Poems’ latest EP Half-Life opens with “Placebo”, and from the first fuzzy guitar tones it’s clear this is a record about contrast. Both immediacy, restraint, swagger and vulnerability.

The San Diego outfit build their songs around the dissonance of young adulthood – trying to define yourself while wrestling with anxiety, dependence and that uneasy comfort of prescription drugs.

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“Placebo” has commanding vocals and it’s an understated, yet magnetic track threading a melancholic edge through a melody that lingers.

Then comes “Afterparty”, the EP’s gravitational pull. Written around a chorus riff that the band couldn’t shake for weeks, it delivers the kind of release that defines an entire project. Both live and on record, it captures Poems’s ability to turn internal dialogue into a communal experience.

Lyrically, it’s one of the most revealing moments on Half-Life. Like an anxious youth caught between needing medication and questioning whether that makes connection authentic. Musically, it’s the band at their most anthemic and it cements itself as the emotional heart of the collection.

Then comes “NFS (Naked for Science)” , leaning into Interpol inspired textures with sparse, nonchalant lyrics and clipped power chords. There’s a deliberate coolness here, but it’s the coolness of someone testing how much of themselves they can reveal without unraveling. Vulnerability is hinted even as the song resists spilling over.

The production team deserves recognition for amplifying these contrasts.

With Brian Squillace and Billy Foster behind the boards, John Catlin on the mix, and John Greenham on the master, the EP finds a balance between rawness and clarity. Nothing feels too polished, but nothing gets lost in the haze either.

These aren’t songs that romanticize struggle or neatly resolve it. Instead, they inhabit the messy and unglamorous middle. That is the honesty that gives the record its weight. Poems aren’t asking to be understood so much as they are offering a soundtrack for those who are also searching.

With Half-Life, Poems make a leap from promising to undeniable. Vulnerable and self-aware, yet bold enough to turn private doubts into soaring indie rock.

Poems began releasing music in 2021 as a lean project, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the San Diego based band fully came into their own with the addition of two new members. The expanded lineup solidified their sound into a dynamic, guitar-driven indie rock outfit, quickly carving out a reputation on the local scene. Their live appearances include standout performances at venues like the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach and The Music Box in downtown San Diego, as well as a memorable slot opening for The Never Ending Fall at Brick & Mortar in San Francisco.

In 2024, Poems introduced themselves with their debut EP West Coast, a record that hinted at their potential. By the time their second EP Half-Life arrived in July this year, the band had sharpened their craft into a body of work reflecting on anxiety, identity and the uneasy role of prescription medication in young adulthood.

With their blend of evocative songwriting, compelling live energy and a growing fanbase, Poems are quickly becoming a name to watch in the modern indie rock scene.

Keep up with Poems on their Website