It’s been 42 years since The Pretenders formed, yet Hate For Sale marks a debut of sorts — and a triumphant one at that.
Chrissie Hynde has performed under the band name since 1978, with a rotating cycle of bandmates, but the latest record is the first studio effort of the current incarnation.
After a false start, the title track — a tribute to The Damned — is suitably raucous and overflowing in punk attitude (yet suitably polished, thanks to producer Stephen Street). Lead single The Buzz draws comparisons between drug addiction and love affairs. “I can only prove you’re real / By the scratching and the fever,” sings Hynde, as co-writer James Walbourne showcases his electrifying guitar abilities.
It’s not the first time The Pretenders have worked with Street — their last project was 1999’s ¡Viva El Amor! and here he expertly recreates the band’s earlier sounds.
Soulful ballad You Can’t Hurt a Fool marks another stand-out moment, as Hynde’s powerful and knowing signature vocals deliver hard-earned rock’n’roll lessons: “Genuine fools / Don’t play by the rules / And she won’t reconsider.”
