Album Review: Silversun Pickups – Tenterhooks

8 hours ago
2 min read

Silversun Pickups have always thrived in that hazy space between indie rock, dream pop, and loud guitar driven atmosphere. Since their early days in Los Angeles, the band has built a reputation for balancing thick walls of guitar with emotional melodies that linger long after the song ends. With Tenterhooks, the quartet returns with a record that feels both familiar and refreshed. The album leans into the sound fans know while tightening the songwriting into something focused, confident, and deeply atmospheric.

Right from the opening track “New Wave,” the band settles into that signature sonic landscape. Brian Aubert’s guitar work still carries the emotional weight of the songs, but the rhythm section plays an equally important role in shaping the album’s momentum. Drummer Christopher Guanlao brings a steady pulse that keeps the record moving forward, while Nikki Monninger’s bass lines add depth underneath the shimmering guitars. Joe Lester’s keyboards and synth textures float through the mix, giving many of the tracks a cinematic feel that expands the band’s already layered sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGYEMKZJgtg

Silversun Pickups - The Wreckage

“The Wreckage,” one of the standout singles from the record, captures that balance perfectly. The song builds slowly before exploding into a chorus that feels massive without losing its emotional core. Tracks like “Au Revoir Reservoir” and “Wakey Wakey” lean into that driving energy, giving the album some urgency while still maintaining the dreamy atmosphere that Silversun Pickups have always excelled at creating.

As the record moves deeper into its runtime, songs like “Witness Mark” and “Thorns and All” shift the mood slightly darker. The guitars feel heavier, the synth layers creep further into the foreground, and the band explores a more brooding tone. Joe Lester’s keyboards play a big role here, filling space with subtle textures that keep the songs from feeling overly dense. Meanwhile Guanlao’s drumming continues to anchor everything with a controlled intensity that keeps the album from drifting too far into pure ambience.

Silversun Pickups photo by Chris Collett

What makes Tenterhooks work so well is how locked in the band sounds together. This does not feel like a group chasing a new direction or trying to reinvent themselves. Instead it feels like four musicians who know exactly what their sound is and are refining it with precision. Aubert’s songwriting remains introspective and melodic, Monninger’s bass lines add warmth, Lester’s synth work expands the atmosphere, and Guanlao’s drums provide the backbone that holds it all together.

For longtime fans, Tenterhooks feels like a confident step forward without abandoning what made Silversun Pickups special in the first place. It is immersive, melodic, and full of the kind of layered guitar textures that the band has built their reputation on. Rather than chasing trends, the album doubles down on the dreamy alternative rock sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goOlpTCs3to

Silversun Pickups - Au Revoir Reservoir

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 / 5)

Release Date and Label

February 6, 2026 – New Machine Recordings

Tracklist