MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

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.

Tracklist:

Manning Fireworks 
Joker Lips 
Rudolph 
Wristwatch 
She's Leaving You 
Rip Torn 
You Don't Know The Shape I'm In 
On My Knees 
Bark At The Moon