Following up on 2020's "Hate For Sale," The Pretenders return with "Relentless"
The band now consists of frontwoman, singer, songwriter, and composer Chrissie Hynde. Lead Guitarist, Co-writer, vocalist, and composer: James Walbourne. Replacing Martin Chambers as drummer: Kristopher Sonne and replacing Nick Wilkinson as Bassist David Antony Page.
Relentless is a different album than "Hate For Sale". Slower and more methodical, where "Hate For Sale" showed off the band could still rock "Relentless" shows off they can still bring something more profound to the table.
Opening with a blistering guitar, "Relentless" sets sail with "Losing My Sense of Taste" a cheeky COVID-inspired title but rather about something else during the actual song. Here Hynde laments"I don't even care about rock and roll/All my favorites seem tired and old/ My whole collection now feels like a waste/Maybe I'm losing my sense of taste" This kind of writing is pervasive on the album, introspective and sometimes dark, Hynde once again takes jabs at the world but not before taking a few at herself. The band rocks all the way through, but the music feels deliberate this time, maybe even more deliberate than "Hate For Sale" 's incredible run.
The first side of the album runs you through all the quicker stuff for the most part. "A Love" follows as the second song and is the most traditional "Pretenders" sounding song. "Domestic Silence" has a very modern groove around it and reaffirms that Hynde is not only a great singer but that she has that subtle art of embodying the character of a song. "The Copa" is a laid-back tune that shows off a more difficult vocal performance than people will give it credit for. The music is clearly not only chosen because it sounds good but has some hidden meaning to Hynde and Walboure that we're not clued into. "Security, Security, I took off my shoes...turned around and you were gone" complete with the disappearance of the music for some seconds before coming back to the chorus. "The Promise of Love" a traditionally great vocal from Hynde, weaves a poetic tale that delights the ears and teases the eyes.
"Merry Widow" rounds out the first half of the album and is a song that will most probably be underappreciated. Its heavy drums and dark guitar sound like it could almost tread into the grunge category. Hynde's voice, sublime in its stark uniqueness to any other singer out there, croons and simultaneously croaks "He was/Very/Good looking and strong/But he treated me wrong" in a way that pierces right to the heart of its meaning.
Side two opens with "Let the Sun Come In" an upbeat rally against the despair of the world that served as the first single for the album.
"Look Away" follows and is an almost sea-jaunty tune about Hynde's favorite subject... smartphones.
"Your House is on Fire" is a song that is, clearly, co-written by James Walbourne (they all are) showcasing a slightly sarcastic Hynde admonishing at times (and feeling pity at others) a poor soul "In your case it's victim, you can't get a break/everybody is against you/it's a feeling you just can't shake/ See ya, see ya/Wouldn't want to be ya"
"Just Let It Go" is a standout on the album, all the pieces come together. A triumphant introspective song that radiates from Hynde's vocal, Walbourne's mix-matching heavy guitar solo over a softer ballad, and the band playing on all cylinders. It is songs like these that separate Hynde from the rest. She is a powerhouse of talent and hasn't wavered in her nearly 50+ years of performing.
"Vainglorious" is the only tune that seems to come and go (though live it is electric!) and the album ends with "I Think About You Daily" a ballad suspended over piano and a string arrangement by Johnny Greenwood. "Relentless" is a marvel. After 5 decades, two major deaths, and the shuffling of more band members that can be counted on one hand, it still manages to be one of the Pretenders BEST albums. A perfect antithesis to "Hate For Sale" and a strong pairing to be played right after "Pretenders" and "Pretenders II". It is hard to imagine that there could be a better version of this band in THIS day. Hynde's talent cannot be overstated but the band she's put together also seems to grasp the spirit of original Pretenders members James Honeyman Scott and Pete Fardon while also pushing that sound to a place that can still be relevant, fresh, and good today.
If we never get another Pretenders album the world should be satisfied that we had the chance to have "Relentless", It's hard to imagine where the band might go from here but it's certainly wherever the hell they want to and we should all be just fine with that. Rating: 9/10
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