Michael Franti & Spearhead Stay Human Review

Since the release of Chocolate Super Highway Michael Franti has been busy. Very busy. Working both musically and in activist situations against the death penalty has provided the mainstay of Spearheads third album, Stay Human. An imaginary pirate radio broadcast concerned with the impending execution of black activist Sister Fatima provides a platform for the delivery of this meditation on social justice.

Musically, this is a return to the skilful and organic sounding first album, Home. The dirty P funk of "Rock The Nation" and the hugely warming and optimistic "Sometimes" and "Do Ya Love" make Stay Human as much a socio-political work as a hymn to the individuality of the soul. Franti is a poet, philosopher as well as a producer and this collection is his master work; he is six foot six above 'see' level and like the skin on the drum, the harder they hit him the louder he becomes. Remarkable...