Wyclef Jean - The Ecleftic: Personally I can't wait for a treble Clef! (geddit??) (Fugees in general)

Member Name: garrymac

Product:	Fugees in general
Date:	13/10/00 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Although it is generally a hip hop album it still has different beats to suit most tastes. Great value for money.

Disadvantages: Not really as well recognised as it should be.

Wyclef Jean never ceases to amaze me. It seems that everything this ex-Fugee touches turns to gold. Since his old group parted and went their own separate ways he has done nothing but bang out one great tune after another. Wyclef has mastered many genres of music, I mean who can forget the amazing ‘Gone ‘till November’? A song which was a ballad, a love song and an upbeat hip hop track all rolled into one and I defy anyone to not tap along to the recently released ‘It Doesn’t Matter’.

Wyclef not only releases great music himself but he has produced and featured on many tracks by other well known artists such as Carlos Santana’s ‘Maria’ or Whitney Houston’s ‘My Love is Your Love’. He proved his talent furthermore when he released a record in support of a well known children’s charity with none other than U2’s Bono.

I could sing Wyclef’s praises (and his songs) all day long but I suppose I better get on to my review of his latest album ‘The Ecleftic’. Anyone who has listened to and enjoyed Wycelf’s previous album ‘The Carnival’ will remember how it contained a mixed bag of both slow and fast songs and even a couple of cover versions too. Well this album is no different and like his previous album you also have to listen to this one a few times over before the songs start sticking.
Wyclef has out done himself once again with this new album. It contains catchy upbeat songs such as ‘It Doesn’t Matter’, ‘Perfect Gentleman’ and ‘Low Income’ and is balanced out by slower songs such as ‘911 (featuring Mary J. Blige), ‘Runaway’, ‘Something About Mary’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’.

The album also contains some harder Gangster style rap songs such as ‘Thug Angels’, ‘Da Cypha’, ‘Pullin’ Me In’ and ‘
Diallo’. All in all the album contains 16 full songs which I think anyone would agree is good value for money for any album. It also contains those short interludes which Wyclef fans have grown used to and which add a little bit more character to the album.

In my opinion Wyclef has done great for himself since leaving the security of the ‘Fugees’ but he never seems to gloat about this and he evens offers an open invitation to the rest of the band to get together for a reunion in the opening track of the album which is called ‘Where Fugees At?’. Wyclef has shown us all that he has both the will and the skill to make it successfully on his own.

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