![]() ![]() It is simply a mantra repeated throughout the song, tribal music and rainforest sounds mixed with Rudd’s own musical stylings.įor his third U.S. “Message Stick,” a song Rudd explains is for the Aborigines who have been “denied a voice in the white settlements in Australia,” has no English spoken at all. On “Footprint,” “Land Rights” and “Message Stick,” chanting dominates much of each song. In fact, he features the Aboriginal musical group, Yothu Yindi, on several of the tracks. ![]() Rudd not only uses his folk background and surfer attitude for this disc, but also his time studying the Aborigines. “Set It Up” is another somber piece that expresses the idea that anything we do affects the people around us and that we are all connected in one way or another. He lives up to the titles that City Beat gave him with two acoustic pieces called “Amni Kookoo” and “Set It Up.” In “Amni Kookoo,” Rudd speaks from the view of a few different people, including a woman who’s mourning the loss of her son who was taken away by “the bottle.” It meditates on what we, as individuals, have become-cold and cut off. Rudd switches it up with the mellow and tropical sounds of Jamaica in the second track, “Twist.” A lazy tempo and steady, slow, reggae beat makes it impossible not to surrender to his lyrics “Sway to the music let the spirit choose you, ’cause everybody’s feeling okay.” ![]() Folksie, and extremely earthy, it is only appropriate that this song should discuss, “the better people with more good to do.” In the first track, “Better People,” an eerie, ethereal beginning leads into a funky, guitar-driven tribute to environmental activists. ![]() “It’s a reflection of a connection with powerful people around the world-powerful spirits-but also connections with the energy that people bring to my show.” His world expedition, along with his eco-conscious mindset are also reflected in each song on the disc. “I think the record is just a reflection of my journey and my journey is amazing,” he wrote on his Web site. The Yidakis are what lend the low, calming vibration, almost a buzzing, that is heard in the undertone of each song.įor inspiration on his newest CD, White Moth, Rudd relied heavily on a trip he took around the globe over the past seven years. He sets up his instruments so they are actually surrounding him as he sings from behind a stand holding three Yidakis in different keys. At his shows, he often plays guitar, didgeridoo and various percussion parts simultaneously. He has expanded his instrumental talent and now plays guitars, Weissenborn slide guitars, stomp boxes, djembes (a type of drum), harmonica and several different percussion instruments. The Yidaki, also referred to as the didgeridoo, is a 50,000-year-old wooden trumpet of the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia-where Rudd was born and raised. One thing is certain: Xavier Rudd is taking the world by storm and doing his part for the environment while he’s at it.Īs a kid, this one-man band learned to play clarinet, saxophone and Yidaki, according to his official Web site. The Advocate found his show “spectacular” and called “the Xavier experience” something that is unforgettable. He’s been declared the Dave Matthews of Australia and the Jack Johnson of Canada by San Diego City Beat. ![]()
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