The Pretenders are back with their first new album in three years. The rockers are set to drop the new studio album Relentless on September 1 and have shared the first single from the record, “Let The Sun Come In.”
In discussing the album’s title, frontwoman Chrissie Hynde shares, “I enjoy seeing the various meanings and origins of a word. And I liked the definition: ‘showing no abatement of intensity.’ So when it came to an album title, it seemed fitting. You know … to keep doing it.”
She adds, “I think anyone in a band is constantly questioning if they should keep going. It starts as a youthful pursuit and eventually, it makes you wonder, why am I doing this? It’s the life of the artist. You never retire. You become relentless.”
Relentless is the follow-up to 2020’s Hate for Sale, and is the second consecutive album where Hynde and Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne collaborated on all the songwriting. The album’s closing track, “I Think About You Daily,” features Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, who provided the string arrangements for the tune.
“I met Jonny a couple of times and we’re obviously big fans of him because he’s done some incredible music over the years,” Hynde says, noting she was “thrilled and very surprised” when he said he wanted to do something together.
Relentless is available for preorder now.
Here is the track list for Relentless:
“Losing My Sense Of Taste”
“A Love”
“Domestic Silence”
“The Copa”
“Promise Of Love”
“Merry Widow”
“Let The Sun Come In”
“Look Away”
“Your House Is On Fire”
“Just Let It Go”
“Vainglorious”
“I Think About You Daily”
Next up, The Pretenders kick off a U.K. tour on Friday, May 12, in Brighton, England. They are set to open for Guns N’ Roses on their European tour starting in July. A complete list of dates can be found at thepretenders.com.
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