Drunk
Thundercat
2017
Album Summary
Drunk is the third studio album by American musician Thundercat. It was released on February 24, 2017 by Brainfeeder. It features guest appearances from Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Pharrell. It is his first studio album in nearly four years, his last studio album being Apocalypse. Drunk received positive reviews from music critics. A ChopNotSlop remix from OG Ron C, DJ Candlestick, & The Chopstars entitled 'Drank' was released as a special edition purple vinyl record.
WikipediaDid I just listen to something? Perhaps I'm getting old, but I couldn't engage with this at all. It was just background incidental muzak to me. The musical equivalent of a stock photo.
Yo I'm so happy this album made it onto the list, I love Thundercat and this whole generation of young and talented hip hop/funk/soul infused Jazz musicians surrounding him. He doesn't take himself too seriously, it's fun, it's groovy and it is a very enjoyable listen, for me at least
Cool R&B beats and a jazz/funk fusion. A lot of the tracks reminded me of Steely Dan and Boz Scaggs, mixed with some modern hiphop vocals. These influences were confirmed when all of a sudden you hear Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on "Show You The Way". Highlights: -Uh Uh -Show You The Way -Them Changes
Even Kendrick can't save this version of originality as indecisiveness from sounding like call centre holding music, though credit the band for completing the bad phone audio effect with an abundance of too trebly synths.
So good to hear more from the mastermind behind ‘them changes’. I feel sometimes that Jazz fusion artists get complex for the sake of complexity, but Thundercat shows off his musical intelligence in a truly tasteful way
Trys so hard to be relatable that it completely falls flat on its own merits. I dislike this singing style as well. Thundercat definitely goes on Reddit
My absolute favorite album of the series (and possibly all time). There were a perfect amount of features and there was not a single bad song. This album represents true black excellence. Love it so much 100/10
Wonderfully experimental while also very relaxing. This album is almost trancelike and is punctuated by moments that are funny, irreverent, and topical. The features on this album are excellent and diverse. The musicianship on this album is excellent, and the songwriting is eclectic with moments that remind me of stream of consciousness.
When I tell you that this hit me at the perfect time, I mean that it was so perfect that I had to hit pause and make sure that the (multiple) Sonic the Hedgehog samples were coming from the music and not the SEGA picross game I was playing at the time, so I might be overrating this one a little. Regardless, Drunk is a real great time, loaded with smooth grooves, outstanding musicianship, and moments of introspection that feel as genuine as the dorky anime/video game shout-outs—which are so prevalent that they feel tied to the record's central theme of killing pain. Hell, throwaway punchlines like "Goku fucking ruined me" almost come across as Thundercat viewing even his non-alcoholic hobbies as potentially destructive; a bit of self-loathing no proper anime fan lives without. The worst thing I can say about this record is that the Pharrell feature is corny as fuck, but what are you gonna do? Pharrell is always corny as fuck. Key tracks: Show You the Way, Them Changes, Drink Dat
I did it! i made it through this album. Holy Jesus. I think Drink Dat is the only tolerable song, the rest is just not fun. Can't do it.
Expected it to not be that great but wow it really surprised me. All really good. 5 stars easily.
Thundercat dobla, retuerce y hace del jazz y los sonidos electrónicos lo que quiere. No es para todo el mundo, pero sin duda es un gran álbum.
Wow, a piece of real musical craft in the recent years. The best combination of soul and classic r’n’b sound with modern genres that I wasn’t aware of, loved it!
Simultaneously holding hands with seriousness, sexiness, and silliness, which is quite a feat to behold. Very enjoyable modern fusion, but I wish there was a bit more variety of sound here.
This is a confusing project for me. I'm hit with the thought that it's a singles album which nevertheless flows. That flow isn't particularly satisfying, though, so the only explanation I have is that it's not particularly strong as a project. So far, so mediocre, but the musicianship is deft, and the harmonies might be intricate, just not ear-grabbing-for-me. Thus, my rating doesn't really reflect an opinion, but I may never revisit Drunk. The subject matter is a touch too silly, the vibe a bit too background.
I guess the fact that he played with Suicidal Tendencies for many years didn't help him win any stars
4,7 Zeer nice, moet meer thundercat luisteren. Op to pimp a butterfly was hij al zo goed, ik had het moeten weten. Echt iets dat ik zou opzetten bij de boys, working, vibin’ en zelfs met die van ons. Gewoon top
Buen disco, no conocía nada de esto y me quedó muy buen sabor de boca, "Uh Uh" entre mis favoritas, pero hay varias pistas emocionantes. 9.5/10
Bastante chill al principio y a ratos lo chill se distorsiona para generar un sonido más paranoico, me gustó la verdad. Un buen viaje pues. Jamás le había puesto atención a este bajista, a pesar de que sí he escuchado bastante a Flying Lotus. Mis favs: Blackk, I am Crazy, e Inferno.
