Rudd is a mostly a one man show with some additional help from Todd
Sinko playing accompaniment on four of the tracks. Rudd handles
vocals, Weissenborn slide guitars, 6 and 12 string Acoustic/Electric
guitars, Didgeridoos, Stomp box, Harmonicas, Aztec Drum, Slit Drum,
Djembe, Shakers, Slide Banjo, and Ankle bells. All the tracks are
original except for the Bob Marley tune “No Woman, No Cry.”
Xavier is in what I call the Jack Johnson School of music—
well-recorded, stripped down acoustic folk-rock music. The
recording is very warm, up front, and intimate. Acoustically, the
environment sounds very dead and slightly rolled off on the top end
which means very little air and almost no sense of recording
space.
Rudd’s voice sounds like a cross between Dave Matthews and Ben Harper
and that’s not a bad thing. There is obviously a lot of emotion
that is imbued in the material and is evident by the intensity of the
performance and the Rudd’s passionate vocals. The nature of the
presentation will appeal to those who like small acoustic sets, but for
those who like to hear more production may sound a little dry, dead,
and/or unfinished. The record is heartfelt, very folksy, and Rudd
gives a solid performance throughout. I happened upon the fact
that this is an enhanced CD meaning that there are two Quicktime
computer videos of “12th of September” and Yirra Kurl.” The
quality is like a VHS video, but is still enjoyable enough. It is
worth it just to see Rudd handle all those instruments at once.
Songs included are: Shelter; 3 Degrees; Let Me Be; Solace;
G.B.A.; In Transit; Chances; Journey Song; A 4th World; Yirra-Curl; No
Woman, No Cry; Partners H.P.; Silence; Green Spandex.
-Brian Bloom
