HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Light Me Up – The Pretty Reckless
It’s not uncommon for actors to cross over to music and vice versa. Many of those in film and TV have tried their hand at a musical project or two, most to varying degrees of success. From Bruce Willis to Jared Leto, Jennifer Love Hewitt to Zooey Deschanel, the different genres and talent on display depended on the person and what they wanted to do with their music. In 2010, the actress Taylor Momensen, most known for roles in How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Gossip Girl, announced she was in a band named THE PRETTY RECKLESS with their first album, Light It Up, releasing August of that year. Many associated Momsen with a sweet and innocent persona from her early roles as Cindy Loo Who and Jenny Humphrey, so seeing the band was alternative hard rock and Momsen had a darker look to her was a shock to most people at the time.
This change was shown in the album’s first single, Make Me Wanna Die, released April 2010. The music video showcased a then 16 year old Momsen walking down a street in Brooklyn, New York, stripping off her clothes interjected between shots of the band performing together. This video wasn’t released until September of that year because of Momsen’s age at the time, as she confirmed in an interview with The Guardian. Even so, it fit the theme of that debut single, which was about a tragic, passionate love that wouldn’t be seen as appropriate, akin to Romeo & Juliet, which some critics took to well, recognising the grungy angsty attitude for a teenage perspective in the song, others felt it was too cliched and overdramatic. Either way, the song did well in both the US and UK, peaking at No.4 and No.16 on their respective singles charts.
As mentioned, Light It Up came out August 2010, with another single just before the album’s release, Miss Nothing, and one more released later in December, Just Tonight, both songs charting fairly well in just the UK. Upon its release, the album was received warmly by critics, with many comparing the band to Garbage and Hole with their songwriting and in Momsen’s vocals that, according to one reviewer, “strike the most perfect balance between sexy swagger and brilliant songwriting”. In addition, across the board, the album received mostly positive reviews, praising the album for its lyricism, gritty metal sound, and Momsen’s showmanship that came across in all of the songs. All the songs were written by Momsen, Ben Phillips, the guitarist of the band, and the late great producer, Kato Khandwala, which showcases the talent from everyone involved through all areas of the album.
Whilst the album did moderately well in the US album charts, the UK received it much better, reaching No.1 on the Rock & Metal Albums chart and No.6 on the UK Albums chart. The lead single of Make Me Wanna Die is still the band’s most popular songs, and was featured in film and TV, including an episode of Gossip Girl. Songs from Light It Up are still performed by the band these 15 years later, and THE PRETTY RECKLESS only continued to grow from this successful debut, particularly across Europe, where they performed at festivals like Download, V Festival, Rock Am Ring, and many more. The band have supported tours of EVANESCENCE, AC/DC, SHINEDOWN, and almost to the date of Light Me Up’s release, debuted a new single called For I Am Death, supposedly for their 5th album.
Even with the success Momsen found in acting, it’s clear that music is where her heart is, especially working and performing with her band, as well as her influences and style that they have stayed true to since this album. To summarise, Light It Up kicked off a fantastic band into the world with a bang with unforgettable songs, and true heart and soul that has never left throughout the years THE PRETTY RECKLESS have been active. 15 years of hard work, dedication, and pure hard heavy rock that’s never slowed down once.
Light Me Up was originally released on August 27th, 2010 via Interscope Records.
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