Michael Franti & Spearhead/Saints of Valory

Michael Franti and Spearhead distill the sounds of summer quite nicely on 2009’s Say Hey (I Love You). The album became quite the hit upon release — and for good reason. The tune sums up the band’s general vibe and offers newcomers a good entry point. But depite all that, Franti cut his teeth thrusting political and social viewpoints and open-mindedness into his band’s funky melodies. On 2003’s Everybody Deserves Music, he offered up percussive poetics with “Bomb the World” and the upbeat dance-worthiness of “We Don’t Stop.” There’s a wealth of terrific stuff riddled throughout Franti’s career. Dig in and look forward to a more positive future. His new album All People will be released July 30. (Eric Sandy)