The Pretenders "Learning to Crawl" (1984)

Learning to Crawl
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 ]

Pretenders "Extended Play" (1981) (ep)

Extended Play, ep
release date: Mar. 30, 1981
format: vinyl (cut-out record - MINI 3563)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Chris Thomas
label: Sire Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Message of Love" (4,5 / 5 ) - 2. "Talk of the Town" - 3. "Porcelain" - - B) 1. "Cuban Slide" - 2. "Precious" (live)

5 track ep release by Pretenders in the same line-up as on the one-year old debut. Two tracks (#A3 and #B1) are outtakes from the debut album, and tracks #A1 and #A2 are included on the sophomore album Pretenders II (Aug. 1981).
A tight and very fine ep.

Pretenders "Pretenders"

L-R: Farndon, Hynde,
Chambers, Honeyman-Scott

Pretenders [debut]

release date: Jan. 11, 1980

format: vinyl / cd (2014 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]

producer: Chris Thomas

label: Real Records / MFSL - nationality: UK / USA

Track highlights: A) 1. "Precious" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Phone Call" - 3. "Up the Neck" - 4. "Tattoed Love Boys" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Wait" (live at Rockpalast 1981)- 7. "Stop Your Sobbing" - - B) 1. "Kid" (5 / 5) - 2. "Private Life" - 3. "Brass in Pocket" (4 / 5) - 4. "Lovers of Today" - 5. "Mystery Achievement"

Studio album debut by British-American act Pretenders here consisting of only American-born member front-figure Chrissie Hynde on vocals and rhythm guitar along with three British co-founders: guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete(r) Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers.

The album came out in Britain and showed an alternative path in between more established rock acts - who were actually skilled instrumentalists - and the contrary 'true' punk rockers of the now 'dead' British scene, which made way for new wave in various disguises. This wasn't the kind of new wave you would associate with Elvis Costello, The Jam, XTC, or any other act on either side of the Atlantic. If anything, they have more in common with Blondie and The Police, who also found their individual paths in between electrified new wave and more melody- / ballad-oriented pop / rock. Not unlike Andy Sumners of The Police, Honeyman-Scott came out as a shining guitar-hero of a younger generation and Hynde silenced all critics with her punchy vocal and songwriter skills, which immediately placed her alongside the best of the best. This is a debut that has gone down in music history as one of the strongest and purest original first releases next to Elvis Presley, The Clash, Velvet Underground, The Who, and only a few others who came out this strong on their first album out.

My vinyl issue is a Spanish first edition despite having a "No. 1 GB" fake ticker (looks like a ticker but is part of the cover art) on the front cover indicating it was issued on a later date in Spain when the album had peaked as Number #1 in Britain.

The album is a must-have in any collection of modern rock-music and it's a natural title in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The album has been reissued and remastered many times, and I still think the original version is the best - the 2006 remaster is really one to avoid, but the 2014 remaster reflects a much better job done.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Spin, Blender 5 / 5, Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]