In Brief

* * Spearhead, “Chocolate Supa Highway,” Capitol. There are moments where Michael Franti’s mix of singing, production, melody, pro-black radical politics and plain common sense are a breath of fresh air. The most effective song, the acoustically driven “Tha Payroll (Stay Strong),” is carried by his singing, which is much easier on the ear than his often slipshod rapping, which suggests Chuck D. on a bad day.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).