Nerida – Crazy Beautiful World

Recorded live at Canowindra with Liz frencham on Double Bass, Danny Edwards -Djembe, Dave Gleeson , violin ,Native American FLute

Nerida – Crazy Beautiful World
by Chris Spencer
Nerida is the recording name for Nerida Cuddy who lives in the small town of Canowindra in Central West NSW.
She has recorded this cd of 13 songs in front of a live audience in the Canowindra Hall and enhanced a little in the studio.
Nerida has some good company helping her out – Liz Frencham on double bass, Phil Butson on guitar and Candy Edwards on djembe.
Steve Vella embellished the recording later on.
A couple of the live tracks include audience participation – perhaps they had some practice for the audience isn’t as shy as some of the ones I’ve been in at some festivals!
The songs alternate between serious and not so serious songs: among the not so serious ones are “Retail Therapy” and “Thrill of the Hunt” – both dealing with shopping – the first may reflect Nerida’s lack of a range of shops in her small country town, while the second is about the finds in op shops.
Some of the serious songs include “For Iris”, “Emperor’s New Clothes”, “Sorry” – a personal apology to the way aborigines have been treated and “Healing”.
Other songs deal with love – the opening “Canowindra”, the bouncy “One of those Love Stories” while “Don’t Go West” or “Ode to the Western World” has an anti-capitalist theme.
Two others are about her love for her children – “For Iris” and the title track.
“Lay it Down” is about being a mother, while “Nasaali” is a lament about the problems of children with AIDS in Africa.
Nerida has a bold, strong voice, confident and writes songs reflecting her feelings and opinions and is able to alter the mood of her songs to keep our interest.

Nerida ‘Crazy, Beautiful World’

CD Review by John Williams

Nerida lives in Canowindra in country NSW.She thinks it is appropriate that the town name in the local Wiradjuri language means “home”.

This CD contains thirteen tracks which are all written and performed by Nerida.Nerida’s vocals were recorded in Canowindra and backing musicians and vocals were added in Melbourne.The wonders of modern technology which enables artists to get their songs out into the World no matter where they choose to live.The backing members are Dave Gleeson, violin and Native American flute, Liz Frencham, double bass, Candy Edwards, djembe and Phil Butson on electric bass.

I liked ‘Canowindra, a tribute to Nerida’s home town.Anyone who has chosen to live in a small country town will relate to the lyrics in this song.‘One Of Those Love Stories’ is as you would expect it to be.

We have all got the guilts after partaking of ‘Retail Therapy’.In future if you feel like succumbing play this track.It should help!

‘Iris’ is a lovely track, a mother singing to her daughter.

A poignant track was ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ about the struggles to live the life we want amidst the pressures which surround us.

Nerida sings with a country feel in ‘Don’t Go West’ which is a strongly worded song about what we in the West have done and are doing to the planet.

‘Colours Of My World’ was written ten years ago about searching for the meaning of life.‘Sorry’ was written after Kevin Rudd’s apology to our indigenous people and is a powerful addition to the songs which have come from that event.This is my favorite track on the whole album.

‘Healing’ combines the love of Mutawinji National Park with the love of a friend in trouble.

Nerida wrote ‘Nasaali’ some years ago about an AIDS orphan in Africa.It still resonates strongly today.

‘Lay It Down’is a beautiful track about accepting life as it is.

Anyone who visits Op Shops will relate to ‘The Thrill Of The Hunt’.

The final track ‘Crazy, Beautiful World’ is also the title of the CD.It is a mother singing to her son about the current World and what the future may or may not hold for him.

Nerida has created a thought provoking CD with something for everyone.  I liked it.