10 Underrated Artists: Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless)

Taylor Momsen is one of the most hardcore front women in rock music today. And she earned that title before she finished high school. Furthermore, she earned that title while playing Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl. Revolver magazine listed Momsen as one of the greatest living rock starts. And The Pretty Reckless, Momsen's current project, has only released one album.

The lyrics on Light Me Up discuss things that you would hope most 17 year old girls don't know about: sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The sound is gritty and dark, and lyrics match it. The album opens with the line, "Somebody fixed my medicine [...] somebody's in my head again." It continues to hit topics like a relationship with a man 10 years older than her, and prostitution. As Momsen has said on the record, she's no role model. She's rock and role, the way that the (late) great Janis Joplin and the (still) great Debbie Harry were, before rock went pop. Let's just hope that hard lifestyle doesn't keep on, or she'll follow the path of Joplin, and many others that were taken too soon.

Light Me Up does show a softer side, too. The ending track, "You," is an acoustic track. It's perhaps the most vulnerable moment on the whole album. After Momsen brags on her hard core party lifestyle, other exploits, and walking away from God, she's there at the end of the album pining after the boy (or man) who broke her heart so badly. It reveals that all of that pain that Momsen reveled in for the previous 11 tracks don't hide that hole in her heart.

I would definitely say this isn't rock and roll for the faint of heart. This isn't what you play your 16 year old daughter. This is not for the faint of heart. But if you enjoy the gritty, old school sound of groups like The Runaways or Blondie, then this is right up your alley. Here's where I usually suggest tracks, but The Pretty Reckless only has 1 album and 2 EPs. My advice: go on YouTube and find a live performance. I'm pretty certain a live shot of "Make Me Wanna Die" will tell you everything you need to know about Momsen and what she has to offer.