# Lambchop album release > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lambchop-album-release > Updated: 2026-08-24T10:30:16.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2. The musical group Lambchop has released a new studio album titled ‘Punching the Clown’, representing their first new music in four years. Led by Kurt Wagner, the project marks a stylistic shift toward folk-oriented, sparse instrumentation—such as acoustic guitar, banjo, and piano—following previous explorations into electronic and ambient sounds. A central element of the album is the influence of ‘lining out’, a 19th-century British church and Appalachian tradition where a lead singer calls out lines for a choir to respond to. To achieve this, the album incorporates vocal contributions from choirs in London and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as well as banjo work from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. ## Claims - Lambchop has released a new album titled ‘Punching the Clown’ after a four-year hiatus. (corroborated by 3 sources) - ‘Punching the Clown’ is the 16th album released by the group. (single source) - The album features instrumentation including guitar, banjo, and piano, accompanied by two choirs. (single source) - The choirs featured on the album originate from London and Eau Claire, Wisconsin. (single source) - Songwriter Kurt Wagner is 66 years old. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-24: Lambchop releases ‘Punching the Clown’, their 16th studio album Lambchop has released ‘Punching the Clown’, their 16th album and first in four years, featuring folk instrumentation and choirs from London and Wisconsin. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lambchop-releases-punching-the-clown-their-16th-studio-album ### 2026-08-19: Lambchop releases new album ‘Punching the Clown’ Lambchop returns with ‘Punching the Clown’, a 17th studio album featuring stripped-back Americana instrumentation inspired by traditional lined-out singing. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lambchop-releases-new-album-punching-the-clown --- Cite as: Lambchop album release. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lambchop-album-release