Events

[ROCK] Unlike so many of her contemporaries, Chrissie Hynde has never made the same record twice. Not even close. On Alone, the Dan Auerbach-produced 10th Pretenders studio set that dropped earlier this fall, she continues the anti-tradition with a set of bluesy tunes that mostly simmer rather than assault, but her punchy personality remains indelible. It’s a far cry from 2008’s country-rocking Break up the Concrete, and even further afield from 2004’s Loose Screw. At 65, Hynde is less interested than ever in pleasing anyone but herself and, like usual, her fuck-you-come-hither stance works more often than not. Perhaps for the first time in her career, the aging in her voice is slightly audible. But the rawness feels entirely appropriate within Auerbach’s do-it-on-the-fly recording tact, which had Hynde laying down her vocals in a 48-hour marathon. The amusing title track finds her unapologetically reminding us that she’s never been much of a joiner. On the whole, the album title reflects a double entendre: Initially conceived as a followup to her solo debut, Alone became a Pretenders project as an afterthought. Hynde is the only true Pretender on the record, though drummer Martin Chambers joins her on the tour that pulls into Town Ballroom on Wednesday, November 30 for one in a small handful of headlining shows amid the band’s co-bill run this fall with Stevie Nicks. Alone works best when Auerbach and Hynde mine the depths of rock history together, using some of his pals from the Arcs and some Nashville session players to create the slinky beach-pop of “Roadie Man,” the gritty, heated, soul-stomp of “Gotta Wait,” and the percussive, spy B-movie feel of “One More Day,” all of which are well decorated with retro organs and enough reverb to transport us through time. Elsewhere, she conjures her tender/tough persona, aided by a guest spot from guitarist Duane Eddy on “Never Be Together,” and carries the torch of self-loathing to new depths with ”I Hate Myself.” If there’s an overarching tone, it’s a rudimentary one culled from early rock-and-roll basics, which seems entirely appropriate given Hynde’s punk roots and Auerbach’s predisposition for lo-fi blues. Yes, it could rock a little harder and nobody would complain, but it still feels like a blessing to have this new music from one of our most distinctive and enduring musical artists.