She's just so...wow. I'll shut up now.

At the Sheldon Concert Hall

Wednesday, April 23, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $45

Available through Metrotix.com or call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900.

www.sheldonconcerthall.org

Norway better be careful. If it doesn't quit churning out peerless, heavenly, soul-stirring musical talent, it'll eventually start getting cocky, and music writers who were previously swooning over every alluring new chanteuse or melancholic art pop outfit to emerge from that Nordic wonderland will reach the saturation point, and start looking elsewhere for their sonic kicks. You hear me, Norway? Some of us just can't afjord to pick up every fluttery, fetching, feeling-filled tunefest you oh so flirtatiously try to fix us up with every other new-release day. We have our limits, Norway. You can't keep thrusting your lithe, lush, lovely body of artists at us, week in and week out, and expect us to keep falling at your feet! You got that, Bergen? Oslo, you dig? Trondheim? We're worn out, and we're feeling a little used, baby doll! Just give us a little space, sweetie pie-that's all we're asking!

Um, sorry...I digress. Don't lump the divinely gifted Sissel into the modern pop cornucopia that characterizes Norwegian exports these days. Sissel has been around a long time-she may, in fact, be the best-known Norwegian singer to the wider listening public. She's been releasing albums since 1986 (her first one came out when she was only 17 years old), she's performed at the Olympics and the opening concert for World Cup Soccer in 1994, she sang on the Titanic soundtrack (somehow managing not to become a source of musical derision like certain French-Canadians who also appeared on that project), has appeared in a couple of acclaimed PBS concert specials, and has covered tunes by artists as diverse as Schubert and Abba and Deep Purple (it's true...she did a Jon Lords song! Look it up!). In 2004, she was a featured soloist on the Lord of the Rings symphony tour, prompting composer Howard Shore to gush, "Sissel's radiant voice illuminates this work." Her most recent album is the 2007 wintery-themed platter Northern Lights, which garned almost all five-star reviews by fans at amazon.com. Sissel seems gracious, sophisticated and completely appreciative of her place in the world of so-called "adult contemporary-crossover," or whatever you want to call it. Oh, and she can sing. Really, really well. And by Goddess, she's coming to St. Louis. To the acoustically perfect Sheldon. What could be more blissful? Um, did I mention that Sissel is from Norway, by the way? I did? Oh, okay, sorry. I just have this thing for Norway...we're kind of involved, you see. So naturally, uh, I want to show her off. She's just so...wow. I'll shut up now. | Kevin Renick