How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
Wonderful album !
Disadvantages:
Was it really 20 odd years ago?
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The Spice Girls may have proclaimed girl power in their Armani dresses back in the 90’s but woman power might well be something that Chrissie Hynde lead singer with The Pretenders had in bucket loads in the 80’s. Hynde was no light weight manufactured singer unlike the former. No stranger to controversy, with her out spoken views on animal rights and vegetarianism, this woman took on the world of male dominated new wave/soft rock and to all extent and purposes gave them a good run for their money. Back in the 80’s The Pretenders had a certain brash sound to them, a unique sound that made you instantly recognise them. Probably best known for hits such as the wonderful Brass in Pocket, I Go to Sleep and Back on the Chain Gang as well as minor classics like the poignant Hymn to Her and 2000 miles.
Isle of View was released back in 1995, it’s unique as it’s an acoustic live album with Hynde sounding well a bit unlike Hynde, some what softer, less of the brashness, but none the less sounding rather good. Isle of View takes the Pretenders fan down memory lane accompanied by a string section and some very good acoustic sets. To be honest if you’ve never heard any thing by The Pretenders it might give you a misguided view of how they do sound on the majority of their work. This is not to say that Ms Hynde doesn’t give a damn good performance on this album as she does. What you get on this album is a more poignant sounding Chrissie, add on a string section , a toned down backing track and you have one hellva good album on your hands.
Some might say that The Pretenders jumped on the 90’s band wagon of doing an acoustic album but to be honest I don’t really care. The album opened up my eyes to a softer sounding Chrissie, even though you get the odd reminder that this is a woman to be reckoned with and in places you do expected her to ditch the mellow sound that the string section gives and have the band crank up the old 80’s sound as she belts out a classic.
Opening with Sense of Purpose with applause from the crowd you instantly warm to this album, with it’s backing track including strings, a tambourine and guitar you get a slightly more softer sounding version of one of the lesser known Pretender hits. Chrissie Hynde as ever handles the vocals superbly in her own unique style even though at times you do expect her to crank it up and belt it out like the original version. It’s not a bad track to start off with but to be honest it wouldn’t have been my first choice. I think I’d have gone with one of the better known tracks like Brass in Pocket or Kid to open.
Chill Factor is the next track up to get the acoustic treatment and it works. Chill Factor in it’s original form was a very poignant song. The acoustic treatment has added to this. The musical arrangement is slightly upbeat and add on Chrissie Hynde sounding probably the best she has in years and you’ve got a definite aural treat on your hands. What shines out in this track is the fact that the band are actually enjoying themselves and this comes across not only on this track but on the whole of the album.
Grace Jones might be best known for Private Life back in the early 80’s but having heard the version of Private Life on this album then I’d say Chrissie Hynde has pulled it off beautifully. You get Chrissie sounding angry one moment informing whom ever to go take a hike then the next sounding most poignant. What is surprising is that Chrissie Hynde manages to make this her own, stamping herself all over a track that is best known for being Grace Jones.
The album moves onto giving you renditions of Back on the Chain Gang and a very upbeat Kid. A very moody version of I hurt You leaves you feeling like you want more, the album then progresses along The Pretenders back catalogue giving you some lesser know tracks such as Criminal, The Phone Call and Revolution as well as hits like 2000 miles. All of which stand up well to the test of a live acoustic set.
One of the high lights of the album is perhaps their best known track the number one hit Brass in Pocket. Toned down some what but it still gets you singing along and you can hear the response it got from the live audience as well showing their appreciation. Sometimes a classic as boisterous sounding as Brass in Pocket is doesn’t sound as stunning with an acoustic set, thankfully this isn’t the case with Brass in Pocket - it flows beautifully throw out leaving you remembering the day you first heard the original version.
Hymn to Her was obviously one track that would stand up to the test of be coming an acoustic set. The original version was a very mellow sounding indeed melancholic track. On Isle of View Hynde shows indeed how poignant Hymn to Her actually is with a stunning version backed with a very simplistic backing track. A superb version of what to me is perhaps The Pretenders greatest work. If you were to only listen to one track on the whole of this album then I’d suggest Hymn to Her , but then I am biased as this track in any form just happens to be my favourite Pretenders track.
If I was to name three Pretenders tracks off the top of my head then I go to Sleep would come in at number 3 after Hymn to Her and Brass in Pocket. Unfortunately the version of I go to Sleep doesn’t cut it for me, the keyboard arrangement irks me some what. Hynde sounds in places very stilted and to be honest lacks passion in places, it’s as if she’s nervous about performing live. It’s a pity as after scanning the play list the very first time I played the CD I immediately went for this track after hearing Hymn to Her. But in all honesty this is the one disappointment in an album with fourteen tracks which gives a most enjoyable trip down memory lane.
Play list:
Sense of Purpose Chill Factor Private Life Back on the Chain Gang Kid I Hurt You Criminal Brass in Pocket 2000 Miles Hymn to Her Lovers of Today The Phone Call I Go to Sleep Revolution
With Isle of view you are treated to 14 of the Pretenders better known tracks, for the fan or buyer who remembers them way back in the 80’s I’d recommend the album. For me it gave me a different out look on the hits that I do remember from way back then. Buy it for the trip down memory lane when music was music, hair was big, eyeliner was worn by the tube full and the only people who had mobiles were yuppies or drug dealers.
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Outstanding
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Good
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hits set much faster than Last of the Independents. Hynde's singing has never been finer, and it was a brilliant stroke to incorporate a string quartet into the acou...
