From the first note, Posers Too is something really special. “Exist” is a twisting and twirling whirlwind of sound, complete with dual vocals from lead vocalist Jade Anna and bassist Johnny Mick. The guitar work in this track is screeching, and then meets a lull during verses, slowly picking back up into each chorus. Finally, the end of the song resembles a carnival, with a big finish absorbing the chaos. Anna’s vocals shine here, riding a line between desperate and absolutely controlled.
“(Just Another) Protest Song” could very well be the Posers best song written thus far. It’s the perfect blend of pure punk rock and unashamed power-pop. When I first heard this song I listened to it five times on repeat before moving on to the next track. It’s loud and makes no apologies. It’s screaming in your face and laughing about it, dancing in circles and pointing at you like a joke told too many times.
Vocally, each line is delivered with an edge and some spit. The bridge in this track is probably similar to hearing Jesus. An open letter to the Posers: please, make a music video for this song. Make it the single. You’ll thank me later.
Track three, “Day//Night,” begs for a mosh pit in a live setting. This song is like a particularly odd acid trip gone wrong (or right, whichever you prefer), which only lets up when the chorus comes back to bite you. It follows a breakdown that progressively gets more and more intense, finishing up with some gang screaming and a big finish from the drums.
This is another track that has some venom with a bit of mischievous laughter. The Posers are a serious band, but I get the feeling that this EP was meant to poke fun at the listener. I feel like I’m being laughed at, but I’m enjoying the fuck out of it.
I didn’t know what to think of “Mannequin” when I first listened to it. It’s certainly the riskiest song Posers have thrown at us so far. It crawls through each verse, with Anna’s vocals playing a more subtle, gentle role – something we haven’t seen since “Posers” on their first EP. This is where we can hear her classical vocal training, something that shows it’s colors rarely, but when heard, it’s a treat.
Each verse of this song makes me very nervous, like something terrible is going to happen – there’s a desperation here, like a train is destined to hit you and you jump out of the way just in time. This is where the chorus comes into play. It’s rambunctious and feels more like a party with some grit, a strange change of pace from the verses. I can’t help but feel like this is another track that is begging for confrontation. Begging for an argument, a fight, or public humiliation.
“I Don’t Wanna Know” is an absolutely perfect ending to this tiny packed EP. Rory Cain’s guitar work is top notch and emits a gigantic party vibe. The solo is beautifully constructed, and then brings back the chorus at a slow boil. Next it builds back up, finally launching into the last shout from Anna.
Overall, Posers Too scares me. This EP is a frantic, primitive scream against the listener. It’s challenging you to look at yourself and pick out all the worst parts of who you are. This is a band that continues to crawl upwards, out of the mold itself and into your life. Posers are here. They have something important to say. It’s time for you to start fucking listening.