Chrissie Hynde & Dan Auerbach Work Brilliantly On The Pretenders’ ‘Alone’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

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As the only constant member of the famed rock band The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde has worked relentlessly as a pioneer for female-fronted rock and roll bands since 1979. She has unapologetically written, recorded and performed her music around the globe and has earned the right to do whatever the hell she wants, including her choice to team up with fellow Akron, Ohio-based rock and roll heavyweight, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys in order to record and release Alone, the first Pretenders LP since 2008. According to the official press release, Hynde is backed by a team of “real people playing real instruments,” including bassist Dave Roe, pedal steel luminary Russ Pahl, guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboardist Leon Michels and drummer Richard Swift – both members of Auerbach’s other band The Arcs.

There are several nuggets on Alone, including the title track which gets right to point of the LP’s overall theme, enjoying and celebrating being alone and doing whatever one wants without having to answer to anybody. “Alone Song” would also make the late Lou Reed truly proud. It’s jam packed with Mick Ronson-esque rhythm guitar, jangly piano fills, street attitude and references to the sensationalistic Pop Art era akin to Reed’s masterpiece Transformer. Hynde nails Reed’s pessimistic syntax with, “Now I’m out prowlin’ the streets/with all the poets, and the Greeks and the deadbeats/I’m taking my time, sitting on park benches and all the glamor/It all starts down here/This is where the trends begin/Life’s a canvas/And I’m on it!” Whether the nod to Reed was intentional or not, it’s a magnificent track to get this album going.

“Roadie Man” follows, with its lyrics that have allegedly been in Hynde’s vault for twenty-five years. “Roadie” is a slinky and seductive ode to her road crew. And, with lines like, “What happens on the bus, stays on the bus”, it’s a cheeky homage to the perils of the rock and roll lifestyle. “Gotta Wait” offers Hynde’s classic style in the forefront of the mix and is not overshadowed by Auerbach. If one is hoping to find a track with the classic Pretender composition, this one captures it with it’s funky beat, groove and ‘tude.

“Chord Lord” could very well have be a revived lost cut by the glam rockers T. Rex. There’s a strong trace of Marc Bolan’s sexy sleaze and it truly grooves. Hynde finds a perfect balance of grit and saccharin to posture this track as one of the best on the album. Listen closely to the brilliant fretwork of the guitar lines that weave in and out in the mix.  ”Blue Eyed Sky” is a beautiful, hypnotic ballad that finds Hynde’s voice at its most angelic. The subtle, mostly acoustic instrumentation, complements Hynde’s moving vocal perfection. “Sky”, along with “Let’s Get Lost”, “Be the Man That You Are”, “I Hate Myself” and “Death Is Not Enough” are all stellar, mellow tracks that add to the balance between the musical beauty and the bite that the Pretenders are known for.

Alone comes full-circle with “Holy Commotion”, the LP’s first single. And, there’s no mistaking Auerbach’s sound and style. It’s a fun, multifaceted trip or whimsical synthesized tones, played out on Auerbach’s array of vintage instruments. The music and Hynde’s lyrics, “A mass of devotion/A holy commotion/I just want to lead the blind/I just want to free your mind”, are more upbeat and optimistic than the previous tracks and a great way to close out the album.

Hynde’s and Auerbach’s respective talents stand on their own. But, the questionsabout this collaboration for most, must have initially been, “Will this work?” Would Hynde’s signature sound and snarl shine through Auerbach’s low-fi, old-school style of production? The definitive answer is that fans of both the Pretenders and Auerbach’s projects should find this album to be quite a treat. Hynde channels her emotions, wears them on her sleeves and lets them resonate in her lyrics as well as her unmistakable and remarkable voice. Auerbach’s production is solid and never gets in the way of letting Hynde shine on each track. Alone, is a treasure chest filled with gems and worthy of opening the lid to listen.