What a fantastic piece of art. I listened to this twice in the same day and both times it blew me away. I’m truly astounded with how much I loved this. I’ll definitely keep this in my roster of music I listen to.
New funk/soul/jazz? Really loved this one and have been looking for something like this to add to my rotation.
New Jazz: Funk, Yacht Rock, Soul, techno, humor, realism, sketches, story, ennui, alcoholism, modern introspection, modern vernacular and memes, and every song slaps. 5
What the hell? How did not only this album, but the entire artist get past me so far? Awesome experimental vibes, I'm reminded of Bill Wurtz and Snarky Puppy. I love it! Thank you, 1001albumsgenerator.com!
Is this the 21st Century successor to Steely Dan? That’s the thought I had when I started listening to this. Really a fascinating album. I don’t know what I liked more: the interesting music or the lyrics... Songs like “Captain Stupido” (‘beat your meat, go to sleep, I think I left my wallet at the club’) explore the routine of daily life. How about a celebration of cats? Check out “A Fan’s Mail (Tron Song Suite II)” (‘Everybody wants to be a cat, it’s cool to be a cat… meow, meow, meow, meow)’. *swoon* As if the Steely Dan feel wasn’t enough, we get a REAL TREAT in “Show You The Way” (‘Tell ‘em how you feel, Kenny… KENNY LOGGINS’ *clap*clap*clap* ‘Ladies and gentlemen, MICHAEL MCDONALD’ *clap*clap*clap*). “Drink Dat” (‘The night is almost over but we still wanna party, Ain’t no one here sober the weed I’m rollin’s gnarly’) is a great after-party song. Actually the whole album would work well for that setting. There are love songs and topical references for millennials like in “The Turn Down” (‘Oh, ‘cause look at the mess we’ve made, who’s gonna clean it up? Oh my God, where’s Captain Planet?’) and “Tokyo” (‘It was Dragonball Z, a wrist slap bracelet’). The song titles often left me wondering where they came from… I look forward to future listens to unlock more of this album’s secrets! This is a smooth, jazzy, wildly interesting, wonderful album. Loved it SO much. Now that I’m familiar with the music, the submerged album cover has changed from scary to endearing. Man this album spills over with fun! I had no idea anything like this did (or could!) exist in 2017. The lyrics overflow cleverness - I could fill several pages with great quotes. Throw in guest spots from Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and Wiz Khalifa and this is a super cool five star ride. Utterly brilliant!
what a cool album 10/10 it’s such a cool privilege getting to hear an album like this just amazing
It's sexy, it's groovy, it's Nu Funk. Thundercat has style and skills on bass. Crazy to think he's making this after coming out of suicidal tendancies. Love it.
Eine Wohltat. Kannte ich nicht namentlich, hatte ihn aber unbekannterweise auf Flying Lotus‘ More bereits gehört. Guter Mann, geile Platte.
Sometimes i'm not in the mood tonlisten to whatever they suggest and just listen to my own shit and then gotta play catch up with the albums i missed. That what i did with Tim Buckley a couple days ago and instead I listened to Thundercat's Drunk cuz its one of my faves and i listen tonit all the time so it was funny to see that Thundercat's Drunk was literally one of the albums i missed when I just happenes to be listening to it anyway. And I'm not even gonna count that listen, imma listen to it again right now cuz its that good.
I love how Thundercat just comes out swinging with his idiosyncratic weirdness. I think it's brave and it feels like he's being really true to himself. He's got a very unique sound as a result. Like an ADHD kid in the gifted program who was raised on jazz and r&b but got into prog and electronic music. He seems to know no boundaries, musically or lyrically. Nothing seems to be off limits. It almost has this confessional feeling to it. Like he's getting a bunch of shit off his chest and being himself perhaps more completely than ever before in this really liberating way. He is a virtuosic bass player, and sometimes leans into that, but it never comes across as showboating or anything - just another part of the wild ride. Speaking of wild, I can't forget to mention how much I love that he got Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald together again on the track "Show You The Way." I have a very special place in my heart for Yacht Rock, and obviously Thundercat does too, so I deeply appreciate that. I feel like a more apt title for this album would be "Insane," cause that's what I keep saying to myself while I listen to it: this is insane... in the best way. Not something I would put on every day but there are some real moments of brilliance here and I have nothing but respect for his ability to create a sound all of his own.
This was quite an enjoyable listen! I love the low-fi vibes. Definitely sounds like an experimental album. The laughable tracks are funny and light! Sounds like a mix of commercial songs; you know those funny Old Spice/Dr. Pepper/Geico commercials etc etc. But then he pulls everything back together in songs like Lava Lamp and Jethro.
Sometimes I get the idea in my head that I am a relatively cool guy and then I hear an album like this which is dripping with so much coolness that I immediately have to buy a one way ticket to squaresville. Groovy, funny, sexy all in equal turns. I immediately need to hear the rest of the Thudnercat discography.
A really fantastic surprise. I had no idea what to expect from this album. I loved how varied it was. From jazzy, Bill Wurtz-esque tracks to more traditional hip hop this album has it all and does it all impeccably.
Evocative of all the things 80s but also fresh. I truly enjoyed hearing this, having never heard of the band.
Tokyo is a masterpiece Jameels space ride sounds straight out of the 70’s but contemporary at the same time
Blissful, joyful, stealthy funk. Experimental and easy on the ears…guests like Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald…so fun. Kenderick Lamar can mute.
Review #3 of 1001. Impeccable memes, immaculate vibes, incredible musicianship. Was skeptical of this one going in, but it may be my favorite album so far. Favorite song: Friend Zone
This is weird as hell. And I love it. At one point, I think he's just meowing to a beat. And come on - Michael McDonald AND Kenny Loggins on the same track? It's like if the Weekend had a baby with, well, Kenny Loggins. But not Danger Zone Kenny - no sir. I'm talking Loggins and Messina Kenny. Captain (E)Stupido - 100% the weirdest opening to a song ever. "Still feel weird". Me too, man, me too. Thudercats HO!
Genre-agnostic music that can pull off soft-rock and progressive funk, often at the same time.
De las cosas que he escuchado sin conocer nada es quizá el mejor descubrimiento hasta el momento. De entrada es obvio que es un bajista virtuoso, eso es evidente; lo interesante es que no es simplemente el clásico bajista que hace solos complejos y trata de apantallar, de inicio trae los sonidos de jazz, electrofunk y soul que suenan a 70s y 80s y les imparte una leve ironia... un tono de humor pero tomados en serio, realmente haciendo homenaje a esos estilos. En las canciones se siente una personalidad fuerte y un sentido del humor absurdo. La originalidad suda de todas las canciones, sea en Tokyo hablando de cómo gastó su dinero en anime, obsesionado con Dragon Ball y cómo "Goku ruined me" o Captain Stupido hablando de un flujo de consciencia sobre cómo quizá dejo su cartera en el bar, Friend Zone en donde en lugar de tratar de hablar de cómo buscaría a la que lo friendzoneo termina hablando de cómo juega Mortal Kombat y Diablo o Fan's Mail hablando de qué se siente ser un gato y miau-miau-miau por todos lados... todas las canciones son deliciosamente extrañas. Por otro lado sí encontramos algunas ideas más serias desde una reflexión sobre la tecnología y el vivir online a baladas emocionales y que se sienten personales. La música es virtuosa y original, las letras entretenidas y divertidas. Tiene un detalle y es que su voz no tiene rango y solo tiene un tono; después de una hora de su falsetto es entendible si a alguien le parece cansado. De los invitados Kendrick Lamar suena bien, Whiz Khalifa suena mal y Pharrell Williams no se siente como si añadiera nada a su canción. A pesar de sentirse un poco largo por lo mencionado de su voz es muy interesante descubrimiento, buscaré más de él a ver qué tal son sus otros discos.
This wasn't what I thought it would be and I think the title of the album "Drunk" seems appropriate. The song writing is ridiculous but also hilarious and somehow it remains musically interesting and engaging. I like the diversity of this bands musical style.
Musically compelling, though some songs are slow and his vocals get tiring in certain places. 8
Highlights: Them Changes, Tokyo, Show You The Way, Captain Stupido Lowlight: Walk On By What the...is this Bill Wurtz? Anyways, it's silly and fun, jazz-fusion-y...thing. Just like BW, but with a much fouler mouth and a lot more warble-synths, and plenty of meme-worthy lines ("Still feel weird...beat your meat, go to sleep") and humor all around. Allowing Spotify to continue playing suggestions also introduced me to other unique acts such as Little Dragon and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
8/10. I loved the sounds of this but I don’t think it worked all that well as an album
This guy is bloody cool. I have only ever heard a few songs, but this album was super interesting. Funk/Soul/Jazzy R&B vibes. Incredible musician, though lyrics are pretty ridiculous. Them Changes is a huge track and really enjoyed the rest of the album for the most part.
