Masquerade

Description

Lauryn Hill is not the only former Fugees to invoke the ghost of Bob Marley. The Jamaican icon is the most obvious influence on Wyclef Jean's new album, rich in diverse ingredients. The successful producer, accompanied by his partner Jerry Wonder, positions himself here as a universal comforter. While the previous album was rather hip-hop, "Masquerade," which began recording a week after Wyclef's father's death, stands out from any category. The former Fugees describes his music as fusion, based on Caribbean rhythms. Overall, the tone is softer, warmer, and more comforting. Rap, represented by the first single, occupies a lesser place, and the covers are still numerous: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Dylan, Pussycat by Tom Jones, and a well-known Cette année là from the Gauls, renamed in English Oh What A Night!