The Pretty Reckless // Other Worlds // Album Review

Taylor Momsen and The Pretty Reckless have been on a relentless climb ever since their formation way back when, of course, the battle ensued for Taylor trying to shake off the then-established links to the business we call show. Fast forward to 2022 and we’re all over that right?

Yeah we are and thankfully that drama can be left well behind, I recently was lucky to catch TPR on the opening night of their Irish dates in Belfast at the infamous Ulster Hall before they set off into the sunset and onto the UK and beyond into Europe. It was quite the spectacle, I have to say I attend rock shows week in and week out and I’ve seen it all, but that show was an eye-opener and the biggest freak show (in the best possible way) I’ve seen in a very long time! It seemed that everyone in the crowd was going 100% all out to look the part of The Pretty Reckless army, fair play. It was honestly great to see such an enthused crowd and comfortable In their own skin absolutely owning bad fashion! I jest but yeah, not a night I’ll forget in a while, of course, TPR nailed it and Momsen was a champ fronting the show.

But today we are here to talk about the latest recording, Other Worlds and to my surprise, it is a relatively sedate affair, thoughtful and emotive as the tracks whisk by, the albums opener ‘Got So High’ I thought was luring me into a false sense of security as ‘Loud Love’ arrives and I think okay here we go, but ‘The Keeper’ is a whimsical track reminiscent of the likes of Haim and again catches me off guard as it showcases Momsen’s sultry quality to her voice. As the album carries on the collection of acoustic tracks really allows Momsen to shine with beautiful nuances in her performances that really are beautiful, it is a totally different side to a band who regularly rip up the live stage with a gnarly attack and presence. Other Worlds carries you off on a tangent that will surprise you with every twist and turn, I have always been a big fan of bands stepping outside their comfort zone and re-imagining both their own work, the likes of Deaf Havana and Incubus have both done it over the years and sometimes the reimagined versions almost outshine the original recordings in my humble opinion, Other Worlds is in that same category. A stunning album that really shines a light on the musical ability of these artists and their creative resilience that clearly knows no bounds.

This album will no doubt be gobbled up by established Pretty Reckless fans but if you have yet to dip your toe for any reason, Other Worlds offers you the perfect opportunity to sample the band in a unique way, trust me you’ll love it.

Other Worlds arrives this coming Friday, Nov 4^th courtesy of Fearless Records