Hot Fruit

The Pretenders seem like a dubious selection for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The aptly named 2005 inductees produced one excellent record, a couple of above-average follow-ups and a disc’s worth of standout singles. This mystery achievement comes to mind when spinning Hot Fruit’s Lost Control because singer and guitarist Megan Kasten pulls off a convincing Chrissie Hynde impersonation, particularly on “West of Eden,” in which Kasten echoes the brass-pocketed vocalist’s seductive phrasing. After this track, though, Kasten steps out of Hynde’s shoes and adopts a less-flattering tantrum pitch. In terms of song structure, this trio is still learning to crawl. Although each song contains aggressive percussion and resonant riffs, the verses fail to build momentum and the choruses fall flat. A few of the spidery guitar solos are intriguing, but it’s seldom an encouraging sign when three-minute songs are defined by their jams instead of their hooks.