Australian Xavier Rudd is often classified with the carefree and always relaxed surf dudes like Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter. He is certainly a surfing neo hippie, who traveled the world with guitar and didgeridoo, but one with records from the Grateful Dead, Can and Black Sabbath in the closet. On his fourth album this is more than ever expressed in a solid and round rock sound. He also
… makes the necessary forays into reggae and his Aboriginal friends are often in the area for illustrative chants and didgeridoo drones. This gives Dark Shades Of Blue a pleasant, organic seventies feeling, especially because Rudd ignores every modern box and gives his passion for experimentation free space. Rudd himself signed the production of this impressive album, the mix was in the hands of Joe Barresi (Tool, Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age). (MR)more