Panthro was the best Thundercat in my opinion. Most people I speak to about this tend to disagree. I once sparked a mass brawl by quoting Panthro for a whole hour whilst at a Lion-O gig. Those Lion-O fans are such dickheads. Just using his goal and assist stats to say he's the best, whereas Panthro controls the possession and dictates the game. They need to actually sit down and watch the Thundrcats on the battlefield as opposed to just looking at XG.
The bass on Uh Uh is an excellent example of how well Mr. T-Cat knows how to play that bad boy. He plays a six string bass and moves his left hand up and down the neck with the ease a virtuoso four string player has. Doing so with the extra strings allows a much higher range of notes than regular bass (Duh) but this must be tricky with a six stringer since bass strings are much thicker so the neck of the guitar also needs to be thicker, which means his fingers really need to "stretch" to hit all the range of notes. What is completely insane is that he also plays barre chords on the bass. I've never seen another bass player do this. Many iconic rock and roll bands (e.g. The Who, Jimi Hendrix Experience and Led Zep) produced all the sound that was needed with three people playing instruments. This album confirms three is enough, albeit with piano substituted for the regular 6 string guitar in rock and roll. It's bizarre that the title song is not a single and is buried at slot 21 of a 23 song album. I did get a chuckle that the second song following it was DUI. To be sure, this album has its ups and downs. I listened to it two times back to back and some of it did wear on me. The virtuoso six string bass playing gets +1.
Love the spacey psychedelia of this guy. Them changes was my favourite track of <insert year here>.
Alt-R&B. Strong base tracks with synth and vocals that gets your head grooving. Good collaborations with Lamar, Khalifa, McDonald (Dooby Bros, Steely Dan), Loggins, and Pharrell. First few tracks have lots of (too much?) energy and mellows out; album gets better the deeper you get into it.
I feel weird Comb your beard, brush your teeth Still feel weird Beat your meat, go to sleep - goated Jethro is prachtig kenny loggins, Kendrick Lamar en pharrell features meer heb je niet nodig...of mss nog wel een heerlijke Wiz khalifa feature. tokyo - genieten, zingt zoals sk8er boy maar dan over anime. Prachtig rustig album maar toch zowat all over the place. zeker iets dat ik nog vaak in mijn leven ga beluisteren maar een echte must listen is het nog niet imo. Maar vraag dit over 5 jaar nog eens. We gaan nog veel prachtige dingen horen van Thundercat.
Not what I expected. I was familiar with Thundercat the virtuoso, but I didn't know about Thundercat the goofball. Fun stuff that I should have checked out earlier.
Wow that was way newer than expected. Love it. I’ve had that as a fave for a while, but I don’t think I’ve listened to it end-to-end. Awesome.
Nice to have this come up, wanted to listen to ThunderCat for a while. Generally a cool vibe, but got a bit samey, needed the collaborations to differentiate the tracks.
Well now, THAT was interesting! What a bass player. I mean, wow. Some beautiful homages to Motown and similar R&B greatness yet very much in his own voice and style. Some super-cool grooves, and some fascinating bass and melody lines. Really nice.
Soft 4 stars. Interesting music and I feel like I would return to this album, but it fits me best as background music
Love this album. Stellar instrumentals with funny lyrics. Surprise Kendrick. Honestly all the features are great. Lara says "I didn't get a chance to appreciate all the lyrics but I enjoyed all the melodies".
A surprisingly pleasing album to listen to. Did not think I would like this at first glance, but I enjoyed the laid back jazz sound and soothing singing voice. What a strange group of guest singers though!
