October 11, 2001
Beaver Nelson, Undisturbed
By Paula Felps, Fort Worth Weekly

Beaver Nelson is one of the more disheveled artists to grace an album cover as of late, with a look that's just this side of scary. However, that image quickly fades when listening to the Austin singer/songwriter, who specializes in the kind of desperation found only in people who've come to terms with the futility of their lives.

Cynical and wistful but never wallowing, Undisturbed, his third independent release, is intentionally rough around the edges, although the lyrics are razor-sharp. Nelson's insights come from one disappointment piled on the next. Rather than choking on the bitter pill of reality, however, he swallows it easily, noting that he misses his innocence ("Eleven Again") but recognizing that "the past [is] as worthless as an empty mine" ("Did You Know?"). He even blames himself for his longings in "I Wanted Too Much" and begs the world not to crush what remaining hope he has in "Better Now."

While this might sound like the soundtrack for crippling depression, it's actually housed in a rather upbeat melodic package that stops short of being honky-tonk but definitely shows his Texas roots. And it's a great way to put a bad day into perspective.