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Listen: The Pretenders Join Dan Auerbach Of The Black Keys For New Album

Courtesy of the artist

The Pretenders are back with the band's first new album in eight years, this time collaborating with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach as producer. The album is called Alone, and the first single is a jangly pop cut with arpeggiated synths and quirky guitar riffs called "Holy Commotion!"

Singer Chrissie Hynde is the only original member of The Pretenders on the new album. She's joined by producer and drummer Richard Swift and keyboardist Leon Michels, both members of Auerbach's side project The Arcs.

Alone is a celebration of the art and joy of a solitary life. "We were in the studio hanging out," Hynde says in announcing the record. "And the guys were talking about their families and their wives and I said, 'Well, I do everything alone. I go to the cinema alone. I go to restaurants alone. I live alone. I pretty much do everything on my own. I don't mind.' I thought, 'I've heard 1,000 songs in my life, they're all about, am so tired of being alone. I can't live without you. Since you've left my world has fallen apart. When am I going to see you again? Marry me and be with me for the rest of my life.' I have never heard anyone celebrate being alone in a song. I couldn't think of one."

Alone is due out Oct. 21 on BMG.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.