Detournement's Screaming Response 7" was kind of a mixed melodic hardcore/street punk bag that didn't at all live up to the pedigree the band was instilled with at the time (Lifetime, Ensign, Bigwig, Worthless United). The followup EP is shorter and a little sweeter, thankfully, and not just because Pirates Press pressed this onto a crazy clear red heart-shaped 10"(-ish?). It also commemorates the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China...though there seems to be some level of sarcasm inherent in that (???).

This time around, the five-piece has replaced Lifetime's Scott Golley with drummer Rob Ferreira. Maybe that's why there's a lot less of a melodic hardcore vibe with Awaken with Millions from One Heart and more of a straight-up, catchy street punk vibe akin to, say, Rancid or such. When "Chicago '86" kicks off with a flailing guitar solo that's distinctly Tom Petta (Bigwig), it's met with an impressive response from bassist Dan DeSimoni, and the latter's Matt Freeman-like finger-work grants one of the more luminous examples of the abovementioned comparison. From there, it's just about over as quickly as it started. These are three short tracks of sharp, street-level punk but with a poppiness and playfulness that's not too overbearing to really mind.

The songs are pressed on both sides, too, so there's that. Overall, this is a moderate improvement on Detournement's past work, and definitely more linear and focused. Not too bad.

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Chicago ‘86