Listen to her take a stand by not taking a stand on “Middle of the Road”. Now they’re fist-in-the-air the political protesters. Other times they’re churning out radio-friendly pop. It’s tough to pigeonhole The Pretenders into one convenient category.

Learning To Crawl is an exploration of all those emotions in a 10-song, 40-minute maelstrom of brash music and stiletto lyrics. A bouillabaisse of Rust Belt slag, cigarettes, cheap beer and 180 proof whiskey, her voice conveys anger, love, fear, lust and hurt with equal measures of success. Of course, Hynde’s vocal distinction has always been the instrument that sets The Pretenders apart. I could be listening to this song in the middle of July and still get the chills when she sobs those words. From the pain in Chrissie’s voice, 2,000 miles might as well be 2 million. It’s her phrasing of those last three words that sear your soul. In just seven words, proud Ohioan Chrissie Hynde and her band of Brits bring you to your knees. The second is “2,000 miles,” which happens to be the last song The Pretenders’ 1984 release Learning To Crawl. Thinking about some WWII kid soldier on the front lines pining for home just crushes my heart. The first is the Bing Crosby classic “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”. There are two Christmas songs that absolutely destroy me every time I hear them.

The pretenders back to ohio