Back when his old band Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy were supporting U2, it looked like Michael Franti might well be the voice of hip-hop for the new millennium. The genre and he embarked on separate paths however, the former down the depressing gangsta route while Franti founded Spearhead, a less abrasive and more uplifting vehicle for his songs and one of the best live bands you’re ever likely to see.
Major label deals came and subsequently went and come 2004, while rap was more concerned with the size of its Rolexes than the war in the Middle East, Franti was visiting Iraq, Israel and Palestine with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a video camera. The result was the ‘I Know I’m Not Alone’ film and subsequently this album. Unsurprisingly, the war forms a backdrop to many of the songs with Franti raging through the title track, ‘Time To Go Home’ and ‘Light Up Ya Lighter’, recalling the passion and intelligence of his old cohorts Consolidated. Despite tackling some pretty heavyweight subjects over the years, Franti has rarely sounded as fired-up as this. Yet Yell Fire! is only a partly-political broadcast, informed by Franti’s discovery that the last thing that people in a war-zone want to hear is songs about being in a war-zone. The standard, ‘why can’t we just all get along stuff’ is all here, but for the first time Spearhead have really captured their live sound. They’ve nailed the reggae side too (helped no doubt by recording in Kingston with Sly & Robbie), and even rope in Pink for an understated vocal on ‘One Step Closer To You’. It’s an infectious experience, one that satisfies both your intellect and your musical taste, and is easily the best thing that Franti has ever put his name to. Looks like he’s coming home.