Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I appreciate a Thundercat guest spot. A full album is too much. A couple of interesting ideas, but not enough for me to ever revisit. Give me Flying Lotus any day. Highlights - Michael McDonald! Friend Zone.
first half is awesome
I had heard of Thundercat. I knew nothing about Thundercat and I have now heard an entire Thundercat album. This is an album from 2017 and I go back to my screed from a prior album review. I think albums that are less than 10 years old should not be in this book, because they have not withstood the test of time and the test of seeing what other artists were influenced by the album. I think it is true on Drunk as well. If an album doesn't have a legacy and is shown to be influential, then essentially we are just rating how much we like the music, which is not the intent of this book. This is an interesting album and having never heard Thundercat's music I don't know if I would search more of it out, but I also would not turn it off if I heard it. Again, it's very difficult for me to judge music as eclectic as this without there being some historical perspective on the album. The shorter album tracks are also very good and I do like the idea Thundercat had ideas he knew could not be stretched out to a full 3+minute song. Favorite tracks: Uh Uh A Fan's Mail Drink Dat Show You the Way Walk on By Jameel's Space Ride Friend Zone Them Changes The Turndown
I admired the ideas.
Didn't know what to expect from this one. I'm not sure I could recall any particular tracks as stand-out or equally any that were particularly bad. Middle of the road I guess.....
Fair album
In a word..”smooth”
An album I had high expectations for but fell a bit short. I like the sound and R&B, jazzy feel throughout the album but lot of the songs sound the same and not very distinguishable. Some big hits for sure and good album
Day805 - funkier than i expected and i thought them changes was pretty good.
Thoughts before listening: I know this dude is a bass player and frequent guest on lots of hip hop and r&b albums. Seems like a cool dude as well. I feel like this will be a jazzy hip hop type of sound. Review: Yeah I guess I nailed the sound here although probably more r&b than rap. Its fine with lots of cool bass lines throughout and plenty of big name collabs. There are 23 songs on this album with most clocking in below 2.5 minutes. Many tracks feel more like ideas than actual fully realized songs, but none of it is bad. My favorite song is "Them Changes". I'll give this 3 stars.
It's The Weeknd! It's Parliament! It's a spaced-out mix of the two! Quirky as anything, will take time to get used to it, but it will reward you.
very silly, very electronic. overall fun listen
The songs featuring another artist were pretty good, but everything else was ehh.
Goofy at times, but always funky with a capital F. Favorite track: Them Changes
Some inventive and fun parts but mostly couldn’t connect with this and found it pretty samey and boring overall.
Kind of a carefree type of record. The instrumentation is minimal but fits the vocals well. Has a unique set of songs that all sound similar(?). Some of the lyrics are strangely funny, and that Kendrick feature about halfway through was a surprise. 3.7/5.0
I expected more out of this, I'm a little disappointed. A lot of the songs sound very similar, and his falsetto singing got kind of old pretty quick.
Nice bit of funky jazz. I particularly enjoyed the first half Spoiled somewhat by the unnecessary contributions of Lamar and Khalifa later on that drag this down from a 4 to a 3. Thankfully only one track by each that I can "hide in this album". See Spotify does have some uses. But spoils the overall feeling
Really good, but kind of of its time in not a great way. Dont think it has aged so gracefully.
how do i give two and a half
playfully cool groove throughout. almost deceptively innocent. amazing collaborations - game recognizes game.
Thundercat can play bass and is really nice with it. With that being said, this one gets a 3 because while a lot of the songs are mighty impressive, the album fills up to the very end with songs I don't have much of an impression of. After Them Changes, only one or two songs I can note (Drink Dat with Wiz Khalifa and the closer DUI). One good thing I can say about this is that the features are very good. Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Kendrick, Pharrell just to name some. Mac Miller is on a bonus track I haven't heard cause it doesn't seem to be on streaming. I'll have to check that out. Anyways, Thundercat is cool but it be dragon. Goku fucking ruined me (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Toques de jazz y varias colaboraciones para romper la monotonía de un sonido perfectamente producido. Buena aportación a los 1001 albums
It had its merits, it's certainly funky, jazzy, soulful, hip-hop, all that stuff. Would listen again but it's not a go-to album or anything.
Having a tough time finishing it. There are parts I’m enjoying, but overall it is not holding my attention.
Pretty awesome sound
This one is not in my wheelhouse, but I am very glad I listened. Was not aware of Thundercat, but it turns out that he was in Suicidal Tendencies, who I am familiar with. This was very interesting and pleasant and funky. Love his voice (and that of his feat.s), some riffs were complex and intricate, and the lyrics are sometimes funny.
I like one song
I had heard OF Thundercat and seen him sit in with other artists before (including Spinal Tap!), but had never checked out his own music. This looks star-studded so I am intrigued... I did not know until reading Wikipedia that he first came to prominence as a member of Suicidal Tendencies, and I similarly did not know that Suicidal Tendencies still exists. This is fun and funny. I like it.
3/5
I can't bring myself to give this record anything less than a 3. The musicianship is just too good. But please know that the song "Friend Zone" almost ruined the entire album for me, which is why I didn't give it anything higher. "Friend Zone" is one of the worst examples of incel misogyny I've heard in a song in quite a while. I tried looking up more information about it, in hopes that Thundercat meant for the song to be satirical. I wish that people could reply to reviews so that someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears as though Thundercat meant for the song to be sincere. Ew. I can't believe that no other reviews are calling this shit out. I will never understand how men are able to speak about women like this freely and still manage to get praised in a book listing the greatest albums of all time. At least some of the misogynistic themes on this list have the excuse of being old and from "a different time". This doesn't even have that. I've come across so much misogyny on this already, only 39 albums in, and each time it passes me off more than the last.
Hmm, disco-jazz? Jazz-Disco? Jazzco? Doesn't excite me. The one with Kendrick Lamar is nice, though.
Good album! Saw him when he was touring with the red hot chili peppers, and I thought he was great then too lol
Another good example of a bad I can dig the occasional song from, but not really up for an entire album.
Only song I know from this album is Them Changes... and I thought the rest would be super funky. Wasn't bad, just a little overstuffed and lacked some punch. Decent listen. Michael McDonald appearance was a pretty hilarious twist! 3.25/5
Chill not my favorite
Had high hopes for this one but only a few songs really stood out. Lyrics were sophmoric and dumb at times. Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald cameo was awesome.
Hmm i didn't think a lot about it, it's alright
OK
There is so much talent and artistry in this weird, experimental album but I didn’t connect with the music. Maybe I wasn’t in the right space for it.
Um, that was different.
I appreciate it more than I like it. It’s really weird but like bordering into forced weird and not genuine weird. I would take it over most of the other stuff being put out around this time. Playing the offkeys all the time doesn’t make it sound great all the time. Definitely unique and I have to give it props for that but just not quite my thing. 6/10
Not bad
IT was OK. Fun to listen to, but not amazing.
Correcto
It's good, but it's a bit aggressively pleasant. I wanted it to be weirder.
7/10
Going into this album, I expected it not be good as I do not have an appreciation for modern music. But the star was very surprisingly surprised me. I really liked the jazzy parts, and in that case, I would really listen to this album, but as it went on, I remembered why I don't like modern music. The rap ruined it for me because it became shallow. Don't get me wrong, I love some rap (90s), but this is just not it. Would've loved it if jazzy songs were separated into another album, then I would listen to it and buy a CD. Also, there are a lot of songs, but the album is not that long. I think it's because it got a bit repetitive.
