"She's Leaving You" is a song recorded by the American singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman. The song was released on June 24, 2024, through Epitaph Records, as the lead single from his fourth studio album Manning Fireworks. The song is a tragicomic anthem of a lousy middle-aged man exposed in deceit after a bender in Vegas. The song features a rollicking guitar solo and backing vocals from his Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman. Lenderman co-produced the song with his partner Alex Farrar, and plays nearly all instruments on the track.
| "She's Leaving You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by MJ Lenderman | ||||
| from the album Manning Fireworks | ||||
| Released | June 24, 2024 | |||
| Studio | Drop of Sun Studios (Asheville, North Carolina) | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 4:38 | |||
| Label | Anti- | |||
| Songwriter(s) | MJ Lenderman | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| MJ Lenderman singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critics widely praised the song, with many considering it a highlight of Manning Fireworks and one of Lenderman's best songs.
Background
edit"She's Leaving You" depicts a hapless loser in middle-age unmasked in infidelity.[1] Lenderman opens the song: "You can put your clothes back on, she’s leaving you."[2] In each chorus, he concedes "it falls apart / we all got work to do."[3][4] In a press release, the song is described as a "half-sneering portrait of a middle-aged man cheating his way through a midlife crisis, at least until he gets caught and blasts Clapton in a rented Ferrari en route to Vegas."[5] Lenderman recorded the song at Drop of Sun Studios in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina between touring breaks,[6] and plays nearly all instruments on the song, including guitar, drums, bass, vocals, organ, and drone. Alex Farrar, who co-produced the song, adds piano. The song also contains backing vocals from Karly Hartzman of Wednesday, who was romantically linked with Lenderman.[2][3] The song was compared to the work of Neil Young.[7]
The song's music video is set at a talent show and was directed by Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas.[8] In the clip, Lenderman performs alongside cheerleaders and magicians.[5] Critics interpreted the song as reminiscent of the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Drop Dead Gorgeous.[6]
Release and reception
editAnti- released the song on June 24, 2024. The song's release was met with excitement and several viral "dudes rock" memes;[9] one asked, in the style of an op-ed, "Is the Cure to Male Loneliness MJ Lenderman?"[1]
"She's Leaving You" was widely lauded by contemporary music critics. The Fader called it the song of the summer, with Cady Siregar writing: "MJ Lenderman's 'She’s Leaving You' is the slacker anthem of the summer, a no-frills indie rock banger with shades of Built to Spill and Pavement that’s melancholy in tone, but with stadium-ready hooks."[10] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times remarked that it "expertly blends pathos and bleak humor [...] Lenderman somehow turns this chronicle of almost achingly banal male behavior into a bona fide anthem, complete with a fist-pumping chorus and a killer guitar solo."[2] The Guardian's Damien Morris called it "superb" and his "best song yet,"[11] while Jon Dolan from Rolling Stone called it the album's highlight.[12] Steven Hyden in Uproxx dubbed it one of Lenderman's finest songs,[13]
Personnel
edit- MJ Lenderman - guitar, drums, bass, vocals, organ, drone
- Karly Hartzman - vocals
- Alex Farrar - piano
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] | 23 |
References
edit- ^ a b D'Souza, Shaad (July 9, 2024). "Pixar, Catholic shame, and urine-drinking podcast bros: the mixed-up rock of MJ Lenderman". the Guardian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Zoladz, Lindsay (September 6, 2024). "Meet MJ Lenderman, Southern Rock's Tragicomic Poet". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Petrusich, Amanda (August 29, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Keeps It Raw". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Powers, Ann (September 11, 2024). "MJ Lenderman joins rock and roll's lineage of heartbreak kids". NPR. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Shanfeld, Ethan (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album 'Manning Fireworks,' Drops First Single". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Corcoran, Nina (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album Manning Fireworks, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Hermes, Will (September 2, 2024). "The Timely Dude-ology of MJ Lenderman". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album 'Manning Fireworks': Hear "She's Leaving You"". Stereogum. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (September 3, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Is Indie Rock's Favorite Guitar Hero". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Siregar, Cady (August 20, 2024). "The case for MJ Lenderman's "She's Leaving You" as 2024's Song of the Summer". The FADER. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Morris, Damien (September 6, 2024). "MJ Lenderman: Manning Fireworks review – joyously weird alt-Americana". the Guardian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Dolan, Jon (September 4, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Delivers a Sad-Guy Indie-Rock Gem With 'Manning Fireworks'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Hyden, Steven (September 4, 2024). "In praise of the best indie rock album of 2024". UPROXX. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Adult Alternative Airplay: Week of November 2, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2024.