Everyone knows I think Taylor Momsen is a brat extraordinaire. Everyone knows that I think she’s a cheesy little poseur, drawing her faux-angst bullsh-t from people like Angelina Jolie (the knives), Courtney Love (the look, the ‘tude), and Lindsay Lohan (the graceless unprofessional behavior, the entitled bullsh-t, the too-much-too-soon – the girl is 16 years old after all). So, all in all, I kind of want her to fail, and fail hard. Not like “overdose” fail, I just want to see her kicked on her ass and have to resort to some decidedly un-hardcore things to make money. Like a Noxema commercial or something. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look that’s going to be happening any time soon.
Why is that? Because Taylor Momsen’s band isn’t bad. Sure, it’s not great, and sure, it’s derivative as all hell, but it’s a lot better than I expected. The Pretty Reckless just released their first video – for “Make Me Wanna Die” – and this sh-t doesn’t make me terribly angry. Taylor’s voice is kind of good, although I know she’s heavily synthesized and Autotuned. But she’s sort-of rocking a raspy Kim Gordon/Shirley Manson voice. Actually, there’s quite a bit of Shirley Manson in here – she even uses a Shirley Manson line from “#1 Crush” – “I would steal for you”. The video isn’t that great, lots of raccoon eyes, thigh-highs, pouting and being hardcore by writing on the mirror in lipstick (GASP).
The Pretty Reckless – Make Me Wanna Die from Rowan Abeelen on Vimeo.
Actually, now that I’m watching the whole thing again, it’s kind of funny how much of the video is Taylor applying her makeup. ZOMG HARDCORE. Oh, there’s some sketchy, gratuitous tit shots too. What the hell? She’s 16 years old! I realize she’s got the voice of a grizzled 2-pack-a-day, “Hand me my Scotch” rock princess, but we don’t need a closeup of her boobs. Ugh… this one’s another Lohan, right?
Well, she’s better than Leighton Meester.
Toni Halliday also
I hate to say it, but it do like the song and Taylor’s attempts at being “rock” are quite amusing. She’s essentially harmless – it’s not like those poor babies stuck with “Cullen” for a lifetime because they’re parents are moronic Twihards. That’s the greater tragedy of modern culture!
Taylor Momsen + 1 year = Avril Lavigne in Proactive Ads. (especially if she keeps ruining with her skin with that makeup)
bwahaha
Does anyone actually like her? That’s what I want to know. God, I can handle something things, but a twitchy little poseur, I cannot abide.
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
And you know what sucks? She has the kind of voice that I like to listen to. And we need more strong and powerful women in rock music. Because despite everything, it is a boy’s club.
If she had been this way all along, I would love her. Or even done this gradually. But a year ago she was wearing pepto bismal pink party dresses and saying Ohmigawd. And now, she’s like, badass and like, hardcore?
WTF?
She did this all wrong and now she will go the way of Avril Lavigne and Asslee Simpson and all the other “rockstars” and “punk princesses.”
So boring ! I would have been OK with the music 15 years ago, but the video is so annoying, nothing happends and it’s just the repetition of the 3 or 4 same scenes.
@snowball, excellent comparison… i am sure we will see that one day!
Frenchie: Agreed. The video is just silly and redundant.
She can put on black eyeliner and red lipstick. Ooooooh. Aaaaaah.
Snowball love the comment I say Payless Shoes in three yrs – My son and his friends have varied music tastes and she’s not even on their radar. Why can’t these young celebs learn to do one thing well and not many things badly.
She looks like her eyes got punched out.
She’s pretty and talented. But she needs to get rid of the attitude and CUT HER DISGUSTING HAIR EXTENSIONS – I literally want to vomit looking at them (bad hair extensions are a pet peeve of mine) – or no one is going to take her seriously. Oh wait, too late. No one takes her seriously. I mean look at all these comments begrudgingly acknowledging that she has a good voice. We just HATE to admit she does maybe have talent. If we didn’t know anything about her, I think a lot of us would have been impressed. Too bad for her.
really wasnt interested in the article until Shirley Manson was mentioned. i’ll give Momsen this, she can sing, (if thats her singing not autotune) i like her voice but she doesnt sound like Manson. Manson has a deeper raspier more varied voice and Momsens has a clear distinct accent in hers.
if the song was any good i’d probably be a fan.
maybe you compared her to Shirley because sub-conciously you felt the song “stupid girl” applies to her?
