<strong><span class="s1">Michael Franti & Spearhead<br/> </span>All People</strong><br/><strong> Capitol<span class="s2"><br/> </span><span class="s3"> ***</span></strong> <span class="s1">Michael Franti is in an enviable position. The San Francisco roots artist commands a fiercely dedicated global fan base fond of his blend of anti-establishment lyrics and sun-kissed melodies. It is precisely for this reason that diehard fans may run in horror from <em>All People</em>. Franti’s eighth album lives up to its title of being his most accessible recording yet. </span> <span class="s1">Chart success is the goal here, with Franti embracing electro-pop and dance music. The earworm melody, complete with repetitive chorus, makes <em>I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like) </em>sound more similar to the Black Eyed Peas than, say, Bob Marley. The electronic influences are also heard in <em>11:59</em>. Franti competently raps about the world’s ills before delivering another life-affirming chorus that is his stock-in-trade. </span> <span class="s1"><em>Earth from Outer Space</em> would please some of the faithful with its dub overtones, but the throbbing follow-up <em>Closer to You</em> quickly brings it back to dance-pop territory. The diatribes of former albums may have been reduced to bumper sticker laments, but it would truly take a grinch to despise the optimism <em>All People</em> holds.</span> <span class="s2"><a href="mailto:sasaeed@thenational.ae">sasaeed@thenational.ae</a></span> Follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thenationalArtsandLife">Facebook</a> for discussions, entertainment, reviews, wellness and news. Follow us
