Review: The Pretenders

By Heather Collins

The Pretenders are back on the chain gang again with their newest album “Break Up the Concrete.” If you still love The Pretenders, you’ll still love The Pretenders after listening to this album.

It’s some real rock ‘n’ roll and the proof is in the pudding. Lead singer, Chrissie Hynde, is the only original member – outliving the drug-related deaths of all the other band members.

The Pretenders, who rose to fame in the ‘70s, can still woo listeners with their political lyrics filled with “whoas,” “heys,” and Bo Diddley drum beats galore.

If you’re stuck on the top 40 radio stations and don’t remember the real sounds of The Pretenders…think Blondie crossed with Joan Jett.

The real gleaming gem of the album is the rawness of the recording. The entire album was recorded in only ten hours and The Pretenders included all the count-ins, messy drumbeats and band chatter.

During a few of the songs, listeners may feel like they’re sitting all alone at an old abandoned bar in the middle of a rusty Texas Town, but sometimes we all feel that way and this is a great soundtrack to rosy up the blues and rock ‘n’ roll to them too.

As the title songs states, “Shake it! Bake it! Earthquake! Break up the concrete!” But whatever you do, there’s no pretending here, The Pretenders have still got that real rock ‘n’ roll.

Release date: October 7, 2008