There’s a breeziness underpinning MJ Lenderman’s songs that belies a deeper melancholy—a dynamic few songwriters, especially of his age, can achieve with such balance. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, the singer-songwriter first appeared as a member of the group Wednesday. But it was with his 2019 self-titled solo debut that he properly introduced his unique style of personal, reflective storytelling. He spreads it across all manner of sounds: earnest, heartland-style rock (“Knockin”, which references golfer John Daly covering Dylan); twangy alt-country (“TLC Cage Match”); crunchy ’90s indie rock (“Hangover Game”). The songs that at first sound humorous (“Wristwatch”, “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat”) become sly social commentaries as deep emotion is wrung from clever wordplay and a deceptively easygoing vibe. But it’s how Lenderman equally transforms pain (“Heartbreak Blues”) and mundanity (“Joker Lips”, “Someone Get the Grill Out of the Rain”) into existential meditations where his true gifts shine.