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5 out of 10
Michael Franti is the spirit of rebellion. A career replete with all the right names; Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Cypress Hill, Serj Tankian, Billy Bragg, the Fugees (Er.), U2 (Riiight.), No Doubt (OK, you can stop now). His surname contains the word 'anti'. He's even on 'Anti-Records'. So why does much of this album sound as rebellious as Red, Red Wine? The polished Sly & Robbie production cannot be solely to blame. Perhaps Franti is trying to bring down the system from within. After all, he's just played twice at the V festival in front of several thousand middle-managers, fat women painted up like Amy Winehouse and kids on a daddy junket. Maybe that explains the clash of hard-hitting verses, mundane sing-along choruses and reliance on the words 'frickin' and 'freakin' (Must avoid the 'parental advisory' tag at all costs, eh Michael?). There is some genuine drama - the rocky drive of Soundsystem, say - but Franti's voice is so laid-back that all the tension and impact has to come from the lyrics and music - neither of which consistently cut it. Also, the break from overt politics beginning with All I Want Is You and ending with I Got Love For You does nothing other than tell us how this renowned leader of the free world has a rather desperate love life. Thanks for that.
It has its moments, though. Franti has an excellent turn of phrase now and again - 'radio plays the same ten songs, set your clock by which one's on' (Life In The City), 'they tell you that war is a permanent thing and that American Idol kids really can sing' (The Future) - and the track Hey World is a gem, with its excellent, heartfelt vocal and the best mix of words and music on the album. It's also one of a pair of songs to depart from the usual Reggae/Funk/Rock on offer, driven as it is by acoustic guitar (the other being Have A Little Faith, which basically rips off Tracy Chapman's Fast Car to little effect). The other stand-out is the aforementioned Life In The City, which mentions stop-and-search, phone tapping and dawn raids - all things the V festival audience will be familiar with from watching telly, no doubt. The rude boy is indeed back in town - he's just not that 'rude' any more.
Listen: www.myspace.com/spearheadvibrations
Tracklist:
1. Rude Boys Back In Town
2. A Little Bit of Riddim
3. Life In The City
4. Remote Control
5. All I Want Is You
6. Say Hey (I Love You)
7. I Got Love For You
8. Soundsystem
9. Hey World
10. The Future
11. High Low
12. Nobody Right Nobody Wrong
13. Have A Little Faith
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