It should come as no surprise that
Melky Sedeck, a duo comprised of
Wyclef Jean's young sister and brother, are heavily reminiscent of
the Fugees, or any of
the Refugee Camp side projects. It isn't a matter of the music being in the blood, or any other silly cliché -- it's a matter of a shared sensibility.
Melky Sedeck are coming from the same vantage point as their brother and
Lauryn Hill, blending a variety of styles -- hip-hop, reggae, soul, gospel, pop -- into a colorful, multi-cultural sound. While they're not as accomplished at this stage as
Jean,
Hill, or
the Fugees,
Melky Sedeck have fashioned an appealing debut with
Sister and Brother. It's true that the music feels like a smoothed-out variation on
The Score and the solo efforts by
Wyclef and
Hill, but
Sedeck's music is strong, even when the grooves are mellow. More importantly,
Melky is a terrific singer, blessed with a rich, generous voice that is convincing on every track, even a misconceived cover of "To Sir, With Love." To some, it may be a disappointment that the album isn't radically different from
the Fugees, but when faced with a debut this promising, it seems churlish to complain. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine