Rudd adds new members, lightens sound

Singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd takes it up yet another notch with his new album Koonyum Sun, showing he’s a truly progressive artist who knows how to use the best of the old and new.

The new album features new band members Tio Moloantoa on bass and Andile Nqubezelo on percussion, and this funky new combination—completing the new band title Xavier Rudd and Iziuntaba—is a great accompaniment for summer drives and kicking back with friends.

Koonyum Sun is much lighter than Rudd’s previous Dark Shades of Blue which felt a little ominous and heavy. The mixture of funk, reggae, blues and folk with undertones of Australian Aboriginal and South African influences creates a great base for Rudd’s soulful and bright voice. The trademark slide guitar and didgeridoo are still present on tracks like “Love Comes & Goes” and title track “Koonyum Sun”.

Themes in Rudd’s songs still contain his special blend of environmental activism, social consciousness and cross-cultural influences. “Fresh Green Freedom” is an example of Rudd’s care for the earth: “Share with me this beautiful day/Listen to the birds sing softly/Lay with me and drift away/Follow me to the ocean”. His earthly metaphors and messages are omnipresent throughout Koonyum Sun.

Rudd and Iziuntaba are currently on a Canadian tour, making stops in Vancouver and Victoria, BC June 4 and 6 respectively.