Grief, God and growing up: Taylor Momsen and co. deliver their darkest, most complete album yet…

Words by Felix Bartlett  | June 24, 2026

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A funny thing happened to The Pretty Reckless somewhere between opening stadiums for rock royalty, headlining bigger stages of their own and returning to Download Festival this summer looking every bit the seasoned veterans. They stopped sounding like a band chasing greatness and started sounding like one that had found it.

Dear God, the New York quartet’s fifth album, arrives carrying the weight of grief, addiction, mortality and faith on its shoulders. Fortunately, it also carries some of the strongest songs The Pretty Reckless have ever written.

The band’s recent Download set was a reminder of why they’ve become such a festival favourite. Taylor Momsen stalked the stage with the same commanding presence she’s always possessed, but there was something different this time around. The confidence felt earned rather than performed. Tracks from Dear God slotted seamlessly alongside older material, suggesting these songs are already destined to become staples of the band’s live show.

That confidence runs through the album itself. Dear God feels less concerned with chasing radio hits than previous releases, instead digging deeper into the emotions that have always sat beneath the band’s hard rock exterior. The recurring Life Evermore interludes are the key to it all, appearing throughout the record like fragments of a larger conversation. They give the album a sense of purpose and cohesion that elevates it beyond a simple collection of songs.

The opening stretch is particularly impressive. For I Am Death is all gothic tension and looming dread, with Momsen delivering one of the most captivating vocal performances of her career. When I Wake Up follows with swagger and attitude, disguising regret and self-destruction beneath a groove built for festival crowds. Then comes Love Me, a brutally honest exploration of loneliness that strips away any remaining barriers between artist and listener.

The album’s most interesting moment arrives in Dragonfire. Built around acoustic guitars and subtle country-rock influences, it’s a reminder that The Pretty Reckless are still willing to experiment. The title-track is equally strong, transforming a prayer into a towering rock ballad filled with doubt, desperation and longing.

Not everything lands perfectly. Eye Of The Storm occasionally drifts into familiar social commentary, while some lyrics throughout the album lean a little too heavily on well-worn rock-and-roll imagery. There are moments where the writing reaches for something profound and settles for something merely familiar.

Still, sincerity carries Dear God a long way. Nothing here feels cynical or manufactured. Whether mourning lost friends, questioning faith or wrestling with personal demons, Momsen commits fully to every line. That authenticity gives the album its emotional weight.

By the time Dark Days closes the curtain, all weary reflection and hard-earned acceptance, The Pretty Reckless have delivered something that feels bigger than another rock record. It’s an album about surviving when life refuses to get easier, and finding meaning in the mess anyway.

For a band nearly two decades into their career, that’s an impressive achievement.

Verdict: 💀💀💀💀

For fans of: Halestorm, The Warning, Dorothy

Dear God is released on June 26 via Fearless Records.