NOVEMBER 21

Like Tony Toni Tone and the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Lazy K’s Keith Lofton is ambitious enough to believe that R&B can be tuneful and head-noddin’ funky without exclusively relying on urban karaoke beats. On Life in One Day, with former mates from Basehead and its offshoot B.Y.O.B., the guitarist picks up where his old groups left off. While avoiding the New Testament allusions that Michael Ivey added on Basehead’s Faith, Lofton does similarly alternate mournful tales of urban life with catchy, less PC odes to girl-watching. But despite occasional resemblances to Ivey’s musical fingerprints, Lofton seems to be developing his own identity. Undoubtedly the most soulful disc Dischord scene engineer Geoff Turner has mixed at his WGNS studio, Day’s highlights include the title cut’s Curtis Mayfield-style guitar and strings, and “Marley2″‘s [**footnote number ‘2’] blend of turntable scratching and minor-key melody. Recorded over a year ago, Lofton has since put together a permanent Lazy K lineup featuring Day keyboardist Herb White and other local R&B circuit vets. At 9:30 p.m. at State of the Union, 1357 U St. NW. $7. (202) 588-8810. (Steve Kiviat)