Manning Fireworks (2024) - MJ Lenderman

8.5/10

Image Credit: Album cover for Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman. © 2024 Anti- Records. Used under fair use.

MJ Lenderman is an indie and alternative musician from Asheville, North Carolina. Lenderman is a non-touring member of the group Wednesday since 2018. "Manning Fireworks" is Lenderman's fifth solo album with very critical acclaim. Pitchfork awarded the record its Best New Music designation.

"Manning Fireworks" (2024) may sound like a porch-front folk album—but listen closer, and it shreds. It’s deceptively simple, like a few strummed chords from an old guitar that's been collecting dust in a basement corner. But once the layers begin to unfold, the careful craftsmanship becomes clear. MJ Lenderman didn’t just record these songs—he built them with purpose.

The album opens with the slow-burning title track, a stunning piece stitched together with gentle strings, subtle accordion, and a voice that sounds like it’s half-asleep and all-heart. It feels made for late-night drives through empty roads and full thoughts. Then comes “Joker Lips,” shifting gears without breaking mood, and setting the stage for a record that sounds like the tail end of summer—warm, restless, and quietly electric.

With the power of simplicity comes the surge of emotion. Stripped-down arrangements make room for the album’s most explosive moments, like the aching crescendos of “She’s Leaving You” and “Wristwatch.” These songs hit hard, not with force, but with clarity—like fireworks you didn’t expect to mean so much.

Lenderman’s vocal delivery is effortlessly raw, grounding each track no matter how far the instrumentation stretches. His range doesn’t come from acrobatics—it comes from tone, timing, and an uncanny ability to make every line feel lived in.

Manning Fireworks isn’t flashy, but it leaves a mark. It’s soft-spoken, heart-heavy, and unexpectedly loud when it counts.

MJ Lenderman will be making a return to Chicago at the Salt Shed on June 18th along with Colin Miller.

Check out the music video for “Wristwatch” below: