Reimagined covers with an edge

The Pretty Reckless recently released Other Worlds, reminding listeners that covers have a rightful place among any music catalog. Although imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, cover songs often lack originality and become nothing more than stale regurgitations from preceding artists. It’s rare that a band takes an existing song and cultivates it into a sound that’s truly their own, but The Pretty Reckless have done just that. 

Their freshly minted compilation album conjures up emotions from decades past as they cover some of the most iconic artists to ever enter the music scene. While paying homage to the greats, including David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Chris Cornell, The Pretty Reckless are a powerful reminder that cover songs serve a unique purpose and can be just as powerful as the original. 

The introductory song, “Got So High,” throws the listener for a bit of a loop as its melodic, synthesized sound serves as a stark contrast against the hair-raising shred-fest you’d expect from this NYC-based band. Their sound remains otherworldly, nonetheless, as the album title would have listeners deduce. “Got So High” provides a glimpse into the lyrical mind of Momsen, her purposeful storytelling never lost on the listener. 

“Loud Love” paves the way for distorted guitars, a reminder that the band’s subdued songs are a bit of an amuse-bouche, satiating the listener but never so much that they can’t handle more. As Momsen warms up her impressive pipes, there’s the faint feel of vocal stylings reminiscent of Courtney Love. However, Momsen quickly dismantles that vibe with notes that put Auto-Tune to shame. 

Other Worlds packs a powerful punch with covers such as “The Keeper,” Cornell’s soulful voice one to contend with but Momsen doing so effortlessly, her voice seamlessly bleeding into each deliberate note of the acoustic guitar. 

The album transitions into yet another acoustic ballad as “Quicksand” reminds fans that The Pretty Reckless are anything but predictable and that they’re not defined by a single sound. Not many musicians are capable of covering Bowie, and Kurt Cobain’s version of “The Man Who Sold the World” back on MTV Unplugged in ‘93 was perhaps one of the last times Bowie was flawlessly reimagined. But The Pretty Reckless cover this master of music (and one of the most influential and powerful voices in music) in a truly transformative way while still capturing the essence that is Bowie. 

Musicophiles appreciate bands with multifaceted twists and turns, and Momsen’s voice is powerful and emotional enough to carry any melody regardless of accompanying instruments. But that’s not to disregard the blinding talent imparted by band members Ben Phillips, Mark Damon and Jamie Perkins. The soft yet poignant piano interlude on “Quicksand” is a beautiful accompaniment to Momsen’s impressive vibrato, and the music, although considerably slower than previous songs, is never so humdrum that it becomes background noise. 

Other Worlds is an album that easily rounds out any music lover’s catalog and although The Pretty Reckless puts their modern-day twist on some classic covers, they never lose the original feel of the songs they reinvent. Covers are akin to reading a diary- the words are someone else’s, the story already existing in time and space- but there’s always room for adaptations while staying true to the original feel. And The Pretty Reckless have achieved just that.