New York–based singer/songwriter Rachael Sage has delivered numerous literate and tuneful albums over the years, but Haunted by You marks a leap forward in both musical elegance and emotional power. Its songs are exceptionally eloquent in their portrayal of love’s delights and miseries, displaying an unusual frankness as well as great poetic craft. Sage is a mistress of closely observed lyric detail, whether she’s capturing the rush of new infatuation (“Abby Would You Wait”), ripping into an ex-lover (“Performance Art”), or facing up to her own romantic failures (“Confession”). Musically, she avoids rock overstatement in favor of nuanced cabaret-pop and light R&B, letting her songs speak in uncluttered piano and acoustic guitar–based settings. Her breathy vocals add to the intimacy of bittersweet tunes like “Birthday” and the title track. Upbeat numbers like “Invisible Light” and “Hey Nah” provide balance to the more self-lacerating moments here. The key to Haunted by You’s impact is its honesty: these are grownup songs by an artist who wants to let the world know she’s been both blessed and wounded in matters of the heart.