ALBUM REVIEW : ***; PRETENDERS; “Last of the Independents” (<i> Warner Bros.</i> )

Chrissie Hynde’s career trajectory has been too close to Orson Welles’ for comfort: one of the greatest debuts ever, followed by gradually diminishing returns. Fortunately, her sixth marks a modest but healthy reversal of the downward slide that culminated in 1990’s dispiriting “packed!” The first few “Last” tracks are winningest--more moody than ferocious, but suggesting the tense grandeur that was the Pretenders at their early best.

Eventually things do weigh down in Hynde’s recent penchant for “adult contemporary.” But in tougher moments she’s got enough attitude for 10 riot grrrls and a child-bearer’s feisty pride on top of it; it’s a return to incidental-feminist form. Hear “I’m a Mother,” her weakest melody but most audacious lyric--”I’m the vessel of life / I’ve got the trauma to prove it / When it’s time for me to labor for you / Everybody move it”--and know there’s nothing to add but, Yes’m .

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).