The characters of MJ Lenderman’s fourth studio album have all seen better days. In “Joker Lips,” a hotel janitor cleans cum from hotel shower drains; the protagonist of “She’s Leaving You” is so depressed after his divorce he gambles away such a large fortune the casino offers him his room for free; and the priest on “Rudolph” is so sexually frustrated he contemplates leaving his religion to chase after a girl.⁠ ⁠ Lenderman is sympathetic to the plights of his lovelorn individuals, but he narrates their misfortunes with more cynicism than empathy. With his slacker charm and lo-fi Americana guitar playing, the Wednesday lead guitarist does not revel in their misery the way, say, Morrissey does in his lyrics, but acknowledges that their strife is mostly self-inflicted, painting several caricatures of masochistic males who have probably gotten what they deserve.⁠ ⁠ See our full Best Albums of 2024 list at the link in bio, or head to TheFADER.com.⁠ ⁠ #MJLenderman #ManningFireworks