Give Isle of View credit for fighting against the mid-2000s' heavy current of harsh metalcore with a debut album comprised predominantly of unapologetically melodic pop-punk. Even better, while Isle of View borrow heavily from the likes of Green Day and MXPX for their taught riffs, concise arrangements, and impressively hooky choruses, they never resort to pussyfying themselves on the scale of a Good Charlotte or other such commercial jingle-punkers. Not even close, as they proceed to ...   [ read more ]

CD $12.33

Essentially, Isle of View is The Pretenders' "unplugged" album. Chrissie Hynde runs through 15 of the group's songs, from hits like "Back on the Chain Gang" to more obscure numbers like "Lovers of Today." Occasionally, she is backed by a string quartet, including on a drastically rearranged (and poorly conceived) "Kid," but the the strings aren't as effective or startling as the piano of Blur's Damon Albarn on "I Go to Sleep." Even though it features a number of reinterpretations of some of {$T...   [ read more ]

CD $5.68

An "unplugged" set without the MTV brand name, The Isle of View (say it fast a couple of times to catch the pun) presents songs by the Pretenders -- that already were the softest ones in their repertoire -- now played on acoustic guitars and backed by the Duke String Quartet. Lead singer Chrissie Hynde's lyrics are slightly more discernible, and some of the songs are lovely. [WEA Int'l reissued the album as part of their Sight and Sound series in 2008.] ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

CD $14.23