VENUS VINYL OF THE MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2024
Release Date: 6th September 2024 / 10th January 2025
MJ Lenderman's latest is his greatest embodiment of what makes him so special. Not just a member of alt-indie-rock favourites, Wednesday - Lenderman's solo output sees him pouring his beloved past (largely and tragically fallen) heroes into a bottle and creating the most carefully crafted cocktail of alt-country, folk and indie-rock throughout the ages. 'A modern-day Molina'.
FFO: Jason Molina (Songs: Ohia), Sparklehorse, Neil Young, Wednesday
"MJ returns with another surefire must hear and own album. This guy can do no wrong. 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."
