The Americans of 'The Pretty Reckless' return with a new album, 'Death By Rock and Roll', after 'Who You Selling For' already dating from 2016. It must be said that a lot of things have happened since the last opus, not necessarily very easy to overcome with the death of the singer and guitarist 'Chris Cornell' in 2017 during the American tour with 'Soundgarden' in which 'The Pretty Reckless' opened, and then, the death of their friend and producer 'Kato Khandwala'. And it is precisely with a tribute to their producer that the album begins in a communicative rock energy which gives the opportunity to the singer 'Taylor Momsen' to show her rocker side with an explosive interpretation. In the same style, we can also quote 'Only Love Can Save Me Now' while alternating between power and relaxation with the two guests of brands of 'Soundgarden', 'Kim Thayil' and 'Matt Cameron', 'And So It Went' with the participation of six-string players 'Tom Morello', 'My Bones' with its devastating riffs in a tribal rhythm, or even the heavy mid-tempo 'Witches Burn', an atmosphere that can also be found on 'Turning Gold'. But 'The Pretty Reckless' is also the tradition of American country song with the last two tracks from the album 'Rock n Roll Heaven' and 'Harley David' but also calmer atmospheres filled with great emotional intensity like the magnificent '25' in which 'Taylor Momsen' refers to the year of her 25th birthday with this little nod to the 'Beatles' in the second part of the track or the popular 'Got So High' or the very nice acoustic ballad 'Standing At The Wall'.
In summary, 'The Pretty Reckless' gets better album after album and this last baby is incredibly effective, and as I often take my references in the rock of the seventies, the Americans are a bit for me the 'Pretenders' of the 2020 years, their style not being so different and 'Taylor Momsen' remind me of 'Chrissie Hynde' in the 70s/80s... | |
