Stockholm (Chrissie Hynde album)

Stockholm is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde, the lead vocalist of the Pretenders. It was released on June 10, 2014, by Will Travel and Caroline Records. The album was named after the city where it was recorded and features guest appearances from Canadian musician Neil Young and former tennis professional John McEnroe.

Background and Production

In a news release, Hynde stated that she did not regard Stockholm as a solo record, emphasizing that although it was the first album released under her own name, it was "more of a collaboration" than any Pretenders release. Stockholm was recorded at Ingrid Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, with producer and co-writer Björn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John). Additional production was provided by Joakim Åhlund. Hynde described the album's musical intention as "power pop you could dance to — ABBA meets John Lennon."

Track Listing

All tracks written by Chrissie Hynde and Björn Yttling, except "Like in the Movies" and "Adding the Blue," written by Hynde and Joakim Åhlund.

Total length: 37:50

Singles

The album spawned three singles: "Dark Sunglasses" (released April 1, 2014), "You or No One" (released May 7, 2014), and "Down the Wrong Way" (released September 15, 2014). A limited 7-inch edition of "Dark Sunglasses" was released on April 19, 2014, for Record Store Day.

Critical Reception

On Metacritic, Stockholm holds a weighted average score of 64 out of 100 based on 18 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Critics frequently noted the album's inconsistency, describing it as uneven despite containing notable highlights. AllMusic characterized the album as "a little inconsistent" while acknowledging "several strong additions to her canon." Pitchfork described it as "a rather wan listen," and The Guardian noted that "not all the tracks hit the spot" and that some of Hynde's edge had been "dulled by studio sheen." The Boston Globe offered a harsher assessment, asserting that Hynde's "rock credibility... is in tatters." However, Rolling Stone framed the album as a "joint effort" in which Hynde "does decompress" while still retaining the ability to "flash her blade." Several reviewers welcomed the album as a modest but respectable addition to Hynde's body of work.

Personnel

Musicians:

• Chrissie Hynde – vocals
• Björn Yttling – electric bass, acoustic guitar, piano, synthesizer, electric guitar, organ, percussion, Mellotron, celeste
• Joakim Åhlund – guitar, backing vocals
• John Eriksson – drums, percussion
• Niklas Gabrielsson – drums
• Nino Keller – drums, backing vocals
• Ulf Engström – bass, backing vocals
• Mattias Boström – electric guitar
• Neil Young – electric guitar (track 4)
• John McEnroe – electric guitar
• Andreas Pettersson – steel guitar
• Petter Axelsson – viola
• Andreas Forsman – violin
• Conny Lindgren – violin
• Leo Svensson Sander – cello, saw
• Zacharias Blad – backing vocals (track 2)

Technical:

• Björn Yttling – producer (tracks 1, 2, 4–10)
• Joakim Åhlund – producer (tracks 3, 11)
• Lasse Mårtén – mixing
• Henrik Jonsson – mastering

Charts