SILVERSUN PICKUPS
TENTERHOOKS
REVIEW WRITTEN BY JD ESTRADA
There’s something special about a band over two decades into their career who seem unwilling or unable to put out a bad record. That’d be something, but for Silversun Pickups to dish out one of the best albums of their career, well, I can’t help but smile. While other bands may struggle to round up a couple of tracks to make an album, Silversun Pickups bring forth 10 tracks that gel and flow so beautifully that putting that album on shuffle should be rewarded with a flogging.
New Wave opens the album with a big ocean-sized riff as the track grows and grows until it flows into a great groove where you’ll see why Tenterhooks is such a great album.
Track two shifts to a driving rocker
with The Wreckage. I love how every instrument and every texture is so
present. The guitar sits patiently as the rhythm section sets the mood before
the chorus slices through the track. Tight and excellent. This one-two punch
definitely brings it.
That track lands long enough for Au Revoir Reservoir to take off with another thumping bass line courtesy of Nikki Monninger, who also takes lead vocal duties for this track. This is a perfect moment to mention that the production on this album is spot on, and everything sounds so well balanced.
Wakey Wakey brings back Brian to lead vocals, and lord, that rhythm section is so tight. Chris Gunlao definitely locks it in with his drumming, and what I can also highlight is that Joe Lester adds some great textures throughout. This isn’t a one-dimensional album by any means.
Witness Mark slows it down a bit with some sing-along worthy verses and lovely guitar work dancing around the rhythm section. Did I mention that the rhythm section brought it big time?
Thorns and All keeps the midtempo flow going with another groovy bass line and you could think the title of the song is horns at all with that metal wind section that chimes throughout.
Long Gone brings some acoustic Americana grooves to the fray and it feels like this song’s origin was on a horse. It’s got a mellow drive throughout that flows beautifully, arcing and turning through phrases and verses before hitting a straightaway and sprinting here and there. Love this track.
Running Out of Sounds is then almost a deep meditation with a simple piano melody and a bed of music to show that there is some wonderful irony in the song title.
Interrobang brings some shoegazer beauty with an intro riff that feels almost as good as when the electric guitar elevates the second musical verse. I’m a big fan of unique textures and grooves and this track at this point in the album fits like a glove.
Curiously, Hot Wired is a good track but doesn’t feel like a last track and I’m almost left hunting for an 11th track.
Still. Great album, and at least for me, I can easily drop it into my queue and rock on.
IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT ,YOU CAN DO SO HERE
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