Twinge is the ultimate summer alt-rock to head bop to. The free-spirited grunge, the guitar tweaks and the sudden stops, the tingling metal shrieks scratches on the bassline while Tess wraps them in her rich and mighty vocals.
Born in Belfast and now based in Liverpool, Tender Claws (Tess Corr) is an upcoming dark alt rock star. Where against the wailing guitars of classic alt-rock are the trifling synths and shoegaze-driven intermissions, results in an exciting clash of soundscapes in her music.
Tender Claws is genre-defining by name — by incorporating the dreamlike, velvety sounds of “Tender” and the ruthless, gothic sensibilities of “Claws”, Tess has curated this world of hers that pushes the boundaries of alt-rock, and to curve out a space where both sides coexists beautifully in mesmeric productions like Twinge.
The rhythmic tug and pull in the first half of the track induced by the burst of guitars and crashing drums is calmed by the bass-driven bridge, where spotlight is given to her vocals. While the guitars come back again stronger, building up tension for the final drop, the final chorus did appear quite anti-climate for me, but I love how it stretches out for a final act of expensive chords. However, the electro synths at the end was definitely the cherry on top, mainly for how they creep in and melt seamlessly into the bassline.
With Twinge added to the discography of Tender Claws’ releasing singles in 2026, we inch closer to the artist’s debut EP in July, and I do think Twinge does a wonderful job serving alt-grunge lovers for what is to come for the EP.
CHECK OUT MORE FROM TENDER CLAWS HERE
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