire).......2006-11-28

Review no.62. Haven't heard this CD is so long. Many used to call then 'New Wave'. Call me insane, but I say the Pretenders had crossed roads with New Wave along with album rock. Think about THAT for a second. Saw them on this actual tour, when they were support band for The Who on the final leg of the 'Who Are You' U.S. tour. Tracks here they'll always be fondly remembered for are "Precious", the toe tapping "Wait","Private Life", "Private Life" and the untouchable "Brass In Pocket". Anyone else recall the old MTV commercial for their second lp just prior to it's release? It was like the WHOLE world was waiting (some living)for the arrival of their follow-up. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Very special christmas
Rock'n Christmas
Not worth buying
Worst online experience ever
Rocking Christmas

A Very Special Christmas
The Pretenders , and John Cougar Mellencamp
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2
A Very Special Christmas 3
A Very Special Christmas - Vol. 5
A Very Special Christmas Live!
A Very Special Acoustic Christmas

ASIN: B000002GFJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Pointer Sisters
Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Whitney Houston
Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -The Pretenders
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Cougar Mellencamp
Gabriel's Message - Sting
Christmas In Hollis - Run-D.M.C.
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
Santa Baby - Madonna
The Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Run Rudolph Run - Bryan Adams
I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas-Bon Jovi
The Coventry Carol - Alison Moyet
Silent Night - Stevie Nicks

Amazon.com

When was the last time you heard collard greens being sung about in a Christmas song? Probably never, unless you're a Run DMC fan, or were wise enough to hop on the Very Special Christmas tip. The rappers' contribution to this benefit collection is probably the highlight, although traditional songs covered by now-traditional artists like the Pretenders ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") provide the majority of the material here. Eurythmics turn in a suitably chilly "Winter Wonderland," Stevie Nicks sings a beautifully haunting "Silent Night," and Whitney Houston proves again that she's every woman with "Do You Hear What I Hear"--that is, every woman with a voice strong enough to do the song justice. "Santa Baby," Madonna's contribution, isn't as sultry as it could be, but there's more fun thanks to hell-on-heels, the Pointer Sisters and Bon Jovi. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews:

Very special christmas.......2007-01-22

Great cd, have the original on record & couldn't find it anywhere in Oz on cd. Not your traditional boring christmas carols - love it!

Rock'n Christmas.......2007-01-19

If you luv Xmas, but you are a little sick of hearing the same old 40's & 50's sounding carols & songs and you wish xmas would ROCK, just a little, then this is the CD for you!!!!
I luv it, I have heard these songs played on the radio and thought
"Where can i get a copy of these tracks!".
Well here they are, in 1 neat little package.
Merry Rockn Xmas Next Year!

Not worth buying.......2007-01-19

I bought the cd for my sister, because it was the only recording I could find of this particular Sting song that she loved. It turned out she already had the cd, and said the ONLY good song on the cd was his song. Therefore I took it back to another store, as I didn't want it either. Too much discordant, and rap type music, she said.

Worst online experience ever.......2007-01-18

Hermanstreet is lame and I would never, even with my life hanging in the balance, order from them again.

I e-mailed several times (3)inquiring about my order and not once received an e-mail back. Worst online experience ever, this coming from someone who does the majority of their shopping and all their bill pay online.

Rocking Christmas.......2007-01-15

This is a good Christmas CD for people who are tired of the usual same-old-same-old. It features Mellencamp and the Eurythmics among others. It's really good and I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Compilation with little that is rare.
TOO PRECIOUS! one of the best box sets
KILLER COLLECTION, EVEN WITHOUT "GOODBYE"
Fantastic
DESERVING OVERVIEW OF THE PRETENDERS, ABSOLUTELY!!!

Pirate Radio
The Pretenders
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Pretenders
Pretenders II
And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Under the Covers, Vol. 1
Live at the Fillmore East

ASIN: B000E1ZBHC
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Tracks:

Precious (Regent Park Demo)*
Stop Your Sobbing
The Wait (Single Version)
Kid
Tattooed Love Boys
Mystery Achievement
Brass In Pocket
Porcelain
Talk Of The Town (U.K. Single Version)
Message Of Love
Cuban Slide
What You Gonna Do About It
The Adultress
Bad Boys Get Spanked
I Go To Sleep
Day After Day
The English Roses
Time The Avenger
Watching The Clothes (Denmark Street Demo)*
Show Me

Tracks:

Back On The Chain Gang
Thumbelina
Thin Line Between Love And Hate
My City Was Gone
Middle Of The Road
Tequila*
2000 Miles
When I Change My Life (Alternate Version)*8.
My Baby
Worlds Within Worlds*
Dont Get Me Wrong
Hymn To Her
Tradition Of Love
Room Full Of Mirrors
Reconsider Me*
Hold A Candle To This (Alternate Version)*
Windows Of The World
Never Do That
No Guarantee
Not A Second Time