ЧТО: Четвёртый лонгплей и третий студийный альбом Стивена Ли Бруннера, более известного под псевдонимом Thundercat. Интересный и крайне важный, в том числе для моего личного музыкального вкуса, альбом великого басиста и мастера фриковатых образов. КАКОЙ: На пластинке встречаются типичные для Thundercat элементы: глубокий проработанный бас, обильное использование живых инструментов, нестандартная структура песен и так далее. Альбом вдохновлён джазом и фьюжном 1970-х. Широкий набор инструментов, отход от типичных ритмических структур, атмосфера странности и неформальности - все это стало неотъемлемой частью стиля Thundercat. Музыка получилась довольно сентиментальной. В отличие от двух предыдущих студийных альбомов, которые в некотором смысле «исследуют» смерть и являются переработанными и отрефлексированными чувствами Ли Бруннера по поводу гибели своего друга, пианиста, композитора и частого коллаборатора - Остина Пералты, Drunk более ориентирован на то, как продолжать жить и ограничивать самокопания. О ЧЕМ: Альбом в целом довольно лиричен. Значительное влияние на тексты, как я упоминал выше, оказала смерть друга Thundercat - Остина Пералты в 2012 году (вероятнее всего от передозировки наркотиков и алкоголя, что важно, но об этом ниже). На Drunk Бруннер, используя своё мастерство применения обыденной, но точной и глубокой лирики, рассказывает слушателю, как он сам переживал утрату и заново учился жить в ладу с самим собой. Зачастую Thundercat работает в своём образе фриковатого, забавного человека с трагичной судьбой, использующего странность и юмор в качестве механизмов защиты. Хотя любое описание в данном случае выглядит неполно, и полноценно выразить словами многоуровневый эмоциональный фон артиста-творца проблематично. Важной темой текстов на Drunk является беспредел полицейских по отношению к чёрному населению Америки и проблема расизма в целом. Thundercat часто поднимает проблемы жизни чернокожего человека в США и безопасности (читай «небезопасности») чёрного коммьюнити. В этих моментах на альбоме появляется агрессия и гнев, редкие для данной работы в целом. Название альбома может обозначать самый распространённый способ «решения проблем» - опьянение. Люди зачастую «запивают» трагические события своей жизни, попадают в зависимость и в конце концов оказываются на дне бутылки (и в кругу «лишних» членов общества, что окончательно уничтожает душу). И с первых же песен Thundercat говорит слушателям, что справится с горем можно, для этого надо продолжать жить обычной жизнью. ИТОГ: Самоутверждающая пластинка от одного из главных джаз-фьюжн артистов современности. Противоречивая (местами трогательная, местами агрессивная), как и все гениальное, работа от опытного музыканта, который знал, что и как нужно делать. Альбом выглядит как «желанный ребёнок» и получился, вероятно, таким, каким Стивен Бруннер a.k.a. Thundercat и хотел его создать. Это может вызывать только приятные эмоции, что может также быть частью творческого замысла такого влиятельного и значимого не побоюсь этого слова культурного явления, как альбом Drunk. ЛУЧШИЕ ПЕСНИ: Трудно выделить. С Кендриком хорошая. Мне ещё нравятся Jameel’s Space Ride и Friend Zone. Нельзя не отметить и Them Changes.
Frantic, frenetic, smooth, vibey. I'm going to bet Matt gave this a 4, and Ashton a 3. I'm going with Matt here, 4. It's a great album, but not perfect.
Oh yea! Uh Uh is a breakneck bass odyssey. Tokyo is funny. Friend zone is a huge lazy neon groove. The lyrics are so discrete. DUI is the shambling, triumphant and just weird af ending to a real trip of an album.
Whoa, here's one I know pretty well! Love Thundercat, surprised to find one of his albums made this list. He's such a unique bassist and vocalist, definitely worthy of a spot. Maybe not my favorite of his albums but this is a really cool one. I love how many tracks it is, but the average length is pretty short. It's got some classic tracks from him too, like Them Changes and Friend Zone. It's weird trying to write my thoughts on a Thundercat album, especially in the context of 1001 albums to hear before I die. But yeah, this one is fantastic. Favorite tracks: Most of the tracklist, but Them Changes, Friend Zone, Show You the Way. Album art: Absolutely love this one. Too soon to call it iconic, but it's one of the most memorable of the last few years for me. 4.5/5
Now this was a pleasant surprise. I've only become a Thundercat fan a few years ago when his newest album came out. I was always facinated with this one as well because of that album cover. He is something else. The jazz mixed with an almost freestyle storytelling that is for a younger audience, talking about anime and mortal kombat. Really enjoyed this one!
Previously heard Them Changes but never listened to the full album. My mistake. This is fun!
Pretty interesting songs. Not really that great but I did know at least one before listening. Probably will revisit at some point.
Gott mys! Riktig bashjälte, Thundercat, men jag personligen hade kunnat leva med några låtar med lite mer fart i
Toppen rakt igenom. Allt håller jättehög nivå, jättekul lyssning. Känns väldigt fräscht! Roliga, välproducerade och väl utförda låtar!
4.1 + A black man who wears multi-colored dreads, plays 6-string bass and sings in a thin falsetto about space travel, cats and video games, is going to confuse some folks. But Thundercat's technical prowess allows his playful spirit to bend and transcend genres at will, creating a colorfully goofy soundscape that's a slice of internet pop culture.
