Xavier Rudd preview

Xavier Rudd
Park West, Chicago
Tuesday, June 19, 2007

What a hippie. Australian/Canadian multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd rallies around a variety of causes stretching from the environment to the unfair treatment of his native homeland’s indigenous people on his third U.S. release, White Moth (Anti), due Tuesday.

In Rudd’s hands, however, the sentiments never sound preachy or contrived. The blonde-and-bearded singer is wholly committed to his lyrics, even though they may come off as a bit too granola and sincere to the technology enthused, text-messaging generation.

Incorporating Aboriginal singers and his signature didgeridoo on “Message Stick,” Rudd crafts a trance-inducing cacophony of sound. Elsewhere, the material on White Moth falls into the staid singer-songwriter category. Instead of arming himself with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, this lone troubadour turns to Weissenborn slide guitars (which make him mildly reminiscent of Ben Harper), stomp boxes, and the aforementioned didgeridoo. This unique instrumentation sets Rudd apart from his peers, but still not on different plane from the likes of Jack Johnson.

Rudd shares his vocal inclinations with Dave Matthews. The two sound frighteningly similar (especially on “Whirlpool”). Maybe they rubbed off on each other while Rudd held support slots on DMB’s tour last summer. He will once again reprise his role on a handful of DMB’s East Coast dates following an appearance at Bonnaroo and a headlining tour of his own throughout June and July.

Serena Ryder opens.

— Janine Schaults

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly