When popular mainstream artists such as Bruce, Dixie Chicks, Neil Young or even Charlie Daniels and Toby Keith bring political matters to the stage or God-forbid into their music, it usually creates an uproar amongst their fans. For some strange reason naysayers think that a musical artist’s political opinions should be separate from their art. Regardless, controversy is most likely created because it is unexpected by these artists who for the most part stray away from political material. Michael Franti is no stranger to letting his fans know his opinions, he has been creating music with an underlying political agenda since his first band the Beatnigs in late eighties then in the early nineties with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. The roots of protest music can be traced back to blues and folk music from the thirties through the seventies, then punk and reggae from seventies forward. With a sound that some classify as hip-hop, Michael Franti manages to incorporate all of these said genres into his sound.
Not an extremely prolific career, releasing only five albums with Spearhead since forming the band in 1994, fans wait at least three years between albums. Thankfully, but most likely also a contributing factor to the lapse in time, he is constantly on tour. His last album with the band was 2003’s Everyone Deserves Music the album in which he matured with an expressive sweet-sounding voice and this release continues in the same vein. Upon returning from a tour of war-torn countries in the Middle East, which is documented in the newly released film “I Know I’m Not Alone”, Franti began recording Yell Fire partially in Kingston, Jamaica and back home in San Francisco. With Sly & Robbie helping out on the Kingston tracks the album sounds more like a reggae album than any of his previous releases such as Home and Chocolate Supa Highway with the later containing a track with Bob Marley’s son Stephen on lead vocals.
Kicking the album off with a beat straight from the Joe Strummer handbook, “Time to Go Home”, calls for the return of our soldiers. The song “Yell Fire”, with obvious inspiration by Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, not only addresses the war in Iraq it also hits on our addiction to gasoline, tobacco, prescribed medicine and excessive commercialism. Franti has made it clear that he wants to start a revolution against wars but with “Hey Now Now” he’s also ready to fight to party all night. “Hello Bonjour” is a worldwide cry for peace layered with sappy lyrics and a repetitive chorus that sounds like a European cell phone commercial but after a couple listens I am hooked. “One Step Closer to You” one of the softer songs is coated with Jamaican roots and features Pink on background vocals; it cries out to be an instant classic.
The title of the album comes from the phrase, “Don’t shout fire in a crowded theater” an action that is not protected by the First Amendment. Franti isn’t calling for a hectic riot, he’s outside of that theater warning us not to go inside. His message may be peace but it is not a soft, flowery sixties approach; when it comes to pacifism Franti is tough. Not that this CD or any other will change the world, if just a few of us take this peaceful advice the world may be a better place. Surprisingly for someone who has seen war firsthand, Franti sings about such poignant subject matter in such a joyous voice, spreading good vibrations, while criticizing government and influencing people to get up and dance. At the same time this can also be considered the album’s major flaw since the message he brings can also be dismissed as background jargon. Like most reggae music this works great on hot summer day regardless of your political views. It’s like a watching CNN while your on vacation in the Bahamas. So whether your looking to relax sipping a cool island drink, running on the tread mill or marching in front of the Whitehouse Yell Fire will motivate you to do those things.
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