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Pretty Bitter

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Pretty Bitter
OriginWashington, D.C.
Genres
Years active2017 (2017)–present
Labels
Members
  • Mel Bleker
  • Miri Tyler
  • Jason Hayes
  • Kira Campbell
  • Liam Hughes
Past members
  • Chris Smith
  • Zack Be

Pretty Bitter is a five-piece indie synth pop band based in Washington, D.C. Their third full-length album, Pleaser, was released on July 25, 2025, via Tiny Engines.[1]

History

[edit]

Pretty Bitter was formed in Washington, D.C. after a creative partnership formed between Mel Bleker and Miri Tyler in 2017.[2][3] Prior to the conception of Pretty Bitter, some members of the band were involved in the project Nah. from 2015- 2019, and during that time released a record titled Patchwork via Blossöm Records.[4] After Nah.'s dissolution, Pretty Bitter formed and developed a local following, performing with notable bands such as The Ophelias and Sunflower Bean.[2]

The production of Pretty Bitter's first full-length album, Hinges, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[2][3] The album began as a series of demos that were recorded remotely due to social distancing measures. These measures also resulted in many revisions for lyrics on some songs, due to Bleker's struggles in writing while isolated from people.[5] Hinges was released on June 24, 2022, via Blössom Records. To celebrate the album, Pretty Bitter played a record release concert at Comet Ping Pong on July 1.[2][6][7] Hinges is considered more synth pop, while also embracing styles such as grunge, indie folk, shoegaze,[2] pop punk, indie rock,[6] and power pop.[3] The album's songs included a number of themes centering topics such as mental illness, identity, and relationships. Hinges received positive reviews with one critic calling it a "ten track masterpiece", praising its catchy songs and high level of musicianship.[2] The Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) named Pretty Bitter's Hinges as Best Pop Album and the song "The Damn Thing Is Cursed" as Best Pop Song in the 2023 Wammie Music Awards.[8]

In February 2024, Pretty Bitter released a new single "Roadkill".[9][10] Later that year, Pretty Bitter teamed with Washington, D.C. rock band Flowerbomb and producers Evan Weiss and Simon Small of Storm Chasers LTD and Type One Studios in Chicago to release the split EP Take Me Out on August 1, 2024.[11] The album comprises five songs, with two original songs from each band and a final, collaborative song written and performed by both groups.[10] The album is characterized by genres such as emo, indie rock, alt rock, indie pop,[12] and dream pop.[11] Take Me Out received positive reviews, with several critics noting the complementary pairing of Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb and the spotlighting of the bands' respective talents.[10][11][12] The Washington City Paper named Take Me Out as "Best Sonic Pairing" for its Best of D.C.™ 2024: Arts & Entertainment list.[13]

Pretty Bitter performing at Liberation Weekend in 2025. From left to right: Campbell, Tyler, Bleker, Hayes, Hughes.

Pretty Bitter has used their music to aid in various activist efforts.[14] In January 2025, Pretty Bitter joined local Washington D.C. musicians (such as Dorinda, Pinky Lemon, Flower Bomb, Massie, and Spring Silver) to participate in Mosh Madness, a DIY music festival and charity basketball tournament that raised money for the non-profit Palestine Children's Relief Fund.[15] In March of the same year, they played at the third annual My Body My Festival hosted by Songbyrd Music House, raising money for the DC Abortion Fund.[16] Pretty Bitter contributed one song (titled, "The Catalog") to a compilation album (Plenty Happening) that featured tracks from 27 Washington D.C. bands/artists. The album was released on May 9, 2025, with all proceeds benefiting gender affirming care at the Whitman-Walker Health community health center.[17][18] Pretty Bitter also performed at Liberation Weekend in May 2025, a music and arts festival that raised money for transgender activism via the non-profit organization, Gender Liberation Movement.[19][20]

In May 2025, Pretty Bitter announced their next full-length album Pleaser, to be released in July via Tiny Engines, again partnering with Evan Weiss and Simon Small as producers. The announcement coincided with the release of the single "Thrill Eater" along with an accompanying music video.[1] "Thrill Eater" was featured on that week's Pitchfork Selects Playlist.[21] A second single from the album, "Outer Heaven Dude Ranch", was released in June with an accompanying music video.[22] A third single from the album, "Bodies Under The Rose Garden", was released in July.[23][24] Pleaser was released on July 25, 2025.[25] As their second full-length album, it is their first LP with professional studio involvement (vocals were tracked at Type One Studio in Chicago, drums at The Hangar Studio in Columbia, Maryland). It is also the first LP in which Bleker wrote their own vocal melodies.[26][27] The album contains themes related to aging, death, friends, love, and how time shapes the experience of emotions.[26] Pleaser has received positive reviews, with critics noting Pretty Bitter's continuation of producing "uplifting, vibrant pieces of music"[25] with emotional, "ghostly lyricism" while still evolving and growing as a band.[27] The album consists of ten tracks[28] and is 35 minutes long.[27]

Style and influences

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Pretty Bitter has referred to themselves as a "synth pop gumball machine"[2] and their style as "queer alternative emo dream pop-ish".[10] Their sound spans multiple genres, often mixing and matching styles that include synth pop, grunge, indie folk, shoegaze, and others. Their albums are often characterized by distorted instrumentation, prominent baselines, multi-layered vocals, guitar breakdowns, and catchy lyrics.[2][10] Lyrics tend to be emotional, inspired by personal topics such as mental disorders (depression, body dysmorphia, trauma, eating disorders), queer identity, and family.[2][3][7]