4.5/5. This was a very good album. You can tell that he has a lot of musical talent from this album.
The mileage of this album may depend on if you can stomach Thundercat as an artist. I can, so I like this album. Fantastic bassist, too
Thundercat just does whatever he pleases and I dig it. The lazy vibe musical aesthetic and stream of consciousness lyrics create a mood that could undeniably aggravate the audience but there is something refreshing in an artist just going for their own style without following current trends - if anything, Thundercat harks back to 70s acid jazz and Steely Dan for inspiration. An absorbing listen, a genuine curiosity, elusive and intriguing.
I was just gonna say that this was a delightfully funky and whimsical surprise. And then I went and looked up Thundercat anyway. He's building up quite the list of accolades and guest appearances in the last decade (I seem to recall seeing this and other albums reviewed or on year-end lists), but it was what he did in the prior decade that was more surprising. From 2002-2011, Thundercat was the bassist for the hardcore punk band Suicidal Tendencies. Yep. Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner is clearly an interesting dude with varied interests and influences. On "Drunk," that did shine through. But mostly, "Drunk" was just fun. I might not seek out funk, but when it's done this well I'm happy to listen and bop along.
I always thought Lion-O was kinda douchey, but this really made me laugh (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHml_J1PN9Y). For the record, Panthro was my favorite Thundercat, though this guy might be my second favorite. Anyone that can work with Pharrell, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Kendrick Lamar deserves respect. The album was on the longer side clocking in at 53 mins., but Drunk kept moving. I'm not much of an R&B fan, but this is far less traditional than what I had expected. Unique repetitions, loops, beats, sounds it was wholly refreshing and was glad to have been turned on to this. Will listen more... Thundercat, hooooooo!
Esse álbum é uma viagem. Incrível do início ao fim, toda a influência do r&b, jazz, blues e rock junto com o talento do Thundercat tornam esse um clássico moderno. Eu tinha ouvido pedaços dele mas nunca tinha de fato ouvido a obra como um todo e to apaixonado. Faixas favoritas: Bus in these streets; a fan's mail; jethro; show you the way; friend zone; them changes; 3am; the turn down.
Pretty fun electronic music, couldn't listen to the "E" rated ones since kid was around.
So I don't really have a good introduction for this review other than to say that I like the album. From the start, I knew that I'd like the album since it started out so fucking goofy. I hate fart sounds, so I'm glad that they last only 5 seconds instead of the entire album like Encore. The references in this albums are really good. I might be a little biased, but the Johnny Cage reference made me super happy. Whenever artists reference Mortal Kombat, they mostly just reference Liu Kang. Production on this album is super funky, which I think is refreshing. Most album that I've been recommended are just from the 80s with super basic production. Which I don't think is a huge issue with the time it was released in, but I don't that 80s rap is really good. The cover art is meh, best part is the face Thundercat makes Now the album does have some problems, and the first one is the length of the tracks. It sounds like these are just snippets of tracks that haven't been finished yet. I have no idea how long most of the tracks are, but they could easily have been greater if they were a little longer. I have no idea if Thundercat fans have an issue with this so I might just sound like a fucking retard, but it's just weird. I don't really consider this a rap album. Maybe I just didn't listen enough to this album, but it felt like the only rap verse was done by Kendrick Lamar, who was just a feature. Also, why is this album called Drunk? I might just be a retard, but does it have some special meaning in the album. 8/10
I first discovered Thundercat when a friend shared the video for "Them Changes" with me a couple of years ago. I loved the song and the video and honestly have no idea why I never went on to check out the rest of the album that it's from. The album has a good balance of modern and classic sounds. I love the synth and Thundercat's bass playing is really good. The theme seems to be about life's distractions and the subject matter is handled humorously on some tracks and a little less so on others. The McDonald / Loggins track was a nice surprise and the Kendrick Lamar track after was great also. Overall the album has a lot of music packed into just over 50 minutes with most of the tracks clocking in at less than 3 but none of them sounding partially finished. A great album and I look forward to hearing more of his music.
Strange but cool album. Total 70's throwback look and feel except with modern lyrical twists. Dude can slap the bass - case in point, Uh Uh (such pace). His cheeky lyrics really grew on me after multiple listens. Captain Stupido and A Fan's Mail were a little too silly but Tokyo (my favorite on the whole album), Jameel's Space Ride, Friend Zone, and Drunk were just the right amount of funny and observation. Great beats too. Favorites from a musical standpoint were Lava Lamp, Jethro, Blackkk, and Where I'm Going. His collaborations with other artists (Show You the Way), Walk on By, Drink Dat, The Turn Down) were also pretty good. Definitely need to give it a few listens to appreciate it, but it's worth multiple listens.
