If you still think that The Pretty Reckless are more than just The Taylor Momsen Band…well, alright—no, you don’t. If it weren’t true, you might be able to name any other member offhand now that they’re up to album five. And that’s not necessarily a slight, especially for ‘celebrity’ bands and their not-so-tacit acknowledgment that that’s what they’re designed to be. Even more than most, The Pretty Reckless can get away with it, with Momsen in the classic ‘rock chick’ that their purposely retro hard rock demands.
At the same time, though, there’s a degree in which balance needs to be considered. Yes, Momsen is the figurehead of this band, and placing her as the by-far most dominant component in the mix is as short as shorthand for that gets, but how useful is that, really? The Pretty Reckless have rarely been that thoughtful or incisive, and with Dear God looking to somewhat redress that, you begin to understand why. This is Momsen’s vehicle to open up and be vulnerable…apparently.
That’s not to say she isn’t believable in that mould, but you’re expecting new levels of powerhouse bloodletting, Dear God will leave you freezing. Momsen’s vocal appeal has always been in shape and delivery, the whiskey-doused voice of a true rock ‘n’ roller untainted by modern convention. That’s still true, but with the expectation of a raw release accompanying it, the weaknesses are far harder to hide. Dear God paints Momsen’s range as inclusive of a jaded, weary deadpan, to a jaded, weary deadpan approaching A Bit Of A Snarl. It works on Love Me that’s more insecure and self-critical; just a song later on Dragonfire, however, it produces a rather hemmed-in classic rock howl.
It’s worth stressing how, even with all of that, The Pretty Reckless still have more going for them than your typical throwback merchants. Momsen, for her limits, has a presence independent of any one pre-existing, traced-over icon. Sonically, too, Dear God continues The Pretty Reckless’ trend of influences treated as just that, instead of lines to be perfectly coloured inside. It sounds basic, but it’s still refreshing to have For I Am Death or the title track sound built with actual intent behind them. It’s why the pop-rock pivot of About You—despite being the clear worst song that’s next to impossible for Momsen to find a pocket on—still has value for the simple act of trying.
It’s true of Rollercoaster Of Life as well, and even better when the sedate, Red Hot Chili Peppers-esque guitars are a much better foundation for Momsen to work with. However, it’s a good song that represents the start of Dear God’s downturn. The album’s final leg seems to bunch together its slower, more pensive numbers, none of which flop on their own but leave the pace dribbling out till the end. In a roundabout way, though, you can imagine this is emblematic of what ‘raw’ and ‘emotional’ looks like in the eyes of The Pretty Reckless. There’s nowhere to hide and no artifice to fall back on, and in the case of Devil In Disguise (Michelle’s Song), barely an instrumental to work with. But that’s also closer to how the dullards of retro-rock view the creative process, where broad strokes suffice as long as they’re generally understandable.
Dear God is far from the worst example of that, but it’s a shame to see The Pretty Reckless suffering from the same maladies as glorified tribute acts. They’re plainly better than that and a lot of this album shows it off, but there are enough limitations to piece together that create a sizable anchor keeping it down. The Pretty Reckless has never been an incredible band, so at least the blow is softened somewhat. At the same time, for an act as centralised in its focus and goal as they are, scrutiny comes at a premium, and an album like Dear God hinders their case just as much as it helps it.
For fans of: Halestorm, Dorothy, The Warning
‘Dear God’ by The Pretty Reckless is out now on Fearless Records.
Words by Luke Nuttall
