Under the apt moniker Bitter’s Kiss, New Jersey-based singer/songwriter Chloe Baker shares sweetly serious pop songs with her March-released eponymous debut record. With her gentle voice, the teenaged musician tells stories of longing and pain but also sheer joy in tracks that smoothly blend drum clasps and slightly fuzzy guitars. Although all of the eight songs are both pleasant and provocative, album highlight “No One Will” (streaming below) particularly intrigues with its ambiguous nature; is the yearning here hurtful or somehow helpful? The answer doesn’t really matter; Baker’s wisely ambiguous songwriting lets the listener interpret freely. – Zach Weg
We added Bitter’s Kiss single "Waste of it All" to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC songwriters and folk artists – check it out!