Philmont began in 2005 when singer Scott Taube and guitarist Josiah Prince connected after the breakup of their former local outfits. From the start, this new union was marked by equal parts fun and serious commitment to the task at hand.There were long drives home from college every weekend to rehearse, self-booked summer tours to support an ambitious independent release, and then, soon after bassist Justin Sams joined in 2007, a hard-earned gig at alternative Christian music’s ultimate event, the Cornerstone Festival. Taube recalls, “The challenge at Cornerstone is to stand out—bands are everywhere—so we plastered all the Port-O-Johns with 11 x 17 Philmont flyers and got up early every day to make sure they hadn’t been covered up. Then we walked around with a CD player and earphone splitters, giving free bracelets to kids if they’d listen to one of our songs and inviting them to the show.”
That same concert caught the attention of EMI/ForeFront Records (tobyMac), who eagerly signed a deal with Philmont a few months later. With one more tweak to the permanent lineup —drummer Todd Davis joined this past December—it was time to track Oh Snap. Produced by Rob Hawkins (Fireflight, Jackson Waters), the EP set sounds absolutely huge. It’s an intentional move inspired by the members’ expansive mix of influences from Relient K and classical music to bubblegum melodies and ‘90s rock anthems.
“I Can’t Stand to Fall,” the excitable opener and first single, is finely polished chunka-chunka punk accentuated by a bold introduction, layered vocals, and a soft acoustic bridge. The lyrical hook of tear down these walls that separate us now well represents Philmont’s overriding goal to always stay on the same page as God in every facet of life. “It’s really a song to God, asking Him to remove the barriers we put up in this world that distract us from understanding His ways,” Taube says. “We’re proud that the record label picked this as the first song for radio since we completely wrote it ourselves, and it speaks to the core of who we are as a band.”
Philmont’s songwriting angles are often remarkable, even poetic, as on Oh Snap’s clever “My Hippocratic Oath” and “Photosynthetic.” The former parallels a doctor’s promise to always work in the patient’s best interest to God’s offer of salvation. Accompanied by a rapidly pulsating rhythm and escalating melody, the medical motif never lets up, driving the point home: I can save your heart even though it’s destined to fail . . . I guarantee you’ll never make it out alive without me. “The song begins with someone who is very sick, but the good news is they can be easily and completely healed,” explains Taube. “Who wouldn’t say yes to that option? That’s how it is with Jesus. He offers to save us. We just have to enter into that relationship.”
Equally compelling and easy to rock out with is the fist-pumping jam of “Photosynthetic,” a timely and cautionary courtroom tale for Philmont’s student audience wherein a personal MySpace page becomes evidence of what is really inside someone’s heart: Just point and shoot. That’s all you do to help yourself feel free; murder by photography. “You’re always judged for what you put online,” Taube says. “A Christian can kill his credibility with compromising
pictures, swear words used in a blog, and so on. It’s hard to make that stuff go away.”
For all of Philmont’s wordsmithing, guitarist Josiah Prince makes sure the music complements its message and is just as creative with unexpected chord changes, tinkling pianos on “I Can’t Stand to Fall,” a faux horn section on “My Hippocratic Oath,” and intentionally heavy-handed synthesizers on “Photosynthetic.”
“We like to do something unique on every song,” he says. “We have a lot of fun, but we always want the music to be smart and have depths that a listener can uncover over time.” Oh Snap is rounded out by the worshipful “Another Name” (co-written by Justin York and new artist Chris Taylor) and pop-perfect “The Difference” (a co-write with Ben Glover). The latter began with an idea from bassist Justin Sams and takes shape thanks to danceable drumming from Todd Davis. Its theme of anti-complacent Christianity recaps what Philmont feels most passionate about: There’s gotta be a difference. It’s gotta be significant. If You’re really inside
changing my life, You would shine. You would be evident if there’s a difference. “We have a desire to motivate kids in the same way we needed motivating when we were teenagers,” concludes Taube. “People tend to go through the motions instead of going deeper. We want to connect and take them in that direction through an ongoing dialog. That’s what our music and our live shows are all about: audience participation.”
Philmont is now snapping people out of their spiritual complacency on tour across the United States. Just look for the bumper sticker-laden van with a North Carolina tag that says in no uncertain terms “RAWK.” Following the summer 2008 release of its EP, the band will issue a full-length album in early 2009.
www.MySpace.com/PhilmontRock
Return To Sender
Philmont Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the walls and from the ceiling
A claustrophobic feeling as it closes on your bed
But that's okay
Forget your problems, find solutions in this bottle
The numbness soon to follow
Should help calm your spinning head
The lines are well rehearsed
And the scenery's moving faster
And the scars will form inside so you remember
The crowd you grew to love will slowly grow much thinner
And your light on this world may seem dimmer
As the letters you wrote get stamped "return to sender"
It seems the people you once valued
Hate the ones that now surround you
Your stubborn nature hounds you
'Til you choose that crowd instead
But that's okay
You know you need them
They may be a dime a dozen
But you're broke and crave attention
So you'll take what you can get
These lyrics depict the struggle of someone who feels trapped and suffocated in their current situation, and turns to alcohol as a way to escape. The clock is described as "screaming" and walls/ceiling as closing in, creating a feeling of claustrophobia. However, the person tries to find solace in the bottle, hoping that the numbness it brings will calm their thoughts. The lyrics describe this as a crash course for disaster, indicating that they know it's not a healthy coping mechanism.
The second part of the song delves into the consequences of these actions. Despite the person's efforts to find a sense of belonging in their current situation, they feel like they are losing the people they love. The crowd they "grew to love" is slowly growing smaller, and their light on the world might seem "dimmer". The lyrics "return to sender" are a metaphor for rejection, indicating that the people they once cared about no longer care about them. However, the person still craves attention and is willing to take whatever they can get, indicating that they haven't yet found a healthier way to cope with their problems.
Overall, this song paints a picture of someone who feels trapped and unsupported, turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms and facing the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
It's 2 p.m., the clock is screaming
The loud ticking sound of the clock mounted on the wall is an indication that it's already 2 o' clock in the afternoon.
From the walls and from the ceiling
The sound of the clock's ticking is so loud that it echoes from the walls and the ceiling of the room.
A claustrophobic feeling as it closes on your bed
The ticking clock's sound creates an atmosphere of unease and tightness, as if the bed and the clock are closing in on the listener.
But that's okay
The singer tries to calm the listener down by saying that everything will be alright, despite the uneasy situation.
Forget your problems, find solutions in this bottle
The singer suggests that the listener should forget their problems and try to solve them by drinking from a bottle of alcohol.
The numbness soon to follow
The listener will feel numb or insensitive to their problems after drinking alcohol, as it has a calming effect on the mind and body.
Should help calm your spinning head
The listener's mind is full of thoughts and worries, which makes it feel like it's spinning, but drinking alcohol should help calm the mind down.
A crash course for disaster
The situation the listener finds themselves in is dangerous and could lead to disastrous consequences if they continue down this path.
The lines are well rehearsed
The things the listener does to escape their problems or find solutions are repetitive and have become habitual.
And the scenery's moving faster
The world around the listener seems to be spinning and moving faster, as they struggle to keep up with it.
And the scars will form inside so you remember
The listener will be scarred emotionally, as the things they do to escape their problems may have long-lasting consequences that they will remember in the future.
The crowd you grew to love will slowly grow much thinner
The people the listener once admired and looked up to will slowly start to distance themselves from the listener or abandon them altogether.
And your light on this world may seem dimmer
The listener's personality or influence on the world may seem less bright or positive, as a result of their negative actions and consequences.
As the letters you wrote get stamped "return to sender"
The listener's attempts to reach out to others or seek help will be ignored or rejected, as they have become consumed by their own problems and vices.
It seems the people you once valued
The listener used to value the opinions and company of certain people, but that has changed over time.
Hate the ones that now surround you
The people the listener currently surrounds themselves with are not well-liked or respected by the people they once admired.
Your stubborn nature hounds you
The listener's stubbornness is causing them more harm than good, as they refuse to change their ways or seek help.
‘Til you choose that crowd instead
The listener will continue to surround themselves with negative influences and avoid seeking help, until they have no other choice.
You know you need them
The listener is aware that they need the people they currently surround themselves with, even if they are not ideal.
They may be a dime a dozen
The people the listener surrounds themselves with are not very valuable or unique, but they are still better than nothing.
But you're broke and crave attention
The listener is in a difficult situation and is desperate for attention and validation, even if it means surrounding themselves with negative influences.
Contributed by Alex S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.