Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Ray Davies, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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, Recorded by - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
DISC 2
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Keyboards, Vocals - Jeremy Green, AssistantEngineer - Jon Walls, AssistantEngineer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Brian Potter, Writer - Pete Farndon, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar - Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Vocals - Pretenders, MainArtist - Dan Hersch, Remastering Engineer - Bill Inglot, Remastering Engineer - Ian Samwell, Writer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2021 Warner Music UK Limited
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 - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Ray Davies, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
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 - The Pretenders, MainArtist - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Henry Lowther, Trumpet
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2021 Warner Music UK Limited
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, Writer - Bill Price, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals - Henry Lowther, Trumpet - Pretenders, MainArtist
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2021 Warner Music UK Limited.
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 - Tim Young, Remastering Engineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981, 2018 Warner Music UK Limited
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Composer, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - Bill Price, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer, Additional Keyboards - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - Steve Nye, Additional Recording
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2006 Warner Music UK Ltd
DISC 3
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Writer, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - STEPHEN STREET, Producer - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
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
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1980, 1981 Real Records.
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Francois Lamoureux, MasteringEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd.
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
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals - Ray Davies, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
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
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Real Records.
Pete Farndon, Vocals, Bass - James Honeyman-Scott, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals - Martin Chambers, Drums, Vocals - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, RecordingEngineer - Harriet Bellush, Producer - Sam Kooper, Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd.
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
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Real Records.
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Real Records.
James Honeyman-Scott, Writer - Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Production - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Warner Music UK Ltd
Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 1981 Real Records.
Gary Jackson, Writer - Martin Chambers, Drums - CHRIS THOMAS, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, Guitar, Vocals - Pretenders, MainArtist - ED STASIUM, MixingEngineer - Eric Heywood, Steel Guitar - James Walbourne, Guitar - Nick Wilkinson, Bass - Carl Smith, Writer - Raynard Miner, Writer - Starfleet Blair, Inc., Producer
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 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
- 3 disc(s) - 43 track(s)
- Total length: 02:50:52
- Main artists: The Pretenders
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: WM UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2021 Warner Music UK Limited This Compilation, ℗ 2021 Warner Music UK Limited
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
Playlists