You just don’t hear an electric didgeridoo all that often, but, thankfully, that isn’t the only trick in the musical bag of Aussie-now-living-in-L.A. folkie Xavier Rudd. Tossing out strong melodies anchored by a lively acoustic guitar, Rudd’s singer-songwriter vibe comes directly from the ’70s with attitudes of peace and love in tow. You might shake your head at the other singers Rudd evokes (Paul Simon here, Dave Matthews there), but even if he gets vocally lost in the mix at times, he has enough style to stand out. “Fortune Teller” is the best cut, with the faster tempo and the warpy drone of the didgeridoo making it truly far-out. There are some duds here (usually when it’s just Rudd and his acoustic), but this sweetly exotic record radiates warmth and will wear well over time. (“Fortune Teller,” “Pocket of Peace,” “The Mother”) —
Werner Trieschmann
Grade: B+
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