The Pretty Reckless have dropped the music video for their latest single “Only Love Can Save Me Now,” featuring Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, off their latest album Death by Rock and Roll.
Tracked at the legendary London Bridge Studio in Seattle, it marked the first time Matt and Kim recorded at the space since Soundgarden’s Louder Than Love.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling around our song ‘Only Love Can Save Me Now,’” the Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen said.
“The song was born out of tragedy and brought to life by two of my favorite musicians of all time – Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil. Hearing them play it is simply surreal. This song represents getting through the worst time in my life, and yet, is one of my proudest achievements. It means that there is hope, and that life has to go on, and most importantly, is worth living.”
“It was super fun to spend time in the studio with Taylor, Ben [Phillips], and Matt, and to have the opportunity to contribute to this the Pretty Reckless song,” added Thayil.
“‘Only Love Can Save Me Now’ has elements of classic Soundgarden and the riff would probably be at home on Louder Than Love. These are great guitar parts that Ben came up with. They lay down a heavy foundation that allows the entire song to open up with Taylor’s powerful and haunting vocals.”
In the visual, the band communes with the elements, from crashing ocean waves to flashes of lighting that match the song’s bombastic energy.
The Pretty Reckless’ fourth full-length album, Death By Rock And Roll, is proving to be the band’s most ambitious release yet. With the earliest ideas for the album tracing back to 2017, Taylor Momsen and co. had to write through the heartbreaking loss of Chris Cornell, who was one of Taylor’s musical muses
Shortly after, producer and longtime collaborator Kato Khandwala passed in a motorcycle accident. Despite the setbacks, the group pushed through the tragedy to complete the record; as soon as the band released the titular first single “25”, they were launched into the spotlight once again
“I want to be saved from the sound,” shared Momsen upon release. “Lyrically, it goes with the world now…It references what we’re all going through.”
The band also announced it would postpone all touring activity until 2022. More recently, the group picked up the Rock Artist Of The Year award at the 2021 iHeart Radio Awards.
