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The Pretenders' debut album was such a powerful, monumental record that its sequel was bound to be a bit of a disappointment, and Pretenders II is. Essentially, this album is an unabashed sequel, offering more of the same sound, attitude, and swagger, including titles that seem like rips on their predecessors and another Ray Davies cover. This gives the record a bit too much of a pat feeling, especially since the band seems to have a lost a bit of momentum -- they don't rock as hard, Chrissie Hynde's songwriting isn't as consistent, James Honeyman-Scott isn't as inventive or clever. These all are disappointments, yet this first incarnation of the Pretenders was a tremendous band, and even if they offer diminished returns, it's still diminished returns on good material, and much of Pretenders II is quite enjoyable. Yes, it's a little slicker and more stylized than its predecessor, and, yes, there's a little bit of filler, yet any album where rockers as tough as "Message of Love" and "The Adultress" are balanced by a pop tune as lovely as "Talk of the Town" is hard to resist. And when you realize that this fantastic band only recorded two albums, you take that second album, warts and all, because the teaming of Hynde and Honeyman-Scott was one of the great pairs, and it's utterly thrilling to hear them together, even when the material isn't quite up to the high standards they set the first time around.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Backing Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Backing Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Backing Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Lead Vocals - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Ray Davies, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, Engineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Chris Mercer, Tenor Saxophone - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - Jim Wilson, Trumpet - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Geoff Bryant, French Horn - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Album review
The Pretenders' debut album was such a powerful, monumental record that its sequel was bound to be a bit of a disappointment, and Pretenders II is. Essentially, this album is an unabashed sequel, offering more of the same sound, attitude, and swagger, including titles that seem like rips on their predecessors and another Ray Davies cover. This gives the record a bit too much of a pat feeling, especially since the band seems to have a lost a bit of momentum -- they don't rock as hard, Chrissie Hynde's songwriting isn't as consistent, James Honeyman-Scott isn't as inventive or clever. These all are disappointments, yet this first incarnation of the Pretenders was a tremendous band, and even if they offer diminished returns, it's still diminished returns on good material, and much of Pretenders II is quite enjoyable. Yes, it's a little slicker and more stylized than its predecessor, and, yes, there's a little bit of filler, yet any album where rockers as tough as "Message of Love" and "The Adultress" are balanced by a pop tune as lovely as "Talk of the Town" is hard to resist. And when you realize that this fantastic band only recorded two albums, you take that second album, warts and all, because the teaming of Hynde and Honeyman-Scott was one of the great pairs, and it's utterly thrilling to hear them together, even when the material isn't quite up to the high standards they set the first time around.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:27
- Main artists: The Pretenders
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd. ℗ 2013 Warner Music UK Ltd.
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