Album Review: Make Do And Mend - End Measured Mile

American East Coasters Make Do And Mend from Connecticut have the punk with a hint of pop formula down to a tee. The band have been steadily gaining acclaim, most recently thank to their split EP with Touche Amore, and their full length offering 'End Measured Mile' perfectly displays the band’s raw punk-rock sensibilities entwined with accessible hooks and a bit of a bounce. One certainly doesn’t cancel out the other and the combination makes 'End Measured Mile' stand out as one of the strongest - punk or otherwise - releases of the year.

The album kicks off with the dynamic, intense ‘Unknowingly Strong’ showcasing raw, gruff vocals and strong, driving riffs to create a punk anthem with all the heart needed to pull all that together. There’s no lull as ‘Oak Square’ follows up with much of the same; the biting, honest lyrics really standing out and the gruff sincerity that they’re sung with only highlighting them. It’s rare for a punk band to prioritize lyrics but it’s clear that Make Do And Mend believe in what they’re singing.

‘Stand/Stagger’ is a melodic punk track with the kind of raw emotion that leaves a listener feeling throughly drained purely thanks to the experience of listening. Strong drums and guitars are complimented by the throaty vocals, the most distinctive feature of the album, that emphasize the sincere, painfully honest lyrics. The layered, dynamic guitars never let up and the drums drive the song along until the end.

‘Thanks’ most accurately and succinctly sums up what Make Do And Mend are all about. ‘Thanks’ in an anthem, it’s about to struggling through, felling overwhelmed and, somehow, getting by anyway even when it feels like carrying on is an impossibility. Any one who has suffered through the trials of being a teenager and young adulthood can relate in some way and that’s the real beauty of it. These feelings ate universal and Make Do And Mend have harnessed all that and expressed it better than most of us could ever hope to.

‘End Measured Mile’ closes with ‘Night Is The Only Time Of Day’, a song that opens as if it’ll be a gentle outro before exploding to full energy becoming the kind of song guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. A perfect ending for a band who will always push that little bit harder when anyone else would just let it all die out. ‘End Measured Mile’ is a heartfelt, punk-rock masterpiece. I would challenge anyone to find a more honest effort from any contemporary band. Flawless.

5/5

‘End Measured Mile’ by Make Do And Mend is available now on Paper + Plastick and Panic Records.

Make Do And Mend on MySpace and Facebook.

Francesca Vaney