Light Me Up

It’s better than you expect.

The history of thespians in rock bands is not a glorious one, from Keanu Reeves’ spectacularly rank grunge band Dogstar to Russell Crowe’s almost surreally rubbish 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.

On the evidence of this debut, Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen is thankfully poised to evade car-crash status by emulating Juliette Lewis in making a decent attempt of both callings.

This summer’s Paramore-like single and top-20 hit Make Me Wanna Die showed The Pretty Reckless know their way round a winning epic-rock riff, while Momsen’s husky growl is compelling on the blues-metal My Medicine and Goin’ Down.

There is a Courtney Love fixation at play, with Miss Nothing in particular sounding uncommonly close to Hole’s Doll Parts, but overall Light Me Up is sparky and vivacious enough to hint that Ms Momsen, should she so wish, may even be able to give up the day job.

Album Review by Ian Gittins