Ok not bad. It’s like a mediocre glass of mocktail - I don’t like or dislike. It can be very enjoyable when you are in the mood, but can also be unnecessary when you’re not feeling it. Music wise fun to listen. I quite like inferno. In general loads of tensions in terms of chords, so the rare solutions feel very good. I just wish there could be more satisfying moments. Still sounds experimental from today’s perspective but not sure if this will age well.
I enjoyed the jazzy beats and erratic melodies but couldn't stand the vocals and lyrics. They somehow annoyed me quite a bit.
Thundercat made a tremendous and impressive album of insanely original and personal music, that is confusing, goofy, and super awkward at times, but ultimately outwardly charismatic and bright enough to show up to the party, befriend the coolest people there, and get along with anyone. Is Drunk loosely a concept album? It's a long night out. It is thoroughly frenetic, funny, ecstatic, optimistic, social, and body moving at the highest points. There's also (intentional or not) alcohol depressive lows: lyrics are vulnerable, creepy, self-pitying, willfully immature, and obstinate. Topically, isolation, sadness, rejection, and escape, as well as alcoholic dangers such as drunk driving all get met to some degree. It's an impressive trick, and one that can be more easily played by musical savants like Thundercat, to present gnarly, seemingly flawed musical choices and have it come off as intentional and confrontational. Rich, complex, Stevie Wonder-esque harmonies are layered deep to the point of drowning. The album's mixing is somehow wonderfully clear enough for the bass and drum samples to shine through, but instances of tinny, toylike keyboard patches abound. Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins's vocals sound like they hit the tape via Zoom call. It's something to do with the consistency of missteps or the album's slow-build charisma, but I don't exactly know why I just want to give Thundercat the benefit of the doubt for everything I don't like. Tokyo, is a creepy low point. I generally find this level of overt, culture-as-a-commodity attitude about Japan to be super repellent. Harping on the too-common obnoxious attitude of romanticizing Japan to exist solely as a fetishistic playground of Anime and sushi is a headier topic than this review warrants, though. To Thundercat's credit, the humor, self deprecation, and lines of his childhood memories, give me some hope for the man. Emotionally stunted lyrics ("Friend Zone", "Tokyo"). He reacts to self-pity at best with humor ("Drunk") and at worst with slight misogyny ("Friend Zone's" garbage simile.) The absurdity was jarring at first, but ultimately won me over. (I mean, I like Phish, Ween, and Zappa, so what did I expect?) "Captain Stupido" made me laugh, and a "A Fan's Mail's" meowing chorus is so dumb that I have to love it. Moments of reflection and wanting to see change in the world ("Bus in These Streets", "The Turn Down") are warm and welcome cornerstones to the album, and do heavy lifting to hold it up to the light, so that it doesn't wallow in darkness. There are also wonderful moments of simple musical exuberance. "Where I'm Going's" jazzy Jungle nervy snare ghost notes are captivating. "Them Changes" is catchy as hell and deserves hit status. This album defies star rankings. It's fraught and amazing. It's contradictory and complex. It's challenging and approachable at the same time. For everything I don't like about it, I see a creeping accusation of "Dude, you just don't get it," swiftly followed by rational and impassioned rebuttal to my wavings away. --- - Do/Did I own this prior? No - If so, how has this day in the project changed my view of the album? n/a - Otherwise, do I look forward to listening to this again? Maybe not. I listened to this a fair amount when it came out, and found it murky and overwrought. Listening yesterday and today, I have a more generally even positive attitude to the album, but it's overall too heady for me to put on unless I'm in a mood. - Is this album's inclusion on the list justified? Yes. It's a remarkable album in performance and overall vision. My review could have talked more about the LA scene that Thundercat came from (playing with Suicidal Tendencies, Kamasi Washington, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few), and his album is a high point in personal and unique vision from someone who's otherwise deeply busy in performing works of others.
Huh. 23 tracks long and I found a couple gems....not precious gems, but gems nonetheless. Maybe I would've found more had I been DRUNK, as the title suggests. Interesting arrangements at times, vocals are ok. A Fans Mail (Tron Song Suite II)..should be renamed as The Life of A Cat? Listened before? N Saved some tracks? Yes (a couple) Favorite tracks? Bus In The Streets, Uh Uh, ⭐⭐⭐ Liked it well enough. Saved a few tracks.
5/19, 26%
Pretty good. The Kendrick track is a standout for me.
This one hit me when I was absolutely not ready to be hit by something like this. This was a lot for the ole noggin. A lot of the songs didn't connect with me, but there were definitely some gems in there. The funky basslines throughout the album were pretty nice, too. An extremely interesting and perfectly titled album.
I know Thundercat’s popular songs. I was surprised how short and incomplete of thoughts. Many of the other songs were. He’s definitely an alien. Why shouldn’t the album structure be odd also.
Quirky album that was a refreshing change of pace from this challenge. No choruses, no verses, just a train of thought on each song. None of these are true "bops" but they make for an interesting listen
This was ok and listenable but listened to as background music
Drunk is fascinating, frustrating, and undeniably talented. The yacht-rock DNA is obvious, and knowing Thundercat’s reverence for Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins helps make sense of what he’s aiming for. This is clearly an homage to that smooth, melodic tradition, filtered through modern production, absurdist humor, and elite-level musicianship. The problem is balance. The album constantly wobbles between sincerity and self-awareness. At times it feels heartfelt and affectionate; at others it veers into being a little too clever for its own good. The humor sometimes undercuts the emotional core instead of sharpening it, and the hyper-fragmented song structure makes it hard to settle into a groove for very long. Musically, there’s nothing to question. The bass playing is ridiculous, the harmonies are rich, and the talent level is off the charts. But some of that virtuosity borders on excess, and the modern touches don’t always integrate as smoothly as the concept promises. I often found myself admiring what was happening more than actually enjoying how it felt. I respect this album a lot, even when it leaves me slightly cold. It’s ambitious, strange, and deeply personal, but also uneven and occasionally absurd in ways that don’t fully land for me. A high three feels right: impressive, interesting, and admirable, but not something I’m fully at peace with or eager to live inside for long stretches.
A funky and jazzy album with some very highs and lows. The record is 52 minutes and it is composed by 23 songs, the majority of them being no longer than 3 minutes, but there is still a lot of material. I'll describe the album overall. Let's start by pointing out the highlights of the album: 1- The production is extraordinary: Everything sounds super smooth and pleasant. I loved in some songs when they muffled a bit some of the instruments just to add even more smoothness to the sound. In fact, the production is so good that even the worst songs have some value added just thanks to it. 2- Silly and great sense of humor: A lot of lyrics are very funny to read. I specially loved "A Fan's Mail (Tron Song Suite II)" talking about how cool would be to be a cat; 'Tokyo' where Stephen Lee Bruner talks about his experience in the Japanese city and how obsessed he is with anime since his dentist gave him a bracelet of Goku when he was younger (I found it hilarious when he said that 'Goku ruined him'; and 'Friend Zone' expressing how he prefers to play Diablo and Mortal Kombat over trying to romance a particular girl who left him in the so-called state. 3- Very detailed: The record is filled with a lot of little details that add a lot of texture to the tracks. For example, 'Bus In These Streets' has some nice bells and keyboards; and 'Tokyo' has some very futuristic electronics in the background. 4- Funky and technical, specially the bass. Being a Jazz-Funk album, Thundercat shows how he masters both the funk and the technicality of jazz. I did appreciate a lot more the jazz side of the record. The bass and other instruments, like the piano or drums, can get very frenetic. The song 'Uh Uh' is the best example I can think of to show the great energy they can have. Now into the bad part of the album. It has an incredible amount of filler. I would even say that cutting half of the material would make the album 10 times better. The problem of these songs is that they don't add anything interesting. They aren't not as funny nor as energetic as the best material, so they feel a bit stale. I honestly think that everything after 'Them Changes' could be cut, with the exception of DUI to at least have something that feels like an ending. So having so many songs that don't really add much is a very detrimental aspect, but still manages to be a decent album with some very funny, funky and great moments.
