Mixing accomplished traditional folk and country acoustic picking with truly otherworldly vocals and songcraft, Death Vessel makes earthy music from a distant star. The name essentially refers to Maine native Joel Thibodeau, who tours and records with a rotating cast of guest musicians, and possesses an entrancing (and--considering his gender--surprising) soprano voice. With off-kilter chord structures and natural and understated (but always interesting) arrangements framing his elastic voice and chimerical lyrics, Thibodeau pulled off the near-impossible upon his arrival in the mid '00s: a very fresh and wholly original take on roots music.