OK, it’s been a while since I’ve done an album review so let’s kick it back off with this one… I’ve loved Taylor Acorn’s music for a while now, and watching this evolution from way back in the country days to what we’ve now got in 2025 is amazing. With independent releases out previously it’s time to check out her debut album on Fearless Records, ‘Poster Child’. I’m going to review it on first listen too so this’ll be fun!
‘People Pleaser’ is an exceptional opener as it truly encompasses everything Taylor has given us before, lyrically it’s great, musically it’s catchy and the production is outstanding, as if you listen, closely listen there’s so much going on but in no way is it too much. This is going to be great. Newest single ‘Crashing Out’ oh shit, that pre chorus is awesome, and when you find yourself tapping your foot along with a track without even meaning to you know you’re onto a good thing. Damn, I’m loving these song structures, that outro was great. ‘Hangman’ was one of our first tastes of the new album and the pop punk or whatever you want to call it style is well and alive and I’m here for it. Vocally Taylor shows us her range on this one and that powerful voice cuts through this one, as it builds and shows us what she’s all about.
Title track ‘Poster Child’ steps things up as it keeps that balance of power laying lower in the verses before kicking into full gear in the chorus. There’s one thing Taylor has always done well and it’s never being afraid to share lyrics that feel vulnerable but powerful at the same time. These songs are messages and they’re delivered so well. ‘Home Videos’ starts with a voice and a guitar and this one keeps it driving but less explosive but damn these lyrics sum up what we wish could all do. Production again kills on this one, the underlying handclaps echo the beat but help make this song stand out. ‘Cheap Dopamine’ starts off sounding like it could be a slower one to break up the energy we had to start the album but this is great sequencing, it fits so well here and it almost feels somewhat power balladesque if we had power ballads in this genre. Oh shit, ok ‘Blood on Your Hands’ let’s do this, this is great. This one is an absolute stand out for me. What a song! You’ll love that one!
‘Goodbye, Good Riddance’ is a song that is destined to be performed live as this has stage energy written all over it, and was a perfect preview for this album as one of the first single drops. Taylor knows how to write a chorus and this one keeps those catchy hooks a comin’. ‘Sucker Punch’ is up and this slower one builds and hits us with that big chorus again. Lyrically another one too real, and delivered perfectly. ‘Vertigo’ is fast paced and some excellent production here separates this song musically from the others with some clever choices and a fade out which I always love. ‘Theme Park’ is an excellent story telling song, that takes you back and is so very relatable too. Once again her ability to do that is really something special. Closing the album with ‘Masquerade’ and with a slower one it is almost a perfect book end to the opener as we go from opening line “you’re pissing me off” to the closing line of “this isn’t fun anymore”. What a great track, and a great album, and a pop punk journey.
I love doing first listen reviews as you get that experience and that excitement of hearing something for the first time. With Poster Child, Taylor Acorn has given us an album that feels nostalgic but couldn’t be more now. Lyrically it’s real and vulnerable, musically it’s the perfect companion to these words, and this is an album that people should find and listen to. I can’t wait to continue to watch her career grow, as it should. Time to press play on that second listen through…
Essential Information:
From: USA
Release date: 24 October 2025
Record label: Fearless Records
Produced By: Dan Swank & David William
Website: https://www.tayloracorn.com/
Track Listing:
People Pleaser
Crashing Out
Hangman
Poster Child
Home Videos
Cheap Dopamine
Blood On Your Hands
Goodbye, Good Riddance
Sucker Punch
Vertigo
Theme Park
Masquerade