Members

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Current members

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  • Mel Bleker – lead vocals (2020–present)[2]
  • Miri Tyler – bass, vocals (2020–present)[2]
  • Jason Hayes – drums (2020–present) [2]
  • Kira Campbell – guitar (2024–present)[29]
  • Liam Hughes – keyboard (2025–present)[30]

Past members

[edit]
  • Chris Smith – guitar (2020–2024)[29]
  • Zack Be – keyboard, multiple instrumentation (2020–2025)[31]

Discography

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Full-Length albums

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  • Hinges (2022)[2]
  • Pleaser (2025)[1]

EPs

[edit]

Works cited

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  1. ^ a b c Breihan, Tom (June 3, 2025). "Pretty Bitter – "Outer Heaven Dude Ranch"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Stephenson, Becky (June 23, 2022). "Album Review: Pretty Bitter – Hinges". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Nyczepir, Dave (April 4, 2023). "Pretty Bitter Invites You to Dance While You Cry". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  4. ^ "Blossöm Records – Pretty Bitter". Blossöm Records. January 26, 2019. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  5. ^ Kelly, Chris (June 29, 2022). "Pretty Bitter draws inspiration from the music of movies and TV". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Francois, Emma; Goldstone, Simone; Marloff, Sarah; Jacobson, Louis (June 30, 2022). "The Art of Banksy, Goodbye Near Northeast, and More Best Bets for June 30 – July 6". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Rodrigues-Oliveira, Mela (June 30, 2022). "Enthusiastically Frustrated: Pretty Bitter Talks about Queer Identity + New Album "Hinges"". District Fray Magazine. Archived from the original on April 20, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  8. ^ Washington Area Music Association (January 1, 2024). "Wammie Music Awards 2023". Wammies. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  9. ^ Zets, Serena; Marloff, Sarah; Smart, Christina; Kennedy, Colleen; Segall, Dora; Ruckle, Taylor (February 14, 2024). "Beats Me: Album Reviews for February Releases". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e Mandell, Tyler (June 27, 2024). "pretty bitter's "roadkill" explodes with energy and style". Imperfect Fifth. Archived from the original on October 12, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d Wetherbee, Brandon; Smart, Christina; Marloff, Sarah; Kennedy, Colleen (July 19, 2024). "Beats Me: Punk Legends Release Debut, Pinky Lemon Serve Shoegaze, and a Split EP From Two Prolific Bands". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Staff (August 19, 2024). "Pressing Concerns: BBsitters Club, Pretty Bitter & Flowerbomb, Lindsay Reamer, Obscuress". Rosy Overdrive. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  13. ^ Marloff, Sarah; Staff (July 13, 2024). "Best of D.C.™ 2024: Arts & Entertainment". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  14. ^ Ruckle, Taylor (March 13, 2025). "Local Trans Artists Are Fighting Back Against the Trump Administration. Here's How You Can Help". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  15. ^ Ruckle, Taylor (January 13, 2025). "At Mosh Madness, a Slam Dunk for Local Music and Community". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  16. ^ Goldchain, Michelle (February 27, 2025). "Things to do in the DC area: Mardi Gras events, DC Black History Film Festival … and more!". WTOP. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  17. ^ Wei, Lydia (May 6, 2025). "A New DC-Music Compilation Features Big Bands Supporting Trans Health Care". Washingtonian. Archived from the original on May 6, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  18. ^ Plenty Happening (May 9, 2025). "Plenty Happening: a DC Compilation". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on May 15, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  19. ^ Robins-Somerville, Grace (June 4, 2025). "Liberation Weekend: The Trans Punk DIY Music Festival That Could Spark a Movement". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  20. ^ Campbell, Caleb (June 2, 2025). "DC's Trans Rights Festival Liberation Weekend Brought An Urgent DIY Spirit To The Fore". Stereogum. Archived from the original on June 2, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  21. ^ Staff (May 12, 2025). "Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Fiona Apple, and More: This Week's Pitchfork Selects Playlist". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  22. ^ Moore, Em (June 5, 2025). "Pretty Bitter: "Outer Heaven Dude Ranch"". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  23. ^ Breihan, Tom (July 8, 2025). "Pretty Bitter – "Bodies Under The Rose Garden"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 9, 2025. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  24. ^ Kane, Kohei (July 8, 2025). "Exclusive: Pretty Bitter Release "Bodies Under the Rose Garden"". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on July 8, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  25. ^ a b Ferney, Cerys (July 27, 2025). "Pretty Bitter's Pleaser: A Synth-Pop Sparkler". Indie is not a genre. Archived from the original on July 28, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  26. ^ a b Ruckle, Taylor (July 24, 2025). "Pretty Bitter Build a Musical Dream House". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on July 28, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  27. ^ a b c Marloff, Sarah (July 30, 2025). "Beats Me Returns With New Music From Pretty Bitter, Flowers for the Dead, and Alfred Yun". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  28. ^ Pretty Bitter (July 25, 2025). "Pleaser". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  29. ^ a b Pretty Bitter [@prettybitter.mp3]; (January 2, 2025). "Chris Smith departure & Kira joining". Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025 – via Instagram.
  30. ^ Pretty Bitter [@prettybitter.mp3]; (May 16, 2025). "Liam Hughes announcement". Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025 – via Instagram.
  31. ^ Pretty Bitter [@prettybitter.mp3]; (March 16, 2025). "Zack Be departure". Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025 – via Instagram.
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