MJ Lenderman covers Lambchop’s “Weakened” on new Demoed EP

By Marcus Bennett

Lambchop’s Demoed arrives digitally on November 20, with a physical edition on February 5. The seven-track EP gathers demo covers of songs from Punching the Clown, the alt-country band’s August album.

“Weakened (MJ Lenderman version)” opens the sequence. Lenderman sings and plays bass and guitar on his version of “Weakened.” Fog’s Andrew Broder joins him on the recording, giving the first track a compact pairing of Lenderman’s voice, bass and guitar with another named musician. The song first appeared on Punching the Clown.

What does Demoed change for Lambchop?

It turns Wagner’s succession plan from an intention into seven recorded interpretations. Wagner primarily recruited younger musicians to take up the mantle. The track list assigns each contributor a defined role. One track pairs Circuit des Yeux with Alan Sparhawk; the rest carry separate performer credits.

The complete running order is:

• 01 — “Weakened (MJ Lenderman version)”
• 02 — “A Doctor in the House (Circuit des Yeux / Alan Sparhawk version)”
• 03 — “Stella (Channy Leaneagh version)”
• 04 — “White People (Dan Wriggins version)”
• 05 — “The New World Wave (Lauren Auder version)”
• 06 — “Afterburner (Flock of Dimes version)”
• 07 — “Andrew Jackson Asshat (More Eaze version)”

Across the seven tracks, the project treats Lambchop’s songs as provisional passes, assigning each to a named performer or pairing without presenting the contributors as a single replacement outfit. That structure makes Demoed a study of continuity through substitution: the source material stays fixed, while the personnel and authorship change from song to song.

The press materials frame the shift as succession rather than a one-off collaboration:

“I used to fantasize that Lambchop would continue as an idea well beyond my participation,” Wagner shared in press materials. “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.”

Wagner does not announce a permanent handover or name a successor. He says younger artists are already steering the work and that he might eventually watch and advise from the wings. The November release therefore tests a process already under way.

Lenderman’s recent run

Lenderman’s recent output gives his place on the EP a specific context. His most recent solo album, Manning Fireworkers, arrived in 2024, and last year he released a live album with Karly Hartzman, recorded at Nashville’s Third Man Records.

Since then, he has also released a song with This is Lorelei. He spent this past spring on tour with Waxahatchee. That chronology places his cover within a sustained run of solo records, live work, another band release and touring.

The first track gives Lenderman a compact ensemble frame. The six tracks that follow change scale again, pairing two artists on one song and assigning each other version to a separate act. His position is therefore the entry point rather than a claim to replace Wagner.

Demoed gives Wagner’s succession plan a public form. Its seven tracks will show whether his “idea” of Lambchop can remain coherent across successive changes of performer. The first hearing arrives on November 20.