Made Do And Mend- Part and Parcel EP
This year's most beloved peddlers of post-hardcore punk have gone naked. Make Do And Mend's latest EP 'Part And Parcel' drops the belting production we've come to love and gives a stripped back, acoustic edge to some of 'End Measured Mile's most blistering tracks- as well as throwing a couple of newbies and a cover into the ring too.
This new presentation may have lost a lot of the heat, but there is certainly no loss of delicious flavour. To compare and contrast these new acoustic performances to the originals shows just how different a vibe can appear from just a little reworking. Notably, the removal of the drum crashes and pulsing wail of guitar from 'Transparent Seas' makes way for a richer, more dramatic sound that smoulders and threatens from a much darker place. In fact, it has the feel of a track one might expect from guitarist Mike Poulin's other band, Defeater. This synonymousness with other members of 'The Wave' of new generation hardcore from America continues with a cover of Touché Amoré's 'Home Away From Here'. A comparatively much smoother and more sedate experience to the original, vocalist James Caroll's performance lends a tenderness that provides a depth of emotion to the lyrics that may have been missed before.
In a daring demonstration of versatility, Made Do And Mend have clearly enjoyed putting together this EP. It's a sit down, a breather and a brew from the heavyweight sound of their usual output, and the new spin on 'Unknowingly Strong' and 'Ghostal' are something that the most loyal of fans can really look forward to. It provides a great vehicle to reveal some new material, and continues to elevate them as one of the most exciting US imports of recent years.