Tom Russell came on stage looking like a standard Texas-based country star in his jeans and black cowboy hat, but his attitude, deadpan sense of humour and the strength and variety in his songwriting set him apart. He’s a singer-songwriter with a powerful voice, but also a novelist, artist and academic who can interrupt a song to discuss the history of Mexico and the American south-west, attack Donald Trump, or explain why he has chosen to play in this historic basement rather than a concert hall. Praise for the Kinks and the Stones was followed by impressive musical illustrations.

He’s on tour promoting The Rose of Roscrae, an epic, 52-track set that tells the story of a young Irish boy travelling to the American west in the 1880s. It’s a brave move, because no one is writing theatrical concept works like this, and certainly not about cowboys and outlaws. He described it as “Les Misérables in cowboy hats”, adding that for a hit musical you need “four or five great songs – nobody cares about the plot”.

He sang far more memorable songs than that here, with his guitar work backed by an impressive second guitarist and singer, Max De Bernardi. Along with Dave Alvin, who appears on the album, Russell is credited as godfather of the Americana scene, but he has broad musical interests. The gutsy Hair Trigger Heart was followed by the new album’s title track, a grand and tragic Irish narrative ballad, followed by gospel, Mexican influences and a stomping prison lament.

For the second half he switched to older material, reviving the cheerfully unnerving Stealing Electricity, an unashamed pop song about death and love, and the funny and angry Who’s Gonna Build Your Wall?, a story of low-paid Mexicans in the US dedicated, of course, to Donald Trump. Inspired.

• At St John’s church, Farncombe, on 2 and 3 October. Box office: 01483 421520. Then touring until 11 October.