Review: The Pretty Reckless - Going To Hell
[Razor & Tie; 2014]
Rating: 4/10
By Garrett Bower, Staff Writer
Key Tracks: “Dear Sister,” “Absolution”
The primary shtick of New York hard rock group The Pretty Reckless seems to be unabashed edginess, and the buzz around sophomore albumGoing to Hell has been no different. All hype aside, Going to Hell plays out like that kitchen knife one drags across his or her finger, knowing it’s too dull to draw anything more than a scratch that rubs and annoys for the next few days.
The opening track “Follow Me Down” sets the over-sexed and trite tone for a great deal of the record, as a woman can be heard cooing with pleasure over secluded nocturnal sounds. The groans intensify as the peaceful ambience is broken apart by sirens and a thick, riff-heavy guitar. What follows is an overwrought song of seduction by the riverside with oral sex nods and seductress imagery.
The brow-beating riffs do let off at the start of the chorus for some plucky blues riffing as Momsen sighs “Follow me down to the river / Drink while the water is clean / Follow me down to the river tonight / I'll be down here on my knees,” in a smoky rasp. The song is then a dirge of same-sounding guitar-driven bar rock, until a final breakdown with light fluttery riffs. Momsen softly coos “When you're young you always take what you can get / Even bicycles and sprinklers get you wet” with a groan-inducing delivery, of the pained kind this time.
Midway through Going to Hell is a confusing but pleasant morsel, the minute-long “Dear Sister.” The track is a euphoric trip, over which Momsen cooly sings “Dear sister can you help me lie / I’ve told the truth so many years / No one seems to wanna hear that / I’m not someone else inside.” These lyrics are profound coming from Momsen, a child actress and constant point of contention for the media. They are even more so when stacked on the frivolity of the rest of the album’s sex, drugs and rock dogma.
As this chill intermission ends, “Absolution” starts off rhythmically with a building intensity that feels like sprinting through a midnight forest for one’s life. Momsen sounds tense but not overt with her vocals, bleating every lyric with fervor but losing all intensity through repetition.
It is here where the problem seems to lie with The Pretty Reckless and this album. The band sounds tight in their best moments, and there are truly thrilling moments of pacing in both vocals and instrumentation. But what the band really struggles with is consistency and ability to make these parts work in tandem without sounding like a diluted mess.
Some of the most shining and honest moments also seem to be the least punchy. In these moments, Momsen is able to work her naturally amazing vocal range with better precision. The music truly flourishes on the tracks where the band is less focused on pointing out that it is an edgy rock band.
