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May 07, 2026 By Mark Redfern Photography by Ingo Petramer

Lambchop (the project of Kurt Wagner) have announced a new album, Punching the Clown, and shared its first single, “Weakened,” which features Justin Vernon of Bon Iver on banjo. Punching the Clown is due out August 21 via Merge in the U.S. and City Slang in the rest of the world. Below, check out the new single, followed by the album details.

Ryan Olson (Poliça, Gayngs) produced the album, which features songs written by Wagner and the band’s Andrew Broder. It was recorded at Vernon’s April Base studio and he plays banjo throughout the album, which also features a six-part choir on all songs.

Wagner had this to say in a press release:

“In early 2024 I heard a song on the radio on my way to get some gas. Just a minimal single chord strummed banjo and a small group of voices. It seemed perfect in the moment as the moment became perfect in itself. I never found out who it was, sounded kinda like early country gospel? In a time of searching I discovered a type of gospel singing known as lined out singing

which is said to have begun in the late 1800s in Scotland. It migrated to Appalachia and became an obscure root of American gospel, country.…a spontaneous call and response type of acapella singing led by a clerk with a chorus of singers revealing the raw beauty and power of the human voice with its unique varieties. Its unadorned simplicity gave weight to the words as they were sung. I wanted to make a record that emulated this kind of music.”

Punching the Clown follows 2022’s The Bible.

Read our The End interview with Lambchop.

Punching the Clown Tracklist:

01 Just West of Nicollet
02 A Doctor in the House
03 Weakened
04 Stella
05 Punching the Clown
06 White People
07 The New World Wave
08 Andrew Jackson Ass Hat
09 Afterburner
10 Cigar
11 To Do
12 No Chicago

Lambchop Tour Dates:

Jun 28 Minneapolis, MN – Crooners Supper Club
Aug 30 Minneapolis, MN – Crooners Supper Club
Sep 27 Minneapolis, MN – Crooners Supper Club
Sep 29 Chicago, IL – Maurer Hall @ The Old Town School of Music
Oct 01 Brooklyn, NY – Public Records
Oct 02 Brooklyn, NY – Public Records
Nov 18 Viseu, PT – Teatro Viriato
Nov 19 Lisbon, PT – Culturgest
Nov 21 Braga, PT – Theatro Circo
Nov 22 Espinho, PT – Auditório de Espinho
Nov 24 Manchester, UK – New Century Hall
Nov 25 Sheffield, UK – Octagon
Nov 26 Gateshead, UK – Sage 2
Nov 27 London, UK – Union Chapel
Nov 28 London, UK – Union Chapel
Dec 01 Dudelange, LU – Opderschmelz
Dec 02 Antwerp, BE – Arenberg
Dec 03 Roeselare, BE – De Spil
Feb 07 Oslo, NO – Konserthus
Feb 09 Trondheim, NO – Byscenen
Feb 11 Copenhagen, DK – DR Koncerthuset
Feb 12 Hamburg, DE – Christianskirche
Feb 13 Berlin, DE – Passionkirche
Feb 14 Erlangen, DE – Markgrafentheater
Feb 16 Vienna, AT – Theater Akzent
Feb 17 Budapest, HU – House Of Music
Feb 19 Glasgow, UK – St Lukes
Feb 20 Galway, IE – St Nicholas’ Church
Feb 21 Dublin, IE – The Helix

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