The Pretty Reckless will release “Other Worlds,” a new collection of material, on Nov. 4, 2022, via Fearless Records. Pre-order it here. Now the band has shared an acoustic version of “Harley Darling” from the record. Watch and listen below.
“‘Harley Darling’ is a love letter to Kato Khandwala,” frontwoman Taylor Momsen said. “It’s as simple as that. So many of us have stories of losing loved ones, especially now, and I hope this song can be used in other’s healing as it was in my own.”
Khandwala, who had worked with The Pretty Reckless as a producer, died in 2018 following a motorcycle crash.
The band previously shared the video for “Got So High.” You also can listen to and watch the visualizer for the remix of the song here.
“For a long time, we’ve been trying to figure out an alternative way of releasing music, including songs we love that didn’t make our records, covers, and alternate versions,” Momsen said. “We found a way to do this coherently and consistently with ‘Other Worlds.’ We’re a rock band, so there are lots of electric guitars on our records. However, we’ve gotten incredible feedback from fans about our acoustic performances, and we’d never put those out in any real format. So, this is a different take on the traditional format of a record and a stripped back version of us that our fans haven’t really heard before, but it’s still us.”
“You get to hear a different side of Taylor’s vocals,” guitarist Ben Phillips said. “It was a chance for us to see what she would sound like singing songs by people who have inspired us. It also gave us some perspective of where we need to go and what we need to be if we want to be that good.”
The record collects acoustic renditions of personal favorites accompanied by some special guests. The recording of Elvis Costello’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” served as Momsen’s first cover originally performed for the Fearless at Home livestream in the midst of COVID. As another pandemic-era cover, Matt Cameron played guitar and sang as Taylor powered an airy and lithe reimagining of Soundgarden’s “Halfway There” from King Animal, generating hundreds of thousands of views on its initial post. Iconic multi-instrumentalist, producer, and artist Alain Johannes handled guitar on The Pretty Reckless’ pensive and poetic interpretation of “The Keeper,” originally by Chris Cornell, while David Bowie pianist Mike Garson performed a stirring piano movement for The Thin White Duke’s “Quicksand.”
“Other Worlds” track listing:
“Got So High” (Remix)
“Loud Love”
“The Keeper” (Feat. Alain Johannes) – Chris Cornell cover
“Quicksand” (Feat. Mike Garson) – David Bowie cover
“25” (Acoustic)
“Only Love Can Save Me Now” (Acoustic)
“Death By Rock and Roll” (Acoustic)
“Halfway There” (Feat. Matt Cameron) – Soundgarden cover
“(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” – Elvis Costello cover
“Harley Darling” (Acoustic)
“Got So High” (Album Version)
