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.

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!

xavier rudd is the essence of the evolved male who understands unity, harmony and beauty all expressed through his music. his music is emotional and raw and compelling and touches the soul of the listener. i saw him live in Amsterdam a few weeks back and there alone he sat and played with his array of instruments and had the crowd of hundreds united in his vibe and rhythm. he carried the whole room alone! playing all instruments at the same time! one of the best shows i have ever seen....the same energy comes through on ALL of his CD's....it's the kind of music to drive to, sing to, cook dinner with, play loud with windows open. He is all about the energy....i play his Cd's everyday....love the Good Spirit LIVE CD as it captures his music with the dynamic of the crowd. The first opening notes on Solace always uplift and brighten the energy in the room.

Friends of mine own this CD and it's amazing! This guy really rocks out on the guitar and didjeridoo. Throw in his captivating voice and catchy tunes, and you've got a classic in the making.

However, I'd suggest not buying it here. I've been waiting four months for the copy that I purchased here to arrive.

I stumbled upon this guy at a Bonarroo music festival a few years back and was blown away. It was just this one guy with a number of instruments set up around him, including 3 diggerydoos (I have no idea how to spell that). It took my a while to track his music down, but I have a ton of it now and never get tired of it. It's new, upbeat and chill.