Tracks:

Sense Of Purpose
Downtown (Akron)
How Do I Miss You
Bold As Love
When Will I See You
Hollywood Perfume
Night In My Veins
977
All My Dreams
Angel Of The Morning (Original Version)*
Money Talk
Rebel Rock Me
Ill Stand By You
Every Mothers Son (Demo)*
Love Colours
Private Life (Live)
Lovers Of Today (Live)
Creep (Live)
Criminal (Live)
Revolution (Live)

Tracks:

Everyday Is Like Sunday
Human (Class Mix)
Popstar
Back Down*
California*
The Needle And The Damage Done
From The Heart Down (Alternate Version)*
Whos Who
Biker
Nails In The Road
Legalize Me
The Homecoming (Live)*
Up The Neck (Live)*
Fools Must Die (Live)*
Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
Lie To Me
Complex Person
You Know Who Your Friends Are
I Should Of
The Losing

Tracks:

Talk Of The Town
The Adultress
The Wait
Hollywood Perfume
Brass In Pocket
977
Never Do That
Thumbelina
2000 Miles
Night In My Veins
My City Was Gone
Tattooed Love Boys
Middle Of The Road
Dont Get Me Wrong
Criminal
Room Full Of Mirrors
Louie, Louie
Stop Your Sobbing
Tattooed Love Boys/Up The Neck

Amazon.com

Holding the Pretenders' Pirate Radio box set in your hand, you may be tempted to ask: What took you so long? Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, the Pretenders' impact on popular music goes without saying, and for a quarter century Chrissie Hynde has remained one of the smartest, sassiest, sexiest, and shaggiest women in rock. So this in-depth collection seems, if not overdue, at least a long time in coming.

At 81 tracks, Pirate Radio will satisfy die-hard fans with more fully remastered big hits and deep cuts than the earlier Singles and Greatest Hits compilations, as well as some previously unreleased gems--covers of "Angel of the Morning" and Warren Zevon's "Reconsider Me" are both standouts. The career-spanning live DVD is also a treat, with many performances featuring the original lineup. Add in a 60-page booklet jammed with chronological liner notes and reflections from band members, and you've got a powerful package. What's striking is how coherent this set sounds throughout all four discs, largely due to Hynde's unmistakable voice: From the punk swagger of their immortal 1979 debut to the reggae-informed sounds of 2003's Loose Screw, and after more personnel changes than Spinal Tap's percussion section, it all sounds like no one other than the Pretenders. --Ben Heege

Album Description

On "Brass in Pocket," one of the pretenders earliest singles-and their first to chart in the U.S., scoring #14 in Billboard-Chrissie Hynde sings, "I'm special, so special, I gotta have some of your attention, give it to me." Formed in London in '78 with Hynde, James Honeyman Scott, Martin Chambers, and Pete Farndon, the band received massive attention for that hit and other stellar songs from their 1980 self-titled debut album. Via impeccable musicianship and Hynde's charismatic persona-equal parts cool swagger, tough-but vulnerable lyrics and vocals, and idiosyncratic rhythm guitar-the Pretenders reinvented the concept of a woman in rock 'n' roll and became one of the most popular and distinctive acts in the world. Chrissie Hynde's singular presence has never ceased to build on their artistic legacy, chronicled now for the first time in Pirate Radio.

Customer Reviews:

Compilation with little that is rare........2007-05-22

I was hoping for rarities, but it mostly has all the songs from the original tracks. The DVD is the most worthwhile part, in my opinion.

TOO PRECIOUS! one of the best box sets.......2006-05-21

Chrissie Hynde is fierce. Listening to this collection it's refreshing to realize this music never sounds dated nor were they ever 'punk' - The Pretenders are pure rock and roll. I don't think there is a female singer who can match Chrissie's attitude, delivery and snarl. She is the unchallenged queen of rock and roll!

This box set is very comprehensive and beautifully compiled. Chronologically laid out it is an aural pleasure to listen consecutively to one disc after the other - which is becoming rarer and rarer with these erratic box set releases. The main pleasure is getting to hear her later releases in this context. As a hardcore Chrissie fan I have purchased all her music and I disagree with one of the reviewers who felt her later output was not as dynamic as the earlier releases. I feel she truly found her vocal style and sly delivery the older she has grown.

The set includes great alternate takes and thankfully the non-album soundtrack cuts, most notably her remarkable covers of Dionne Warwick's "Windows Of The World" and Morrisey's "Everyday Is Like Sunday" (listen to the chord similarity to 'Back On The Chain Gang' !)

