The first time I listened to NeidFyre's CD, I greatly admired the singer's voice but, after several tracks, began wondering where the rest of the band came in. To my surprise, as I discovered when I read through the liner notes, there is no band; NeidFyre is a single person, Melissa "Gryphon" Ginsberg, who opted to give her solo act a broader facade.

I'm not sure it was the wisest idea. Ginsberg has a powerful voice, which she displays to great effect on songs that will certainly be very familiar to anyone who has ever stepped inside the gates of any of the many Renaissance fairs dotting the country. (New York's Sterling Renaissance Festival is one of several Ginsberg calls home.) Still, an album posing as the work of a band might disappoint listeners who are expecting more than one person's efforts.

The disc mostly contains fairly standard fare for the Renaissance circuit: "Maid on the Shore," "Hey Ho Rounded," "Johnny," "Angus" and "The Shoemaker" are among the chestnuts presented here. Beyond the fairly goofy "Here We Go a Waddling" (set to the tune of "The Wassail Song" and a sure hook for duck lovers everywhere) and a fair-specific rewrite of Robert Burns' timeless "Auld Lang Syne," you won't find any surprises. However, those who can't get enough of these songs will certainly enjoy Ginsberg's vocal presentation.

On the other hand, Ginsberg's two fiddle tracks only go to prove that her voice is her stronger suit. (Plus, I'm pretty sure her set titled simply "Reels" is actually a pair of jigs, "Scarce o' Tatties" and "Black Nag.") And an unnamed percussionist (bodhran and djembe) needs to learn more than a basic "thump thump" rhythm. The occasional use of harp (Trudy Moon) and backing vocals (Nigel and Rose Splinter) do little to add instrumental interest to the recording.

I'm sure Ginsberg has plenty of fans at Sterling, Vermont and King Richard, where a solo singer with a voice this good can easily draw throngs of people to listen or sing along on the familiar ballads. For them, this album is a nice souvenir of the experience. But for a broader audience, Ginsberg should consider throwing a few surprises into the mix -- more complex arrangements, perhaps, additional musicians and songs that aren't quite so well known. I'd like to see the results if she put her voice to work in front of an actual band and gave her voice a better vehicle to work with.

[ visit NeidFyre's website ]