The Pretty Reckless Rattles Off An Unsatisfying Wish List

Good thing The Pretty Reckless brings an impressive barrage of drums and guitar to its brand new single "Oh My God" because at least there's flavor added by that gesture. Vocalist Taylor Momsen, time and again brings up her psychological wish list. She wishes she could go back to when she was dumb and innocent. She wishes she was thin, black (cause that's where soul music really gets cranking you see). She wishes she was dead (poor thing). She wishes she could do something smarter than sing, which leads me to wonder since when was singing considered a stupid occupation. Plenty of intellectual gravitas behind that stock in trade. She even alludes to drowning in depression and harboring a need to swim. Make no mistake...were it not for the blisteringly hot guitar and drums on display I'd declare "Oh My God" a three minute twenty-one second waste of air. There's not a hell of a lot to be said for a song dedicated to lamenting what's just out of one's grasp while failing to do much to salvage the situation. Ben Phillips supplies the octane behind his lead guitar and the sweat he pours into the battering ram style really shows. Jamie Perkins came to play on drums. He shies away from being content to stay in second gear. He comes out of the chute ready to ride, and isn't that what all rock fans crave...a chance to revel in the trip. Ultimately though it's Taylor's baby and it doesn't do much dressing to impress. Her pipes are plenty smoky enough to get the attention of even the nastiest well worn bar but, as is usually true for a running back who cranks out three hundred plus yards in a losing effort, Taylor's efforts come off as royally wasted. You could say she's all blow and no show. I mean isn't self improvement up to the individual rather than the paying customers she's caterwauling to? If you want to get optimum mileage out of "Oh My God" please focus your attention on every instrument but Taylor's. You'll feel infinitely more refreshed. Whining loses its appeal really fast if ever there was appeal to be had. "Oh My God" leaves me muttering "Jeez Louise" can this women not track down a therapist or something. She appears to have issues on top of issues. What's more her lyrics make her ill-suited to take any of them on with any degree of certainty. Better places to get those ironed out than in the professional confines of a recording studio. Louise needs to make her syllables count for far more than kvetching. Otherwise there isn't much of a tale to tell.