Faltering Finley Quaye Finally Hits Stride at Roxy

Shyness? Inexperience? Nerves? An overdose of cool?

Whatever the cause, the first half of Finley Quaye’s show at the Roxy on Wednesday almost made you wonder if this could be the same man who made “Maverick a Strike,” the late-’97 debut album that introduced a feisty, charismatic young soul-pop-reggae alchemist.

Quaye, 23, hardly mustered any presence, never mind charisma, at the Roxy. He was uninvolved with the audience and disconnected from the music, appearing more interested in getting fresh cigarettes from the wings as often as possible.

Instead of the atmospheric, ambitious, experimental-edged dynamics that give his album a contemporary feel and an evocative allure, Quaye relied on a solid but standard-issue reggae band. Since he’s not a showy singer or forceful performer, that left things flat and conventional.

But when the Edinburgh-based singer (whose heritage is Ghanaian and Scottish) and the band launched into “Sunday Shining,” a declaration of love and unity with a heavy-rocking riff and a flower-power scent, Quaye suddenly hit his stride.

While not a vocal virtuoso, his singing has an engaging directness, and a Marley-like timbre that cuts through the mix with convincing urgency. It allowed him to effortlessly twine two primary reggae strands, summoning the radiant, youthful innocence of romantic soul singer as well as the grizzled wisdom of the social prophet. He’s a baby-faced maverick, but his culminating expression of music’s ability to create community amid tribulation rang with timeless authority.