Album Review: Michael Franti & Spearhead – Stay Human Volume II (Thirty Tigers)

Michael Franti is back with what might very well be the quintessential summertime album.

One would think that Stay Human Volume II is in some way related to Franti’s 2001 Stay Human album. But actually is serves as a soundtrack to his recent documentary film also titled Stay Human.  Franti describes the film as, “a journey through music and stories of some of the most inspiring individuals on the planet. Amazing people that I’ve met on my travels around the globe, who have chosen to overcome cynicism with optimism, hope, tenacity, music, and love – and remind us all what it means to STAY HUMAN”.

I don’t really hear the songs that make up Stay Human Volume II as a soundtrack to the film, however (Note: I haven’t seen the documentary), but rather a collection of 14 songs infused with Michael Franti’s relentless optimism and joy of life in the face of the darker side of 21^st century existence…dirty politics, racism, poverty,violence, etc.

The album begins with a bit of nostalgia for the good old days when “a bar fight used to be a fist fight” and “a concert used to be fun, nobody running for the exit”.  The song is called Little Things and the breezy anthem is ultimately an uplifting ditty where Franti urges the listener to “throw a smile at someone passing by you”.

The steel drums and reggae beats break out on Just To Say I Love You. It begins with just a ukulele and Franti’s voice, before the full band eventually kicks in and manages to find just the right balance to remain charming rather than cloying.

Flower In The Gun features vocalist Victoria Canal and sounds like it could have been written in the summer of love (that’s  1967), such is it’s naiveté and optimism.  But again, Franti pulls it off without sounding clueless.

Even during a song titled This World Is So Fucked Up (But I Ain’t Ever Givin’ Up), where Franti sings about “politicians tweetin’” , he sounds like he’s got a smile on his face as he sings.

And that smile is infectious.

The summertime vibe especially pours through on the aptly-titled Summertime Won’t Last Long with its references to Bob Marley and his old VW van.

Meanwhile, Enjoy Every Second revels in such summertime pleasures as barbecues and hangin’ on the beach.

Even a slow burning gospel number such as Nobody Cries Alone manages to be reassuring as Franti sings what seems to be his mantra…”every little thing is gonna be alright”.

The music gets a bit grittier on When The Sun Begins To Shine, thanks to a bluesy guitar riff and a rollicking piano. By the end, you’ll no doubt be clapping along with the band.

Finally, album closer Take Me Alive feels like a live concert closer. It’s a passionate, intense ballad with just acoustic guitar and voice.

It’s not often that an artist based in the Northern Hemisphere releases an album that so closely aligns with what’s happening down under, but Franti and friends seem to have tapped into the Kiwi summer zeitgeist.

I highly recommend that you play this as long as the weather sizzles.

Marty Duda