Who You Selling For

Personnel: Andy Burton (piano, organ, keyboards).
Audio Mixer: Kato Khandwala.
Recording information: Water Music, Hoboken, NJ.
The Pretty Reckless came into their own on 2014's Going to Hell, a sophomore set that found them executing their neo-grunge in a catchier, harder fashion than their debut. Now that they've mastered their vocabulary, it's time for them to expand their horizons on 2016's Who You Selling For. Such ambitions are evident from the somber artwork and the multi-part title of "The Walls Are Closing In/Hangman," the track that gets Who You Selling For off to somewhat of an epic start. While the Pretty Reckless resist the urge to go prog, they do operate with a grander sense of scale here, while also incorporating a stronger sense of swing; the verses of "Take Me Down" percolate to a surprisingly funky groove while "Prisoner" grinds to a heavy stomp. Elsewhere, the Pretty Reckless stretch into territory that can only be called classic rock -- filled with acoustic guitars and piano, "Back to the River" is refried Southern rock, "Already Dead" is a slow Led Zeppelin blues jam by any other name, and the folksiness of "Bedroom Window" recalls Stevie Nicks at her gentlest -- and this winds up contrasting nicely with what remains of the band's revivalist grunge. All these new developments are pretty clear signs that the Pretty Reckless have decided to grow up on Who You Selling For and, thanks to their inherent muscle and the sharp articulation of producer Kato Khandwala, this self-conscious maturation succeeds. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine