UK outfit Lower Lands have crafted a solid Pop-Punk EP that will be eagerly welcomed by fans of the (debatably) decaying genre. The six-song release merits praise for its consistent songwriting and an impressive vocal performance from Benji Inkley. Growing Pains is the young group’s second EP, showcasing potential in spades.

The boys have an undeniable ability to write some damn catchy songs. Album single Reality in Routine has the listener immediately hooked as the vocals enter the mix. Lower Lands have evidently chosen to focus on songs as a whole, not exclusively on radio-friendly choruses. Fans of Balance & Composure, A Day to Remember and Fall Out Boy will find themselves at home with Growing Pains’ palm-muted verses and familiar song structures.

Vocalist and guitarist Benji Inkley delivers a performance reminiscent of Adam Lazzara’s on Tell All Your Friends, minus a little bit of Taking Back Sunday’s melodramatic tendencies. His lyrics are simple and succinct, if not slightly cliché. Lower Lands are aware of this, singing, “If we’re replaced, we’ll understand. We know we’re not the only band.” Songs are entertaining from beginning to end, engaging the listener by quickly progressing from verse, to chorus, to bridge. Lower Lands leave little room for the listener to catch their breath, as the songs transition into each other without a moment’s notice.

While the EP succeeds in being instantly catchy, it staggers on repeated listens. Growing Pains doesn’t reinvent the wheel, nor does it give it a different spin. Like other Pop-Punk contemporaries, the EP lacks desperately in maturity as it struggles to fit in as many hooks into a song as possible. Repetition is the album’s biggest downfall, with each song featuring nearly identical song structures.

Fans of the genre will embrace Lower Lands for their solid, consistent, and downright fun EP. While the album staggers in originality, it excels with lovable hooks and a great vocal performance. Keep an eye out for this young UK group, because there is surely more to come.

Stream the album's single, Reality in Routine, below.