James Carroll's urgent and frazzled vocals are the calling card of
Make Do and Mend. On the ten songs of
End Measured Mile, he stumbles around bars, learns hard life lessons, and refuses to back down from addiction and decay. At times, he skirts too close to screamo territory, and the rap on "Ghostal" recalls
Linkin Park at their worst, but there's a lot of passion in the vocals. Guitars, drums, and bass blend into a gloomy, fierce sludge, as there's not much separation in the mix. There's also not that much originality on display, and even though
Carroll stands out on the album, none of the songs are memorable or beg for repeat listens. There's passion and emotion in
End Measured Mile, but it's ultimately just another hardcore/punk rock record in a sea of the same.