Fred Eaglesmith is a true-blue troubadour.

When the singer/songwriter was a teenager, he hopped a freight train out of rural Ontario - and he's been writing and performing ever since, averaging well over 200 show a year.

While he's not exactly a household name, Eaglesmith, now 51, is a Juno-winning, cult alt-country icon with a rock-solid fanbase (particularly dedicated members of which call themselves 'Fredheads') and an expansive, critically lauded catalogue to his name.

Tinderbox - his 17th record - is the latest addition to that storied discography. Released in the spring, the new album serves as a commentary on organized religion, with songs told from the perspective of confused - yet faithful - churchgoers in the Deep South.

It's heady stuff - but Tinderbox has been incredibly well-received by fans and critics alike.

Uptown caught up with Eaglesmith to pick his brain about the risky new record.

Uptown: You've always been something of a critical darling, but the reviews you've received for Tinderbox have been particularly good.

Fred Eaglesmith: These are different reviews than the ones I've gotten before. People seem excited about it.

That has to make you feel good.

You know, I haven't heard (the record) for a long time - I worked on it for a year-had-a-half. It was a really risky record. I took a lot of chances and they paid off.

What kind of chances did you take?

I took a lot of chances on production, and in terms of content.

Does it make you nervous, to release a risky album?

It doesn't make me nervous - it gets me ready to get slaughtered (laughs). We didn't know if people would be too into it.

Speaking of content, your critical lens is really focused on organized religion this time around. What inspired you to make this album?

A lot of it has to do with the fact I live on the road. People talk to me very personally after shows, and I started to get this overview that people are very confused (when it comes to religion). This is a record about confusion.

That sounds like a tough topic to tackle.

It wasn't what I had in mind - I really wrote what I felt. This is just what it turned out to be. The songs just fell into place.

It's interesting, because lyrically, Tinderbox is a commentary on religion, yet musically, there's a lot of gospel influence on the record. 'Fringe gospel' is a term I've noticed you've used to describe it.

That's because it's about people who believe, but they're on the fringe because they're asking questions. This isn't a Christian record - this is about people who are questioning their beliefs. I grew up in a Christian household and it was indoctrinated to us. We weren't allowed to question it.

This is your 17th record. How has your process changed?

You know, my first records were very prepared. This one - it's much more of an inspired record. A lot of the songs on it are first takes. I think that added a lot of spontaneity to it. It's believable - especially in this day when music is so manufactured.

You lost a bandmate this year (mandolin/harmonica player Willie P. Bennett died on Feb. 15 at the age of 56). What was that like for you and how are you doing now?

It was terrible. We were on the road together for 25 years and now he's gone. And there's nothing I can do about it. I miss him every day.

I understand that he didn't get to hear Tinderbox.

Yeah, he's all over it and he never got to hear it. It's too bad - he would have loved it. But you know, I'm really glad that if we had to make a last record, this was it.