Mrs Kerr And The Tattooed Love Boys

 

Pretenders - Pretenders [MSFL 1-372 USA 2016 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]

Originally released in 1980 on Real Records (part of the Warners empire) the debut album by The Pretenders should always be revered as a new wave classic. Although the band were quickly to move through the genres into the households of millions as part of the mainstream, it was the tracks which were never singles which delivered the riffs and attitudes as the London scene moved on from punk. Just check out Chrissie Hyndes lyrics on the opening Precious.

Delivering hit after hit starting with a cover of The Kink's Stop Your Sobbing, then Kid (both from 1979), it was their Brass In Pocket which topped the UK charts. Tattooed Love Boys is a personal favourite for its energetic riffing however with its risqué subject matter it would never be a single, but it did find its way to the b-side of the Kid single. 

The Pretenders will always be remembered for the hit singles, however when you listen deeper to their debut, it reveals much more about their roots and these more uptempo punk'ier numbers often get forgotten. 

Unusually for a 'British new-wave' band, this album got the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab mastering treatment a few years back and the improved dynamics uncovered in their modern analogue mastering really brings out everything lost in the original cheap 1980 pressing. Play loud.

A1 Precious

A2 The Phone Call

A3 Up The Neck

A4 Tattooed Love Boys

A5 Space Invader

A6 The Wait

A7 Stop Your Sobbing

B1 Kid

B2 Private Life

B3 Brass In Pocket

B4 Lovers Of Today

B5 Mystery Achievement