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 withnlongtime 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 humor always points to some uneasy, disorienting darkness. The punchlines are still here, as are the rusted-wire guitar solos that have made Lenderman a favorite 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.

A1. Manning Fireworks
A2. Joker Lips
A3. Rudolph
A4. Wristwatch
A5. She's Leaving You
B1. Rip Torn
B2. You Don't Know the Shape I'm In
B3. On My Knees
B4. Bark at the Moon