Watching The Pretenders tear through their songbook at Shepherds Bush Empire last year brings home what a remarkably underrated songwriter Chrissie Hynde is. She can provide hits for Girls Aloud and conquer US mainstream radio, but never dilutes the pure pop vision and rock’n’roll attitude she brought over from Akron, Ohio in the early 70s. From The Pretenders’ first perfect run of singles (Kid, Talk Of The Town, Message To Love, Brass In Pocket, etc), Hynde has displayed an unerring knack for stirring pop melodies and words that cut to the heart, delivered with soul, strength and vulnerability.
The death of two band members from drug-related deaths in the early 80s left Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers (a relentless powerhouse throughout) to continue The Pretenders’ name; now with often-incendiary guitarist James Walbourne, bassist Nick Wilkinson and Eric Heywood’s keening pedal steel. Producer Francois Lamoureux effectively captures the band on blistering form as they charge through hits (also including Stop Your Sobbing, I Go To Sleep, Don’t Get Me Wrong) plus energised workouts through The Wait, Cuban Slide, Precious and more. By mid-set, Hynde is ignoring the mascara streaking down her face, obviously having the time of her life; an energised contrast to the “extras” consisting of group personnel snoring on the tour bus.
