The Pretty Reckless Rocks Pretty Hard

Intensity thy name is The Pretty Reckless. "Messed Up World" has everything you're looking for in rock, including a woman willingly bearing her fangs to call out the world on what a dreadful state it's in. Cheers to her for sparing no expense on attitude. Mired in life's coarse edges The Pretty Reckless didn't leave out a keen ear for melodic sensibilities that translate well onto rock radio where it's already established a promising foothold. Each facet of the diamond that is "Messed Up World" shines brilliantly when Taylor Momsen backs her full weight into the chorus. "It's a messed up world. What do you get from it? Sex and love and guns like a cigarette." Isn't exactly a moonbeam fantasy is it? Nonetheless Taylor's indignation of sorts causes a ripple effect that elevates each of her bandmates to their A game level. Jamie Perkins does his best drumming whenever the chorus bounds into full swing. Ditto for Ben Phillips, who also kicks out his jams with aplomb at the bridge. This band's second project, the pessimistically titled "Going To Hell" shows it knows how to sell itself well. "Messed Up World" does do the limbo hop around the fire and brimstone side of the gene pool. "Banging little boys bugging me on the bus" is one of those images Dana Carvey's Church Lady would have had a field day with. Taylor deals out the borderline prostitution angle with "You ain't getting what you want unless you're getting it for free." I only hope she means Nature's free because a roll on the bus with her certainly doesn't qualify. Church Lady would raise eyebrows over "Back to these backdoor bitches begging me to behave, jamming Jesus down my throat, no I don't wanna be saved." Do I really have to put out that, again, good move on calling the album as a whole "Going To Hell" So is Taylor rebel without a cause or your garden variety rebel who finds the boy in every port and proceeds to leave 'em high and dry. I like my rock when it sustains my appetite for first breath to last. Put that down as one in the win column. Taylor builds up momentum, keeps from flagging, and malevolently brings us along for a super-charged thrill ride into her thoroughly broken world. Who knows? Perhaps Taylor might have you questioning if the world she's putting out and the world you occupy are one and the same. The video demonstrates from head to toe she's got a fashion sense to match her unchecked attitude problem. Each generation has its artists who enter the world, try their best to present their own unique commentary on the circus going on around them and then report to the rest of us lesser mortals. Not one note is airbrushed during "Messed Up World". All the better to inhabit your most unsightly nightmares my dears". "Messed Up World" is the title but in no way is its musical orbit anything other than shred worthy righteousness. Taylor's rough edges are her best quality. She shows us with a spit in the eye instead of a contained growl. Mark Damon gives her steady legs courtesy of a bass equally foreboding. Hell sounds lovely if this song is a contributing part of the soundtrack. "Messed Up World" deserves to be recognized as a prime example of how Pretty Reckless has a pretty firm grasp on what makes top-shelf rock music tick.