Lyrics Born

Everywhere at Once (Anti-/Epitaph)

A founding member of Quannum Projects, Lyrics Born first found success with 2004’s “Callin’ Out,” a celebration of syncopated rhymes and funkified basslines. Four years later, the Bay Area rapper’s still on the same dance floor. Truly hyph-lite, LP four, Everywhere at Once, drops more fizzle than pop over a rote canvas of 1980s B-boy stance and “Hott 2 Deff” breaks. Though “Differences” shoo-bee-doo-wahs its way to R&B crooner status, variation shows rarely, LB holding tight to opener sentiment “Don’t Change.” The proven practice works better than obligatory experiments: “Do You Buy It?” smears a robotic drone, and thoughtful reaction to Born’s Japanese-American heritage on “Is It the Skin I’m In?” misses with implausible drip and lost focus. Everywhere will spark a few moves, but everyone’s dancing with the lights on. (Friday, March 14, Cedar Street Courtyard, 1am; Saturday, March 15, Auditorium Shores, 4:30pm.)

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This article appears in March 14 • 2008.

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