Labels: Epitaph Records
Review by: Joe Callaghan
Epitaph is a bizarre label these days. Back in the mid 90’s it pioneered all that double-time skateboard punk rock which frankly all sounded a little too similar. Somehow at the time it received fanatical praise (my naïve teenage self included) and Epitaph still brand their name on what is the biggest selling independent record on Earth. It’s by the Offspring, and it’s shit. Now it situates various sister labels with a certain premise and geographic restriction, such as Burning Heart for bands from Scandinavia, and Hellcat, for bands that don’t wash. This is so they can keep the pure Epitaph label free for Gallows”¦, You Me at Six”¦ and other contemporary turd. Despite Epitaph certainly not being a punk rock label anymore, they’ve steadily churned out numerous good records by alternative hip hop artists recently, and this is definitely one of them. I was prepared to furiously attempt evading the term “old school” but I’m left with no choice. The record in it’s entirety comprises a strong”¦ you know”¦ vibe, but goes backwards through time far beyond the instantly recognisable thumping bass-y loops of Terminator X and Yella/Dre, to a more funk-laden period akin to Grandmaster Flash and the Sugarhill Gang, made contemporary with notable production and swollen tempo. My opinion of hip hop has always been that the underlying accompaniment must be as interesting as the lead vocal, and even though this is a hip hop record which is not driven by “turntablism”, samples and scratching, it doesn’t disappoint. Each track is constructed with a manner of layers of live recorded instrument in preference to a sampled beat, which gave me doubts initially. Surprisingly, it is remarkable, and even though it could be accused of over-production, it adds an extremely accessible aspect to the record, combining major-key jazz and funk instrumentals with an undeniable pop sensibility. Born doesn’t force his lyrical style across. He barely raises his voice, and whilst I tend to prefer a bit of vocal conviction, the suave, cool tone is an immediate hit. His method strikes an instant resemblance to the laid back approach of Snoop, before he became some of kind of womanizing celebrity, pooled with the cleverly coy wit from selections of the first Kanye record, before he became some ego swollen narcissist. Not that that’s a bad thing. Every hip hop record needs a bit of positive self-appraisal, and this has it, but not to an unbearable extent. No, no. He saves that for guest emcee Chali Tuna of the Jurassic Five fame to rap about how good he is at rapping on one song, which is possibly one of my favourite parts of the record, as the musical style differs extraordinarily form J5, but it is well executed with razor sharp articulation and precision. Everywhere At Once is agonizingly modern amalgamated with the borrowing of influences from the past 50 years, to create an almost nostalgic hip hop record, with the originality and innovation far beyond the majority of his peers.