John Kairis’ Daily Chores is one of those albums that sneaks up on you—not with bombast or bravado, but with quiet confidence, wit, and a deeply human sense of attention. Across twelve tracks, Kairis transforms the ordinary textures of daily life into something reflective, playful, and quietly profound. This is not an album chasing trends or spectacle; instead, it leans into craft, curiosity, and emotional honesty. Rooted in singer-songwriter traditions yet filtered through years of musical study, community music-making, and lived experience, Daily Chores feels like a carefully assembled mosaic of moments: small revelations, private jokes, spiritual questioning, and gentle reckonings. It is an album that rewards close listening, inviting you to slow down and notice what’s usually brushed aside.
The opening track, “Say Less Father,” immediately establishes the album’s tone: thoughtful, slightly off-kilter, and emotionally alert. There’s a conversational quality to Kairis’ songwriting here, as if he’s thinking aloud rather than delivering a monologue. The arrangement is restrained but purposeful, allowing melody and harmony to do the emotional heavy lifting. This sense of intentional simplicity continues into the title track, “Daily Chores,” which feels like the album’s mission statement. Rather than treating routine as drudgery, Kairis reframes it as a space for reflection and meaning. The song captures how repetition can be grounding, even spiritual, when approached with care. Musically, it balances warmth and precision, reflecting his background in composition without ever sounding academic or stiff.
As the album unfolds, tracks like “Bag of Tricks” and “Sparkle Sticker” reveal Kairis’ playful side. These songs shimmer with clever melodic turns and subtle humour, showcasing his ability to inject lightness into thoughtful songwriting. “Sparkle Sticker,” in particular, feels like a small celebration of joy found in unexpected places, its arrangement bright without being saccharine. There’s a childlike curiosity at work here, but it’s grounded by an adult awareness of fragility and impermanence. This balance—between play and introspection—is one of Daily Chores’ greatest strengths. Kairis never undercuts emotion with irony, nor does he sink into self-seriousness.
Midway through the album, “The Best Is Yet to Come” and “Fathoms” offer a deeper emotional pull. “The Best Is Yet to Come” avoids cliché by delivering its optimism with humility, acknowledging uncertainty rather than denying it. There’s a sense that hope, in Kairis’ world, is something practised rather than assumed. “Fathoms” dives inward, both lyrically and musically, with a more expansive arrangement that hints at his orchestration skills. The harmonies feel carefully weighted, and the song unfolds patiently, mirroring its thematic exploration of depth—emotional, spiritual, and relational. These tracks mark a turning point where the album’s reflective core becomes fully apparent.
“Getting in the Mood” and “Pirates Hiding in the Arcade” shift the energy again, leaning into imagination and narrative play. The latter is particularly striking, conjuring surreal imagery that feels nostalgic and slightly uncanny. It’s a reminder that Kairis is not afraid to let his songs wander into strange corners, trusting listeners to follow. Musically, these tracks feel nimble and inventive, drawing on his multi-instrumentalist background without overwhelming the song itself. Every sound feels chosen, not decorative. There’s a subtle confidence in knowing when to hold back, something that often distinguishes seasoned songwriters from merely skilled ones.
“Fool’s Errand” and “Face the Cost” bring a more sobering tone, addressing responsibility, consequence, and the quiet weight of choices made and unmade. These songs resonate with the perspective of someone who has lived enough life to recognise that growth is rarely glamorous. Kairis’ voice here carries a gentle gravity, never melodramatic but deeply sincere. The arrangements support this mood with understated textures, allowing space for the lyrics to land. There’s a moral clarity in these songs, shaped perhaps by his involvement in community music and spiritual spaces, yet they avoid preachiness by remaining personal and open-ended.
“Planes” feels like a moment of suspended motion, a song about distance—physical, emotional, or both. It captures that strange liminal feeling of being between places, where reflection becomes unavoidable. The instrumentation here is particularly evocative, suggesting movement without urgency. It’s a song that lingers, inviting multiple interpretations. This sense of openness carries into the closing track, “Broke Down,” which serves as a fitting conclusion to the album’s journey. Rather than offering a neat resolution, it acknowledges vulnerability and fatigue, closing the record on a note of honest acceptance.
What makes Daily Chores especially compelling is how seamlessly Kairis’ diverse background feeds into the music without ever dominating it. His formal training in composition is evident in the harmonic richness and structural clarity of the songs, yet they never feel constrained by theory. His experiences in church music and choir direction inform the album’s sense of communal warmth and harmonic sensitivity. Even his day-to-day work as a mover seems reflected in the album’s physicality—the sense of carrying weight, of repetition, of effort that is mundane and meaningful. All of these threads weave together into a sound that feels lived-in and authentic.
Lyrically, Kairis excels at finding resonance in specificity. He doesn’t chase grand statements; instead, he lets small details accumulate into something quietly universal. His words often feel like fragments of thought caught mid-motion, which lends the album an intimate, journal-like quality. This approach invites listeners to project their own experiences onto the songs, creating a shared emotional space rather than a one-sided narrative. It’s music that listens as much as it speaks.
In the end, Daily Chores is an album about attention—about noticing the emotional undercurrents of everyday life and honouring them through sound. John Kairis doesn’t ask to be idolised or mythologised; he simply invites you into his way of seeing and hearing the world. The result is a record that feels honest, generous, and quietly ambitious. It may not shout for your attention, but once it has it, it doesn’t let go easily. Like the routines it celebrates, Daily Chores proves that meaning is often found not in dramatic moments, but in the steady act of showing up and listening closely.
For more information, follow John Kairis:
Website – Spotify – Soundcloud
