Thundercat

Drunk

On Drunk, you are grabbed by the ankles and pulled into the rabbit hole of Bruner’s mind. It’s a dizzying ride.

No matter how many musicians he showcases, no matter how many sonic avenues he takes, no matter how many tracks he squeezes in, Thundercat sounds undeniably and defiantly like no other on Drunk.

Bruner/Thundercat has tamed (to some extent at least) his scope and ambition through his various influences and thoughts to make his third full-length album a joyful, crazy, substance-fuelled epic in an area where most of his contemporaries would take themselves endlessly seriously.

On Drunk's numerous vignettes, Bruner presents his extensive musical interests in an effortlessly relatable style.

Though at times it casts a viscous shadow, Drunk is ultimately a full-bodied, intoxicating triumph.

The third album from bassist/songwriter Thundercat is whimsical and somber, funny and meaningful, sometimes all at once. Drunk's oddball soul confronts the challenge of just trying to live life. 

Therein lies Drunk's true victory, offering its listener both solace and sunny vibes in its immediate presentation, and rewarding the focused observer with ruminations befitting a night of drinking that led to self-examination rather than glee. Regardless of what you're looking for, Thundercat is ready to serve you. Drink up.

It takes a special kind of artist to create a sound both familiar and groundbreaking. Thundercat continues his upward trajectory in that regard here.

It’s sozzled, it’s high as a kite and sometimes it’s just downright psychotic.  But it’s because of the maniacal shifts in tone, its massive melting pot of sounds and Thundercat’s hysterical (sometimes in more ways than one) yet honest ramblings that Drunk will probably go down as his magnum opus.

‘Drunk’, as out-there as it can be, is an album totally high on its own unique ideas.

Thundercat’s 23-track third album, Drunk, takes you down a rabbit hole and turfs you out in his lopsided wonderland of funk, soul, hip-hop and soft rock, with guest characters including Lamar, Pharrell, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and Wiz Khalifa.

Drunk is an impressive record which commands multiple listens as much by its quality as its complexity. It shows off Bruner at the height of his powers as an artist shapeshifting through genres but always leaving his scent in the air.