Twenty years on, the Pretenders' sound hasn't dated. Amid the New Wave tangle of 1979, the Pretenders shined like some mutant
jewel, sui generis pop veiling unfashionable romanticism, glossed by Chrissie Hynde's nerve and that extraordinary voice, with its
tremulous sustains and surprising phrasing, equal parts sass and sob. On this latest effort, Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers keep
that sound alive. ¡Viva El Amor! is professional in the best sense: confident, mature, buffed to a sparkle by Stephen Hague's sinewy
production. These Pretenders are at their finest in big ol' rock mode. "Dragway 42" is an intelligent headbanger, and "Legalise Me"
races relentlessly, exhausting everyone but the indefatigable singer. When the songs slow down, Hynde's lyrical flaws gape -- "Biker" is
a silly metaphor for feeling liberated by love. The kick-ass kickoff tune, "Popstar," is full of misplaced bitterness and unbecomingly
competitive asides. So "they don't make 'em like they used to" -- well, they don't need to, do they? (RS 816-817)
The Pretenders: Viva El Amor (Warner Bros.)
Twenty years on, the Pretenders' sound hasn't dated. Amid the New Wave tangle of 1979, the Pretenders shined like some mutant
jewel, sui generis pop veiling unfashionable romanticism, glossed by Chrissie Hynde's nerve and that extraordinary voice, with its
tremulous sustains and surprising phrasing, equal parts sass and sob. On this latest effort, Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers keep
that sound alive. ¡Viva El Amor! is professional in the best sense: confident, mature, buffed to a sparkle by Stephen Hague's sinewy
production. These Pretenders are at their finest in big ol' rock mode. "Dragway 42" is an intelligent headbanger, and "Legalise Me"
races relentlessly, exhausting everyone but the indefatigable singer. When the songs slow down, Hynde's lyrical flaws gape -- "Biker" is
a silly metaphor for feeling liberated by love. The kick-ass kickoff tune, "Popstar," is full of misplaced bitterness and unbecomingly
competitive asides. So "they don't make 'em like they used to" -- well, they don't need to, do they? (RS 816-817)
