Chores – Tender As A Wound

The Rochester local music scene has had a damn good year. Rounding out our Album of the Week column for 2024 is Rochester trio Chores‘ debut album Tender As A Wound, which delivers a dose of ’90’s-inspired indie rock that’s both familiar and refreshingly off-kilter. The band, consisting of Ian Egling (vocals, bass, synth), Scar Markham (drums, vocals), and Jenn Wameling (guitar, vocals), skillfully blends their prowess for a sound that would be especially palatable to fans of Pixies, Miracle Legion, and Pavement. With that 90’s influence worn proudly on its proverbial sleeve, Tender As A Wound places a well-deserved exclamation point at the end of Rochester’s excellent 2024 run.
The album seems to be in conversation with its influences, sometimes echoing them affectionately (“Rocks In Your Pockets” in particular is steeped in a Malkmus-esque eccentricity), other times acknowledging them with a simple, friendly nod (“Tripwire” ditches the fuzz pedal for an ethereal twinkle not unlike the softer side of Yo La Tengo). You get the warm crackle of familiarity alongside Chores’ fresh approach to indie rock; the stuff is instantly listenable. Some of that warmth can be attributed to fellow Rochesterian Ben Morey, who recorded, mixed, and mastered the album at his recording studio, Submarine Sound.
Despite its minor stylistic shifts, Tender As A Wound flows well and remains cohesive. The album’s core sound is established early on with fuzzy opener “Here Again,” before slinking into the hazy and melodic standout “On The Floor,” the song from which the album grabs its title. “Clip On Tie” blitzes the senses with it’s frenetic garage-punk leanings; “Schism” matches that energy on a more emotionally-charged level. “Sky Blue,” the album’s longest track, unfolds patiently across five-and-a-half minutes and demonstrates the band’s introspective side. Delightfully-wounded track “If I’m Being Haunted” is another highlight that captures the album in name and drives home a universal truth: sometimes it just feels good to feel bad.
Tender As A Wound offers a promising glimpse into the world of Chores. It’s a strong and engaging debut from a band that clearly understands the building blocks of compelling indie rock, covering considerable ground across its eleven tracks without losing sight of those fundamentals. Attentive listeners will find some magical moments nestled in there. Tender As A Wound is out now via Raincoated Records. Limited edition cassette tapes can be ordered here.
Categorised in: Album of the Week
This post was written by Ronald Walczyk