Pretenders - Loose In L.A.

Recorded live as a direct-to-DVD release, Loose in L.A. finds Chrissie Hynde and company buoyed by the excitement of an intelligent and largely female audience--which is good, since Hynde is fending off something (allergies?) that led, she says, to a shot of cortisone before the show. There are no signs of ill effect as the band digs into a deep, funky groove--alternating with flights of pop delirium--on "Message of Love," followed by the jagged-edged "The Homecoming," rabid prophesying of "Fools Must Die," and sexy rockabilly of "Rebel Rock Me." Hynde's brash brilliance captivates on everything, from her still-startling vocal for "Tattooed Love Boys" to her swaying, witty testifying on the reggae-flavored "Complex Person." Martin Chambers (drums), Adam Seymour (lead guitar), the lugubrious Andy Hobson (bass), and Zeben Jameson (keyboards, percussion) keep arty, acrobatic pop-rock hooks aloft while drawing out bluesy undercurrents. Indispensable stuff for Pretenders fans. --Tom Keogh