No. 71 The truth is that it sounds very good. I have to listen to it again at some point because I liked what I heard, but without getting to appreciate it.
Als Hintergrundmusik im Supermarkt oder im Homeoffice brauchbar. Zum Glück sind die Titel sehr kurz. Hängen im Ohr bleibt eigentlich nichts!
Thundercat is one of very few strange artists where I think they do absolutely amazing features on other people's songs, but their own actual music isn't nearly as good. I think that Thundercat is a great producer, a great vocalist, and an absolutely fantastic performer. And almost every time I see him featured on a song, I'll enjoy the hell out of his part as he brings a super fun energy that nobody does better than him. But a full album of just that and nothing else, for some reason it just feels like there's something missing. And I do think that this is his best album, it's by far the most complete feeling and best put together, with there still being a good number of standout songs and moments. I guess my problem is that it's all just a bit same-y, he just does his thing for the full 50 minutes, and while he's great at what he does, when it never changes it's just a bit much.
quiepte short songs and they all sound alike. I'd give ut a 3/5
Oli hauskaa sellasta soul ja löysää funkia. Mukavai melodioita ja minimaailisen ääntä
I've always found Thundercat's music to be more cool than deeply enjoyable — that said, there's a lot to admire in it, like anime and video game references, along with tasty bass licks.
Bizarre an not unpleasant
Overstays it’s welcome, but I did enjoy some songs. Creative. 2.5 stars.
3.5
Quite a wide range of music is presented here, though it mainly focuses on soul and R&B. 1/4 of the album is these song that seem like fragments of a song that just didn't get properly finished. Some of the ideas are really promising, and I wished he fleshed out the fragments a bit more; especially "Jethro" and the first track "Rabbot Ho." The album managed to pick up in quality by track 10 and it stayed pretty consistent. Highlight Song/s: "Lava Lamp", "Jethro", "Walk On By" and "Them Changes
It was definitely... inspired.
surprisingly smooth R&B - non-offensive or abrassive.
Chill hiphop!
Bought this album off the back of Them Changes … love the album art … love Them Changes … Funky but maybe a tad too many fillers.
Jazz\insert genre fusions are not my favorite, but the first few tracks made this feel fun, the way that Frank Zappa used to so I was able to enjoy it a bit more. This feeling wore out as we got in to deeper tracks. I'm going to chalk this up to, "Not my thang." Not a fan of yacht rock has probably hurt me, at first Michael MacDonald and other guest stars made me laugh, but then made me cringe. Luckily Thundercat has most of the tracks nice and short, so if you run into one that is unwanted it is likely almost done before you can hit the next button.
I might have heard the name but I know nothing about this dude/band. This is…. Something. Hip hop mixed with high energy jazz with a distinct Zappa flavor. Can’t say I’m a huge fan but I don’t really care for this type of music. It is pretty impressive and interesting even if it’s not going to become a regular on my rotation. So if the question is if you should listen to this before you die then the answer is yes and it’s three stars.
Genius but not always my thing!
Super smooth funk with some fabulous tunes, most obviously Them Changes, sustained by a lovely sense of mischievousness. Perhaps inevitably with 23 tracks, not everything hits, but it’s an album to make you smile.
Not for me
Vi a este tipo por primera vez en el documental de «Yatch Rock». Y no sé si va en serio, si es un homenaje, si es una copia de esos grupos. La verdad es que suena muy bien. Tengo que volver a escucharlo en algún momento porque me ha gustado lo que oía, pero sin llegar a apreciarlo. Es una cosa a medio camino entre Jamiroquai y Stevie Wonder.
I was listening and it sort of just finished? Nothing crazy about it really
Crazy lyrics very experimental but honestly good beats
some highs and lows
Very nice
Smooth, funky, jazzy. Too bedtalky for higher score.
Some of these songs are incredible and some of these songs I'm not high enough for
interesting
Interesting album. Some really crazy experimental things and some serious music with a lot of influences from a ton of genres. Whoever this dude is he knows his music. I might not have loved the album but I can't tale away I was impressed with the music and his artistic freedom which he uses to the max. Really cool and different
Some of the songs seem a little bit half-baked. There are some really good tracks though and I like the funk of it all. 6/10
I’ve no idea what to make of this. Feels like it straddles the line between genuine and prank. There’s ridiculous lyrics but also some pretty good beats and music. Filled to the brim with online speak and memes. I kinda liked it despite my bafflement. 3/5
I’m not sure what the usage frequency data looks like for “vibe” but I’d probably put its peak at around 2022. That’s five years after this record landed, which feels about right: it seems to take about that long for the last – and also the most total, transformative? – of all the nuances of a paradigm shift to settle in. “Drunk” feels nothing short of that. The bass work is absolutely astonishing (“Uh Uh”, “Inferno” are properly face melting) and the production throughout is tiiiiiight (some of it quite reminiscent of early FlyLo too; the best FlyLo). I hear plenty in here that’ll get picked up and run with by less bizzaro neo soul and funk artists too (artists far less likely to meow like a cat through the chorus of their songs, perhaps for the better but that’s just my opinion). Some serious chops on display from all contributors, but an especial mention to Dennis Hamm’s work on the piano and keyboard – the interplay between the keys and that bass feels Mingus-esque at times. There may be no finer -esque to acquire in music than that. That all those “vibes” might be the hangover from Thundercat’s Drunk might seem like the silly thinking of a vibe-addled Millennial, but I can’t think of a better place to look for provenance – when you’re inside this record, you’re never anywhere else than absolutely everywhere. And that’s a vibe.
I like this album for blending so many genres together to create a really unique sound. It's got elements of soul, funk, rock, hip hop, jazz and more. It's also quirky and nerdy and overall very chill. Some good features here too. Overall it was nice revisiting this album even if its not a favorite of mine. Favorite track: Them Changes 3.5/5
Groovy funky - kinds felt like he wrote random musings and is musically talented enough to make a song that doesn't sound shite.
Just meh... it's not bad, and I might play it again one day. we'll see.
Really interesting, a fascinating and often great voice, good instrumentation. And yet...trying to squeeze 23 songs into 52 minutes means that they're all really just ideas of songs or sketches. Work them up! Take time on 12 of them! I mean, who'm I to tell Thundercat what to do here, but it does strike me as a bit unfinished.
It’s ok
If adderall was a person, and that person was trying to frantically clean the house because they just got a text from their crush saying that they were in the neighborhood and that they were going to pop by, then a lot of these songs would be a good soundtrack for that vibe. The rest of the songs are just straight funky.
This album feels like typical 2017 pop music. There is some funk here, but it feels very sterile and devoid of passion. It's not particularly good lyrically, nor does it create an atmosphere. The second half of the album is noticeably better than the first, which helps this album a lot as the first half was rather boring. "Them Changes" gave me a sense of deja vu, despite me not having heard of Thundercat prior to this challenge.
