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Michael Franti & Spearhead: The Sound of Sunshine

Capitol/Boo Boo Wax

Written in the wake of a ruptured appendix that almost killed Michael Franti, The Sound of Sunshine is an uplifting album that illustrates music’s power to the listener as well as to the creator. If Franti wrote his songs while he was scared, then he recorded them in joy. Tracked in Jamaica with producers Sly & Robbie, at Franti’s studio in Bali, in his hometown of San Francisco and on the road, the positive vibrations begin with the opening title track and don’t let up until the album closes with the beautiful “The Sound of Sunshine Going Down.” In addition to sing-along acoustic numbers, the album touches on a wide spectrum of styles like dancehall (“Shake It”), dub (“The Only Thing Missing Was You”) and a failed attempt at dance-rock (The Thing That Helps Me Get Through”). More than 20 years into his career, Franti has combined his vast influences from hip-hop, reggae, rock, funk and acoustic-pop into a single vision that just might be his best effort yet.