<P>Any time an artist decides to answer the requests of their fans with some type of concept album, they are suddenly walking a precarious line between potential hit or potential disaster. These are murky waters where even the most beloved artists will not often tread, and with good reason -- looking foolish or like a sell-out is simply too likely to happen.</P>

<P><B>Nichole Nordeman</B> answers that very call with <I>Live At the Door</I>, in response to fans who asked for an album that sounded like her simple acoustic live performances. There's no new material here, it's just eight tracks of her greatest hits, re-recorded in this new setting. Those hits include "Holy," "To Know You," "I Am," "Legacy," "My Offering," and more, although "Every Season" is curiously absent. Nearly every song is comprised of Nordeman's solo vocals accompanied by piano, light percussion, acoustic guitar, upright bass, and some more eccentric additions like accordion or wurlitzer. Some fans find this type of accompaniment to Nordeman's music to be purer and truer to the spirit of her songs, but I still find her songs to be poetically profound in either format.</P>

<P>Thankfully, <I>Live At the Door</I> never leaves you with that "empty hype" feeling. It's just a nifty little addition to the Nordeman library. Bottom line: If you enjoy Nordeman's live performances, now you can take that experience home. It's not a necessary addition to every fan's collection; instead, think of it as a special dessert -- not required, but definitely tasty.</P>

Robin Parrish