The Pretty Reckless are back with 'Other Worlds', out now
By Madison Avery
The Pretty Reckless are back with another album, this time with a twist. Over a year after releasing their third studio album, “Death by Rock and Roll”, a compilation album is added to the mix. Consisting of 11 tracks, “Other Worlds”, an anthology of acoustics, covers, and more has a different sound compared to previous albums.
5 of the tracks from the album pay respect to musical artists Nick Lowe, Chris Cornell, and glam-pop icon David Bowie. With songs including Quicksand and Loud Love, The Pretty Reckless were able to add their own sound to the songs to shake things up while staying true to the originals.
The first track on the album, “Got So High (Remix)” , talks about Taylor Momsen’s struggle with substance abuse following the death of one of her close friends Chris Cornell back in 2018. The Pretty Reckless had toured with Cornell’s band Soundgarden in 2017, making Momsen and Cornell close friends. She was one of the last people to see Chris Cornell before he committed suicide.
In the bridge Momsen sings, “If I wanted to fly I should have climbed up to the highest mountain top, not lost my brain”, wishing she hadn’t gotten lost in drugs and lost herself. The album opens with the remix and closes with the original song. The Pretty Reckless also include three covers of songs by Soundgarden to show respect for Cornell.
Acoustics included in the collection come from the previous album, Death by Rock and Roll, with songs such as Harley Darling and Only Love Can Save Me Now. The acoustic versions of these songs are a stark contrast compared to the originals. The self-titled album track, Death by Rock and Roll, starts with the standout sound of boots clicking on a floor and abruptly jumps to a heavy guitar riff blasting through making a scene. Despite the acoustic version in the compilation beginning with a more gentle introduction, Momsen’s powerful guttural vocals don’t fail to come through.
Other Worlds was released on November 4, most likely for the anniversary of Chris Cornell's passing and while it revisits previous songs and includes covers, it is still very much worth the listen. From pleasant acoustics and feeling the bleeding pain and emotions in Momsen’s hard hitting vocals, the album is truly beautiful.