The Pretty Reckless “Other Worlds” Album Review

Other Worlds

The Pretty Reckless

• • Genre: Rock
  • Date: 04 Nov, 2022
  • Content: explicit
  • Region: USA
  • Track(s): 11

• ℗ 2022 Goin’ Down, Inc., Under exclusive license to Fearless Records. Distributed by Concord.

“Other Worlds,” is a collection of acoustic recordings and cover songs by The Pretty Reckless. This new album is the follow-up to the band’s fourth album, “Death by Rock and Roll,” released in 2021. Five songs from that album have now been redone with simple arrangements, and they are joined by Elvis Costello, David Bowie, and Soundgarden covers.

Album Cover Art

A blonde woman, fully nude, is seen on the cover of the album, free-falling from what appears to be sky. But in contrast and with relation to the theme of the record, it could also be that the woman is actually being sucked up into the sky or in this case, Other Worlds.

Tracks and Features

The song “Got So High,” which debuted on their 2021 album “Death By Rock And Roll,” is performed twice on the album: once at the start and once at the end. The opening track, “Got So High (Remix),” establishes the tone for the album. It centers on Momsen’s voice and is accompanied by a calming drum beat and piano melody, revealing a softer side to her voice that differs from her usual style (in a good way, of course). It’s fascinating to contrast this song with the album’s closing track, “Got So High (Album Version),” which contains more instrumental elements than the latter song, including the acoustic guitar that permeates the entire record.

The track with the fastest pace on the record, “Loud Love,” which is one of many Soundgarden songs, is reimagined through the lens of The Pretty Reckless. Even in the acoustic songs, the dominance of the guitar is precisely timed with the jarring drums, paying homage to the sound of rock and roll that, despite modernized views, is still alive. Momsen’s vocals are intense and evocative of Chris Cornell himself.

What was done on the previous track is developed further in the song “The Keeper,” where American multi-instrumentalist Alain Johannes plays a lovely and gracious melody to go along with Momsen’s gritty yet fuzzy voice and poetic interpretation of the song. Momsen is joined by former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron in a brand-new version of “Halfway There.” The harmonies of Cameron and Momsen merge flawlessly amid the electric guitar, which serves as the beat, evoking memories of early 2000s rock.

David Bowie’s “Quicksand” is also redone thanks to Mike Garson, who collaborated with Bowie, who combines an intense piano movement with an acoustic guitar to bring out the emotion in Momsen’s voice. Their cover of Elvis Costello’s “(what’s so funny about) peace, love, and understanding” is also part of the track’s emotional and alluring melody.

Moving on from covers, The Pretty Reckless perform new versions of “25” and “Only Love Can Hurt Me Now,” two of their songs that were previously included on the album “Death by Rock and Roll.” In “25 (acoustic),” whose melody is a more forceful, emotive piano movement, Momsen’s vocal range is highlighted. The song “Death By Rock and Roll” is given an acoustic edge as the band’s album title for 2021, incorporating aspects of electric guitar and drum riffs into the gentler instrumentation.

This remix gives both the song and the album a fresh flavor; the sound is distinctive and has a Heartland rock and blues feel. As the song progresses, the tempo quickens, and its intensity is matched by Momsen’s voice’s energy and the layers of instruments; as far as re-inventions go, this roots rock song is sure to be a hit with listeners.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	Got So High	3:19
2	Loud Love	4:55
3	The Keeper (feat. Alain Johannes)	4:02
4	Quicksand (feat. Mike Garson)	4:40
5	25	5:12
6	Only Love Can Save Me Now	4:06
7	Death By Rock And Roll	4:08
8	Halfway There (feat. Matt Cameron)	3:19
9	(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding	2:28
10	Harley Darling	2:50
11	Got So High	3:20

Album Theme

The central theme of “Other Worlds” is an ode to the band’s idol Chris Cornell. When Cornell tragically went away, they were on tour with Soundgarden, and their influence can still be heard all over the record.

Production Credits

Ben Phillips, Ben Philps, Ben Phipps, Jonathan Wyman & Taylor Momsen are responsible for the album’s production.

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