This Portland, OR groupâs first EP is all-inclusive with gang-style vocals via both testosterone and estrogen-laden chords, lyrics honed for your intellect, lots of guitars, and maybe just a little moxie. Perfect listening after a hard day at work.

5 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Experimental Rock, POP: Noise Pop

Show all album songs: Life is Hard Songs


Details:
Chores is a band without pretensions. Itâs just four people who love music and hate work.

To balance the realities of the inevitable disappointments of life in their late twenties, Lou Thomas (git/vox), Jada Pierce (git/vox), Eric Mellor (bass/backing vox) and Matthew White (drums) temporarily stopped bitching and started communicating their frustrations through wild instrumentation in a cramped, dank basement, a few times a week. Inspired by the sonic landscapes of Oneida and Yo La Tengo, and the lyrical poetics of Jonathan Richman and Kristin Hersh, Chores writes their songs as a group, coupling noisy guitar riffs with more straightforward rock sensibilities.

Chores prides themselves on this communal song writing. Born of good, old-fashioned chemistry and compromise, their music hints at the skewed sense of humor that keeps them rising for the daily grind.

The members of Chores indeed shouldâve met sooner, as their paths
have crossed across the continent. Lou came to Portland from Baltimore via Brooklyn. Jada and Eric landed in the Pacific Northwest from Indiana via Baltimore. Matthew White hails from Texas via NYC.

Lou also plays bass in Portland indie-folk band, A Weather. He's previously played in numerous unknown east coast bands who's various members went on to be in Arbouretum, Ratatat, Silver Mt. Zion & Cass McCombs. Jada and Eric played in Baltimore-based The Dolly Sods and Matthew pounded beats for east-coast popsters, Prickly.

Chores made its live debut on October 2006 and has been touring the Portland bar, club, and basement scene ever since. They recorded the self-released âLife is Hardâ EP with Sam Schauer of Modernstate in Portland back in early February, 2007, and are making plans for a late summer tour. In the meantime, Chores can be found in the basement writing new songs and, most likely, bitching about work.