Intriguing...
WAs nice, like Domi & JD Beck but less intense.
It was hard to take this all in through one listening. I probably would have given it 2 stars but I feel like with more listening a some favorites would emerge given the musical terrain covered. I also rounded up for having a maximally idiosyncratic guest list that included both Kendrick Lamar and Kenny Loggins.
3/5 - This has some pretty funny lyrics, and I especially liked the tunes that felt like they could slot right into a video game soundtrack like Tokyo. This is really odd album to say the least, and it often feels like there's just ideas of songs that aren't fleshed out enough to really get into. Definitely not something I'll listen to front to back again, but I favorited a few tracks, and I appreciated the screwball soul here.
nice vibe, doesn't really grab me though.
Considerably better than what I was expecting, but this album gives off drunk vibes as it’s a little all over the place.
Looney, nerdy bass nonsense of the smoothest kind. Gets way too knowingly kooky, though.
Utterly bizarre
Good funky stuff here, I come back quite a bit to some songs here but also there's some songs that just don't matter
a lot of pop culture references, didn't really get it
Hes very much an acquired tast but the album was definitely unique.
Very interesting. It’s kind of funny and bizarre but also very well done. I enjoyed it.
I first heard this guy opening for RHCP, and I thought it was a joke. Now I understand that he is an immensely talented bass player, a giant nerd, and still somehow it feels likes a joke. I say that understanding why some people like this wild bass, oddly interlayed keys and such. It just doesnt have enough of a foundation to pull me. Some songs get very close.
Not bad. Some decent chill funk. Sweet cameo by Kendrick. But I need my funk with a deep bass and badass vibe. This only goes halfway.
I wasn't sure what to think of this album initially. I had to give it a second and even third listen and found myself really enjoying most of the tracks. Very funky bass lines, busy, moog-y and synth heavy, but simple and clean at the same time. Smooth soul-like vocals, most songs have very whimsical lyrics and are relatable and funny, but it also features some great collabs with Pharrell, Kendrick, Wiz Khalifia, that go a little harder. Kind of a mix of party songs and funny life songs. Uh Uh slaps and Friend Zone is great. Reminds me a bit of like Frank Zappa meets Michael Jackson.
hat mich nicht so gepackt. aber ok.
Etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig
Smooth, stylish, bass….
Meh
I really wanted to be blown away by this. Thundercat's talent is indisputable. But I found the tracks lacking in range and diversity. I wanted big jams as well the quiet contemplative and funny stuff that the WHOLE album basically is. All 24 tracks. Oops... I listened to Drank accidentally. Drunk is much better.
3.5, felt unique
meow i thought i was going to love this
A little bit to similar
Good but too long. Loved the first tracks when they were super jazzy. It was a massive surprise, I don't find often that "80s jazz rock" approach in modern music. Then I got distracted and the album started to be a bit more boring. And the guy was the Suicidal Tendencies bass player, cool!
01.10.25 #7 Favourite Tracks: Captain Stupido. Rate: 7/10 As a bassist i really enjoyed listen to this album. but some songs sounds the same.
A smooth album full of musical talent and a nice walk through the styles with nods to Parliament, D'Angelo and many others. As with many other albums of the hip hop adjacent genres there are too many tracks and highlights. Over 23 tracks, but most of them are short: That's a recipe for not recognizing the music properly. Everything blends into each other. Therefore, I can only rank this with three stars even though some part in me wants to give it more.
3/5. This is basically if Frank Zappa invested in more jazz and R&B, more so than he already did. It's very clear Thundercat can play his bass and sing but I am not sure if I am fully here for the songwriting. Sometimes, it feels innovative and weird in a good way and then it falls flat with a generic R&B song. This would almost feel more whole if it was just a bunch random ideas and demos, experimental progressive jazz completely. I did enjoy the record but felt like it was not unsure with itself, like who does Thundercat want to be? Seems like he was still figuring that out too. Best Song: Them Changes, Uh Uh, Tokyo, Inferno
Didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Great musicianship but the songs were a little quirky in places for my taste.
Not sure why, but when I saw the album cover I was expecting rap. That said I listened to this while working and it was over before I knew it. It was simply on in the background but I did enjoy the album as a whole. I can’t name any one song from the track list, but it made for a very quick hour (51 minutes) of work. 3.4 stars just short of rounding up to 4 because I can’t even name one song, but admittedly that might be a me problem.
Um, I will give this a three. There was some good stuff on here but also some pretty esoteric pieces that didn't always hit the mark for me. If I could I would give it a 2.5
That was really fun.
About halfway it really started growing on me
Very soulful. Smooth background music.
This was pretty awesome. Sort of yacht-hop? Cool cover art too.
I wanted to like this more than I did. He is a wild instrumentalist and his music is fun, but there is something in me that doesn’t enjoy it too much.
I like it. I was teetering back and forth on a 3 to 4. I think I'm back at 3, I really love the music on some of them but then some others just switch it up and don't do it for me.
fire
Thundercat - Drunk perfect album for a chilly Sunday morning. love the meandering jazz along with random hilarious lines scattered throughout. It starts so strong, but does fall-off a bit as the record goes on. I Want to give it a 4, but it'll likely be a 3
Astral jazz? "Calming - I quite like it" - Caroline
78% Best: Uh Uh; Show You The Way; Friend Zone; Them Changes Must-Hear? Not quite
[Insert Thundercats cartoon reference here] I like a lot of the ideas on this album, and Thundercat’s mix of funk/jazz/soul/hip hop is cool. There were a lot of tracks (23 in total!!) that had a kernel of a something good but somehow didn’t seem to gel and come together for me. Some more editing might have helped. 3⭐️
Jewels in between pigs.
Samey.
I’ve got a few of his albums but this one seems a bit more “boring” than the others but I still like it!
This was quite interesting. I have heard a couple of these songs before. I liked it.
I already have a song saved from this album
Very chill with some interesting 8-bit vibes in a few of those songs. This is definitely baby-making music, so the style isn't exactly what I look for.
Suicidal Tendencies may be known for crossover thrash, but they have also been a surprising launchpad for eclectic, jazz-influenced musicians like drummers like Eric Moore (TRAM) or Thomas Pridgen, for example. Thundercat spent nine years in the band, which I had absolutely no clue about. His solo work is a whole different world without thrash in sight, but I think that surviving on stage with those lunatics must have left some lasting marks. Out of his four albums, the one I landed on is apparently the least celebrated, at least according to some critics. Yet, It is wildly eclectic and definitely exciting to explore, though I’m not always sold on the electronic textures, and I often wished the bass felt more raw and upfront. Still, the vision is clear, and as an album it totally works with influence ranging from Pastorius to alternative rap. It left me curious enough to dig deeper into his discography and to dive into the whole West Coast Get Down collective as well.
"Goku fucking ruuuiiined meeeee" was the last thing I expected to hear on a soul album lmao. I genuinely almost spit my water out. I understand that soul is supposed to be comfort music. But for something to be considered comfort music, it needs to have entertainment value, and soul just doesn't work for me. Soul is usually way too laid back for my taste, so I just don’t have much fun listening to it. Calm music I like still usually builds up to something and has some exciting parts, which is not typical for soul. This album does have some good moments, though. This is not a generic soul album as it has a bunch of synths and modern pop culture references, and is generally more lighthearted (there’s even a Kendrick feature, for some reason). It’s… interesting, but as for how much fun I had listening to it, it’s just fine. The last 10 tracks or so are closer to more traditional soul, so I enjoyed them much less. I also think that some of the songs are way too short (the album is 51 minutes long, and there are 23 songs), not giving them ample time to breathe.
