MJ Lenderman is a songwriter born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. The anatomy of an MJ record might go something like this: warped pedal steels and skuzzed out guitar; crackin’ a cold one with some buds; a voice reminiscent of the high-lonesome warble of a choirboy. Songs snake their way from a lo-fi home recording to something glossier made with longtime friends at Asheville’s Drop of Sun studios, but the recording setting doesn’t seem to matter much – at its core, a Lenderman song rings true.
Manning Fireworks is a remarkable development in MJ Lenderman’s story as an incredibly incisive singer-songwriter, whose propensity for humour always points to some uneasy, disorienting darkness.
The punchlines are still here, as are the rusted-wire guitar solos that have made Lenderman a favourite for indie rock fans looking for an emerging guitar hero. There’s a new sincerity, too, as Lenderman lets listeners clearly see the world through his warped lens.
Label: Anti- Records
UPC: 8714092801323 (CD) | 8714092801316 (LP) | 8714092801330 (indie excl. white LP)
Catalogue Number: 280132 (CD) | 280131 (LP) | 280133 (indie excl. white LP)
Release Date: 6 September 2024