The pandemic has delayed so many tours for so many bands and these bands are still playing catchup to tours that may have been announced years ago. The Pretty Reckless were a victim to this, having their album, Death by Rock and Roll, and their supporting tour delayed.
The Pretty Reckless finally embarked on their UK tour after countless delays and they brought The Cruel Knives with them.
The Cruel Knives opened the show and they had a daunting task of keeping a restless audience that only saw them as an obstacle keeping them from The Pretty Reckless but they managed to win over the crowd with sleazy 80s-style hard Rock. The Cruel Knives may be a well-kept secret for now but powerful songs like ‘Crawl’ have a phenomenal chance of catching on, especially as this tour wins over more sceptical fans.
This tour has been the best time to see them as their latest album is home to some of their best material, the titular track from ‘Death by Rock n Roll’ introduced The Pretty Reckless and it has all the swagger and bravado you’d expect from the band and is an indication that they fully intend to go down in the rock pantheon, and have every chance of becoming a legendary name. Their newest album features a fairly wide variety of tracks that act as a break from the intensity without feeling like the optimal time to go to the bar. Despite being a slower song, ‘Witches Burn’ has that slower appeal that could be described as a southern drawl with its use of slow blues riffing all accompanied by Taylor’s aggressive vocals that do a lot of the heavy lifting in this set at times.
Something about The Pretty Reckless feels anachronistic in nature, many of their songs give a very 1970s approach to hard rock all while having a very modern approach and style. Their music is contained and to the point but has that old-school rock vibe that is easy to get lost and that is best exemplified in tracks like ‘My Medicine’, which sounds like it would fit perfectly on the Dazed and Confused soundtrack.
It became abundantly clear very early on in the set that the stage belongs entirely to Taylor Momsen. Flailing around the stage with all the raw charisma and energy of a young Robert Plant and utilising every rockstar move in her arsenal, a feat that very few can pull off without seeming like a ridiculous cliché.
At about the halfway point, the big singles started to enter the set including ‘Makes Me Wanna Die’, the song that put the band on the map and helped free Taylor Momsen from the icy grip of Dr Seuss. ‘Going to Hell’ followed shortly after, the riff that is worthy of AC/DC. With powerful drop D riffing and pounding drumming, this track is a rock club staple for a reason and no sound system will ever come close to the impact it is hearing it live.
Towards the end of the set the band began to play ‘Heaven Knows’, a stomping arena rock banger that some may consider somewhat lacklustre as a single but fulfils its purpose perfectly in a live setting and this version only made more incredible by the fairly lengthy guitar solo from Ben Phillips.
The Pretty Reckless may not be the biggest name in modern rock but they certainly embody the rock attitude that so many people attempt to fake but the band proves without any doubt that they are the genuine article.
The Pretty Reckless will release their new album Other Worlds on 4th November 2022.
