Beth Nielsen Chapman

A few posts ago I mentioned the new cds that I purchased at Barnes & Nobel. My mini-review is a thumbs up for Beth Nielsen Chapman's new cd Look. I've been listening to it all week and I enjoy it more each time.

I've liked Beth's music since forever. I saw her in concert as an opening act for Dan Fogelberg once back in the day. I don't think Dan Fogelberg even tours anymore so that tells you that it was a while ago. She was wonderful and I desperately wanted her to sing "Emily" still one of my favorite songs by her. I was too shy to shout out the suggestion to her.

I remember the concert well, partly because I was incredibly annoyed by the rudeness of the audience during her act. I try to be polite to opening acts in general, since usually they're not who the audience came to see specifically. The man behind me talked to his girlfriend throughout her set, heedless that others might have come to see BNC as well as Dan. The same guy also sang along with Dan which frankly, is a serious offense at a concert. I was too nice, being a mid-westerner, to turn around and tell him to shut it. I regret that now because even years later his inconsiderate behavior is irritating to me. I'd probably be philosphical about it if I had vented properly to him at the time.

For the uninitiated, though, Beth's finest cd is Sand and Water. There was a long delay after her first two cds came out, both of which had hits you'd probably recognize if I had any clue how to attach a music file to this blog, which I don't and if it probably wasn't illegal, which I'm not even sure about. Anyway--I was checking in the the record store regularly to get her latest and years went by, to my great frustration. I'm afraid I was a bit unkind about her artist process while waiting for my gratification. Did I ever feel like a HEEL when I read in her liner notes that the long delay was because her husband had died of cancer. Now I check in at her website and avoid those kinds of faux pas. That said, what a tour de force Sand and Water is. That cd is so gorgeous and moving I can't imagine anyone not being blown away by the music. Add to that its theme of grief and anyone who has lost a loved one would be deeply affected. Seriously, it is that good.