Music Review: The Pretty Reckless Album "Dear God"

Taylor Momsen is no stranger to the entertainment industry having starred in the live action “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” as Cindy Lou Who and Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl. Her band, The Pretty Reckless, released their sixth studio album, Dear God, on June 26, 2026.

In an interview with Loudwire in April, Momsen said,” ...It almost has this feel of it [being] directly ripped out of my diary. You're really getting the inside of how my mind works on this one." She’s not wrong. Gone is the ambiguity in the songwriting, giving the listener more of a direct line to the vulnerability and assertiveness Momsen poured into the lyrics.

“When I Wake Up” is an unapologetic, raucous look back at the party life with a music video to “match. 

Momsen also tackles depression and loneliness with the soulful “Love Me”, asking, “And God, I’m giving her all that I’ve got/So why doesn’t anyone love me?”

Her vocals are raw and angry on tracks such as “Dragonfire”, which has a folksy tone and sounds like it could be sung while sitting around a campfire with friends, and “Spell On You”, which leaves no question about her feelings and intentions toward the song’s subject. The hard rock mixed with the 60’s style keyboard gives the song dark undertones that are in line with lyrics.

Arguably the most vulnerable track on the album is “Devil In Disguise (Michelle’s Song)”, written for Momsen’s late Gossip Girl co-star and close friend, Michelle Trachtenberg. The song, which is stripped down to acoustic guitar, bass, and Momsen’s light, whimsical vocals, was written and recorded the night Momsen heard the news of Trachtenberg’s passing.

Overall, the album feels and sounds like the most honest The Pretty Reckless has ever been. None of the songs sound like any other on the record, yet the story it tells is cohesive, making the album a fantastic listen from beginning to finish.

The Pretty Reckless hit the world tour circuit for the rest of 2026 in support of the album. Tickets can be found here: https://theprettyreckless.com/#tour