Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick
82
Beach House
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet
82
Ben Frost
82
Fucked Up
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Stay Human
EMAILPRINTby Michael Franti & Spearhead
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 15 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Six Degrees
Release Date: 15 May 2001
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap, Alternative, R&B
Summary
San Francisco's Michael Franti (formerly of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy) and Spearhead mix rap, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, and trip-hop with intelligent and opinionated lyrics on these 22 tracks.
Also By This Artist: Everyone Deserves Music Yell Fire!
Also On The Web: A Spearhead Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
PopMatters
While his lyrics are both timely and powerful, the album's power lies as much in the superbly crafted grooves and songs, which are the best Franti has delivered yet.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Taking the death penalty as the central theme for an album -the sleevenotes feature anti-death penalty quotes from the like of Bono, Chuck D and Nirvana's Krist Novoselic- may not sound like much of a party, but there's a human warmth and gentle humour in Franti's delivery, hitched to hugely danceable and uplifting music.
Read Full Review >Wall of Sound
There's a lot of great music here to enjoy. The political tone on the album is more problematic, though.
Read Full Review >Spin
From the beginning, Franti has favored a retro, flow-through groove, and here hsi funk adds a decidedly disco flavor. [Jul 2001, p.135]
Sonicnet
Such lightness of touch is missing from the between-song skits, which have Franti posing as a DJ on a community-radio show, conducting interviews and dispensing commentary on the death penalty. But the between-skit songs are terrific.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Not hip-hop in its most conventional form then, but a mutant version drenched in, and suffused with, the same rebellious spirit. An organic meta-hip-hop, if you will, that hearkens back to Gill Scott Heron's innovation and looks forward as well.
Read Full Review >Blender
Unfortunately, the ticked-off one breaks up the most consistently grooving album of his career with too many well-meaning but intrusive conspiracy-minded skits. [Jun/Jul 2001, p.110]
Alternative Press
The subject matter may be a bit heavy, but the beats keep it bouncing along. [Jul 2001, p.73]
Rolling Stone
But there's genuine excitement in hearing him leap nimbly between the tart funk of "Rock the Nation" and the loose organic soul of "Speaking of Tongues" as he rails against the inequities of death row, mingling the earthy and the high-minded into something special.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 15 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Joe S gave it a10:
I've listened to this CD no less than 500 times since I bought it. Unconventional, passionate, moving, liquid poetry with a beat. One of my all time favorites.
Caroline A gave it a10:
This is the best album my soul has found
Kyle E gave it a 10:
Any CD with a song like "Oh my God" can't be any less than a 8. This CD is packed with great beats, smooth lyrics, and a powerful message.
Alexander C. gave it a 10:
Simply wonderful. Great lyrics, great music and great beats. Michael Franti and his band blend hip-hop, trance and echos of rock greats like the Clash, Randy Newman, Pixies and Pink Floyd to create a masterpiece.
polax gave it a 10:
'Stay Human' is simply, the best uplifting CD eva. If you ever need a pick-me-up, slash on 'stay human' and let the rythmns float you away. see ya
Dave R gave it a 10:
Michael franti is one of the most fresh and genuine voices in the music industry. an unbelievable combination of extremely educated lyrics and some fine, laid back music.
Paula L. gave it a 9:
A CD that artfully blends all of my favourite music styles, I have played it so much I had to ration myself. I can't give it a 10 because I want to see how it stands the test of time but I would reccommend it to anybody who genuinely loves music and leans a bit leftwards.
