The Pretty Reckless – Death By Rock And Roll
Release Date: 12th February 2021
Label: Century Media Records
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Genre: Hard Rock
FFO: Black Stone Cherry, Greta Van Fleet, Halestorm.
Review By: Kenny Newall
As well as having new albums out, The Pretty Reckless are like the Foo Fighters in that they’re popular bands that I just don’t get. Some great songs, classic even, but mostly meh. So this is to say a review will always carry baggage, but now and then it calls for a new suitcase and with this in mind I worked my way through the last 3 TPR albums and jings was I pleasantly surprised at how much they got my moobs tingling. Much like seeing FF at Reading way back when in 2002 (along with fellow reviewer, Paul Cairney) when I thought, fuck me with something not too intimidating, this is surprisingly good. Alas for FF, their albums still fail to come alive. (The 2005 headline made up for it, though).
So does fourth full length, Death By Rock And Roll continue to give me nipples you can perch a parrot on? Well indeed it does. My newfound appreciation finds my favourite back catalogue songs spread throughout their albums, but overall I reckon the albums as a whole have improved as they go on and this maturation continues.
In part the maturity is unwanted, though, as this is an album born in sorrow and a hard-fought battle with the emotional consequences. TPR were the opening act for Soundgarden on the 2017 tour where Chris Cornell took his life. And Death by Rock and Roll was the mantra of mentor and long-time producer, Kato Khandwala who sadly passed away in a motorcycle accident in 2018. The album opens with his footsteps and Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil play on 2nd track, Only Love Can Save Me Now. But the album cover is about rebirth (a grave and a foetal position)* and many of the many millions who have already heard the title track will attest to how uplifting it is despite referencing many dead before their time rock stars. There’s also an acoustic version released as a single that’s well worth the listen.
The rocking continues on an album highlight, And So It Went featuring the last of the guests, Tom Morello, but then slows down with 25 which opens with a guitar part reminiscent of Tesla’s Modern Day Cowboy and features a more introspective tone both musically and lyrically.
The mix of rockier, slower tracks is heard throughout and it sounds pretty much like a Pretty Reckless album, though the album ends with a stumble of slower tracks which I felt hindered the pacing of the album.
So, no new direction then, but definitely moving forward. My favourite album of theirs, but also the first I got into and I’m guessing for many fans that first will be the favourite.
(Miscellaneous thoughts: The vocals are fucking glorious, the feel and lyrics of Got So High reminded me of High by Feeder, there’s some AC/DC in the Witches Burn solo and Rock And Roll Heaven features a lyric Bruce Springsteen would bar fight Nick Cave over with, “I sold my car for an old guitar and set out on the road.” which sums up how brilliantly reckless rock and roll should be and why we love it so much).
* The cover reminds me of the saying “someone’s walking over your grave” when you get the spine chills. So, this cover may go some way to answering the age old question of what they’re doing on my grave when my balls are tingling?
(4 / 5)
