THE PRETTY RECKLESS
“DEATH BY ROCK AND ROLL”
Album Review by British Steel Sam

6.5/10

From the big apple itself, they’re young, they’re popular and they are The Pretty Reckless!

The Pretty Reckless were formed in 2009 and already have a string of hits under their belt, indeed many will know them for their tracks ‘MAKE ME WANNA DIE’, ‘HEAVEN KNOWS’ and ‘TAKE ME DOWN’. The latest to add to that list is in fact the titular song to their new album ‘DEATH BY ROCK AND ROLL’. It kicks the album off in proper style and, put simply, this is an absolutely brilliant track! Proper rocking good fun, the sort of song that wears its influences on its sleeve and could have come from a band like the late great Motorhead. Taylor Momsen’s voice is phenomenal, showing off her fantastic range and skill – something of a trademark of the band. The short sharp punchy riffage supplied by Ben Philips on guitar hits the spot every time and the wonderful staccato drumming of Jamie Perkins and chunky bass playing of Mark Damon really hammer that sound home. The rhythm, melody and composition is excellent, a great track to get heads nodding and one that is catchy enough to stay with you for days after a single listen. I am in no doubt that this song is a number one single contender.

Hot on the heels comes ‘ONLY LOVE CAN SAVE ME NOW’ a slower but chunkier track that oozes melodic hooks and catchy lyrics. Drawing you in deeper and deeper with Taylors enticing lyrics, Ben Philips guitar work is weaved in perfectly to grab the listener and refuses to let go. The guitar solo is somewhat disjointed although the timing change in the middle is refreshing and keeps you hooked and keeps drawing you deeper with every word form Taylors lips. ‘AND SO IT WENT’ continues in the same vein, hitting hard, driving deep and covering some very current political feelings. Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine fame features on this blistering track – both in terms of guitar playing and the cutting truth behind their chant! This is a fist pumping, head banging, chorus shouting anthem and would be incredible to see live! These three initial tracks showcase an amazing level of skill and song writing, a deep understanding for rhythmic and melodic hooks, they stand tall and proud as brilliant rock and roll singles and really stay with the listener for a long time.

Now we move onto the fourth track on the album, titled ’25’, and it’s at this point I think it’s a good time to share the background to this album in general. You see in 2018 the bands long-time producer Kato Kandwala was killed in a motorcycle accident. This tragedy, combined with previous the loss of Chris Cornell in 2017 led to Taylor Momsen spiralling down into what she described as “a very dark rabbit hole of depression and substance abuse”. The next few tracks on the album kind of sound like they were written while she was down there. Gone are the catchy hooks and melodies and instead we delve into a world of darkness, death and despair. Now I don’t want to do the band an injustice by not reviewing each of these songs in their own right, but I have tried to approach this task from many angles and I have to admit defeat. They may be to others preference and style, but personally I find the lack of grit, an absence of drive, means that a kind of depression settles over these songs. The melodies remain the same, or very similar from track to track and it actually makes listening to the whole album quite difficult at times. Gone is the power that was so tangible in the first three tracks of the album and ‘25’ just wanders on as lonely as the lyrics. Whilst there is a bit more drive to ‘MY BONES’ it still feels like it lacks a certain something, perhaps it is just a little too long and empty feeling, perhaps a little too similar to what has come before. And as for ‘GOT SO HIGH’ it just seems a bit… lost.

‘BROOMSTICKS’ is a Halloween themed teaser, leading straight into ‘WITCHES BURN’. This is a bit more back on point, the riffs are tasty, the lyrics are catchy, there’s much more going on here to enjoy! The only negatives being the somewhat slow repetitive melody and the lack of a punchy driving solo or tempo change which means it drags a little. This is a good, solid, if unremarkable track. Unfortunately though Taylor seems to fall straight back down the rabbit hole afterwards. ‘STANDING AT THE WALL’  is… well… a struggle to listen to. It’s a bit limp wristed, half hearted, and seems more like four minutes of padding than a track from a rock and roll band. Taylor’s voice is still phenomenal, but the lyrical content leaves a lot to be desired – especially as that is all that is offered to the listener alongside an acoustic guitar. “When I fall. From the wall. From the wall. A lot of ladidadadas when we were young” it’s frankly depressing, and a bit distressing when this band could be doing something so much more! As they demonstrate later in tracks like ‘ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN’ they can put their hearts and souls into this music and when they do it shows.

Next up, ‘TURNING GOLD’ really turns a corner all of a sudden! The band really seem to get their stuff together and decide to write another kickass rock and roll anthem in the vein of the albums first three tracks, and to reawaken that power, potential and prowess that they hold within them. I absolutely love this track! A complete change in pace and style, capturing elements of all kinds of rock and metal influences, this track has that certain something that makes it a hidden gem. It seems much more genuine as well, much more engaging to the listener and much easier to enjoy and more memorable as a result. ‘ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN’ is a total departure from the rest of the album, and something of a shock to me when I first heard it. This is an honest to goodness outpouring of emotion that really engages with me, and I think many listeners will get that feeling too. It really resonates with the listener and seems more heartfelt and deeper than songs like ‘25’ could ever manage to be. Its got a blues/country vibe to it that draws you in and makes you smile. The final track on the album, ‘HARLEY DARLING’ continues this old-fashioned country/blues based rock style and tells a great, if sad story within its lyrics. I like the vibe of this track, and I can imagine it fitting in perfectly around the final call for drinks at the local bar. Its got a wonderfully emotional air to it that tugs at heartstrings, and those final words are enough to bring tears to your eyes. A fitting tribute.

To sum up this album is one of brilliant singles, stand out tracks like ‘DEATH BY ROCK AND ROLL’, ‘ONLY LOVE CAN SAVE ME NOW’, ‘AND SO IT WENT’ and ‘TURNING GOLD’ really showcase the incredible talent that this band has to offer. They have a power and prowess, a presence that is hard to match and a unique sound that stands them in good stead. Taylor Momsen is an incredible vocalist and the band really know their stuff. For every brilliant single though there are a few that are less than remarkable. Everyone has their own tastes, I can only state my personal opinion, but I really think that they lost their way on ‘25’, ‘GOT SO HIGH’ and ‘STANDING AT THE WALL’. The songs just don’t seem as genuinely deep and connecting as they perhaps were intended to be, and they mean that instead of recommending a whole album, I would recommend chopping those singles out to enjoy. Still, THE PRETTY RECKLESS are one hell of a band, I hope that I might see them live someday to hear how these tracks play out with a live audience, and I know that they are only going to go on to bigger and better things.

TRACKLIST

Death By Rock And Roll
Only Love Can Save Me Now
And So It Went
25
My Bones
Got So High
Broomsticks
Witches Burn
Standing At The Wall
Turning Gold
Rock And Roll Heaven
Harley Darling 

https://deathbyrockandroll.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theprettyreckless/

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