Recommended tracks: “Cheap Dopamine,” “Blood On Your Hands,” “Vertigo”
Artists You Might Like: Avril Lavigne, LØLØ, Charlotte Sands
Taylor Acorn is rearranging the chemicals of modern pop-punk one emotionally explosive song at a time. Built upon catharsis, honesty and nostalgia for the ‘90s and 2000s, Acorn continues to establish herself as one of the genre’s most exciting acts on the rise.
Now, her sophomore album Poster Child marks her first non-independent release after signing with Fearless Records. The record presents a sincere embodiment of relatable struggles with relationships, insecurities and growing older.
Acorn opens the album with “People Pleaser,” a lively anthem for anyone who’s ever prioritized others’ opinions of themselves over their own. The track is an honest acknowledgement of this tendency backed by a cinematic production with soaring guitars and driving percussion.
Have you ever found yourself losing your mind over an inconsistent, toxic partner? “Crashing Out” details that sinking emotional torment of questioning it all, even in the most crowded rooms. With lines that encompass the irresistibly painful connection that has Acorn’s therapist attributing her to a masochist, the song’s blistering nature manifests as one of Poster Child’s most fiery moments.
Dubbed as Acorn’s favorite on the record when it was first released in August, “Hangman” is a beautifully cathartic effort that emphasizes her depth as an artist. The album’s second single transforms losing the game of hangman into a metaphor for being stuck in an emotionally complex situation. “Hangman” exhibits a weary, passionate side of Acorn as she turns all that desperation and hurt into a show-stopping vocal performance.
The album’s title track captures every emotion and thought coursing through Poster Child’s veins. Acorn delivers self-deprecation in the best way she knows how: a soaring pop-rock effort with anthemic guitars and piercing vocals. There’s a powerful precision in her voice as she cuts through in the chorus with “I’m sorry I’m stupid / damn it, I’m dumb / Poster child for screwing everything up.” While “Poster Child” serves as an admission of insecurity and anxiety, it doesn’t read as a call-out for people to feel pity or sympathy. Instead, it feels like Acorn confronting this self-sabotaging tendency and its emotional toll. “Poster Child” is everything a listener could want in the title track of such a compelling and empowering record.
When it comes to vividly conveying nostalgia, Acorn’s a certified expert. “Home Videos” is a bittersweet, moving track that reminisces on childhood memories. The song is one of the most beautiful representations of Acorn’s vulnerability and maturity in her songwriting. She perfectly describes the poignant sadness that comes with growing older as she laments, “I watch those old home videos / Swear I’d jump right through the frame / There’s not one thing I would change / If I could go back for a day.”
“Cheap Dopamine” is another moving effort that deals with insecurity and self-doubt through the lens of a breakup. Acorn’s writing almost feels like watching the air rush out of your lungs when the realization hits that you meant less to someone than you previously thought. Her voice is softer and more emotional as she cries, “I got so used to you using me / didn’t know I was losing me” and “Was I ever worth anything / or was I just cheap dopamine?”
Poster Child begins to take a more vengeful route with the next few tracks. “Blood On Your Hands” is venomous, with Acorn scornfully capturing the unadulterated anger of getting hurt through true-crime imagery. The album’s lead single, “Goodbye, Good Riddance,” details moving on with a rage-filled yet unbothered precision. It paints the picture of reaching the final straw in the healing process as Acorn realizes she’s much better off leaving and never looking back.
“Sucker Punch” is heart-wrenching and slower than the rest of the album, but still packs a punch with a bursting, anthemic chorus. “Vertigo” picks things back up with its fast-paced, bouncy production. Acorn lightheartedly panics as she equates falling in love to experiencing symptoms of the dizzying sensation. Similarly, “Theme Park” is an adrenaline-soaked track that paints the picture of a love that makes you feel young, carefree and alive again.
Acorn brings Poster Child to a close with its final track, “Masquerade.” The song is a beautifully resonating ballad about being tired of portraying a fabricated version of yourself. It’s similar in theme to “People Pleaser,” with Acorn finally shedding the mask she’s wearing and stepping into a more assured version of herself. “Masquerade” is an emotional full-circle conclusion to Poster Child that sees Acorn in her most unguarded and genuine form.
At its core, Poster Child is raw, real and relatable. Acorn illustrates the messy, unfiltered reality of the human experience through vivid storytelling and infectious melodies. The album builds upon the honesty and catharsis of her 2024 debut Survival in Motion, but with a more experienced, transparent precision. Poster Child is full of big cinematic moments, sentimental lyricism and fearless pop-punk energy that is sure to resonate with Acorn’s community and beyond.
Acorn will soon be embarking on a North American headlining tour through December starting in Boston, MA on Nov. 4th. Tickets and information for all of these upcoming shows can be found here.
