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Thundercat Makes Music FUNk Again on ‘Drunk’

  • March 1, 2017
  • 3 min read
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Thundercat Makes Music FUNk Again on ‘Drunk’

Thundercat, Drunk, R&B, Funk, Soul

Thundercat’s third album and latest release Drunk is an explosion of emotions for the vocalist and bassist Stephen Bruner who delightfully puts it all out on display with this well-rounded effort. There are moments of sadness, laughter, sarcasm, confusion, and the overall thoughts of a man just trying to get through life. The highlights and surprises (and there are many) are plentiful on this album with guest stars like Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Pharrell to name a few. There’s something that’s just warm, familiar, and absolutely satisfying with this record.

The album starts with “Captain Stupido” and Thundercat singing “I feel weird, comb your beard, brush your teeth, still feel weird, beat your meat, go to sleep, probably left my wallet at the club, jesus take the wheel”–obviously an ode to a drunken night at the club ending with Thundercat snoring and farting. Now if this doesn’t prepare you for what’s to come, I’m not sure anything else will! The weirdness goes further and it could not be more funky, ebullient, or positively addicting! Next up we have “Bus In These Streets,” which is a soulful ode to social media and disconnecting from it.

Moving on, the absolutely most out there and interesting song is “A Fan’s Mail (Tron Suite II) in which we hear Thundercat give us his best Meow Mix cat impression. But maybe life would be better as a cat for all of us, something to ponder on this track. Things get sensual on “Lava Lamp” (and no, not with cats) and Bruner’s smooth falsetto, a transcendent voice that can usher you into some sort of funked-out waterbed does just that. The standout track on this album is Thundercat’s team-up with soft rockers Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on “Show You The Way.” The trio’s falsetto’s combined is like a trippy Bee Gees song but it’s absolutely fantastic and way too short, you’ll be craving more. Thankfully “Walk On By” delivers just that with Kendrick Lamar delivering an honest, and somewhat violent rap with Thundercat sending us off with his soft falsetto singing “At the end of it all, no one wants to drink alone, baby that’s how it goes, don’t walk away from me…”

“Tokyo” adds some synthful 70s funk into the mix with Thundercat rhyming about his love affair in Tokyo and adding a lot of past experience in there. The journey continues with “Jameel’s Space Ride,” a bouncy, funk track that shoots right into the synth heavy “Friend Zone” that gives a fair warning to women looking to just be “friends.” Thundercat does not tire on this album and keeps bringing the funk, especially with “Them Changes,” a pure ode to 70s funk with a dreamy-synth moment. The album begins to fade towards a darker theme with the finely-calibrated soul track “The Turn Down,” which features Pharrell. The album ends with the dreamy-synth and soul track “DUI,” closing out this incredibly focused, funky, soulful, and absolutely stunning 23 track narrative.

Purchase or listen to Drunk HERE

HEAR “Show You The Way” Below

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About Author

Chris Ryan

Chris Ryan is an accomplished promoter, event planner, producer, activist, counselor, poet and blogger. Within the course of two and a half years Chris Ryan has worked with some of NYC's most established promoters/event planners, been named 2007′s GaySocialite of the year, granted a promoter of the year award from NYC's most famous gay establishment, Splash. He's worked in some of NYC's top venues including; Avalon, Capitale, Cipriani, Cielo, Pacha, Element, Le Poisson Rouge, XL, G Lounge, Plumm, Hilton Hotel, Indigo Hotel, Spirit, Myst/Quo, Splash, The Ritz, Vlada, Roseland Ballroom, Heaven, etc. In 2008, Chris Ryan has begun to unveil some of the most innovative & unique parties New York City has ever seen. The Fusion events "fuse" together all disciplines of art into an event that remains diverse yet cohesive at the same time. ChrisRyanNYC.com won best gay promotions website from NYC Event Patrons in 2008 & he was granted an award from the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Gov. Patterson & Michelle Clunie (QAF) saluting him for his hard work in nightlife. Chris Ryan has also begun working with many renown companies, including; doctors, lawyers, physicians, modeling agencies & more. Chris Ryan has been responsible for wide-scale promotions for all these companies & generating tremendous business. Chris Ryan has even started to become National with events taking place in LA & Miami this year. In May of 2009 Chris Ryan received the very prestigious honor of being named a "40 Under 40″ Gays in America by the Advocate Magazine. He also created three successful parties that generated over 1,500 patrons each. In January of 2010 Chris Ryan was featured as one of the top promoters to look out for in Noize Magazine Chris Ryan joined forces with legendary promoter/event producer, Lee Chappell and created one of the most talked about events of all 2010, Desire @ Capitale. Chris Ryan and Lee featured one of the most outstanding artists NYC has ever seen, "Oh Land." Her performance coupled with an exquisite and unforgettable set design added to this extravagant event that held over 1,000 patrons in one of NYC's most successful PRIDE events! Chris Ryan then joined forces with legendary Pacha promoter, Rob Fernandez in addition to Jake Resnicow and Tommy Marinelli to bring one of the largest and most successful parties worldwide to NYC, MATINEE. The event on Governor's Island saw over 2,000+ attendees and one of the most ambitious productions ever. In 2011 Chris Ryan started Emerge Music Promotions with business partner Darren Melchiorre. Emerge Music promotions began signing artists with plans to develop and market the artists to the community at large. Emerge Music promotions has big events planned for 2012 and 2013. Chris Ryan debuted the IMAGE events which took place on top of two of NYC's most beautiful rooftop venues, Rare View and Indigo Hotel. The events were blogged everywhere and featured the fashion designs of several clothing designers, artists and photographers. Chris Ryan felt that fashion and art should be displayed at every event and attracted the likes of Malan Breton, Calvin Klein and even Katy Perry. Chris Ryan began an extremely successful event which incorporated the concept of a house party into a nightclub atmosphere. The event Twist'D at G Lounge has been one of the most talked about events in NYC and allows it's audience to play nearly-naked Twister, beer pong, flip cup & more with other attendees. Chris Ryan was granted an excellence in volunteering award from AVP (Anti-Violence Project) for all his efforts in supporting the organization. 2013 has a very promising landscape on the horizon and Chris Ryan is complacent in saying "you haven't seen anything yet!"

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