Pretenders - Pretenders II (3 CD Deluxe, 2021/FLAC)

     Curated by Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders’ second studio album Pretenders II is packaged in a brand-new, striking 3CD deluxe book.

    In 1981, Pretenders followed up their massive eponymous debut album with Pretenders II. The last album with Pretenders’ original line-up, the band continued the tremendous form of their debut album.

    Curated by Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders II (Deluxe Edition) features the original album remastered by Chris Thomas, alongside demos, rarities, and two live performances. One is from a performance in Central Park, New York City, and the other from an electric performance at The Santa Monica Civic. 

    Following their debut album, Pretenders released two singles in the UK, Talk Of The Town and Message Of Love before Pretenders II arrived, with the former reaching #8 and the latter #11 in the UK singles charts. The appetite in the US maintained too, with Pretenders releasing an EP in the interim named “Extended Play”, containing five tracks that would later be on the Pretenders II album. With a clamouring for more Pretenders material, Pretenders II was released on 15th August 1981 to great fanfare. The album would end up peaking #7 in the UK, and #10 in the US, being certified Silver and Gold respectively in the process. Further highlights of the album include another cover of The Kinks, in the form of I Go To Sleep.

Pretenders - Pretenders (3 CD Deluxe, 2021/FLAC)

Pretenders is widely regarded as one of the greatest debut albums of all-time. Featuring Chrissie Hynde’s incredible vocals and guitar, James Honeyman-Scott’s glistening guitar, Pete Farndon’s driving bass and Martin Chambers’ drums, the album is quintessential new wave, and a defining album of the 80s.

Curated by Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders (Deluxe Edition) features the original album remastered by Chris Thomas, alongside demos, rarities, and many live performances. These include BBC sessions on The Kid Jensen Show, and performances at The Paris Theatre, London and Paradise Theater in Boston.

It started with the release of their first single, a cover of The Kinks’ Stop Your Sobbing, produced by Nick Lowe. It would end up a top 40 hit in the UK, with their follow up single Kid also reaching the top 40. They then released one of Pretenders’ most famous tracks, Brass In Pocket. Leading with a glorious guitar rhythm embodied by luscious chorus, Brass In Pocket launched Pretenders onto a different level, with the track finishing reaching #1 in the UK, Ireland, Sweden and South Africa, as well as top 5s in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New Zealand and more. It was also a success in the US, reaching #14 and becoming the 7th music video aired on MTV. The album continues to be highly acclaimed to this day, regularly featuring amongst best of the 1980s lists.