Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Franti and Spearhead's best work to date, August 6, 2006
After the somewhat disappointing turn in 2003's "Everyone Deserves Music", I couldn't help but wonder what the next move was for Franti. It was a decent CD, but not the masterpieces that "Home" and "Stay Human" were. Fortunately, Franti has found himself and is back with "Yell Fire!" his best work to date.
"Yell Fire!" feels fresh, loose and natural with reggae, hip-hop, r&b, blues and rock all mixed together with a sound that hasn't been heard for some time. The lyrics are political and unflinching as Franti reveals his message with a mixture of anger, sadness, and thoughtfulness.
The CD begins with "Time To Go Home" a funky-reggae inspired song and the title track "Yell Fire!" with a fiery call for activism. Followed up with "I Know I'm Not Alone" a refreshing blast of hope for the world. There is also the down-trodden acoustic "Sweet Little Lies" and the bluesy, R&B "One Step Closer To You" that are also standouts on this disc.
There is also balance on "Yell Fire!" as Franti does not beat us over the head with his political message. On "Hello Bonjour" he inserts verses about religious tolerance with a ridiculously catchy chorus that will have anybody singing it for days. There is also "Hey Now Now" and "Everybody Ona Move" which gives us a break with a couple of more straight-forward songs you can dance to. Franti never loses sight of having fun even while telling us the tales of the middle east. Very few artists can do that.
"Yell Fire!" closes on a particularly strong note. The righteous "Light Up Ya Lighter", "Tolerance" which is someone reminscent of Franti's landmark song "Bomb The World" and "Is Love Enough?", giving "Yell Fire!" an appropriately bitter-sweet ending.
"Yell Fire!" is music for the people. This is a CD that every person in the world should hear, because Michael Franti and Spearhead have created a message that we should all begin listening to. "Tolerance or violence? The whole world goes to war".
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Language do You Love in?, July 25, 2006
Out of 5 stars, I give "Yell Fire!" 6 stars.
I had the good fortune to catch Michael Franti and Spearhead's gig in mid-June, and then saw Michael's movie "I Know I'm Not Alone" afterwards---these songs have been jammin on my brain since. On top of that, a friend let me sneak a listen from a pre-pressing of "Yell Fire!", and boy does this album hump and pump into the great beyond--beyond my already hightened expectations. In short: well worth the purchase. Spearhed fans will drink deeply from this well-spring, and if this is your first Michael Franti/Spearhead album--you're in for a treat!
But, why 6 stars? Simply, this album is inspired and will quite possibly inspire you. The songs are crafted out 2 main influence streams. First, Michael Franti recently traveled to Iraq, Isreal and Palestine to connect with various "everyday folks" (including various people in military service) about war and military occupation. The footage shot during this time became the movie "I Know I'm Not Alone" and is also highly recommended. Needless to say, visitng militarily occupied areas in the Middle East these days would touch a profound place in anyone, but Michael is also a dedicated spiritual-pracititioner and these days is such a brightly-burning-being of such tremendous One-Love light that his personal charm and his finely-crafted songs are infectous and uplifting, reminding us of our human-humane essence.
Raised on "classic rock", I have not been much of a fan of hip-hop, but hey-- Spearhead's music is straight-up and hand-made: guitars, drum kit, bass, keyboards, and conscious lyrics. No tricks, except some honest hard work over many years, and a healthy appreciation for life. I am personally sick of songs about people who either get to have sex together or don't get to have sex together. Compare with this excerpt from "East to the West":
Life is bigger than just one decision,
Music is bigger than just one station,
Love is bigger than just one nation, (and)
God is bigger than just one religion
So, in "Yell Fire!" you will hear songs that question the status quo of America's military infiltration into the Middle East (how can we best support the US troops over there?? bring 'em home, of course), intertwined with songs that celebrate the joy of being alive on this beautiful planet. Set aginst a variety of musical styles --reggae, hip-hop, folk, rock-- this cleanly-produced album has deeply touched my body and moved my heart, and the other way around as well. Thank you Michael for your voice, for your spirit, and for demonstrating OneLove. God bless you and sustain you.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If this one doesn't get Franti and Spearhead recognized . . ., September 14, 2006
I have to start off by saying that I'm 52 and have been a musician for most of my life, have seen many trends come and go and continue to stay open-minded about all forms of music as long as they respect the past and break new ground. That said, I was given a copy of "Home" by a friend a couple of years ago and told that this was the type of hip-hop related music that I was looking for and that Franti and cohorts deserved to be wildly famous. Soon I had bought all available recordings by them and respected the range of songwriting, production, and continuity of vision not only in message but in overall presentation.
Yell Fire is one of those rare culminating moments for an artist who is seasoned, at the top of the game and prepared to lay bare all that is important and personal for his/her/their art. This album is an absolute classic from the starting gate. Springsteen's "Born In The USA" comes to mind; so does Pink Floyd's "The Wall", Led Zeppelin IV, Sgt. Pepper, the Fugee's "The Score", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" . . . well, I think the point is made. The elements that make Franti's and Spearhead's work so fresh from release to release (hip-hop, soul, folk, rock, reggae, jam band)are combined, stripped down, rebuilt and presented with a message of peace borne from first hand experience of a war zone and a long history of social activism. The messages come across loud and clear while the music just makes you feel good, relaxed and invigorated.
Michael and company's vision is mature, accessible and altogether a joy to listen to. It covers all the bases that a conscious artist can cover and does so simply, elegantly and with great humor, compassion and humility. If this one doesn't get Franti and Spearhead recognized for the important world-class artists they are and have been for years now, I may on principle refuse to buy a major release recording ever again! "Yell Fire" is probably the most important album of 2006 and should not remain an underdiscovered gem. And Franti's film "I Know I'm Not Alone" is also a must-have after listening to and understanding this work.
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