REVIEW: Taylor Acorn - Poster Child

With her new album Poster Child, the first since signing with Fearless Records after nine years of independent releases, Pennsylvania native, but Nashville based TAYLOR ACORN infuses the gritty energy of late ’90s and early 2000s pop-punk with a contemporary edge, reinventing the genre that defined her. Best known for her pop punk, emo style with an added country vibe, the album is nothing short of a breakthrough and breakout sound for the new generation.

Opening track People Pleaser dives straight into the feel of the album, giving a sense of optimism under the self-deprecation of lines like “Call me a people pleaser, only here for your leisure”. It’s clear from the first chorus that this album has been written with ACORN’s heart and soul laid bare. ​Following up is recent single Crashing Out, which has a heavier feel, with similarities to the likes of AGAINST THE CURRENT and HONEY REVENGE. The song benefits from a heavier guitar backing and is a high-energy pop-punk anthem, lamenting about the chaos of a turbulent relationship.

​Debut single Hangman is a guitar-fuelled, emotional pop punk ballad that blends raw energy with a melancholy edge. Taylor explores feeling emotionally stuck, saying it was "like the universe was playing a weird game," illustrated by lines like "Shake my fists up to the sky, is it my fate caught on the line? Can't you go easy on me?" ​Title track Poster Child talks of the need for showing yourself some love before being able to love someone else. "Poster child for screwing everything up, including us,” sings ACORN as crashing guitars underscore the emotional weight.

​ACORN said of the album, “When people listen to this album, I just want them to feel like they’re back in a time period that makes them feel good.” That sentiment is perfectly captured in Home Videos. Bringing us back to the year 1999, with nostalgic tales of childhood memories where “the worst thing you could break was a window or an arm”, the track sounds like it’s going to be a crowd favourite when played live. ​Cheap Dopamine is another slower track, where we hear ACORN asking questions to her past lover, and coming to the realisation of being in a one-sided, toxic relationship where she “Got so used to you using me, didn’t know I was losing me”, and comes to terms with the consequences of emotional dependency.

​Blood On Your Hands stands out as one of the album's strongest tracks, drawing from a place of heartbreak, anger, and defiance. With lines like "Only you, me, and God know the truth" and "Somehow you threw down the victim card," the song warns its antagonist after causing hurt. ​Goodbye, Good Riddance was selected as the lead single from Poster Child. Despite straightforward lyrics, the track delivers a hard-hitting, unapologetic message, offering listeners a clear sense of the album's overall energy and direction.

Sucker Punch downshifts the album into a gentler rhythm, with TAYLOR ACORN showcasing her crafting of emotionally resonant choruses wrapped in softer verses. ​The guitars shine in the track Vertigo, where ACORN tells us how her “heart's dead set” but her “head's so dizzy”, comparing her crush to dizzying disorientation. Theme Park brings us back to that nostalgia thread that winds through the album, where ACORN likens a new love to being a kid on a theme park ride, with feelings of adrenaline, excitement, and of course, throwing your hands up on a ride.

​Closing track Masquerade encapsulates the recurring theme of disenchantment and within her voice, ACORN displays a perfect medley of strength and fragility, mirroring the emotion she’s channelling with each line. The song culminates with the closing line “I’ll smash the champagne as I run out the door, cause this isn't fun anymore”, which delivers the final blow of the story we’ve been hearing throughout the album, where it’s clear that she’s ready for what comes next, but where she’s been hasn’t been so fun.

​Poster Child captures the infectious, nostalgic feel of what we expect from a pop punk artist, with each track clearly infused with her country influences. With each track, TAYLOR ACORN has presented an album showcasing that she’s not just revisiting the genre, she’s reshaping it for today.

Score: 8/10

Poster Child is out on 24th October 2025 via Fearless Records

Words: Lou Viner-Flood

Photos: Good As Gold / Taylor Acorn