The Man From God Knows Where

texan singer-songwriter tom russell has recorded more than a dozen albums of original material, but none quite as unique as this evocative "immigrant song cycle," which paints a stark picture of early american lifestyles. loosely based on russell's own family history, this folk opera employs irish and norwegian musical elements as well as sounds drawn straight from the dustbowl. sterling vocal contributions from the likes of iris dement and dave van ronk guide us through several generations of outcasts and pioneers. using a wide range of traditional instruments, including uilleann pipes and the hardanger fiddle, russell creates a rustic vision of hard-luck america that is both a coherent artistic statement as well as an extremely powerful history lesson.