REVIEW: Pretenders, Viva El Amor (Warner Bros.)
- Joann D. Ball
"They don't make 'em like they used to!"
That's the message the Pretenders convincingly deliver on the new release Viva El Amor . The memorable line, taken from the CD's lead track and current UK single "Popstar," is a sharp response to a strayed lover who should have realized that he never had it so good. But the sentiment also neatly sums up the Pretenders incredible staying power.
Exploding onto the post-punk scene twenty years ago, the Pretenders took the musical path less taken by combining punk attitude with rock stylings and pop sensibilities. The Pretenders forged a distinctive sound with singer/songwriter Chrissie Hynde's trademark tough and tender vocals framed by a guitar-driven melodic approach. And as the Pretenders prove on Viva El Amor, the winning combination is timeless and still irresistable.
On the band's seventh studio effort, Hynde, original drummer Martin Chambers, guitarist Adam Seymour and bassist Andy Hobson are as fresh and energized as ever. Kicking off with the catchy buzz of "Popstar," Viva El Amor showcases the full range of the Pretenders' musical essence. "Who's Who" and "Baby's Breath" overflow with the chiming guitars and magical moments one expects from the band, while "From the Heart Down," which features the Duke Quartet, captures the stripped down beauty displayed on 1995's unplugged Isle of View. Tender moments can also be found on the sensual "Samurai" and on the cover of the Spanish-language song "Rabo Du Nube."
The Pretenders balance the soft and hard on the emotion-filled "Dragway 42," and display their characteristic edge on the raucuous rocker "Legalise Me." Complete with a count-off from Chambers and guest guitar work from Jeff Beck, "Legalise Me" recalls the full-on aggression last heard on 1994's Last of the Independents.
The first UK single "Human" (also the theme for the short-lived American television show "Cupid"), however, has to be the best Pretenders song the band never wrote. With Jules Shear on board to further sweeten the backing vocals, the Pretenders infuse the Divinyls' original with their definitive brand of shimmering pop. And Hynde gives the song's lyrics and especially the "I'm only human on the inside" chorus such a personal touch that "Human" actually seems autobiographical.
The revealing "Biker," for which the release was originally to be named, closes the 45-minute Viva El Amor. Demonstrating that wisdom comes with age, the twelve tracks on the record skillfully explore the familiar subjects of love and the human condition. And packaged with a striking cover photo of Chrissie Hynde in a propagandist revolutionary pose (taken by the late Linda McCartney), Viva El Amor delivers exactly what it promises. Long Live Love, indeed!
For Pretenders information online, visit the official Pretenders Archives website http://members.tripod.com/~PretendersArchives and the related site http://www.pretenders.org
