Where debut Light Me Up is a solid effort, the departure from Taylor Momsen's on-screen character in Gossip Girl to the rebellious teenager seemed too much for some, who wrote the band off and pretended they didn't like them. Well, it's time to stop pretending. Second offering Going To Hell from The Pretty Reckless truly brings them into the rock 'n' roll game.
If you ignore the orgasm intro, 'Follow Me Down' is an explosive start (oh dear lord I think there's an unintended pun there. Punches self) laying the music on heavy and Taylor's vocals clawing their way out. The feisty nature of the song is brought down a notch with an acoustic pre-chorus where the vocal layering is wickedly seductive. If the theme wasn't already clear enough title track 'Going To Hell' makes it more than obvious by being a total embodiment of the album's metaphor and makes way for one of the stand out tracks 'Heaven Knows' with it's gang vocals turning it into an epic anthem. Dual vocals on 'Sweet Things' turn this fiery track into a creepy horror film-esque performance. Chugging guitars drive the first minute and a half before a drop in the music and acoustics come in. Taylor goes from bad ass to damsel in distress vocal wise back to a screaming sorceress that is not to be trusted. Grungy, dark and with an epic guitar solo this song is not to be messed with.
In a few places on the album you see new dimensions to The Pretty Reckless. We've seen them do rock and now we're seeing them slay at it but on 'Absolution' they fiddle with blues style music and really move towards an alt-rock sound. It's very different to anything else i've heard from them but it sounds cool. The same goes for 'Blame Me' where the music is walking the pop-rock sound and Taylor's relaxed kicked back vocals make this a windows down almost summer song. They're a welcome break from the heavy snarl of previously mentioned tracks.
Percussion driven 'Fucked Up World' pulls together the best of both their heavy rock sound as well something new altogether sounding like a signature Pretty Reckless track where another musical solo precedes a growly bridge. 'Why'd You Bring A Shotgun To The Party?' uses staggered music and vocals with a lot of split second silences building the atmosphere and gushing confidence and superiority.
Personally, 'House On A Hill' could be the only track on the album and I would still buy it. Dropping the unruly rockers facade the four piece have produced a spine chilling number that is honestly all round perfection. Acoustic choruses and fragile vocals become stronger and self-assured when the chorus hits. Further foray into stunning ballads include 'Dear Sister' and 'Burn' where Taylor's vocals are the centre piece. A slight husk and a simple chorus, 'You want me to burn, want me to burn, want me to hurt then maybe i'll finally learn,' belted out is all the latter needs to be impressive. The final track 'Waiting For A Friend' features a harmonica giving this power rock album a folk twist. It's on this song that Taylor is seen at her most open, as though she's singing to herself in her bedroom. She sings 'the night is when the ghosts all come out, playing with my head' instantly making the song relatable but singing it in such a way that your heart can't help but break for her.
Going To Hell will draw in mixed reviews from music snobs who refuse to accept that The Pretty Reckless have genuine talent. Phrases such as 'guilty pleasure' will be attached to their name but wrongly so. They've more than exceeded expectations here with growth evident in the music and vocals, bringing something new and re-energising the sound that initially made people fall in love with them in the first place. Old fans will go crazy for this album and new ones will be wondering what took them so long to see that there is a credible, fantastic band underneath the initial gimmicks they can be liable for throwing at us.
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