Chocolate Supa Highway (CD - 1997)

Additional personnel: Stephen Marley, Joan Osborne (vocals); Mike Tyler, Jack Petruzzelli, Erik Della Penna (guitar); Ted Greenberg (sitar); Lili Haydn (violin); Jay Davidson (saxophone); Prince Charles Alexander (keyboards); Andy Kravitz (percussion); Ismail Azim, Ishmael, Marie Daulne (background vocals).

Recorded at Studio 4, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Blak Militia and Hyde Street Studio, San Francisco, California.

What sets Chocolate Supa Highway immediately apart from the previous album Home is its sound -- boasting a murky, bass-heavy atmosphere clearly influenced by the rise of trip-hop, the album lends Michael Franti's politically-charged raps a cinematic distinction missing from his previous efforts. Spanning from R&B-textured urban grooves to jagged rap anthems, Chocolate Supa Highway is no less challenging or confrontational than its predecessor, but for the most time Franti's music bears an importance equal to his message. ~ Jason Ankeny

Spearhead has a lot to live up to with its second album. The band's debut, HOME, was a highly original mix of hip-hop, funk and R&B that established singer/songwriter Michael Franti and company as a force to be reckoned with. Three years and a few lineup changes later, CHOCOLATE SUPA HIGHWAY shifts the perspective a little, leaning more toward hip-hop and introducing a strong reggae flavor (reggae messiah Bob Marley's son Stephen makes a guest vocal appearance on "Rebel Music").

Franti's expressive baritone and sharp, socio-political lyrics are still the focus, and songs like "Gas Gauge" show how Spearhead can illustrate the tribulations of modern urban life without resorting to mawkishness or cliche. "Tha Payroll (Stay Strong)" and the title song display the combination of powerful messages and irresistible grooves that is the foundation of this band. minimize