LAMBCHOP ANNOUNCE NEW EP, DEMOED, OUT 20 NOVEMBER VIA CITY SLANG / MERGE
LISTEN TO MJ LENDERMAN SING LAMBCHOP’S ‘WEAKENED’
ALSO FEATURING CIRCUIT DES YEUX, ALAN SPARHAWK, CHANNY LEANEAGH, DAN WRIGGINS, LAUREN AUDER, FLOCK OF DIMES, AND MORE EAZE
PERFORMING TWO SOLD OUT NIGHTS AT LONDON’S UNION CHAPEL
FEAT. 12 PERSON CHOIR
Listen to ‘Weakened (MJ Lenderman version)’ here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ZCTzmvKHg
“Kurt Wagner reinvents his band yet again, this time slimming down to a bare-bones acoustic setup and stripping away the studio artifice. But his storytelling remains as expansive as ever”
8.5 Pitchfork Best New Music
“Spectral, spellbindingly ambiguous stirring of US history”
4/5 The Guardian ‘Album of the Week’
“A thing of spine-tingling hymnal beauty”
9/10 Uncut
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Lambchop announce their new EP Demoed, set to be released digitally on 20 November and physically on 5 February via City Slang / Merge. The EP will feature an all-star lineup of artists singing over demo versions of songs from August’s Punching the Clown, including MJ Lenderman, Circuit des Yeux, Alan Sparhawk, Channy Leaneagh, Dan Wriggins, Lauren Auder, Flock of Dimes, and More Eaze.
Introducing the upcoming EP, Kurt says:
“I never knew what Herman Melville looked like until I was in high school. I just saw a picture in lit class and that was about it, nice beard. Prior to that what Herman looked like was really not essential to my understanding or enjoyment of Moby Dick. It was distracting at best. I thought the work was the important thing. I mean, I still don’t know what Renoir looked like but I bet he had a great beard. Great painter.
I used to fantasize that lambchop would continue as an idea well beyond my participation. Over time we’ve had at least two generations represented. A third now is beginning. And this is important to me, having the unique perspective and contributions from younger artists steering in the work we make. So i thought it would be nice, someday, that i might even step aside to watch and advise from the wings. Having a beard was never considered, but here we are.
This is to say that my idea of moving forward — aging with dignity — involves my disappearing from the notion of being the “dude,” the ego, entity, personality, figurehead, selfie guy, brand image. Who I am physically and how I appear becomes irrelevant. Allowing the concept and work to be the focus. My participation isn’t really necessary in the final presentation. Song writing, “the song” implicitly allows for such a thing, or at least it did before pop culture insisted that it be part of the package. I mean, I get it, why that is and the way things are, but I’ve always felt it doesn’t have to be so and there’s centuries of precedents to back this up.
Exhibit D: Andrew came up with the idea for a supplement to the new record. To ask artists we admired as both artist people and with unique voices to sing along to the initial guitar demos replacing me, thereby putting emphasis on their voices and the songs rather than my persona’s participation. A remix but backwards. Let’s admit it: Neil Sedaka was kinda goofy, but he sure could write a tune. I’m no Neil Sedaka but I sure can be goofy.
We made a list of people to ask and sent them the demos along with the finished Punching the Clown album. We asked them to keep it simple and not over think it, to keep it in the spirit of what a demo might be. Like a sketch for a painting, a demo. Sometimes they added other elements furthering their artistic involvement. It was their choice, their reaction to the premise and the tune.
Looking at it now, it does seem like one of those tribute records that happen after an artist dies or needs to raise funds for an operation or medical treatment. But I assure you, I am very much alive and all over what you hear here. Unlike cover versions of our songs, these are songs we made — I’m just not the singer. Jake, Haley, Alan, Channy, Dan, Lauren, Jenn, and Mari are.”
Pre-order Demoed here: http://lambchop.lnk.to/Demoed_Buy
Photo credit: Graham Tolbert
High res images can be found here
Demoed artwork by New Formalists
Demoed tracklist:
1. Weakened (MJ Lenderman version)
2. A Doctor in the House (Circuit des Yeux / Alan Sparhawk version)
3. Stella (Channy Leaneagh version)
4. White People (Dan Wriggins version)
5. The New World Wave (Lauren Auder version)
6. Afterburner (Flock of Dimes version)
7. Andrew Jackson Asshat (More Eaze version)
UK + EU tour dates:
18 Nov – Viseu, PT @ Teatro Viriato
19 Nov – Lisbon, PT @ Culturgest
21 Nov – Braga, PT @ Theatro Circo
22 Nov – Espinho, PT @ Auditório de Espinho – SOLD OUT
24 Nov – Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall
25 Nov – Sheffield, UK @ Octagon
26 Nov – Gateshead, UK @ Sage 2
27 Nov – London, UK @ Union Chapel – SOLD OUT (featuring choir)
28 Nov – London, UK @ Union Chapel – SOLD OUT (featuring choir)
1 Dec – Dudelange, LU @ Opderschmelz
2 Dec – Antwerp, BE @ Arenberg
3 Dec – Roeselare, BE @ De Spil
7 Feb – Oslo, NO @ Konserthus
9 Feb – Trondheim, NO @ Byscenen
11 Feb – Copenhagen, DK @ DR Koncerthuset
12 Feb – Hamburg, DE @ Christianskirche – SOLD OUT
13 Feb – Berlin, DE @ Passionkirche – SOLD OUT
14 Feb – Erlangen, DE @ Markgrafentheater
16 Feb – Vienna, AT @ Theater Akzent
17 Feb – Budapest, HU @ House Of Music
19 Feb – Glasgow, UK @ St Lukes
20 Feb – Galway, IE @ St Nicholas’ Church – SOLD OUT
21 Feb – Dublin, IE @ The Helix
Tickets are available here:
https://www.lambchop.net/
Praise for Punching the Clown:
“Kurt Wagner reinvents his band yet again, this time slimming down to a bare-bones acoustic setup and stripping away the studio artifice. But his storytelling remains as expansive as ever”
8.5 Pitchfork Best New Music
“Spectral, spellbindingly ambiguous stirring of US history”
4/5 The Guardian ‘Album of the Week’
“I can’t remember the last time I connected with an album the way I have with Lambchop’s Punching the Clown”
Philip Sherburne Futurism Restated
“Richly atmospheric”
5/5 The Sun
“A thing of spine-tingling hymnal beauty”
9/10 Uncut
“Punching The Clown sees Lambchop back in focus, Wagner taking on the big questions and the small details, always aware of those truths that lie just out of reach”
4/5 Mojo
“It’s an album steeped in surprises”
4/5 Record Collector
“One of the finest Lambchop albums yet”
4/5 Far Out
“Another great Lambchop album”
8/10 God Is in the TV
“The 48 minutes of this album are completely unlike anything you will have heard … it’s frequently weird, often beautiful, and frequently rather wonderful”
8/10 Americana UK
“It’s yet another move, yet another musical and lyrical exploration, and simply put, yet another masterpiece”
81% BPM
“Punching the Clown is one of the best albums of the year”
87% Spectrum Culture
“A quiet and quietly brilliant album”
Loud & Quiet
“A hypnotic feel, as though you’re listening to waves crash on to the beach”
Clash
“The beautiful return”
GoldFlakePaint
“Gorgeously meditative”
Our Culture
“Punching the Clown is a fascinating clash of old culture and modern invention”
The Wee Review
“In a career filled with indelible moments Punching the Clown may be the most unique thing he’s ever recorded”
For Folk’s Sake