Releasing their fifth studio album ‘Other Worlds’ on the 4th of November 2022, The Pretty Reckless are really starting to showcase the versatility of their musical talents. The album is 12 songs long, consisting of 6 variations of songs from their previous album, ‘Death by Rock and Roll’, 5 cover songs, and 1 repeated song. With the large majority of songs on this album being acoustic, the album most resembles their third and fourth albums, demonstrating their constant growth and evolution as a band.
In light of this new release, I decided to do a song-by-song breakdown of the new album, providing a small taster of the songs that encompass it.
‘Got So High – Remix’
With the original version of this song coming from The Pretty Reckless’ previous album, Death by Rock and Roll, this song is one of the saddest on the album, framing the album on a potentially pessimistic starting note. Furthermore, ‘Other Worlds’ also finishes with the original version of this song, bookending the album perfectly. Personally, although the remix isn’t a million miles away from the original, I do prefer the original. The slightly more upbeat mystical music worked with the tone and the tempo of the song, but for me, the remixed instrumentals undermined the content of the lyrics to a certain degree.
‘Loud Love’
This is the first cover of the album, a Soundgarden cover, and it encompasses everything that classic rock is all about. The version reminded me of some of the band’s earlier work, such as ‘Factory Girl’ from ‘Light Me Up’ and ‘Going Down’ from ‘Going to Hell’. There were definitely some Nirvana influences shining through, as well as some Tony Iommi style guitar riffs, something which has become more prevalent in the band’s more recent releases.
‘The Keeper (feat. Alain Johannes)’
Beginning with a Simon and Garfunkel style picking introduction, ‘The Keeper’ has an almost mystical ambience. This spooky, magical tune is reminiscent of The Pretty Reckless’ third album, ‘Who You Selling For’, specifically tunes such as ‘House on a Hill’, or ‘Bedroom Window’, the more mellow, emotional songs on the album. The song was written by the late Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave), who Alain Johannes (multi-instrumentalist) had done work with in the past.
‘Quicksand (feat. Mike Garson)’
‘Quicksand’ is a cover of a Bowie song from ‘Hunky Dory’. It was also very interesting hearing the band experimenting with a piano on this album too, providing a milder, more ambient tone to their usually heavy rock tunes. It is a poetic tune, directly addressing the listener, using imperative terms to entice and invest the listener, making for an incredibly emotional song. Moreover, having Mike Garson on the track really made it, after he had played the piano for Bowie in the past.
’25 – Acoustic’
Unlike my previous statement on the remix of ‘Got so High’, and its backing instrumentals undermining the content of the song, I felt that the acoustic version of 25, also from ‘Death by Rock and Roll’, perfectly captured and suited the sombre content of its lyrics. The piano on this track really works, adding a mellow, minor note.
‘Only Love Can Save Me Now – Acoustic’
Also, from ‘Death by Rock and Roll’, the acoustic version of ‘Only Love Can Save Me Now’ really worked. With just Taylor Momsen and an acoustic guitar, the track was emotional and authentic. Giving off rock n roll, singer-songwriter vibes, the song for me is neither better nor worse than the original, just enjoyably different.
‘Death by Rock and Roll – Acoustic’
This acoustic version also really worked, with the maracas in the back also providing a consistent rhythm to substitute for the absent bass and drums. Nonetheless, the content of the song provided a stark juxtaposition to the way in which it was recorded on the album. Again, however, this different and new version was so different to the original, that I feel the two are incomparable. Both should be listened to and appreciated, and both can suit varying atmospheres.
‘Halfway there (feat. Matt Cameron)’
This song incorporates the classic rustic Taylor Momsen vocals, with solo electric guitar, which gives off a very intimate sense. The song was again written by Chris Cornell, and with guitar from Matt Cameron from (drummer of) Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, these artists have now been embarking on multiple collaborations, including ‘Only Love Can Save Me Now’, from their previous album.
‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding’
This is another intimate, acoustic song from the album, which provides a more positive sense to the album. As many Pretty Reckless albums do, the mood lifts as the album progresses, indicating a sense of reassurance and redemption from the, more often than not, sombre introduction. Written originally by Nick Lowe, this song was made famous by Elvis Costello & the Attractions.
‘Harley Darling – Acoustic’
I was unfamiliar with the content of this album before I listened to it, but the selection of ‘Death by Rock and Roll’ acoustic covers really work. Harley Darling is a sad, dedication song, and so the intimate ambience created by the acoustic guitar really complements the song.
‘Got So High’
This is the only replicated song on the album bereft of amendments. As the turning point in their previous album, this sad song was repeated in this album, with the remix opening and the original closing. The sombre tone of this song, in addition to its repeated placement on the album, could well be indicative of the vicious cycles we all go through regarding coping mechanisms. However, The Pretty Reckless do enjoy leaving their songs open to interpretation; so, will we ever really know?!
Overall, the album takes you on a journey, but I initially found the journey difficult to follow, with my prior knowledge of roughly half of the songs. It is essentially a compilation album, which although can still have its upsides, will in my opinion never be quite as good as an entirely new album. However, I feel that this album is one for hardcore fans; fans that love the old songs so much, they wish to hear new versions too. So, if you’re a die-hard Pretty Reckless fan, then I’d definitely recommend this album. If you’re a new fan, on the other hand, I’d recommend ‘Death by Rock and Roll’, or ‘Light Me Up’, to get a more representative portrayal of the skills and talent this band have.
‘this album is one for hardcore fans; fans that love the old songs so much, they wish to hear new versions too’
Highlights: Loud Love, Quicksand, Halfway There
Other Worlds is out 4/11/2022 via Century Media Records and can be purchased here.
For more on The Pretty Reckless visit their Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, or Twitter.
