MUSIC REVIEW: TAYLOR ACORN – Certified Depressant [EP]

Label: Independent

Release Date: September 22, 2023

Rating: 100%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Going through the list of releases that struck a chord with me through the year, but hit when my professional time was at a minimum, so trying to get to them before year end.  One at the top of the list is the EP from Taylor Acorn.  These eight songs struck me then and have stuck with me since.  Disc opener “Sticking Around” has a cool groove woven into the melody that grabs you and won’t let go, setting the bar for the rest of the disc.  The punk vibe here is just the start for the next 25 minutes.  Taylor’s vocals and delivery are perfect and team up nicely with the guitars and rhythm section from start to finish.  Title track “Certified Depressant” kicks off with a cool riff that morphs into a great vocal from Acorn that slinks along overtop the music until she dials everything up a notch when the chorus hits.  You can feel the emotion in her vocal as she works through the lyric.  The layered vocal overtop the bridge is a nice touch taking the song to the end.  “Good Enough” is a cool track that gives us some fuzzy guitars underneath one of the more emotionally charged vocals on the disc.  You can literally hear the sadness, fear, and disappointment in Taylor’s vocal.  When the chorus drops and the energy gets cranked up, this track goes to the next level.  The power of this song makes it obvious why the 2024 tour was named after this one.  “Psycho” is slightly different than the other tracks sonically, but the drum driven intro and verse is a great twist.  Acorn’s vocals and intensity that smash through the chorus give this song depth and make it one of the more contagious songs on the EP.  I cannot wait to see and hear this one live when Taylor hopefully pulls this one out on tour next year.

“I Think I’m In Love” is a cool pop-punk hybrid that benefits from a solid chugging riff that keeps the track moving while the steady handed drumming and basslines give the song an anchor that keeps it from running away with itself when Taylor kicks things into overdrive vocally on the chorus.  This track wrapped itself around my brain and I get into it every single time I hear it.  “Famous Last Words” is a fun song thanks to the cool guitar work, the solid vocals, and the handclaps on the verse is a great touch.  The energy poured into the chorus gives this track added punch and depth, as if it needed it.  I find myself headbanging and tapping along each time it comes on.  “Coma” is a more subdued sound from the onset, but don’t let that fool you.  The vocal and lyric are intense and drag you kicking and screaming for more when the poppier chorus hits and gives her another musical weapon to use as she sees fit.  The overall feel of the track is given a thicker treatment on the second verse when the chugging guitar jumps more to the forefront of the mix.  Disc closer “Everything Sucks” is sugary sweet musically, but the vocals reel things in and give us more of what we have come to know and love from the other songs here.  The layered vocals on the chorus are the perfect treatment to give the song a sense of urgency without getting too heavy or taking away from the songs overall message and vibe.  I for one cannot wait to continue spinning this one through the holidays and into the new year while waiting for the tour kickoff in April.

Tracklisting: Sticking Around – Certified Depressant – I Think I’m In Love – Good Enough – Famous Last Words – Psycho – Coma – Everything Sucks

TAYLOR ACORN LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

CERTIFIED DEPRESSANT – ITUNES

Category: CD Reviews