Pool Kids Make a Splash with Easier Said Than Done
Easier Said Than Done Album Art
Led by outstanding frontwoman (and guitarist) Christine Goodwyne, bassist Nicolette Alvarez, guitarist Andy Anaya and drummer Caden Clinton, Pool Kids put out their first album in 2018. Since then, the Florida-based math-rock voyagers have been featured on albums with Free Throw and Sydney Sprague. They have released two EPs and an album, their newest Easier Said Than Done was released August 15th, 2025, via Epitaph Records. It is their boldest and most emotionally resonant record to date, it’s both a beacon of pop rock and a tribute to the punk emo heart in all of us.
Easier Said Than Done is composed of 11 tracks, each one unique with its own soundscape. The title track showcases a hazy vocoder-tinged pulse, contrasting the buoyant pop punk sound of “Not Too Late” and progressing to sleek synth-scapes woven into “Which Is Worse?” One track after the next, Pool Kids leans into catchy hooks and compositional arrangements with the same kind of precision that previously grounded their math-rock edge. Only now, the tracks are filtered through a pop lens that seems to blend seamlessly, creating a sound both natural to the band and daringly new.
Emotionally sharp and permeable lyrics, Christine Goodwyne’s writing style focuses on the way relationships progress over time. How life on tour strains connections with people you love, how things you thought were permanent can erupt without warning, and how the perception of childhood friendships through an adult eye can look strange. On the opening track, she wrestles with confessions and compulsions, “If only I could let go, it’s easier said than done.” She paints vulnerability on a melody, structured with urgency, a consistent technique used by the band to build tension and release emotion in the music.
The sixth track, “Sorry Not Sorry” slows the rush for self-validation—Goodwyne fights the tension of feeling like second place with a fierce bluntness, “pick yourself up, take control… ‘whatever, I’m not going to tolerate this.” The tender conviction of this song envelopes its foundation of catharsis and emotional retribution. Pool Kids have delivered this newest album with a balance of pop sensibility and DIY rock, polished and earnest, yet structurally adventurous.
Even with a slicker pop sheen, the band’s core remains taut. Thriving on twisty time-signatures, off-center melodies, and idiosyncratic humor, like in “$5 Subtweet” from their first album. They create these cult standouts that dive into the melodic deep end with grace. Coming in at 11 tracks, Easier Said Than Done feels urgent, yet spacious enough to let emotional peaks rise and fall. From introspective folky cuts, “Perfect View”, to alt-rock attacks, “Leona Street”, to indie-ballad pulls, “Sorry Not Sorry”, there is no stopping Pool Kids from creating ruthlessly raw and unfiltered music.
With Mike Vernon Davis helming production, he brings an atmospheric dimension to pair seamlessly with the band’s technical prowess. The synth washes, thick guitar interplay, and precise drum patterns scream late-night studio grinds and tireless takes. The way each song’s sound builds you can hear the communal pulse between the band mates, breathing urgency and life into every note. The album is a testament to creative effort, built from the bottom up with creativity in control.
Catch Pool Kids in the UK & EU with Sydney Sprague and Swain
Pool Kids have delivered an album with precise balance and lyrics so raw you’ll be thinking of them before you go to bed tonight. Whether you love the pull of pop or love emo’s edge, there is something for everyone to resonate with. We are in an era craving authenticity, this album is a testament to fans that growth doesn’t demand anything from you other than honesty.
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