Pretenders II (Remastered) Pretenders

• 1 The Adultress 03:58
• 2 Bad Boys Get Spanked 04:06
• 3 Message Of Love 03:28
• 4 I Go To Sleep 02:56
• 5 Birds Of Paradise 04:15
• 6 Talk Of The Town 02:46
• 7 Pack It Up 03:51
• 8 Waste Not Want Not 03:45
• 9 Day After Day 03:46
• 10 Jealous Dogs 05:37
• 11 The English Roses 04:30
• 12 Louie Louie 03:29
• Total Runtime 46:27

Info for Pretenders II (Remastered)

The band look magnificent on the cover as they pose with make-up or heavily retouched faces. They look confident, knowing that their follow-up is almost as good as the debut. Chrissie and Ray Davies were stepping out at this time, hence the opening track, "The Adultress," as Hynde whispers her confession over a furious wall of sound, to be immediately followed by her reminder that "Bad Boys Get Spanked." If only Chrissie, if only. The album drives and dives, pausing for "I Go To Sleep," another old Ray Davies song. There is not a bad track in sight.

„The Pretenders' debut album was such a powerful, monumental record that its sequel was bound to be a bit of a disappointment, and Pretenders II is. Essentially, this album is an unabashed sequel, offering more of the same sound, attitude, and swagger, including titles that seem like rips on their predecessors and another Ray Davies cover. This gives the record a bit too much of a pat feeling, especially since the band seems to have a lost a bit of momentum -- they don't rock as hard, Chrissie Hynde's songwriting isn't as consistent, James Honeyman-Scott isn't as inventive or clever. These all are disappointments, yet this first incarnation of the Pretenders was a tremendous band, and even if they offer diminished returns, it's still diminished returns on good material, and much of Pretenders II is quite enjoyable. Yes, it's a little slicker and more stylized than its predecessor, and, yes, there's a little bit of filler, yet any album where rockers as tough as "Message of Love" and "The Adultress" are balanced by a pop tune as lovely as "Talk of the Town" is hard to resist. And when you realize that this fantastic band only recorded two albums, you take that second album, warts and all, because the teaming of Hynde and Honeyman-Scott was one of the great pairs, and it's utterly thrilling to hear them together, even when the material isn't quite up to the high standards they set the first time around.“ (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Chrissie Hynde, rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Pete Farndon, bass, backing vocals
Martin Chambers, drums, backing vocals
James Honeyman-Scott, lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Additional musicians:
Chris Mercer, tenor saxophone
Henry Lowther, trumpet
Jim Wilson, trumpet
Geoff Bryant, French horn
Chris Thomas, sound effects

Recorded 1980–1981 at Wessex Studios, London and Pathe Marconi Studios, Paris
Engineered by Bill Price
Produced by Chris Thomas

Digitally remastered

Pretenders
were formed in 1978 with singer Chrissie Hynde on vocals, Pete Farndon on bass, James Honeyman-Scott on guitar and Martin Chambers on drums.

They released two LP’s, Pretenders – which charted at #1 in the UK and #9 in the States - and Pretenders II, and one EP, Extended Play. The band enjoyed worldwide chart success with singles including Stop Your Sobbing, Kid, Brass In Pocket, Talk of The Town and I Go To Sleep. The band was constantly on the road and enjoyed heavy MTV rotation.

In 1982 they were dealt a difficult year: a parting of ways with Pete Farndon being swiftly followed by the death of James Honeyman-Scott. Pete’s death came a year later.

Subsequently the band’s line-up remained fluid and the band went on to release the albums Learning to Crawl, Get Close and Packed! between 1984 and 1990.

After a 4-year hiatus came the band’s next release Last of the Independents, followed in 1995 by Isle of View, a live acoustic album recorded over two nights in London with the Duke String Quartet.

1999 saw the release of Viva El Amor, the last album to be released on longtime label Warner Records, and their next album Loose Screw was released on Artemis Records in 2002.

Neil Young inducted the Pretenders into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, and their next release, Break Up The Concrete, came in 2008.

The band have toured the world and performed in front of over 4 million people. Pretenders continue to play together.

This album contains no booklet.