Hynde proves her resilience

Twenty-three years ago, Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde made us notice she was special, so special, as her sexy alto sauntered through “Brass in Pocket” with a mannish yet feminine bravado that had scarcely been heard before. And the way she commanded attention during the band’s sold-out Thursday show at the Wiltern proved she and the group are still vital originals.

For just over two hours, singer-guitarist Hynde and lead guitarist Adam Seymour, bassist Andy Hobson, drummer Martin Chambers and additional keyboardist Zeb Jameson balanced the band’s past and present, fitting selections from new album “Loose Screw” quite comfortably alongside such old favorites as “Mystery Achievement,” “Kid,” and “Back on the Chain Gang.”

Those earlier tunes reflected the churning-to-chiming guitar sound that bridged pop and punk, putting the Pretenders among the more popular and influential acts of the new-wave era. Seymour’s adept playing naturally incorporated the signature style of that sound’s architect, the late guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, along with blues and modern-rock elements.

Similarly, the “Loose Screw” songs reflected the Pretenders’ timelessness while keeping things fresh. The album’s strong reggae thread gave the material a distinctly mellower feel, which fit the songs’ themes of betrayal, heartbreak and regret.

For all the hardness Hynde projected on the sinuous rocker “Lie to Me” and in the super-tough grease-monkey erotica of “Tattooed Love Boys,” the key to her appeal was the true vulnerability she achieved during such mournful moments as the new ballad “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.” She gave full, gorgeous voice to lamenting losses -- dedicating a tune to Honeyman-Scott and late Pretenders bassist Pete Farndon, and another to late Clash leader Joe Strummer -- but the performance had a resiliency that proved Hynde’s sorrows haven’t bested her.