I was really surprised by this one. I knew of Thundercat from different things, he was (of all things) in the Book of Boba Fett. This album reminded me a LOT of the first couple of Frank Zappa albums of Frank Zappa, and Mike Keneally's "hat" album. It was very collage-like. The songs had that 60s Zappa-like feel too, which is always a plus for me. I liked the guest stars, and I keep meaning to check out "To Pimp A Butterfly." This gives me more of a reason to do so. So yeah, I really dug the feel of this, it kind of was in my wheelhouse. Definitely something I will be looking for. The cover is a little... disturbing, but not worse than I had seen before. Probably give this a 4.2 or 4.3, might go up with repeated listens.
4/21/2022 Today's Album: "Drunk" by Thundercat - Before hearing this album, The only thing I knew of Thundercat is that he produces tracks for a lot of hip hop artists, usually showcasing a prominent and technically proficient bass guitar in the mix. Given that, this album is just about what I expected, but just like super fucking weird. His production shines through to make almost every track really nice to listen to, even if his vocals may be a bit weird at times. In fact, he's kind of singing like one of those improv voice groups where it's a lot of notes that don't technically belong in the scale, but are used to transfer to and from notes that are. I think a ton of personality is shoved into this record, with very strange lyrics that relate to the overall theme of the album, which is being drunk. I like how the last track takes the melody from the first to give the whole thing a nice bookended feel. There are songs that fall flat and either lose my attention quickly or just sound too off to be likeable, but I like how the tracks that aren't as good are usually fairly short and don't waste too much time before moving on to another idea. I don't exactly know how to pin the genre, but it's some sort of groovy R&B lo-fi type of deal and I think it's really likeable if you're into either of those genres. I think it might take a few songs to get over some of the oddities of this record, but it is very enjoyable to just vibe to it, especially when drunk or high. Listen to this one if you like any track with Thundercat as the production credit or just like oddball lo-fi R&B. Score: 7/10 Weird, but unique and overall a nice vibe. Highlights: Uh Uh, A Fan's Mail, Lava Lamp. Jethro, Show You The Way, Walk On By, Tokyo, Jameel's Space Ride, Them Changes, Where I'm Going, Drink Dat, 3AM, DUI
It's good, it's somehow too understated and I think he's gotten better since this album. Love listening to the basslines. I feel like there are a lot of little jokes and intricacies in this album that I haven't fully grasped yet.
This album excels in its willingness to be fun and freewheeling while still managing to smuggle in serious topics and discussion into its stream-of-consciousness delivery. The instrumentation is wild and distinct across each track, giving a cohesive feel to the LP while allowing each track (even the tiny interludes) to have distinct personalities. Overall, a fun ride with hidden undercurrents that warrants endless relistening.
This was a welcome surprise - I'd been meaning to listen to this album for years but never got round to it. I'm glad I finally did hear it though - that's a soulful slice of funk. At points it veers towards going too jazzy, but then it pulls it back. Any album that can include Kenny Loggins, Kendrick Lamar and Wiz Khalifa, and making it all sound like it should belong together has to be respected. One to listen to next to a pool on a hot day with a cold beer.
I’ve heard thunder at quite a bit through Kendrick’s music and other stuff but this is my first album of his. Overall, really good and has a lot of standout songs. Them changes is still good despite tik tok getting it’s hands on it
Quirky, silly, goofy, funky. I’m surprised I never heard this one m, but glad it came up on this list. Love me some Flying Lotus production. I think the vocals get a little old just staying in the falsetto, airy style, but the production and features do well in breaking it up. 8/10
On paper, I shouldn't have liked this album; and it was kind of weird...but it's weirdness was in a way that strangely appealed to me, so I kind of want to give it a high mark, because it pleasantly surprised me.
Some of this is really cool. I really like the whole vibe of the cool bass with the ethereal vocals. But then there are also like...fart sounds and a few other things which keep me from giving this a 5. But it was close.
Well I had never heard of Thundercat, so this album was a total mystery to me. I like it a lot! I love the bass, drums and the melodies. Lyrics are weird, but that just makes you pay attention to them more. Someone said this is lift music, but nothing wrong with that. Just put the music on and let your thoughts wander.