55/1001 Thundercat - Drunk Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ❓ I remember really enjoying this at the time of release, as it didn't take itself seriously at all, but there was a nice fusion of jazz, hip-hop and funk all rolled into one. Now a few years later, that novelty has kinda worn off. It's still an enjoyable listen, but too long at just over 50 minutes.
Fun listen. But far too long and it starts to all sound the same. And with 23 songs at 51 mins, the fat could have been trimmed. Them Changes truly is an absolute banger of a tune. Some other good tracks as well, can't remember which ones. Kendrick feature was good. 3.5
01) Rabbot Ho - / 02) Captain Stupido - 7,5 03) Uh Uh - 7,5 04) Bus in These Streets - 7,5 05) A Fan's Mail (Tron Song Suite II) - 7,0 06) Lava Lamp - 7,0 07) Jethro - 6,5 08) Day & Night - / 09) Show You the Way - 7,0 10) Walk on By - 6,5 11) Blackkk - 6,5 12) Tokyo - 7,0 13) Jameel's Space Ride - 7,5 14) Friend Zone - 6,5 15) Them Changes - 7,0 16) Where I'm Going - 7,0 17) Drink Dat - 6,5 18) Inferno - 6,5 19) I Am Crazy - / 20) 3AM - 6,5 21) Drunk - 6,5 22) The Turn Down - 6,5 23) DUI - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,83 (68/100) Current ranking: 415/643
7/10
Interesting album. Some vibes like Childish Gambino's Redbone. I like it, but not entirely sold.
Nice
Interesting sounds.
Eh. Some okay stuff, some fine stuff. A lot of stuff I won’t come back to.
Kind of a long album, but it doesn’t get boring. Super chill. Kinda reminds me of the Love Below. Idk I almost want to give it a 4. That Inferno song sounds like a Beatles song but which one.
Very chill, will give this one a few replays and see if I enjoy it more.
This was a pleasant enough r&b record from the 2010s, while I admit I enjoyed the record and my time listening to it, I found that very little stuck out to me. This includes the several tracks that feature prominent guest stars including but not limited to Kenny Loggins, Kendrick Lamar, and Wiz Khalifa. I honestly would mostly go through a song and go “that was nice” and then I didn’t remember why I liked or didn’t like a song a little while later.
Not the biggest jazz fan, but liked this as has a lot going on and clearly mega talented and varied. Played Park stage in 2023!
точно про обложке помню что должна была слушать это в 2017, но не по музыке) что-то странное, не втянуло
its very weird but i like it. like i honestly enjoyed the whole thing and feel its prob a 3 but for how much i enjoyed it i could see it being a 4.
I was surprised by this album. I liked shortened melodies and the reliance on jazz tropes.
Pleasant and forgettable. My hopes were higher because the cover reminded me of Maggot Brain. This is not that.
Didnt realize he was always like this. Sound reminds me of bill wurtz. Definitely better if not sober. Them changes is a banger tho
Dude is an insanely talented player. This album is more impressive than enjoyable to me though. Maybe I just need more time with it
3.3 2x catch up 7/18
This is pretty unique, maybe a little too experimental for me but I love that its something out of the box
3.5
I expected to like this more than I did; I feel like the whole is less than the sum of the parts here. I liked the individual tracks, but they all got a bit much for me. I liked the various guest additions, and there's no doubt there's a lot of skill on display here, but it all got a little too samey.
When the first couple of tracks included the lyric “beat your meat” and meowing, I nearly wrote this off as a batshit, 1-star listen that I would let in one ear and out the other. Then Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald came to save the day. The following batch of tracks had great guest stars, tight grooves - and no more ridiculous lyrics. Despite the album picking up in the middle, I felt, as it got towards the end, it just became a bit dull. I was almost longing for more silly lyrics to at least make me react somehow. An excellent grasp of my rule of “keep songs under four minutes” though.
Not entirely sure about this album. Some nice touches of soul and funk, which I usually like but it didn’t quite tick the box for some reason
Not my thing
Vorallem Hip-Hop aber au no chli anders züg. Mer aber wie z "Modärn" im senn dass alles entweder noch emne gnaue Algorithmus gmacht esch oder mer sech frogt was das gnau sett. Insgesammt geds wie ned so songs wo gross usegstoche send. Höchstens wel sie chli onöblech send, aber die hend mer de halt ned so gfalle. Mer darf mi aber au ned falsch verstoh, a sech esch s Albom ned so schlächt ond es ged au einigi Tracks wo voll guet send (Them Changes oder Walk on by) au de räscht esch no voll okay aber wie nüd gross spannends oder speziells.
A fun but slight album. I enjoyed his bass playing and the collaborations with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins and the other song with Kendrick Lamar. Often, though, a boring, "soft funk" album that irritated me when there are so many other more deserving ones that should br on this list.
Listened to this in 2017 and didnt get the hype, and I still don't. There are definitely some good songs here, with funny lyrics and funky bass lines, that are generally a good time. I like the Kendrick feature. But so much of this is just filler to me, its fine, not essential or enough to make the whole album worthwhile really.
Enjoyed more than I thought, but had it on more as background. Would listen again
This was certainly different. In a good way I think
this guys voice is insanely annoying but features make ip for it
3+
This was weird. Apparently a virtuoso on bass, he had a lot of collaborations. But it was very anime type strangeness. Couldn’t get into it at all. But not 2 star bad.
Da het sich mis herzlich gfreut, en alte Bekannte vode Neuziit ih mine öhrli zha. Und obwohl ich ihn als super lustige (und biz wahnsinnige) wahrnimme, sind paar vo sine lieder au bizli wild und astrengend gsi zum lose. Dashalb leider doch abgrundeti 3 usekotzti wollknäul
Lightningdog, Zerst biz nervig, denn langsam dinne und eich na oke schön, und plötzli na e Rap souly song? Gemmer mal 3 gmüetlichi chnebel
Thundercat lays out his dreams, insecurities, fears with brutal honesty in his lyrics. At times, it feels disjointed and rushed. I wish that he would take a minute to linger on an emotional note or a beat, and spend some time “in the pocket”- easier said than done. This album covers so much ground with so many different genres and guests (hello Kenny loggins?) but it wasn’t the tour de force that it could have been. Which is a shame, because it is funky as hell.
Sounded like the Sims soundtrack at 2x speed
Them Changes is a great song, otherwise felt frenetic and all over the place
Gave this a quick listen. Enjoyed it! Excited to see him at OSL
Album decente. Tiene TEMAZOS como THEM CHANGES y Walk on By (Uh Uh, Friendzone y A Fans Mail también), pero hay tanta cosa mid que simplemente me es indiferente. Además hay lyrics medio cringe y no muy trabajadas en general, por ejemplo en Captain Stupido o la canción con Wiz Khalifa. Entiendo que es medio el charm del album capaz pero no banco mucho. En general las instrumentales brillan, lleno de bajos (como es común con thundercat) pero se vuelve algo samey a veces. Es un album con puntos altos pero la media es bastante meh. Edit: Show You The Way está muy bien la vdd
Chill album with some great production. Nothing mindblowing or particularly horizon-expanding though
Funky and fun, but far too chaotic and scrambled at times. Thundercat has loads of talent but definitely shines most when he shows a bit more restraint. That being said, I love a good chaotic Thundercat solo but when its a full album it can be overwhelming.
