POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Armatrading’s Range and Masterful Poise Combine in Triumph

Young, brash upstarts like Alanis Morissette and Courtney Love have been in the pop spotlight this year, but as 45-year-old Joan Armatrading demonstrated with aplomb Saturday night at the sold-out Galaxy Concert Theatre, a relaxed, warm and inviting demeanor can be more inspiring than a defiant, intimidating pose.

Loaded with a 20-year arsenal of material as richly rewarding as her distinctive, full-bodied contralto, Armatrading delivered a nearly two-hour set of rock, reggae, folk music and soul-tinged blues that was masterful both in conception and performance.

The singer-songwriter, a West Indian native whose work always has been revelatory and confessional, led listeners on a sweeping musical and personal odyssey, perfectly bookended by the upbeat opening of the catchy “I’m Lucky” and her sing-along encore, the serene, hymn-like “Willow.”

Unveiled and tucked strategically between these gems was an often heart-wrenching trail of tears, littered with unrequited love and conflicting emotions most eloquently expressed during an anguished reading of “The Weakness in Me.” Ripe with vulnerability, Armatrading seemed to reach down deep within herself before crying out:

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Why do you call me when you know I can’t answer the phone?

You make me stay when I should not.

Are you that strong,

Or is it just the weakness in me?

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After opening with a solid seven-piece band, she scaled the instrumentation down to cello, violin, piano and her own acoustic guitar for her newer songs, from the strong collection “What’s Inside.” Unlike the recorded versions--which feature the weighty support of the Kronos Quartet, the Memphis Horns and other high-profile guests--these relatively minimalistic renditions laid bare each song’s emotional core.

Particularly outstanding were “Shapes and Sizes,” with a contagious melody that carries home the message of showing your love before it’s too late; the lovely “Trouble,” a heartwarming salute to Armatrading’s mother, and the jazzy, poignant “In Your Eyes,” which Armatrading sung in a near-whisper as Natalio Faingold’s acoustic piano added a sensual, heated glow. Cellist Laura Fairhurst and violinist Prabjote Osahn embellished numbers with their own subtle yet key touches of color and personality.

The band returned for the fast-paced “Drop the Pilot,” kick-starting an electrified, high-volume finale that revealed, albeit sparingly, Armatrading’s underrated skills as a lead guitarist.

Iowa-raised, Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Susan Werner played a well-received solo acoustic set filled with timely humor and seemingly honest emotion. Her finely drawn chronicles of romantic heartbreak peaked with her sagas of missed opportunity (“St. Mary’s of Regret”) and hope and perseverance (“No One Here but Me”).