HAYLEY GRIFFITHS

Melanie/Far From Here POSH AND ROCK

MUSICALLY WORLDS APART, YET UNITED BY THAT SUBLIME VOICE.

Former Karnataka frontwoman shows her range.

This double bill from Hayley Griffiths presents two contrasting sides of her musical identity. Melanie is the first album from The Hayley Griffiths Band, a group that features drummer Jimmy Pallagrosi and keys player Çag˘ri Tozluog˘lu who, along with Griffiths, were previous members of Karnataka. The band are completed by guitarist Mathieu Spaeter, who’s played with Franck Carducci and Drifting Sun, and bassist Jordan Brown.

Musically, Melanie feels like a natural continuation of where Griffiths left off with Karnataka while allowing her to express more of her musical theatre influences. Her control and pitch are faultless, although in some of the rockier passages, her voice could stand to be more prominent in the mix. While it’s not so ostentatious, the sound and feel aren’t miles away from Jim Steinman’s work with Celine Dion, given an added progressive sheen. The melodies are accessible and the energy is always uplifting, and there’s a grand sense of drama in tracks like Broken Lullaby and Perfect Lie that’s very much in Steinman’s spirit.

Made My Bed is bookended by Pallagrosi’s slick drumming and features a classical guitar solo from Spaeter, although the chorus is a little trite. Likewise, Little Star strays towards the realm of MOR but the rest of the album outshines that one song. Nick D’Virgilio even delivers a guest vocal on the closer

Dust To Gold, one of the heftier rockers although there’s a touch of pop in the chorus hook and that musical theatre influence is evident as D’Virgilio and Griffiths duet with great style. The Hayley Griffiths Band wear their prog lightly at times, but Griffiths’ voice elevates the whole experience.

Far From Here, released on the same day though billed to Griffiths alone, is effectively a sequel to the singer’s 2011 release Celtic Rose. As with that album, it finds her tackling a set of folk standards. It’s a showcase for the soprano, with her voice right up front. The album is produced by Mike Stobbie, once a member of Scottish neo-proggers Pallas, and he brings variety to the arrangements, which blend a classical influence with pianos and orchestrated strings alongside traditional instruments like flute and Celtic harp.

The sole original composition, the title track, sits alongside the 10 covers and Griffiths seems right at home tackling the likes of Star Of The County Down and Loch Lomond. That shouldn’t be a surprise given that she toured the world singing in Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance stage show. As with Melanie, Griffiths’ precision and control are remarkable throughout. Musically, the two releases are worlds apart, yet they’re united by that sublime voice.