User Profile
Rob Dwyer
Currently the "Tour Dates Guru" for Black-Sabbath.com, I was also the webmaster and creator of Sabbathlive.com. I have been playing guitar and writing music criticism since age 10. While I was raised on a heavy diet of Heavy Metal, Prog Rock & New Wave, my voracious appetite for music has made me open to music of numerous genres. I strive to be honest, but also judicious and fair in my musical reviews, while trying to avoid being too hateful.
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Rob Dwyer's Album Reviews
The Pretenders debut album bristles with such kinetic energy even three decades after its original release. Musically, they created their own brand of brash, punky hard rock, while incorporating a melodic sensibility that helped their musical hooks become so tasty and resonant. Guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was responsible for many of these melodic ideas as can be evidenced in his guitar solo for “Kid” and the guitar riffs in their breakthrough single “Brass In Pocket”. The rhythm section was also a very potent machine, combining the melodic bass lines of the late Pete Farndon with the propulsive and tasteful drumming of Martin Chambers.
Chrissie Hynde may have been a reluctant and self conscious rock star when she originally made this album, but her songwriting and overall performance provided the X-factor that makes this album so powerful. She combines an often sneering rock & roll attitude with sexually aggressive lyrics (“Precious” and “Tattooed Love Boys”), while still baring her softer, more vulnerable side on the ballads (“Stop Your Sobbing” and “Lovers Of Today”). Her warbling vibrato is smooth and engaging on these songs. Chrissie’s excellent songwriting and tough chick attitude would influence countless female Indie rockers to follow in her footsteps.
For me, this is a perfect album from start to finish. You can't get much more rock & roll than the edgy "Precious" which it's eye opening lyrics. However, it’s the slamming “Tattooed Love Boys” that really gets the party going. With the unorthodox 15/16 time signature of the verse section and Scott’s tasty solo break, this song is an obvious standout. Chrissie’s lyrics recount her experiences running with bikers in Ohio during 70s. With the exception of their nicely executed cover of The Kinks “Stop Your Sobbing”, the first half of the record is a more edgy and energized affair.
The second half is decidedly more mellow and melodic with the 60s styled Pop of “Kid”, the well-crafted single “Brass In Pocket” and the somewhat langorous, but fragile ballad “Lovers Of Today”. “Private Life” and “Mystery Achievement” are both rather dynamic & catchy songs that keep things from getting too mellow as the album reaches the end.
This original lineup of The Pretenders would sadly be cut short after two albums after the dismissal of Pete Farndon, followed by both his and Jimmy Scott’s tragic drug overdoses within the space of a year. This outstanding debut album remains a bittersweet testament to the potency of Chrissie’s collaboration with these very talented young men. I’ve listened to this album more times than I can count and it never grows tiresome to me. One of my favorite Rock albums of all time.
Chrissie Hynde may have been a reluctant and self conscious rock star when she originally made this album, but her songwriting and overall performance provided the X-factor that makes this album so powerful. She combines an often sneering rock & roll attitude with sexually aggressive lyrics (“Precious” and “Tattooed Love Boys”), while still baring her softer, more vulnerable side on the ballads (“Stop Your Sobbing” and “Lovers Of Today”). Her warbling vibrato is smooth and engaging on these songs. Chrissie’s excellent songwriting and tough chick attitude would influence countless female Indie rockers to follow in her footsteps.
For me, this is a perfect album from start to finish. You can't get much more rock & roll than the edgy "Precious" which it's eye opening lyrics. However, it’s the slamming “Tattooed Love Boys” that really gets the party going. With the unorthodox 15/16 time signature of the verse section and Scott’s tasty solo break, this song is an obvious standout. Chrissie’s lyrics recount her experiences running with bikers in Ohio during 70s. With the exception of their nicely executed cover of The Kinks “Stop Your Sobbing”, the first half of the record is a more edgy and energized affair.
The second half is decidedly more mellow and melodic with the 60s styled Pop of “Kid”, the well-crafted single “Brass In Pocket” and the somewhat langorous, but fragile ballad “Lovers Of Today”. “Private Life” and “Mystery Achievement” are both rather dynamic & catchy songs that keep things from getting too mellow as the album reaches the end.
This original lineup of The Pretenders would sadly be cut short after two albums after the dismissal of Pete Farndon, followed by both his and Jimmy Scott’s tragic drug overdoses within the space of a year. This outstanding debut album remains a bittersweet testament to the potency of Chrissie’s collaboration with these very talented young men. I’ve listened to this album more times than I can count and it never grows tiresome to me. One of my favorite Rock albums of all time.
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