Last year, MJ Lenderman saluted a fellow indie singer-songwriter with an absolutely sick cover of This Is Lorelei's "Dancing In The Club." Lenderman's version came out on a deluxe edition of This Is Lorelei's Box for Buddy, Box For Star, and it stands as one of 2025's best songs. Now, Lenderman has done something similar for an indie songwriter from a completely different generation: Veteran Lambchop mastermind Kurt Wagner. Earlier this year, Lambchop released the excellent album Punching The Clown.
Today, Wagner announces a new EP called Demoed, which includes a bunch of different singers recording new vocals over the original Punching The Clown demo tracks. Fog's Andrew Broder, a longtime Lambchop collaborator, produced those demos. Besides Lenderman, the new singers are Alan Sparhawk, Circuit Des Yeux, Channy Leaneagh, Dan Wriggins, Lauren Auder, Flock Of Dimes, and more eaze.
The idea, as Kurt Wagner explains, is that he doesn't think his own presence is necessary for these songs to stand. Here's how he puts it: 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. 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.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
