Merchant Finds the Right Balance

Natalie Merchant possesses a voice that’s pure forlorn melancholy, and she tends to write melodies in various shades of gray. Unlike her first solo album, which tossed in its fair share of uplifting celebrations amid the singer-songwriter’s gloom, Merchant’s latest release, “Ophelia,” is just one big, overcast winter sky--unremittingly dark and downcast.

At the Wiltern on Friday, Merchant played up the quiet drama that lurks at the heart of her music.

With 10,000 Maniacs, Merchant affected a somewhat prim, diffident persona, which was compatible with that band’s studious folk-rock sound. But now that she’s out on her own, Merchant has flowered as a stage performer, countering her soulful spirituality with an earthy sex appeal.

When she delved into stately ballads, Merchant retreated into herself, responding to the music’s gentle undertow with undulating hips and languorous hand movements. When the music became frisky, so did Merchant, stomping her feet and rocking her hips in a kind of primal rain dance. That’s what makes Merchant so appealing onstage: She surrenders to her music as guilelessly as any fan.

The same could not be said of Merchant’s backing quintet, which held back at inopportune moments, and didn’t provide her with the kind of dynamism she could have thrived on. Nonetheless, Merchant still managed to soar.