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Rhino has reissued the first two Pretenders albums — Pretenders and Pretenders II — and packaged each as a two disc set: the first disc containing the original recordings and the second a collection of rarities, out-takes, and live recordings. These albums, featuring the original Pretenders lineup of vocalist Chrissie Hynde, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, drummer Martin Chambers, and bassist Pete Farndon showcase a band that captured the best qualities of punk, new wave, and rock, all in a radio-friendly package that made the band an instant sensation.

Hynde’s edgy delivery and whip-smart lyrics combined with Honeyman-Scott’s lean hook-laden guitar playing set the band apart from the rest of the New-Wave scene that was coming out of London in the late 70’s and early 80’s. They had a sound that was tough, put also highly accessible, and both albums broke the top 10 and saw top-40 hits in the U.S. and England.

Unfortunately, drugs and the hard living of a touring band took their toll on the group; the band suffered the tragic deaths of both Farndon and Honeyman-Scott in 1983, shortly after the release of Pretenders II. They regrouped with a new lineup for 1984’s Learning to Crawl, but the band focused largely thereafter on the songwriting talents of Chrissy Hynde which, while appealing in their own right, never recapturing the raw energy and attitude of their first two releases.

Having said all that, the news of a couple of Pretenders reissues would have been cause for only mild interest if not for the impressive collection of bonus material included – a full disc in both cases. Bonus material on Pretenders focuses on previously unreleased outtakes and demos including the single-worthy “Cuban Slide,” nascent versions of the Ray Davies-penned “Stop Your Sobbing” and “Brass In Pocket,” and a mix of live performances, including electrifying versions of “Precious” and “Tattooed Love Boys.” The Pretenders II bonus CD includes – among other things – a demo version of “Talk of the Town” and a stunning 13 tracks from their 1981 show at the Santa Monica Civic Center in Los Angeles.

Oddly, 2006 is also a year in which Rhino released Pirate Radio: a 4 CD/1 DVD retrospective boxed set filled with studio releases, rarities, and live performances by the band. While this might leave fans scratching their heads as to the differences between the packages, rest assured that the bonus material alone makes the reissues worth owning – even if you already have well-worn copies of the original studio releases in your collection.

Originally posted on VintageRock.com.