I've had this one downloaded on my phone for a long time. I can't get enough of T-Cat's funny lyrics and nostalgic sounds and references, especially the anime and video game ones. This was a great listen and a wonderful way to start my day
it's pretty funky, i think thundercat has a talent for this type of neo-soul bass noodling, but sometimes it can fall flat. i do like his sort of humor in the lyrics, it's probably a highlight of this album. where i think this album sells what it does well, are captain stupido, uh uh, blackkk, them changes, and drink dat. however, the places where i think this album can really underperform are bus on these streets, a fans mail, lava lamp, jethro, jameel's space ride, and inferno. still a pretty good album, just not one of the greats
I enjoyed this way more than I had anticipated. Lots of quirky beats and rhymes, some reminiscent of old NES music. I'll definitely be listening to this again (after listening to it twice yesterday).
An album that I am familiar with, and have never really had a settled opinion about. Some of it just is too much for me, but then for the 'future R&B' bits I think it is great.
Thundercat's bass playing is innovative and melodic. Sometimes fast paced at other times slow and steady. Overall a great album
This one is just fun. Bass led, funky as hell, and just good. Thundercat may be the biggest nerd I've heard in this lame. Maybe making him less cool on a wider scale but I'd chill with him lol. Black nerd to rival ghost dog. Saving for later for sure
Immediate reaction was surprise, I didn’t expect such a newer album to be on this list but I do agree it’s really good. Interested in listening to the whole thing as I have heard a good amount of songs from this album and also listen to a lot of thundercat. Listening to the album as a whole it’s very sad, background on the album is that thundercat’s friend had died and this album was to commemorate him. The minor tones throughout the album as well as the deeply introspective lyrics on life and death can be a bit hard to listen to, his funky instrumentals and unconventional melodies also add to this. Lyrically he is very transparent which can be offsetting for some but I enjoy when artists do this, adds more sincerity to the album. I wonder if future generations will listen to this album and think that it is a product of its era, as the other albums on this list have done very well. It may be hard to decide if that’s the case when it’s been released only a few years ago to when I write this.
At times I've had no idea what I'm listening to - except that it's ... amazing? Melodic yet completely unpredictable, odd timings and key shifts punctuate this highly enjoyable album that is absolutely going to take 4 or 5 spins before I start fully digesting it but this is great. Early favourite: "Them Changes" 8/10 4 stars.
Very interesting style. Maybe a few songs to listen to again and I liked that it was a pretty chill sounds throughout
Favourite track(s): Show You The Way; Walk On By; Them Changes The album is a journey - one just needs to read the titles in order to realize that. Thundercat is probably a bit crazy, but genius and crazy are also probably very close together. The instrumentals and vibes are amazing and the vocals underline both flawlessly. However, he seems to work best if collaborating with others. Other than the collabs on this album, the tracks sometimes seem to be no more than ideas. With interesting musical elements, sure. But for my liking, a few more "real" songs would have made the album more listenable. The tracks are certainly real in another sense of the word. But some do feel like interludes and I do not like those too much. Still, great album.
Lots of funky grooves on this album. It's a bit too out there for me to give it a 4 star rating, but I'd listen to it again. 3 stars.
Very chill album. That being said there are a few songs that I like. Many song just blended together and a time became boring. Has the song Them Changes on here.
Cool vibes though annoying lyrics and some decent instrumentation. Not really my thing but not the worst
Took a while to settle in but once I got in the groove it was good. There's funny and serious themes all overlayed on a weird funky bass line formula. Drink Dat is an excellent anti party lifestyle tune, Kendricks verse on Walk on By is obviously excellent and Tokyo is weird but good.
Thundercat where have you been all my life? Never heard of this band and its great! Nice prog-soul grooves with some excellent musicmanship.
2017!! This must be a very recent 1001 update. Spotify has been sending me Thundercat stuff for a while. Lots of big names supporting him on this one. It gets off to a quirky start with <Captain Stupido> and I like the retro keyboards on <Them Changes> but otherwise, it’s a little too mellow R&B for me. Nice background music.
I've never been that into this album even though people love it... but it's slowly growing on me. These strange bouncy basslines feels like the sonic equivalent of drinking a pint of gravy. But the strange floaty ennui aesthetic is noteworthy!
Not what I was expecting. Space jazz mixed with Yacht Rock mixed with novelty songs... kind of. Best tracks: Uh Uh, Show You the Way, Them Changes
Oooooooo one I've wanted to hear but never had a reason /// Weird. left me feeling nothing special, like that eels album. Just weird beats. Artsy bullshit, why is there so much hype around this dumb album?