Michael Franti has yet to be exposed to a mass audience - yet, he is hands down one of the most prolific speakers of our time. While I believe he has limits musically, it's what he says, and how he says it, that's the big draw. This CD is far enough away from his last two efforts to make it interesting and not a replica of the past releases, with the focus being on war, religion and our fear as humans losing control of our lives due to worldwide violence. Released two years after Franti traveled by himself to war-ravaged Baghdad, Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, each of these songs deals with the human cost of war poignantly and pointedly. The lyrics may seem simplistic when removed from the songs--"Those who start wars never fight them/And those who fight wars never like them" and "The F15 is a homicide bomber"--but very few artists have the honesty and balls that Franti does. Bless him for that. Spearhead might lose credibility with some by tying Peter Tosh's chant to "legalize it" to their call for revolution, but those folks are not in the target demographic, anyway. Those who are will thoroughly dig this. From the jam band accents of "Time to Go Home" to the reggae of "Light Up Ya Lighter" to the U2-ish ballad "I Know I'm Not Alone," Yell Fire serves it purpose very well, it reaches into the souls of his fans and seeks to enlighten them about the ravages of war and to incite them into action of some sort against it.