Xavier Rudd ‘Live In The Netherlands’

Album Review

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By Stu Kelly / May 6, 2017

Xavier Rudd has added another chapter in his evolving career with the release of his latest live album Live In The Netherlands, featuring Bobby Alu on drums and Ant Aggs on synth bass/keys. The 18-track double live album was recorded on the final show on their most recent European tour, at the TivoliVredenburg, in Utrecht, Netherlands, on May 3, 2016.  

The new live album was never intended to be an official release, in fact the show was recorded so Rudd and his team could assess  where they were musically and critique their current live show. The end results were so uplifting they couldn’t keep the music shelved. Xavier Rudd posted the following statement explaining the album’s evolution.

“Live in the Netherlands kind of just fell together pretty organically.The tour in Europe was sold out and pumping and Bobby, Ant and I were really on top of our game. The energy at the shows was huge and there was a really strong thread of positive intention running through the communities. We had an opportunity to record the last two nights in Utrecht, which I thought would be a good idea mainly for a reference for us to document where we were at. When I listened back to it I felt like we captured some magic particularly on the last night and I’m happy to share, what I feel is the best live product I’ve released to this point in my career.” 

 Rudd pulls from his many studio albums such as White Moth, Food In The Belly, Koonyum Sun, Solace, Spirit Bird and Nana. The beautiful collection is intensely explored as it’s not uncommon for the trio to break away from each song’s structure and improvise spontaneously in the live atmosphere. The crowd is fully enthralled and rich with energy in the recording and at times Rudd drops a free-form jam for a call and release with the crowd. The energy bounced back and forth from the stage and the audience in the most beautiful way that even the listener at home can feel the impact of the ritualistic relationship. 

The new album can be ordered from Xavier Rudd’s website here. Currently Xavier Rudd is gearing up for another leg of his European tour in June, and will later embark on his first U.S. tour since 2015, in July. 

Full track listing:

• Flag
• Come Let Go
• Food In The Belly
• The Mother
• While I’m Gone
• Come People/Sacred
• Breeze Intro
• Breeze
• No Woman No Cry
• Messages
• The Letter
• Bow Down
• Follow The Sun
• Rise Up
• Creancient
• Let Me Be
• Solace
• Spirit Bird

 Check out a clip of”Follow The Sun” from the new live album below.