Lyrics Born

Remix albums rarely do anybody any good, but Same !@#$ Different Day, a mix of five new
tracks and eight rejiggerings of cuts from Bay Area rapper Lyrics Born's excellent 2003
debut, Later That Day . . . , is no retread. Instead, it's an open-minded return to the
rap-funk wellspring that made the original album great. Except for the DJ
Shadow-produced slow jam, "Over You," the remixes rarely drag, from the horn-... More >

Unlike most remix albums, not a fanbase-only ripoff. None of the eight remakes is inferior to the Later That Day . . . version; Evidence and KRS-One's "Pack It Up" and a funked-up "Hello" constitute clear improvements, "Do That There" piles on ridiculous rhyme, and the standout "I Changed My Mind" was a 12-inch. Nor is that all--the five new titles include a Bay Area praisesong, a motormouth "capping" dis, and just one too many showcases for LB's quasi-operatic helpmate Joyo Velarde. In short, had Later That Day . . . come second, you might well prefer this reinterpretation. (Grade: A-)