Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner’s weathered voice typically brushes up against melody, rather than embracing it. He sings very simply, with feeling but not much artifice, and if we left it at that, Punching the Clown might be just another exercise in minimalist Americana. But instead, in the making of this 17th full-length, Wagner became obsessed with lined-out singing, an un-notated form of gospel in which a leader sings a line, then a whole choir follows it in unison.
Category: Lambchop
The Mistakes Make It Interesting :: A Conversation With Kurt Wagner of Lambchop
Turning mistakes in magic dust. Lambchop mastermind Kurt Wagner joins Aquarium Drunkard correspondent Al Riggs to discuss the band’s 16th full-length, the sprawling The Bible.
Lambchop :: The AD Interview
Late in 2019, when the world was just starting to hear rumors of a new flu in China, Kurt Wagner of Lambchop had an idea. He was short on material and wanted to bring the band together. Why not make a covers LP?
As November wore on, the song titles drifted in—a couple of Motown tunes, a George Jones classic, an A-side from an obscure garage band, an unreleased tune from James McNew (Yo La Tengo/Dump) and finally, the Wilco song “Reservations.”
Lambchop :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
2019 marks 25 years that Lambchop has been releasing albums. The incredible quality across that stretch is even more impressive when compared to the relative restlessness in the group’s sound and size. Their latest, This (Is What I Wanted to Tell You), is one of their finest albums yet and marks another push forward – an examination of a sound started on 2016’s FLOTUS.
Lambchop :: The Hustle
Always a pleasure to wake up to a new song from Nashville’s Lambchop, particularly an 18-minute plus epic like “The Hustle,” the first single in advance of the group’s forthcoming For Love Often Turns Us […]
Catching Up With Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner :: The AD Interview
It’s been five and a half years since we last spoke with Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner – around the release of 2008’s OH (Ohio) – and it’s been a productive set of years. The group played an awe-inspiring set at Merge Records’ 20th Anniversary festival in […]
Lambchop :: Give It @ Merge XX, July 24th, 2009
Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC / July 24th, 2009 — read our review here … + Download Lambchop via eMusic’s 25 free MP3 no risk trial offer
AD Presents :: Lambchop/Radar Bros. @ Largo
Saturday, March 7th, Aquarium Drunkard presents Lambchop at the new Largo – at the Coronet – with special guests Radar Bros. This is a pretty incredible bill, and it’s not all too often that the collective actually makes […]