This is a must own box set and also would make a great gift seeing as it so NEVER sucks! And no one has ever made the phrase F*** off sound so sexy! Thank you Chrissie and the boys.

KILLER COLLECTION, EVEN WITHOUT "GOODBYE".......2006-05-21

As a lifelong Pretenders fan (yep - I still have all the original vinyl, bought @ Tower Records way back when Lp's were $5.99) I waspsyched to finally see a quality representation of the band's output available - not just Chrissie, mind you, but the BAND as well. Don't mistake - she's a phenomenal writer/performer/musician - it's just that I like to see credit given where deserved - and in Ms. Hynde's case, she couldn't have done better than to be backed-up by her excellent compadres, namely Pete Farndon (RIP), Martin Chambers & James Honeyman-Scott (again, RIP). One caveat though - since so much of this collection features Chrissie & Co. in her post-partum period (i.e. still spry but definitely more mellow) I *DO* wish they'd had the sense to include my personal favorite track from the period, namely "Goodbye" from the GI Jane soundtrack... the public missed the boat by not making this a #1 chart hit as it so clearly deserved. If you missedthis one, by all means do yourselfa huge favor and pick-up the film's soundtrack, featuring TWO excellent Pretenders songs and some other great musical choices, including a killer track from Exene Cervenka's Auntie Christ outfit & much, much more!

Fantastic.......2006-05-19

I got this as a birthday gift, and what a great gift it was. I love the Pretenders, one of my favorite bands of all time. Since I only have two of their albums on CD this was a real treat. I have most of their stuff on vinyl. It's great having all the good songs in one place. I have been listening to this set for the last two weeks, every day. Some of the photos in the booklet are a nice touch. A nice bonus are the previously unreleased covers of "Angel of the Morning" and Warren Zevon's "Reconsider Me", both are great. The sound quality is fantastic, someone put a lot of work into this set, and it shows. A great box set from one of the greatest bands ever.

DESERVING OVERVIEW OF THE PRETENDERS, ABSOLUTELY!!!.......2006-04-25

Having just gotten the box, and listened to it all, I would agree with all the accolades this set has received here, and then some. I've been waiting a long time for a set like this to get released, and it was very much worth it. I always thought that their prior hits collections never did this band any justice because many of their best tunes were never released as singles. Many album tracks got played on rock and new-wave oriented stations, more so than so-called hits on Top-40. Songs from their first 3 albums and EP like "Message Of Love", "Mystery Achievement", "The Wait", "My City Was Gone", "Time The Avenger" and more. I always loved these songs and was always disappointed by their hits collections because these songs would never be included.

Now, with important bands and artists getting overviews and boxset treatments, I always thought and knew that Chrissie and the Pretenders would get this type of overview, in time, and I was right. As much as my patience was wearing thin, I just KNEW something like this would get done; I just had to wait. Low and behold, this set, "Pirate Radio" was everything I hoped for and more. It's PERFECT and "Precious" indeed, a set of such high-quality and a standard-setter for all boxsets in the future, those that are overviews as opposed to all their albums in a box, which I kinda hope happens to the Pretenders catalogue.

Musically, this box has the goods, really it does. It shows how important and exciting the original band was, and how much of a trailblazer Chrissie Hynde was, and continues to be, for not just female artists, but ALL artists!!! The band's music sounds as fresh today as it did all those years ago, and it still has both teeth and heart/soul. I love how their music has the freshness and immediacy of the best punkrock + new wave from that era, but also chops that rival the best classic rockers as well as killer pop instincts that lured mainstream fans and top 40 radio programmers, yet never lost sight of their punk roots, keeping their integrity and never losing it, fearing too much commercial success would endanger them. Not many bands treaded this balance as deftly, incorporating a slight dose of commerciality without crossing the line. The only other new wave/punk-rooted bands I can think of that did this well are the Bangles, Cheap Trick and Divinyls.

I love how "Pirate Radio" represents all eras equally, and throwing in a nice array of odds 'n' sods. Concurring what some other reviewers say who don't like this, I think, besides their "standards", it's cool to spotlight some overlooked gems and underrated records. No, their last coupla records, 2003's "Loose Screw" and 1999's "Viva El Amor", are not as perfect and important as their first 3 albums, but they are still good and have some tunes some people will not know about, so this box will open up some fans' eyes. I love how Chrissie incorporates reggae elements on "Loose Screw" like the punk rocker that she still is, and she covers that Divinyls song "Human On The Inside" on "Viva El Amor", plus the unreleased live tracks from 2003 are really cool and have bite...love her between song banter too.

The DVD is very welcome, on top of the music on the other 4 CDs.

I would say, this set is tops; next what we need are remastered/expanded versions of the catalogue. 2007 perhaps???

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