I’ll always jump at the chance to review music in my local area, so getting to write about DC-based indie band Pretty Bitter was super exciting. The band, (composed of vocalist Mel Bleker, bassist Miri Tyler, keyboardist Zack Be, guitarist Chris Smith, and drum-ist Jason Hayes) formed during the late 2010s and have released two albums, 2019’s Patchwork and 2022’s Hinges, with a third currently being scheduled for some time later this year. Their sound is self-described as “queer alternative emo dream pop-ish”, which is probably a fair way of putting it. Listening to some of their previous songs gave the impression that the band has eclectic tastes and doesn’t want their sound to be pigeonholed, especially considering the immense talents each member has. It seems inspired by a plethora of alt-rock sounds, namely dense pedal/feedback-heavy psychedelia (or shoegaze, if you’re annoying) with occasionally some distorted garage-rock guitars or danceable drumming and bass playing. For a band that’s still young, I appreciate their desire to keep listeners on their toes by having a decent range of playing styles.
Their newest single from February, the grimly titled “Roadkill”, is a great showcase of each member’s abilities and chemistry with each other as they make the track into a total gem. The vocals are bursting with confidence and enthusiasm, even when they’re occasionally buried by layers of guitar and synthesizer effects. Speaking of, the band continues to mix and match styles by incorporating some bubbly new wave-y synths that really pop, and keep the song fresh. The aggressive, relentless energy provided by the guitar, bass (wonderfully gritty during the bridge) and especially the drumming, which never seems to slow down for even a second. It complements the angst and frustration present in the songwriting, with lyrics that are personal and confessional like a lot of Pretty Bitter’s other work. Yet it’s still fresh and inventive through the band’s abilities and their commitment to not fully repeating themselves.
I’m glad I could write about Pretty Bitter, as the band is absolutely a shining star in DC’s growing local music scene. They have potential and musical expertise in spades, and seeing their further growth and evolution will be a joy to witness.
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=3345143824/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=63b2cc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://prettybitter.bandcamp.com/track/roadkill">Roadkill by Pretty Bitter</a></iframe>Live Show Schedule:
Jul 11 Washington, DC @ Songbyrd (supporting Pinky Lemon w/ Cuni)
Aug 9 Washington, DC @ Black Cat (w/ Flowerbomb)
Aug 29 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Made (supporting Tetchy w/ Crush Fund)
