Punching the Clown is a soft, vocal-focused meditation on human connection and a country in decline

Who knows what the next record will involve – but the journey that we have taken to get this far with the band suggests that it will be worth waiting for. For now, we have this, and a spectacular back catalogue to enjoy, too. Same time in 2029, then? Over to you, Mr. Wagner

In lesser hands it could all have been a glorified mess, but, again, Wagner pulls things of, this time with full, gentle, force

A creative reset for an always creatively restless band, Punching the Clown is one of the best albums of the year

There are probably other currently operating indie acts that are nearly 20 albums in (or more), but safe to say none where they continue to operate at peak creativity

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

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

Stella is a modern gospel spiritual, White People is seething and stirring, and The New World Wave is a brilliant return to the narrative style of Lambchop's earliest records. Print edition only

Its bold confidence to be unapologetically hymnal in the chaotic year of 2026 is fresh and commendable

Sounding weathered but undimmed, Kurt Wagner feels as if he’s standing right in front of you as he sings superb, choir-swathed songs that invite and unsettle

With acoustic guitar and banjo, Lambchop return to their Nashville roots, while the choruses create yet another idiosyncratic background for musings on America

Lambchop's 17th album is a thing of spine-tingling hymnal beauty. Print edition only

Kurt Wagner continues his exploration of the human voice while navigating a fascinating journey through musical hinterlands