Lite för oklart för min smak. Det är bra och väldigt musikaliskt men lite för många låtar på den albumlängden vilket gör att jag upplever albumet som lite schizo.
Where the hell is Pumyra on this thing?
Lots going on here. Deconstructed R&B with a millennial's perspective. Interesting
Good beats, and I did enjoy the quirky blending of genres and lyrics. It's too long, though, and I think that's the major flaw. Was hard to tell any differences between the songs after awhile. 3/5
Great bass player and nice to have a modern inclusion. Incredibly well made and probably really to other peoples liking, but it's not really my type of music. Not a big fan of the vocals and it feels a bit too ''soft'' at times. I can really admire the craft, but it's just not really my thing.
Some great synths and nice moments - loved the almost Glass Onion tone changes in Inferno - but not really consistent enough for me overall. Will contemplate another listen, could be a good addition to my Sunday afternoon nap playlist.
Musically, a very cool album. Lyrically, wtf
Great production, has some collabs with big name artists. Cool vibes overall. Favorite track: them changes other picks: a fan's mail, show you the way, walk on by, Tokyo
As weird as this was I kinda dug it. I liked the vibe. Very easy listening. Some cool featured artists I wasn’t expecting. Lyrics were a little weird I wasn’t sure if this was satire or legit but yanno what I kinda liked it.
I enjoyed the experimentation - worth a listen.
Cool record. Not sure if I'd have bought one, but cool nonetheless.
Smooth cafe shop vibes
not really my thing but it's a lot of fun. pharrell is a buzzkill tho.
The highly complex erratic jazz of Uh Uh represents this album's top moments in my mind but this is nicely paired with the more vibey moments such as A Fan’s Mail. Drunk is pretty funny at times too, but is sensible enough to not bring that into every track. I think it could be cut down to a very good 30 minute album. It’s not a long album, but it feels long. Despite the quality of the best material, by the end this quality feels stretched out, lowering the overall experience. A welcome feature like Kendrick’s is during these points a refreshing glass of water in a hot, barren desert. Simply put, the end of this album is boring.
Interesting. Surprised this came out in 2017. Sounds more like 70’s
very odd but neat
I totally judged this one by the cover before I listened but was pleasantly surprised. What a fun, quirky laid back album that was. And to have a track with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins! Bonus Star…
Very funky! Loved the collaboration with multiple artists, especially Michael McDonald!
Dude is a hell of a bassist. Songs were pretty good but didn’t seem to go in many directions
Decent album.
Love Thundercat's shtick! Weirdo music definitely feels personal to me.
fun, light sound. the lyrics were frequently silly.
Goed plaatje voor de hoes, daar niet van. Verder is dit wat non-descripte funk die iets teveel kabbelt en te weinig opvalt. Het gepingel op het keyboard werkt eerder op de zenuwen dan dat het opzweept. Dit is in eerdere decennia veel beter gedaan, dacht ik zo.
Vooraf lees ik de wiki en dan zie ik namen als Wiz Khalifa en Kendrick Lamar en dan verwacht ik meer hedendaagse hiphop. Vervolgens staat er bij dat hij bij de Suicidal Tendencies heeft gespeeld. Huh? Hoe moet ik dat met elkaar verenigen? Maar als ik het dan opzet, dan is het een combinatie van Bruno Mars of Anderson Paak en iets 70s soul, met zang als de Bee Gees. Maar dat gitaarspel, of basspel, dat is wel geniaal moet ik zeggen. Het draait hier veel minder om kale beats, overgeproduceerde geluidjes of hijgerige zang. Ok, de zang is wel zoetgevooisd, maar met minder valse lucht dan de hedendaagse zogenaamde zangeresjes. Deze kerel kan ook zelf echt iets zo te horen. Halverwege het album komt Michael McDonald meezingen, misschien is dat het idd. Een soort Steely Dan meets Doobie Brothers. Op een zomerse ochtend in april is dit prima aan te horen. Virtuoos gitaarspel, zwoele beatjes, een warm synthorgeltje. Zelfs de Daft Punk-achtige computergeluidjes voelen heel vrolijk aan. Dat overgeproduceerde dat er in het begin niet zo was, komt wel meer in het tweede deel van het album. Ik word hier op zich best blij van. Het mist voor mij een hitje (al herken ik vaag wel iets van "Them Changes"), maar ik zit natuurlijk ook vrijwel nooit in dit hokje muziek te luisteren. Jammer dat het tweede deel niet veel van het fijne gitaarspel heeft, het gaat een beetje als een spreekwoordelijke nachtkaars uit zo, ik veer te weinig meer op. Teveel Outkast. Het begon als een 4, maar het gebrek aan gitaar laat het toch weer afzakken naar een 3.
Agree that this is overrated. There are some standout brilliant moments, but the most that can be said for the rest of the album is that it's like listening to a collection of really good jingles from TV adverts.
Overrated
Не ну одна топовая песня а остальное не зашло
Soul in the modern age. Not my bag but manages to sway me at moments.
When I saw the genre breakdown of this album I really thought I was going to enjoy it. At first I was, but as the album progressed, it all start to sound the same. It was cool, just not cool enough. Saying that, I'll still go check out his other stuff.
This album's elements are a sweet mix of different genres, providing a nice groovy vibe throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed it, with nice collaborations from Kendrick and, surprisingly, Kenny Loggins?!?!
I had higher hopes from this album after hearing "Them Changes" an amazing modern funk & soul song. But I was pretty disappointed by what was here. Some cool ideas that don't really go anywhere interesting 6/10 Favourite: Them Changes Least Favourite: Drink Dat
It’s too much of the same thing but it’s a pretty cool, fun, funky listen
I'm alright with this one, was kinda fun Will I listen to again: 35%
"This is the moment Lion-O has been preparing me for my whole life... The ThunderCats have been our friends for as long as we can remember... They have stuck with us through good times and bad, helping make us who we are today... It's time we repaid their friendship. Let this be a day that will be sung about by our people for ages to come!"
5/10 There is a point at which deconstruction isn't interesting. It's annoying and while I'm sure Mr. Cat had a nice time, I was not invited to his wavelength. update, after the noisy beginning it started getting interesting. it has a post jazz feel that is oddly regimented and is smooth without putting me to sleep. Glad I kept listening...not that glad. 4-1-2025
A 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.
Was really caught off guard to have recognized a few of the songs. Will definitely be adding some of the songs to floccinaucinihilipilification. Won’t add the entire album because some of the songs are too short and insubstantial to my listening experience.
If Thundercat is this good at bass but still writes songs about playing Mortal Kombat, boy would I love to see him playing Mortal Kombat. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meh
Walk On By // Tokyo // Friend Zone // Them Changes // 3.5/5
Real good listen, Thundercat is a quirky guy, lots of fun lyrics on here, insane bass playing too.
Despite a three star rating, there are some incredible tracks in this album. You can tell these songs came from a very intelligent and talented person who has been influenced by just about every single genre in existence.
Thundercat is a legend. Frequently requested as a collaborator on important albums. This album is enjoyable. There are even some incredible songs, but as a whole, it comes across as simply “ok”. An album I’d listen to if you played it, but likely wouldn’t put it on.
