Taylor Momsen leads The Pretty Reckless in a bold, nostalgic, and electrifying holiday EP that fuses festive cheer with hard rock attitude.
‘Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas’ – The Pretty Reckless
After making a thunderous return in the summer of 2025 with the hard-hitting single “For I Am Death,” The Pretty Reckless have now pivoted from raw rock intensity to festive flair with their new holiday EP, Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas.
When it comes to holiday music, many artists tiptoe cautiously around tradition, offering renditions that feel safe, saccharine, or painfully predictable. Not so for The Pretty Reckless. With Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas, the American rock band fronted by the indefatigable Taylor Momsen, the group delivers an EP that is audacious, warm, and unabashedly theatrical; a proper rock-infused winter celebration that nods to nostalgia while carving out its own uncompromising identity.
The announcement of this EP immediately captured attention. Momsen, whose larger-than-life presence has defined The Pretty Reckless from the outset, is revisiting a song that is entwined with her own history: “Where Are You Christmas?” from the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in which she famously played Cindy Lou Who. That alone sets this project apart. The idea of an artist engaging in a musical dialogue with their younger self is inherently compelling, but Momsen and her band do more than merely re-record a childhood classic; they deconstruct it, electrify it, and reassemble it with a rock sensibility that feels fresh, daring, and entirely authentic.
Opening the EP, “Intro” establishes the tone with understated instrumentation that slowly builds, a subtle prelude that allows the listener to settle into the world that The Pretty Reckless are about to conjure. Then comes the reimagined “Where Are You Christmas?” which sets the bar sky-high. Here, Momsen performs a duet of sorts with her own childhood voice, creating a hauntingly whimsical dialogue that is simultaneously tender and powerful. The juxtaposition of innocence and maturity resonates throughout the track, and the band’s signature hard rock instrumentation, a driving drumbeat, thunderous guitar riffs, and a pulsing bass, transform the song into a gripping, emotionally layered opening statement.
From there, the EP transitions into its original material, beginning with the irrepressibly fun “I Wanna Be Your Christmas Tree.” The track is a delightfully playful yet musically accomplished offering, with Momsen’s voice swinging effortlessly between sultry warmth and bracing rock edge. The Pretty Reckless have a knack for marrying accessible melodies with a harder sonic palette, and this track is no exception: a jaunty rhythm section and crisp, textured guitar lines make it impossible not to be swept up in its charm.
“Christmas Is Killing Me” follows, a title that cheekily hints at the track’s lyrical bite. This is pure Pretty Reckless energy, darkly witty, bold, and effervescent. The song revels in theatricality, Momsen’s vocal delivery oscillating between growls and high, soaring belts that amplify the song’s playful tension. Lyrically, it captures the chaos and contradictions of the festive season, offering a wry, slightly sardonic counterpoint to more traditional yuletide fare.
In contrast, “Blues on Christmas” slows the pace, creating a more reflective atmosphere. It’s a spellbindingly mellow, blues-inflected track that showcases Momsen’s ability to convey vulnerability and emotional depth without sacrificing rock credibility. The restrained, delicate guitar work, subtle piano flourishes, and heartfelt vocal performance make it one of the EP’s most stirring moments. Here, The Pretty Reckless prove they are not only masters of bombast but also deft architects of nuance and mood.
The penultimate track, “When We Were Young,” is brief but affecting. It functions almost as an interlude of nostalgia and tenderness, a moment of quiet intimacy amid the EP’s otherwise bold sonic landscape. Momsen’s voice carries both reminiscence and resolve, and the minimalistic accompaniment, a soft guitar line over gentle percussion, serves to heighten its emotional resonance.
The EP closes with “Christmas, Why Can’t I Find You?” a reprise that threads together the record’s thematic strands into a satisfying, emotionally potent finale. The track is layered with reverent instrumentation, harmonically rich arrangements, and Momsen’s impassioned vocal performance, leaving the listener with a sense of closure that is both cathartic and celebratory. It is a perfect bookend, reminding us that while this is a rock record, it is also a profoundly heartfelt seasonal offering.
Across its seven tracks, Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas demonstrates what makes The Pretty Reckless such an enduring and distinctive force in modern rock.
The EP blends the theatrics, edge, and musicianship of the band’s established oeuvre with the warmth, nostalgia, and joy of the holiday season. It is at once fun and sophisticated, playful yet emotionally resonant, a rare achievement for any seasonal release, particularly one that dares to rework a childhood classic with such bravado.
Momsen’s dual role as both youthful and adult narrator on “Where Are You Christmas?” encapsulates the spirit of the entire project: an exploration of memory, joy, and reflection through the lens of rock. The EP is unapologetically confident, stylishly executed, and utterly engaging, proving that festive music need not be banal to be heartfelt.
With Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas, The Pretty Reckless have delivered a work that will appeal not only to their existing fans but also to anyone seeking a Christmas soundtrack with bite, personality, and genuine artistic vision.
It’s a record that celebrates the season without ever feeling constrained by it, offering something new and compelling to a genre often mired in predictability. By blending nostalgia, originality, and rock bravado, The Pretty Reckless have given listeners an EP that is not just enjoyable but memorable, a holiday record that you can return to year after year and still find surprises, depth, and delight in every listen.
This is Christmas music reimagined, wrapped in guitars, drums, and the formidable presence of Taylor Momsen, a festive season statement from a band that knows exactly how to make an impact.
Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas is available now to stream and download, and if the opening track alone is any indication, it is poised to become a seasonal staple for rock fans and holiday music enthusiasts alike.
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© Steph Gomez
© Steph GomezTaylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas
an EP by The Pretty Reckless
