Live Review: Ms Lauryn Hill

Ms Lauryn Hill is an artist who likes to take her time. In the soul singer's successful career, she has released only two albums, the last of which, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, was released over a decade ago. Her current Australian tour has been marred by late start times and subsequent curfew cut-offs, somewhat dampening the hype that has surrounded Hill's long awaited return.

Keeping consistent, Hill didn't materialise on stage at the Opera House until an hour past the original starting time (a situation that, thanks to an enthusiastic DJ and an overhyped crowd, wasn't too vexing) but there was no retribution – or anything but fanatic praise – from her audience when she finally appeared.

Hill and her band swept through a number of hits from her innovative debut The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill at such speed that it all sort of blurred into one big, reggae-infused mess. A talented rapper, Hill can sling it out a mile-a-minute, but she was going so fast it was more like an unintelligible hum, a pity considering the power of some of her lyrics.

Hill may have forgone the slower subtleties of tracks like Everything Is Everything or Ex-Factor for more upbeat, synthetic versions, but the audience members that were up dancing through the aisles proved it was a hit for some. And without the almost suffocating presence of her backing band, the acoustic renditions of Mr Intentional and Oh Jerusalem mid-set really showcased Hill's spine-chilling vocals. Although sitting a little lower on the vocal registry than in her heyday, her voice is still a power to be reckoned with, and it was nice hearing it unadorned.

Once again joined by her band and backing vocalists, Hill was like a preacher in the pulpit as she worked through some favourites by her old band, Fugees. There were members of the audience who looked like they were having spiritual conniptions (perhaps just overly zealous, bad dancers…) as Hill crooned out Killing Me Softly.

An easy but enjoyable cover of Bob Marley's Could You Be Loved and the always infectious Doo Wop (That Thing) rounded off the night. It perhaps wasn't the triumphant return we were all hoping for, but it was still an ultimately enjoyable trip down memory lane.