While I do enjoy a handful of Thundercat’s singles, he’s not really an artist I look to for great album experiences. They are often pretty good with a few absolute stand-out singles. Them Changes and Walk On By are the “take-home” singles on Drunk and the rest is fine, but not enough for me to revisit the whole album. But Them Changes and Walk On By are so incredible that I can’t rate below 3. That and Thundercat’s work with other artists (Kendrick, Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak just to name a few) is more than enough for him to warrant a mention on such a list.
Drunk is anything but. This is a very tight, accomplished album. Thundercat has the ability to allow his bass to drift through the songs, yet keeps it tight with the production and vocals. Mark King for the cool kids.
This felt like listening to someone read out text messages between stoned GenZers. Simultaneously wacky while also humdrum and uninteresting. Sort of experimental R&B with dizzy, stream-of-consciousness feel to it but for me it walked the line between being interesting and infuriating. I absolutely love that front cover though, made me want to like it more than I ultimately did. But for 21st-century R&B you can do a LOT worse than this, in my book.
Interesting, but not really compelling.
Thundercat was interviewed for the Yacht Rock documentary and after listening to this I totally get why. Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald are even on this album. Never heard of him until then. Definitely a jazzy, laid back, and harmonious groove. I enjoyed this album the more I listened to it. Very cool vibes.
Cover art is polar opposite of this yacht r&b snoozer
it's a vibe. overall pleasant listen, i don't think i added too many to my playlist
I looked forward to this more than I enjoyed it
Kind of like a cross between Kendrick (fittingly) and the Wii soundtrack. Enjoyed it much more than I anticipated, probably 3.5
Nice if a little strange. Jokey kinda music 6/10
I've seen him live a couple of times when he played with Suicidal Tendencies. I didn't know his solo work. This album sounds completely different. It's not about the songs, but about the atmosphere. It doesn't really sound like anything else. So bonus points for creativity. It's like Parliament meets Zappa meets Steely Dan. Weird combination. The singing is not very good. I hate the falsetto. He uses an annoying effect pedal on his bass a lot. That's what makes the album sound so different. Favorite song: where I'm going.
Honestly, I have no idea how to rate this album. I have never heard anything like this before, modern jazz meets soul and rap ina very quirky packaging. Every song was balancing on the line of weirdness/greatness, heavily leaning to the former time and time again. I would certainly listen to it again, with a different mindset, but it's hard to say I liked it so far. It has something magnetic in the way it's recorded, that another chance is basically given. Until then a placeholder, generic note is most suitable.
No song stood out but it was still a pretty weird and nice album to listen to. I liked it.
Those beats are incredible
3 - So I've seen thunder cat live and was blown away, but I think I just much prefer him live to the studio album. It was like just some space jingles tbh
First off, I will admit this album is outside my usual musical wheelhouse (but I suppose that is the point of this project). My initial thought was that if someone with a musical meatgrinder threw in some deep soul, a helping of acid funk, a side of cool jazz, with a dash of synth new wave, the result would be the eclectic Frankenstein of late 70s and early 80s sound that is "Drunk." With only 16 out of 23 tracks exceeding two and a half minutes, the album often shifts pace. At times, silly (dreaming about being a cat, Japanese pop culture, and school yard level humour), however, there are touching songs too, such as "Lava Lamp" and "3AM" that help balance out the album. And much like the mix of musical styles, the album features an array of guest musicians, including Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on ("Show You The Way), and others such as Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, and Kendrick Lamar. Overall, the album's solid production, while occasionally repetitive, is carried by the standout tracks to make it a worthwhile experience... for those willing to embrace its chaotic nature.
I'm intrigued... not sure if in a good or bad way.
Good.
meehhh was excepting more considering how huge is thundercats name. 3.20
Helt underhållande, inte så seriöst hela tiden vilket är ett plus. Har sina stunder
This wasn’t bad. Not my usual kind of music. Nothing memorable though.
Is it weird that I saw this guy's name and immediately thought he was Thunderclap Newman? I really don't know what the hell to make of this. Is it a sincere attempt at a concept album? Is it a parody of the genres it attempts? Is it both? Yes? What the hell is the album cover? Why did it feel like a poster for an Eric Andre standup special? What the hell is this? It's albums like these that make me have to stop and think back on my initial reaction. That reaction is usually like the above - confusion, a little bit of frustration, and a whole lot of questions. Specific for this album, I thought this was well-produced but that the concept of the album was a little underdeveloped and scattered. Simply, I just didn't get it. But then I step back and think - "Why didn't I like it? Because I don't understand it? Because it's different to what I usually listen to? Why is it so acclaimed in its genre? There has to be a reason." It's in these moments that I feel like I just have to give it the benefit of the doubt and hand it three stars. Which is what I'm going to do because honestly, I don't know what else makes sense. Standout Tracks: Uh Uh, Walk On By, Friend Zone,
Weird not sure what's going on here
Sounds okay, still not too catchy
Waaaaaaaaaaay too many songs, but I love that he's pushing RnB and Hip Hop in a direction like this. What an amazing bass player by the way!
I think I expected to like this more than I did. The stand out songs were the hits I'd heard on the radio before.
Mellow relaxing tunes from Thundercat nothing to dislike in my head
He is an extremely talented bass player and the album really helps solidify that. The songs are kind of lacking and rather slow. Overall it’s interesting, but not as good as it could be. 3/5 Might listen again
I wasn't really familiar with this at all until this morning. I had seen this album cover a bunch of times but never listened to the album. First thought I had after about 5 songs was 'god damn Stephen Bruner can play bass'. I like the instrumentation, although it is a little too digital for my taste. There's a lot going on and it is well done but I think the reliance on digital sounds was a little too much. You're obviously a good musician, play real instruments. But even the real instruments are so processed they sound like a synth. I liked the more instrumental jazzy and funky songs more than the hip hop or what could even be called easy listening songs. The lyrics throughout are not great, but better than what you would get with a standard hip hop album I guess. But I was definitely ready to be done with this album before it was over. 2.75 and will round up to 3/5.
Jazzy pop/rock.
Eclectic, psycho poppy
it was aite IMO but cool to hear his stuff!!
Pretty good
The duality of Thundercat, one of the best bassists around but his lyrics man, they're really quite bad. I honestly feel this could've been amazing if it was just an instrumental album
Good craic altogether
Trippy.
First of all, this is high class music! But there's no denying that the production was a huge pain, like, 23 tracks? Seriously? Some of them are unnecessary and some good song ideas are criminally short and underused. I'm going to give it 3 stars today, but the sound of this album had the potential to be 5. Happy New Year to everyone reading this!
Entertaining... Some cool tunes... But the burp bro... I didn't like that... And I was enjoying the fucking song...
Never heard of Thundercat before outside the cartoon. It reminded me a bit of the Frank Ocean Channel Orange album although not as good (although to be fair i have listened to Orange many times). Listened a couple of times and whilst I enjoyed its eclectic nature nothing really jumped out at me. With more time I am sure it will grow on me - but sadly I don't got more time.
Sounds like Prince, but recorded in a bedroom.
Good but not great. I like some Thundercat songs but I only added a couple off this album.
Very weird but definitely good.
Such great, groovy bass playing, if only the lyrics weren't absolute doo-doo.
It’s like Mac DeMarco meets childish gambino. Hearing Michael McDonald’s and Kendrick Lamar on the same album was not on my bingo card. I appreciate how eclectic it is but part of me feels like he’s working too hard to keep me on my toes. Obviously, the bass lines are virtuosic, which is easily hidden because of how common it is to farm the rhythm section out to a computer. Not my taste in the end, with the sustained jazzy tones and all, but I respect it.
