Longtime peace advocate begs for humanity

To call Michael Franti simply a ‘musician’ is an insult. Yes, he’s a songwriter and artist that scored a platinum hit in 2008 with the dance/reggae smash “Say Hey,” but there’s so much more that defines him. He’s a businessman who owns a yoga resort hotel in Southern Bali. He’s a humanitarian who released a film advocating for peace in the Middle East. He’s a political activist who promotes veganism, barefoot living and general peace. That being said, the reason he’s being written about is that Michael Franti & Spearhead have released a new album, Stay Human Vol. II, which will also serve as the soundtrack to his new documentary.

The original Stay Human album was released all the way back in 2001, but the two releases are completely unrelated. This upcoming documentary focuses on trying to keep love in our hearts and sanity in our minds in an era where so many people feel no hope.

The music is great. Franti’s mix of dance music and reggae has never left any face unsmiling, but his addition of folk elements really fits with the times. He doesn’t need anything more than his acoustic guitar for the songs to be powerful, but the electronics, percussion and horns all make this seem like it has extra significance. Sometimes the uplifting nature of his lyrics can get a tiny bit too cliché and cheesy, but not to the point where it ruins the album.

“Flower In The Gun” is a song that can’t be missed, thanks to a beautiful vocal duet with Victoria Canal, backing strings, grand piano and spoken word. The hip-hop/piano combo screams Lin-Manuel Miranda’s name. The title track, with its rootsy fingerpicking, Bieber-esque backing synths and triumphant trumpet line, is another standout. Also don’t skip past the cheesy Motown funk vibes on “You’re Number One,” the nasty blues guitar riff on “When The Sun Begins To Shine” and the minimalist closing track “Take Me Alive,” which consists of just Franti and his guitar.

Ultimately, whether this album changes lives or not, it’s still an enjoyable listen and contains nothing but the right messages. And in the stressful era we’re in, splurging for a brief dose of positivity isn’t a bad thing.