Tom Waits has a new album, Orphans, out November 21st, 2006. The release’s 56 tracks are carefully spread out over 3 discs labeled Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards. The limited edition also comes with a 94 page booklet of lyrics and rare photos.  Tom had this to say about the breadth of the album.

On Orphans there is a mambo about a convict who breaks out of jail with a fishbone, a gospel train song about Charlie Whitman and John Wilkes Boothe, a delta blues about a disturbing neighbor, a spoken word piece about a woman who was struck by lightening, an 18th century Scottish madrigal about murderous sibling rivalry, an American backwoods a cappella about a hanging. Even a song by Jack Kerouac and a spiritual with my own personal petition to the Lord with prayer…There’s even a show tune about an old altar boy and a rockabilly song about a young man who’s begging to be lied to.

You can get a taste of the album by downloading “Bottom Of The World” free of charge.