The Silverteens: "TV On Fire" (2026) CD Review

The Silverteens are a band that mixes a garage rock sound with powerpop energy. The band, based in Minneapolis, is made up of Terry Isachsen on guitar, Mark Engebretson on vocals and percussion, Steve "Grizz" Olson on bass and backing vocals, and Jerry E. Johnson on drums and backing vocals. They released their self-titled album in late 2023, and followed it with an EP in tribute to The Plimsouls. Now they have a new EP coming out. Titled TV On Fire, it features mostly original material, along with one cover. It was produced by The Silverteens and Paul McFarland.

The EP opens with "Don't Burn Your Bridges."  "You're alone now/On the phone now/Trying to connect you/To friends that will miss you." This song has a great rock sound, with a bit of a punk energy to the verses and, interestingly, a bit of a 1980s pop flavor to the chorus. There is some excellent work on bass and a lively vocal performance, giving the song a sense of excitement. I also love that moment with just drums, leading into the final section of the song, which is a good, driving jam. The song ends with the line "Don't burn them down," and is followed by a song titled "Brought You Down." There is something about the music that feels like it moving downward, bringing us down with it (not in a negative way). There is a cool and catchy punk element to this one too. "You were happy-go-lucky/'Til the day she found you lonely/You were at your most vulnerable/She made you feel most miserable/Brought you down, brought you down/To a level you thought you'd never see." In the second half, there is an exciting change, moving in a different direction, with a wilder energy. This track features some really nice stuff on guitar.

The drums kick off "TV On Fire," the EP's title track. A steady, strong beat. And when the guitar comes in, it promises a certain energy, a certain rock level. And the song delivers. This is one that I imagine helps the audience cut loose at the band's live performances. It demands a certain volume. "Fire is my TV," they sing here. Yeah, it's not really about setting one's TV on fire (an act which could certainly have its own appeal), but about enjoying something natural, being entertained by something natural (which of course is also quite appealing). Is anyone able to disconnect from technology anymore? This song urges us to do just that. The final track (at least of those listed) is the EP's only cover, The Bumpers' "Cupidation," a somewhat obscure gem from the 1960s. These guys capture the spirit of the original version, and then add their own special energy to it. This version rocks, and features some great guitar work. The song ends approximately fifteen seconds before the track does, the silence at the end helping to "hide" the final track, a short, odd piece that is not listed on the CD case, featuring vocals and percussion, feeling like a vocal warmup at a monastery, if the monks had decided to worship the rock gods. 

CD Track List

1. Don't Burn Your Bridges
2. Brought You Down
3. TV On Fire
4. Cupidation

TV On Fire is scheduled to be released on July 10, 2026.