“you pretend you high
pretend you’re bored
pretend your anything
just to be adored”
sound a bit like Taylor perhaps?
I love it.
I’ve said it before – I’m not a fan of her more-harcore-than-thou attitude, but like you keep saying, SHE’s SIXTEEN! You simply *CAN’T* except her to be perfect, or even decent yet. I’d like to know the percentage of commenters who were wonderful, worthwhile people at that age.
I love her voice and the song. And I’m going to try not to judge until she’s 21. We’ll see how she’s doing vis-à-vis Lohan then.
Ya, I always don lingerie and lay on the floor wallowing in my own coolness…Oh brother…
She is actually a talented singer, check out this video of her singing acoustic live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw5MYv-5xZE
She is just a child, she will grow up, but i think she might have a future in the music industry.
I think she’s talented. The acoustic version proves she can sing. To each their own. No reason for her to try to conform if she’s not feeling it.
God I miss the arrogance that comes with youth, the older you get the more inadequate you realise you are. She’s a brat but give her a break, she’s 16! I was pretty horrid myself at 16, give her some time and then she can look back and cringe like we all do.
Her band is good. Replace her with a real performer and not a stupid pretentious poser, and maybe I’ll finish listening to that song.
Her voice is pretty average, it’s not like she’s attempting complex vocal acrobatics or anything.
As for the MTV live sessions, most singers have effects on their microphone to assist their voice. Beyonce uses heaps of reverb to make her voice sound ‘thicker’ and more powerful that it actually is. This chick is definitely using something on her mic as well as the audio being cleaned up by MTV which is standard..
very very average voice, the music is boring, no lyrical content, and she looks like an idiot and yes she will never be good enough to become a musical legend.
that would take actually having original talent,
i have heard better singers at my local karaoke night.
well she’ll have her record and then , thats that.
oh and the acoustic version of her singing live just goes to prove the mediocrity of her voice,
it reminds me of ashley simpson.
Cedar falls I also hate to admit it but the “rock” version of the song isn’t that bad by today’s standards – there’s worse out there. If she wants to do this why doesn’t she watch some clips of Janis Joplin or Grace SLick (at Woodstock) or early Tina Turner to get an idea of how its done right. She will need adults to tell her who these ppl are. I agree emma and scotchy she is doing this all wrong and will probably go nowhere. You’re not hardcore if you are on Gossip Girl. It would be like Jimi Hendrix or CCR appearing on Gilligan’s Island and then trying to pass themselves off as counterculture at Woodstock. Do she actually have a lot of young fans?
she can sing way better then avril lavigne and miley cyrus…
Chiming in late to say; Nothing Taylor Momsen does will ever be as remotely interesting or provocative as Shirley Manson.
Her voice is not very good and Avril Lavigne can sing way better than her. Btw I have heard Avril live on the Internet.
Comparing her to Shirley Manson makes my skin crawl, what a horrible insult to such a talented and respected woman. I never once looked at Shirley with disrespect like I do to this little twat. I admit I like the music but the image she brings along with it makes me embarrassed to admit I like it.
I used to hate Avril until she finally dropped the “punk” act, then I listened to her music and really loved it. When people stop trying to be something they are not, I can learn to respect them and appreciate them. I feel really bad for the band members of The Pretty Reckless. She makes them look like they star on Barney in the eyes of the rock industry.
God I’m 24 and I’ve never in my life needed to act like such a slut. What is wrong with teens?!
damn this writer is so dumb she doesn’t even know how to spell Noxzema
and the pretty reckless is awesome for her information!
damn this writer is so dumb she doesn’t even know how to spell Noxzema
and the pretty reckless is awesome for her information!