THE DETOURS - IGNITE EP
Contraflow Records

The Detours get nil points for their name, which is pretty anonymous and generic – haven’t other bands used the name The Detours? It certainly sounds familiar. Oh well.

That aside, this three tracker is a pretty solid and assured selection of radio-friendly rock (at least in a sane world), laden with hooks and commercial potential. Opener One Last Chance is a potent slice of hard rock, with enough riffage to keep you tapping your foot, while the title track is a little edgier, but still a certain crowd pleaser. Closer Free is arguably the heaviest track here, but remains a catchy little number.

Compared to Slaves To Gravity and Funeral for a Friend, I’d throw Lostprophets into the mix too. Whether that has you rushing to buy this or fleeing in the opposite direction will depend very much on your personal taste, obviously. But as Populist Rock, this is pretty impressive, and given the right breaks, the band should be on the verge of bigger and better things.

DAVID FLINT

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