release date: Jan. 17, 1984
format: vinyl / cd (2012 remaster) / digital (17 x File, FLAC) (2013 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,15]
producer: Chris Thomas
label: Real Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Middle of the Road" - 2. "Back on the Chain Gang" - 3. "Time the Avenger" - 5. "Show Me" (5 / 5) - 8. "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" - 9. "I Hurt You" - 10. "2000 Miles"
3rd studio album by The Pretenders (first album using the definite article in artist name) released two years following Pretenders II is an album that had been postponed due to fatal circumstances and at least one dead band member. Bassist Pete Farndom was dismissed from the band in Jun. '82 and two days later, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was found dead due to a drug-overdose. Although, Farndon had been sacked, he initiated a career in the band Samurai (also with former The Clash drummer Topper Headon, who had also been sacked due to excessive drug abuse), however, also Farndon ended his life after an overdose in Apr. '83.
After a hiatus in late '82, Chrissie Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers were joined by guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster, and the new quartet restarted the band with its most coherent and second-best album overall. The delayed release may also be explained by the fact that Hynde gave birth to her first child in Jan. '83. It's really no wonder how many of the fine songs here are circling around themes of life and death - about endings and new beginnings. All songs are written and composed by Hynde except the cover song, track #8, originally by the brothers Robert and Richard Poindexter together with Jackie Members of the vocal group The Persuaders.
The Extended digital 2013 remaster (issued by Warner Music UK) comes with 7 bonus tracks including three 'Denmark Street Demo' recordings (original 1978 demo takes recorded in London's West End) and two live recordings.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]
