|
Taken from Examiner (Sep 02, 2009)
A Bumbershoot and a Spearhead
by J Stanger
 Earlier this week I asked the Examiner.com family to point out some of their favorite acts that will be appearing at this year's Bumbershoot Festival…the acts that are less well-known, but that could and should receive a little more attention:
Greg Roth, a fellow Examiner from Seattle, steered me toward Michael Franti and Spearhead, a reggae/rap/funk/soul/folk group with California origins. I had heard of Franti for years but never HEARD him…until this year when a little song called "Say Hey (I Love You)" came across my stereo. The song is an absolute gem of positive dancehall infectiousness. I fell in love with it immediately. And based on my love of that song and Greg's recommendation I did some research on the group.
Franti's makeup is as diverse as the sound of his band. It seems he has African, Native American, Irish, French, and German blood running through him. Raised by his adoptive parents in Oakland, Franti formed Spearhead in 1994 after a couple stints with other bands, and they became officially known as "Michael Franti & Spearhead" after a bitter parting with former label Capitol Records that retained the rights to the name "Spearhead".
As a newcomer to MF&S, I haven't had time to listen to most of their catalog, but I have found he often touches on social and political issues in very thoughtful ways. Songs like the acoustic version of "Hey World" and "The Future" fit that vain. Otherwise, Franti makes some head-bobbing jams like "A Little Bit of Riddim" and "Yes I Will." There's also "We Don't Stop" that seems to be a bit of both (a political jam). My inexperienced Franti ear also really enjoyed a couple of his quieter moments in the allegorical "Never Too Late" and the uplifting "Have A Little Faith." Is it too soon to feel won over? Greg Roth was absolutely right!
One article I found suggested that Franti only wears shoes when required to (in places like airports and such), and I will try to make a point to look at his feet when he takes the mainstage at Bumbershoot Sunday at 7:15 pm. If Michael Franti & Spearhead's fans are anything like his music, I have a feeling their set is gonna be one of the most positive and familial of the fest. Look for me there…I'll be the guy that doesn't know any of the words but who's having a great time anyways!
|
