Yell Fire! by Michael Franti and Spearhead

This was a weird CD to find in Ross's collection. Its not like he was a big reggae fan. He has the prerequisite Bob Marley CD but I have one too. So when it came to reggae I couldn't figure out why he bought this one. At first I thought it was the new one that the Current has been playing songs from but I didn't recognize many of these songs. I liked the CD though, it really didn't seem like a huge reggae record, it has its share of reggae beats and stuff but Michael Franti's voice is a lot smoother than Peter Tosh or Bob Marley's. I also could understand all the words he was saying unlike some other singers from reggae bands. I may seem like I am stereotyping, which I probably am, but growing up in Hawaii I heard lots of reggae. My little brother Marty also went through a reggae period when I was living at home (in the mid 80s) where all he listened to was reggae and most of those bands I haven't heard from since. Anyway, his voice is easy on the ears. I was also surprised at some of the songs on this CD, they were kind of polished and there were ballad-type songs without a reggae beat to be found. My favorite songs were "Time to Go Home," I talk about it below, and "Hello Bonjour." "Hello Bonjour" has a dance beat but a message of loving people from all over the world no matter how they greet you.

I struggled with whether this was a keeper or not. My gut reaction the first time through was yes, then today, I was thinking, how will I define a keeper? What if I keep every single CD? (Those who know me know I am not a keeper of a lot of stuff.) The answer I had was it has to be a CD that I will listen to over and over again. I had this revelation this morning that this was not that kind of a CD for me. Then I was discusing this CD with a coworker, who also owns it, and telling him I probably wouldn't keep it. He asked if it was because it was political. That woke me up a little. Even though I could hear every word Michael Franti was saying I wasn't really listening. I spent the rest of the day listening harder. I also found the lyrics tucked in a little pocket of the CD. From what I could tell this CD's inspiration was Franti's trip to Iraq. Then it all kind of fell into place. This is why Ross bought this CD. The first song in the CD, "Time to Go Home," starts with the words "Those who start wars never fight them and those who fight wars never like them." Then later in the chorus he sings, "Don't take our boys away no, don't take our girls away no, it's time to go home." The CD ends with the saying "Believe in coexistence." Ross was a big peacenik, I know everyone is surprised by that. What Franti is singing about was right up his alley and he would have bought this CD for that reason alone. It got me thinking, maybe I should keep a CD if it has a message I can believe in. This one sure does. I am keeping it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSeuLsNV4CA