Chrissie Hynde rebounds from the directionless Packed! with Last of the Independents, a tough album that proves she can mature without losing her edge. Most of the record crackles with the lean power of Learning to Crawl, occasionally stopping for a lushly produced number recalling Get Close. Although the record goes on a little too long and there are a couple of weak songs, particularly the anthemic “I’m a Mother,” Last of the Independents re-establishes Hynde as a powerful and insightful rocker. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine