Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde has teamed up with a bunch of musical friends to record a new duets album featuring an interesting variety of cover tunes. The 13-track collection, titled Duets Special, is attributed to Chrissie Hynde & Pals, and will be released on October 17.
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Among the pals with whom Hynde collaborated are Debbie Harry, Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Lucinda Williams, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, Garbage’s Shirley Manson, Julian Lennon, k.d. lang, The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Cat Power, Rufus Wainwright, and the late Mark Lanegan.
Duets Special can be pre-ordered now. It will be available on CD, as a vinyl LP, and via digital formats.
According to a press release the tracks boast “stripped-down, intimate arrangements and minimal, refined instrumentation.” The criterion for the songs chosen for on Duets Special was that they all have “great melodies.”
Hynde has released her duet with Wainwright, a version of the 1970s country-pop ballad “Always on My Mind,” as the first single from the album. The track is available now via streaming services.
In a statement, Chrissie explained how the project came about.
“I never thought about doing a Duets album before. I think the idea came about in 2023,” she noted. “I was talking to Jörn, Rufus Wainwright’s husband, on the phone. I think we were recommending novels to each other, and for some reason, I said Hey, maybe Rufus and I should do something, and quickly scribbled out 10 songs off the top of my head. So Jörn asked Rufus, who was up for it, and that’s how it started. A spontaneous and what I thought would be a fun thing.”
More About the Duets Special Album
Duets Special is the fourth album Hynde has released as a solo artist. In announcing the project, Chrissie posted a statement on her social media pages that reads, “There will not be a Pretenders album coming out this year, but there will be a Duets album. Me singing with some old pals. I know that doesn’t sound very exciting, until you consider who some of my old pals are.”
Here’s a look at some of the interesting collaborations featured on the album.
Hynde and Harry team up on a version of the 2011 Low song “Try to Sleep.” Gahan appears on a cover of the 1967 Fred Neil folk-rock gem “Dolphins.” Chrissie and Lucinda Williams duet on the 1971 Rolling Stones tune “Sway.”
Flowers lend his vocals to a rendition of 10cc’s atmospheric 1975 hit “I’m Not In Love.” Hynde comes together with Julian Lennon on a version of “It’s Only Love,” by his late dad’s iconic band The Beatles. Hynde and lang’s duet is a rendition of soul singer Billy Paul’s 1972 chart-topper “Me & Mrs. Jones.”
Closing out the album is a collaboration featuring Auerbach on the Righteous Brothers’ 1966 No. 1 hit “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration.” Hynde and Auerbach previously worked together on the 2016 Pretenders album Alone, which Dan produced. He also co-wrote a couple tracks on that record.
More Recent Chrissie Hynde News
In June, The Pretenders released a new concert album, Pretenders Live – Kick ’Em Where It Hurts! The 17-song collection was recorded during the band’s 2024 tour of theaters.
In May, The Pretenders played a couple of U.S. gigs before mounting a brief tour of Latin America. Hynde and company also made a surprise appearance during a July 9 show in London by comedian Bill Burr.
Prior to announcing the new duets album, Hynde posted a message on her socials explaining that the band wouldn’t be playing live again “for a while.” She also noted that Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne will be touring and putting out new music with his other band His Lordship this year.
Meanwhile, an exhibition of Chrissie’s paintings currently is running through August 23 at the Harvey & Woodd gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Chrissie Hynde & Pals – Duets Special Track List:
- “Me & Mrs. Jones” – featuring k.d. lang
- “Can’t Help Falling In Love” – featuring Mark Lanegan
- “Sway” – featuring Lucinda Williams
- “Dolphins” – featuring Dave Gahan
- “First of the Gang to Die” – featuring Cat Power
- “Always on My Mind” – featuring Rufus Wainwright
- “Every Little Bit Hurts” – featuring Carleen Anderson
- “I’m Not In Love” – featuring Brandon Flowers
- “It’s Only Love” – featuring Julian Lennon
- “Try to Sleep” – featuring Debbie Harry
- “County Line” – featuring Alan Sparhawk
- “Love Letters” – featuring Shirley Manson
- “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” – featuring Dan Auerbach
(Photo by Ki Price)
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