Ghost of Your Guitar Solo

September 9, 2024 1:11 AM

Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman

MJ Lenderman Keeps It Raw - "The artist discusses resisting the neutering effects of technology, his breakup with a bandmate, and his new album, Manning Fireworks."

This month, Lenderman will release “Manning Fireworks,” his fifth album in five years. He is often described—accurately—as the next great hope for indie rock, or however one might now refer to scrappy, dissonant, guitar-based music that’s unconcerned, both sonically and spiritually, with whatever is steering the Zeitgeist. “Manning Fireworks” could have been released in 1975, or 1994, or 2003, but that is not to say it’s deliberately nostalgic; Lenderman is simply making the kind of warm and astringent rock and roll that has felt untethered from time since 1968, when Neil Young released his self-titled début...

Lenderman’s wry lyrics and arch delivery recall both the Kentucky musician Will Oldham[1] and the poet and songwriter David Berman[2], two titans of nineties indie rock—each signed to the label Drag City—who perfected a deadpan tenderness. “Will Oldham’s music blew open some doors for me. Certain things he’d sing shocked me,” Lenderman said. “I was, like, ‘You can do that? It doesn’t have to be so serious?’ Those two, in particular, really opened me up to how important words can be in songs.”

• MJ Lenderman Continues Upward Trajectory with 'Manning Fireworks' - "On Manning Fireworks, MJ Lenderman describes down-and-out characters with his usual witty charm, all while showcasing his exceptional musical abilities."
• 'Manning Fireworks' Review: MJ Lenderman's Hard-Luck Heroes - "The indie-rock singer-songwriter tells downbeat tales with wit and existential weariness on his fourth solo studio album."
• The many jerks of MJ Lenderman's Manning Fireworks - "On his fourth solo album, the Wednesday guitarist and budding indie alt-country star weaves absurd imagery into every melancholic verse."
• MJ Lenderman Delivers a Sad-Guy Indie-Rock Gem With 'Manning Fireworks' - "He's a budding guitar great and an ace storyteller."
• The Guitarist Who Could Make Indie Rock Big Again - "MJ Lenderman, who also plays with Wednesday and contributes to Waxahatchee, continues his solo career with a new album."
• MJ Lenderman – 'Manning Fireworks' review: literary magic from Americana's golden boy - "On his fourth solo album, the Wednesday guitarist develops his voice with scathing character sketches and empathetic notes on loneliness."
• MJ Lenderman Croons Through Faults and Grace on Manning Fireworks - "The North Carolina singer, songwriter, and guitarist's fourth album is a collection of caricatures ballooned by empathy, bruised egos, and lovable self-destruction."
• MJ Lenderman, Indie Rock's No. 1 Prospect, Goes Pro - "With his new album, 'Manning Fireworks,' Asheville's own guitar hero meets the moment and becomes one of rock's most promising songwriters."
• A Four-Part Rave For MJ Lenderman's 'Manning Fireworks' - "MJ Lenderman rocks, man."
• The Timely Dude-ology of MJ Lenderman - "The in-demand sideman and Wednesday guitarist sharpens his tragicomic musical portraiture on a new solo album, Manning Fireworks."

-Boat Songs[3]
-Rat Saw God[4]
-Tigers Blood: Waxahatchee - "Right Back to It" (feat. MJ Lenderman)

posted by kliuless (9 comments total)

I really love Wednesday's "Rat Saw God." There's just a whole lot going on in that album and I found myself coming back to it repeatedly. They really do seem to have a strong could give a fuck factor, and make raw, unconventional choices many places throughout. For a really good example of what I mean, anyone who is at all a fan of Mortal Combat should definitely check out the second track "Bull Believer."

I'll definitely give Lenderman a listen. Thanks for posting!
posted by Smedly, Butlerian jihadi at 4:09 AM on September 9

My tickets for his show in Seattle are locked in. He's writing some lowkey genius lyrics. Funny, moving, complex. Exhibit A: "Himbo Dome" from "Wristwatch". A play on himbo, hippodrome, hippodome, and maybe even other domes.

Here's an acoustic version of "Wristwatch" at Harvest Records in Asheville, NC (9/2/24) that's fantastic.
posted by josephtate at 8:26 AM on September 9

Thank you for this. I've been seeing a bunch of references to Manning Fireworks in my BlueSky feed and hadn't even worked out whether it was a guy's name or a song or whatever, but now I've heard enough to say

This is good.

even if I can't put my finger on why yet.
posted by straight at 9:00 AM on September 9

I like the anti-clicktrackness of it. And it reminds me of how much yearning can be squeezed out of open guitar chords if the overdrive and reverb are just right.
posted by umbú at 1:34 PM on September 9

I really love Wednesday's "Rat Saw God." There's just a whole lot going on in that album and I found myself coming back to it repeatedly.

I listened to this band for the first time this weekend and it made me feel like the oldest person alive. It's like . . . Swirlies X early Mitski X earliest Cat Power or even like Julie Doiron/Eric's Trip. Sorta still surprised by shoegaze revivalism in general but kinda dug it for everything else they put into the blender with shoegaze. Weird to realize that Mitski, someone I consider to be "new," is now old enough to be an influence on the new groups.
posted by kensington314 at 1:34 PM on September 9

That's true, kensington314. It does have some Julie Doiron sparseness. And you put your finger on how it sounds and feels like a mash of particular familiar bands from a while ago, but with precise 2020s mixing even if there is a little sloppiness in the feel. A bit of American Analog Set, a bit of Jeff Tweedy's sad quiet tunes while still in Uncle Tupelo, a bunch of other things.
posted by umbú at 1:39 PM on September 9

I just recently discovered him on one of those Spotify "made for you" playlists, and She's Leaving You kinda got stuck in my head.

I did think it was a new Songs:Ohia project though. I heard a lot of Farewell Transmission in his stuff.

The album as a whole hasn't grabbed me yet, but I'm for sure going to give it another few listens.
posted by sauril at 8:02 PM on September 9

I think his lyrics are great but his music is kind of dull - I'd say it reminds me of current Wilco rather than '89 Jeff Tweedy. He needs to play with tempo and his arrangements more. Maybe I'm missing the songs where he 'rocks' - I just listened to Wristwatch, She's Leaving You, and Manning Fireworks.

Hot Grass Smell was more an incomplete musical experiment, but it had something going on. I see lots of promise.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:07 AM on September 10 [1 favorite]

A whole bunch of positive reviews showed up on my feed last week so I gave the album a listen on Friday and 4-5 times since then too. This morning when I was listening to it again I thought to myself "these guys tricked me into listening to a country album".
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:25 PM on September 10