Lots of good ideas spread thin across the entire album
Thought I was going to hate this, especially when I saw it had 23 TRACKS ON IT. Jesus wept. But what a pleasant surprise when half those tracks were really short, and that the whole thing was actually pretty good! It was funky, had a good vibe to it and I thought the vocals were so chilled and smooth.
I found myself largely indifferent.
Surprisingly, I've never actually listened to this whole album. Heckuva bass player. I think too many short but similar songs to give it a 4.
Nice sounds here. A bit Zappa ISH in places
It has good musicality, it's creative, and has skillful bass, but overall not my favorite. It was mostly chill to listen to. I thought it was creative and I can see why some hipsters might enjoy this. The meows had me loling. I think it's very much true that he doesn't take himself too seriously. There was also the iPhone alarm sound in Friend Zone.
Jag gillar en del av hand låtar men resten är lite för mycket naveljazz för mig
More of a 2.5 than a 3 in that I probably wouldn’t ever decide to listen to it, but it’s such a successful ‘70s hommage that I’m rounding up.
Modern funk
great instrumentals
I've been a Thundercat well-wisher since I first heard this album. Self-deprecating humour and goofy, oddball lyrics (with melancholic existential undertones) delivered by a smooth falsetto and set to deliciously squelchy bass? Yes please. But he seems to meander a lot and those focused moments of quirky jazz-pop-hip-hop gold are kinda spread out. There's plenty of filler, is what I think I'm trying to say, and that inconsistent quality is why I haven't upgraded from a well-wisher to a super-fan.
Funky tunes, would listen again
Tokyo is freaking fantastic.
Pleasantly surprising album. Very well thought out and great production.
Stephen Bruner is a killer bass player -- a fully accomplished musician for sure, but also an imaginative, unhinged, very creative one. And drawing from the videos of his interviews, he's the coolest (thunder)cat in activity in the current American post-funk / alternative hip-hop/R'n'B scene. For instance, it's great listening to him talk about the sounds and harmonies that have pushed his buttons since he was a teenager deeply interested in music of all stripes. I have nothing but mad respect for stellar, enthusiastic musicians of his ilk. There's a decisively seventies feel to *Drunk*, here mixed and updated to more contemporary strands. And as such, I think the record does scratch an itch for a lot of fans of African-American music tired of excessive standardization and other tired tropes in their favourite genres. This is music for people who don't like easy categories being shovelled down their throat. And it's filled with life and all sorts of endearing details. That said, I would lie if I said I'm fully sold on Thundercat's vision as displayed on *Drunk*. There's an voluntarily "episodic" nature to the man's music that hearkens back to J Dilla and Flying Lotus (the latter actually on production, mixing and performance duties on a large part of those tracks). Yet said music is also far less various in tones and intents than its obvious models. And as a consequence, a "samey" vibe ends up spoiling the journey, which is crazy since so many efforts have been put to create off-kilter instrumentation and arrangements in some of those cuts. Not that there are no highlights: "Bus In These Streets", "Lava Lamp", "Jethro", "Show Me The Way", "Friend Zone", "Them Changes", "Drink Dat" all split the difference between hard funk and yacht rock, and sparks routinely spurt forth from this clash of styles (always operated in a very laidback manner, mind you). The thing is, barring a very rare exception, all the other cuts in this quite long record sound like drafts or less realized equivalents of said highlights, and the comparison soon does a disservice to the whole project. And this especially on its last leg, which just sounds esoteric for the hell of it. I'm OK with the album starting with all sorts of different short teases seeing Stephen having his tongue firmly planted in his cheek (the first proper "song" is about going home wasted and jerking yourself off to sleep , for chrissake!). The album does not seem to take itself too seriously for one second. But I would have expected some more cohesive building-up of all these threads at the end--meshing up to something more decisive and emotional. What you have instead is just *more* weird shit that neither rhymes nor reasons (even though closer "DUI" harbors a couple of mesmerizing synth sounds). Pretty sure that a lot of listeners will feel a bit cheated to have spent so much time with this album, very honestly. It's quite a frustrating situation: Thundercat is talented enough to yield wonders when his heart is set to it, as the delicate "3AM" can prove it. But that cut is only a one-minute oasis of bliss lost in what feels like a fifteen-minute of desert nonsense. There's a difference between not taking yourself seriously and being entirely self-indulgent, and as of now, it is my opinion that "Drunk" is the work of a very skilled artist who doesn't always know how to draw the line between the two. A piece of potential self-criticism needs to be expressed at this point, though: maybe I should resume smoking pot after decades abstaining to do so (minus one rare relapse at times), so as to "dig" this record for what it is: a goofy, unpretentious attempt to reconcile feelgood intents with somewhat abrasive yet also pretty original soundscapes. Behind the sleazy atmosphere of some of the songs, there's a childish sense of wonder in many parts of this LP -- partly conveyed by the nonsensical yet sometimes personal, autobiographical lyrics found in it. Stephen Bruner is not the singer of the century, and it would be a little idiotic to expect classic "songwriting" from him. But he sure knows how to create a "mood", even if I'm not always fascinated by them. So leaving the door open for this one. Who knows, maybe I'll end up "drunk" on it one day? 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 8/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3) Number of albums left to review: 56 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 408 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 235 (including this one - but there are around 40 albums in my 2017 year's end list* that I think are better than this one, so this is a purely symbolical gesture that I'm making here) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 302 ---- *Just for the sake of documentation, and to allow you to personally assess what I've written here, here is my list of favourite albums for 2017: Big Thief - Capacity Idles - Brutalism Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent Kendrick Lamar - Damn. King Krule - The Ooz Slowdive - Slowdive Aldous Harding - Party King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - Polygondwanaland St Vincent - Masseduction Tyler The Creator - Flower Boy Pissed Jeans - Why Love Now King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives Björk - Utopia OMNI - Multi-Task Broken Social Scene - Hug Of Thunder Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers Thurston Moore - Rock'n Roll Consciousness Fleet Foxes - The Crack-Up Thee Oh Sees - Orc Metro Boomin / 21 Savage / Offset - Without Warning The Psychotic Monks - Silence Slowly And Madly Shines Chad VanGaalen - Light Information Lana Del Rey - Lust For Life Lorde - Melodrama Mogwai - Every Country's Sun Do Make Say Think - Stubborn Persistent Illusions Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked At Me (Sandy) Alex G - Rocket Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins Wolf Alice - Visions Of A Life LCD Soundsystem - American Dream William Basinski - A Shadow In Time Charli XCX - Pop 2* The xx - I See You Converge - The Dusk In Us Pile - A Hairshirt Of Purpose Jay Z - 4:44
Kind of a weird album, but not bad.
Favs: Uh Uh, Jethro, Tokyo, Them Changes Least fav: The Turn Down
Weird but interesting
Ok
This was fun, not sure if it's really essential but it's alright. Key tracks: Tokyo Friend Zone
Pretty cool stuff. Like the next evolution of OutKast but without any of the stand out songs. Admittedly I said this before I got to Them Changes
3.5-3.75
I wanted to like this album. Honestly I did. But when I was midway, still vibing, I daw that I had 12 more songs that sounded quite similar to the 12 songs I already listened to… so I am asking, why? I love chocolate ice cream, but I cannot eat it 23 times in one day. I need some variety, please!
Bizarre.