Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Xavier Rudd - australian , June 13, 2005
When I first saw Xavier Rudd at the House of Blues, I had no idea who he was or what his music sounded like. So when I saw him come out on stage with long shaggy blonde hair and a surfer's physique, I knew I was in for a treat. His setup was by far the oddest cumulation of instruments I had ever seen on one stage, including the didjs, foot pedals, cymbals and percussion instruments, as well as lap guitars and 12 string acoustics. As I watched Xavier play, my soul was moved by his soothing voice and the ryhtmn of his playing. I found myself dancing to his beats, to his smooth Australian didj tinted grooves. As soon as Xavier left the stage, I was off with a couple of my friends to but his cd, Solace. With an artist of Xavier's caliber, one can only fully experience his talent and improvosation when he is seen live. But nonetheless, Solace is a great CD that showcases Xavier's talents wonderfully and does justice to the power of his songs and words. The CD is compiled of live studio performances with one or two live performances. The enhanced options on the CD include two videos, both of which are not featured on the Solace CD itself. Solace would be the best CD to get if you have never heard Xavier before, being that most of his older songs are redone and put on this CD, along with newer ones. Words cannot accurately describe the sound of Xavier's music, so don't waste any more time and get this CD, you will not be dissapointed.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true undiscovered talent..., November 2, 2005
Imagine if Jack Johnson were as well-versed in aboriginal instruments as he is in island-beach-bum culture, and you'll have a starting point for the music of Xavier Rudd, the acoustic singer-songwriter from East Australia.
Xavier's voice isn't hard to categorize -- at times a mirror of Ben Harper and at other times it's a little more soothing, almost like a young Paul Simon. The music, however, is a little more abstract. Rudd's album is heavy on bluesy acoustic slide guitar and clicking and stomping percussions, but it's the use of the digeredoo (and aboriginal wind instrument, sort of like a cross between the bagpipes and a basoon that gives a haunting, rolling womp of a sound) as a folk/rock instrument that makes the album undoubtedly unique, fresh, and somewhat groundbreaking.
The stand-out track is undoubtedly the no-nonsense hobo-anthem, "Shelter," but other highly addictive tunes include the funky "Let Me Be" and the mellowly acoustic "Solace." A few of the songs lack a "catchiness" in melody, but they're sung so emmotionally and arranged so uniquely that the listener doesn't mind. And Rudd's cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry," while not quite as catchy as Marley's soulful version, is still poignant in a naked acoustic way.
One could make the argument that Rudd is attempting, with this album, to modernize traditional Australian music in the way Paul Simon modernized South African music for his "Graceland" album. For the most part, Rudd does just that. But as groundbreaking as it is to mix the traditional digeredoo with modern rock, the record has a tendency at times to slip into familiar territory. Occasionally the stylings fall out of their unique shell and float a little too close to the territory of Ben Harper -- a "sound" that has already been done many times before. BUT, that should not detract from the listening experience, nor should it detract at all from Rudd's talent. He's a young artist who has made a really good record, and perhaps we should leave it at that. One hopes there will be more to come and until then, we have plenty here to keep us satisfied. Rest assured that if you enjoy relaxed, thoughtful artists such as Kelly Joe Phelps, David Gray, John Mayer, or John Butler, this album will fit nicely in your collection.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow, what a surprise, October 19, 2005
Pleasantly unique certainly is a way to describe this. A mix of folk, blues, rock, and didgeridoos. . .all done with a nice creative slant.
Sadly, this sort of thing is not hitting the airwaves, because it is magnitudes better than most things you hear on the radio. Like the previous posters have said, if this intrigues you in the least, just buy it - it's under $10 for crying out loud!
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by Xavier Rudd 
