Reviewed by Andy Shaw

Those of you who got the 'Oh Snap' EP released last year by this North Carolina band you will recognise that all five of the songs from that release are now included here along with seven new tracks. There have been so many pop punk bands in recent years that it is getting increasingly difficult to come up with something original. So could Philmont succeed in finding a way to stand out from the pop punk crowd? I have to say if originality is what you are looking for then there isn't really anything for you here. The majority of this album wouldn't have sounded out of place on an early Relient K album. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Having said that, there are enough catchy tunes and radio friendly hooks to make this a reasonable effort. Their strengths are most evident on tracks like opener "Hello, Jack" and "My Hippocratic Oath". There are also some more mellow and reflective moments with the slow burning "Letter To The Editor" and piano-driven closer "The Terminal" having their moments. Philmont haven't broken the mould with this album but if you are a fan of the likes of Relient K of Hawk Nelson then this might be worth considering.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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