The Wednesday guitarist kicks out yet another thrilling solo album of indie rock moreishness, replete with grainy lo-fi melodies & muscular guitar wrangling.
The anatomy of an MJ Lenderman 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 long time 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.
The Fat Angel Sings 