Break Up the Concrete

Break Up the Concrete
Studio album by The Pretenders
Released	October 7, 2008
Recorded	April 2008
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	36:49
Label	Shangri-La Music
Producer	The Pretenders
The Pretenders chronology
Loose Screw (2002) Break Up the Concrete (2008)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Blender	link
Billboard	(favorable) link
Entertainment Weekly	(B) link
Paste	(86/100) link
Pitchfork Media	link
PopMatters	link
Rolling Stone	link
Spin	link

Break Up the Concrete is the ninth studio album by rock group The Pretenders. It is their first studio album since Loose Screw back in 2002. Several "exclusive" editions of the disc exist (see track listing below); each appends a new countrified version of Pretenders' classic, in keeping with the general sound of the album. The title song "Break Up the Concrete" was used in the opening scene of an episode of House M.D. ("5 to 9", season 6, episode 14).

The first edition of Break Up the Concrete also includes a small sheet of "handmade seed paper", which can be planted, and if cared for, promise to sprout within a few weeks.

Break Up the Concrete was the first Pretenders album since 1994's Last of the Independents not to feature Martin Chambers on drums. In an interview, Hynde said that she was looking for a different style that she didn't believe that Martin was capable of playing to her satisfaction. Session drummer Jim Keltner took his place in the studio, although Chambers would return for the tour in support of the album.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Boots of Chinese Plastic"	Hynde	2:31
2.	"The Nothing Maker"	Hynde	3:58
3.	"Don't Lose Faith in Me"	Hynde	2:45
4.	"Don't Cut Your Hair"	Hynde	2:14
5.	"Love's a Mystery"	Hynde	3:03
6.	"The Last Ride"	Hynde	3:40
7.	"Almost Perfect"	Hynde	4:48
8.	"You Didn't have To"	Hynde	3:09
9.	"Rosalee"	Robert Kidney	4:14
10.	"Break Up the Concrete"	Hynde	2:39
11.	"One Thing Never Changed"	Hynde	3:46

Wal-Mart edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"I Go to Sleep (new version)"	Ray Davies	2:55
13.	"Both Sides of Goodbye (with Willie Nelson)"	Hynde	4:03

iTunes edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Tequila (new version)"	Hynde	2:34
13.	"Can't Help Falling in Love"	Hynde	4:03
14.	"977 (new version; pre-order exclusive, no longer available)"	Hynde	4:03

Best Buy bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Biker (new version)"	Hynde	2:34
13.	"Nothing Breaks like a Heart (new version)"	Hynde	3:03

UK and Brazilian versions track listing

Disc 1 – The Best of Pretenders

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Talk of the Town"	Hynde	3:16
2.	"Kid"	Hynde	3:05
3.	"Back on the Chain Gang"	Hynde	3:53
4.	"Brass in Pocket"	Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott	3:04
5.	"Message of Love"	Hynde	3:28
6.	"Night in My Veins"	Hynde, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg	3:17
7.	"Don't Get Me Wrong"	Hynde	3:48
8.	"Middle of the Road"	Hynde	4:15
9.	"I'll Stand by You"	Hynde, Kelly, Steinberg	3:58
10.	"Stop Your Sobbing"	Ray Davies	2:37
11.	"Hymn to Her"	Meg Keene	4:32
12.	"Precious"	Hynde	3:37
13.	"Thumbelina"	Hynde	3:19
14.	"Cuban Slide"	Hynde	4:33
15.	"My City Was Gone"	Hynde	4:27
16.	"Day After Day"	Hynde, Scott	4:03
17.	"I Go to Sleep"	Davies	2:57
18.	"Thin Line Between Love and Hate"	Richard Poindexter, Robert Poindexter, Jackie Members	3:41
19.	"Fools Must Die"	Hynde, Adam Seymour	2:36
20.	"Up the Neck"	Hynde	4:22
21.	"2000 Miles"	Hynde	3:40
22.	"Tattooed Love Boys"	Hynde

Disc 2 – Break Up the Concrete

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Boots of Chinese Plastic"	Hynde	2:31
2.	"The Nothing Maker"	Hynde	3:58
3.	"Don't Lose Faith in Me"	Hynde	2:45
4.	"Don't Cut Your Hair"	Hynde	2:14
5.	"Love's a Mystery"	Hynde	3:03
6.	"The Last Ride"	Hynde	3:40
7.	"Almost Perfect"	Hynde	4:48
8.	"You Didn't Have To"	Hynde	3:09
9.	"Rosalee"	Robert Kidney	4:14
10.	"Break Up the Concrete"	Hynde	2:39
11.	"One Thing Never Changed"	Hynde	3:46

Personnel

• Jim Keltner – drums, background vocals
• Chrissie Hynde – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Eric Heywood – pedal steel guitar, background vocals
• James Walbourne – guitar, piano, accordion, background vocals
• Nick Wilkinson – bass guitar, background vocals

Chart

Break Up the Concrete debuted at number 32 on Billboard's album chart in the issue dated October 25, 2008 and it stayed on the chart for three weeks. The album was issued with a 'best of' in a double disc edition in the UK and charted at number 35 on the UK Albums Chart.

Popular Culture

Disc 2, Track 1 Boots of Chinese Plastic was featured on the popular AMC television show Breaking Bad during Walt's "joyride" scene in episode 407, Problem Dog.

Chart (2008)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	32
UK Albums Chart	35

External links

• Official website