We’ve All Got A Houseboat Docked at The Himbo Dome

A brief dive into MJ Lenderman’s wonderfully sincere and unfortunately witty album, Manning Fireworks.

by Miguel Gonzales

Graphic by Melissa Lemieux

You’d never expect one-liners like “a blacked-out Lightning McQueen” and “renting a Ferrari” to be lyrics in tear-jerking songs, but they are. MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks has plenty of ridiculous, yet emotional lines. From reminiscing about passing out in Lucky Charms to playing so much Guitar Hero late at night, you lose track of time (and yourself). Lenderman’s songwriting earnestly quips and unexpectedly bites. His flatout slacker writing plays a big role in why his third studio album, Manning Fireworks, makes him one of the best singer-songwriters to break through in a long time. 

Lenderman has been active in the indie circuit for a while, as he is the lead guitarist in the North Carolina band Wednesday. He’s also pursued solo endeavors prior to the release of Manning Fireworks. Boat Songs and his self-titled album saw him exercise his songwriting chops, exploring the humdrum of life and amplifying these moments in all their glory. With Manning Fireworks, Lenderman comes into his own and embraces the unremarkable.

Paired with the backdrop of 90s slacker rock, alt-countryisms and the pale Americana blues, Lenderman’s music feels fully realized, flatout whimsical and underlying with saddening vulnerability. Driving around Las Vegas, being lost around the lights on “She’s Leaving You,” the cheeky exploration in the pressure of fame and demoralization of creatives in the candidly-named “Rip Torn” – Lenderman’s jokey balladry is both unserious and gut-wrenching. I don’t think he comes off as too crass, too self-important, and overly self-referential where his cheeky manner rubs you the wrong way – it all seems to come from a sincere place.

The arrangements are wonderful on Manning Fireworks as well. The shredding indie rock on “She’s Leaving You,” the tasteful lap steels on “Wristwatch,” the soft clarinets and whirling synthesizer passages on “You Don’t Know What Shape I’m In,” and the full-blown fiddle session on “Rip Torn” give Manning Fireworks this eclectic personality that directly corresponds with Lenderman’s tragicomical world.

It’s pathetic, it’s booze-filled, it’s lonely, and it’s beautiful.