This record is a balance of darkness and light, thanks in no small part to the studio presence of Joe Barresi, the man behind the sonics of Tool and Queens of the Stone Age. For years, audiences have swooned and swayed to the dark throb of Rudd's live shows, the pulsing low-end of the Australian dideridoo and the biting droneff of his slide guitar - now DARK SHADES OF BLUE captures that visceral presence with Rudd's guitar and vocals at their most heavy and psychedelic. Fans of Tool will embrace the new sound, while the fan base Xavier has built touring with Dave Matthews and Ben Harper will be amazed at how the new album captures his live performance.