Back in the mid-90s, the Devlins became the latest Irish band to be saddled with that tired old label 'the next U2'. Needless to say it never happened, and instead a series of lacklustre releases led to a significant dip in profile for the Newry-born brothers Colin and Peter. So this new album badly needs to make an impact, which probably explains why Waves is by far the most upbeat and immediate collection they've made to date. In place of the low-key acoustic strummings of the past, we get fast, urgent pop songs with a melancholic tinge, perfectly typified by the dynamic new single 'Sunrise'. A real shame, then, that the blandness of the lyrics often makes the band sound like nothing so much as a male version of the Corrs. An enjoyable album - but for whatever reason, the Devlins still seem to be lacking that elusive star quality.

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