Thundercat : Distracted

Stephen Bruner, aka bass extraordinaire Thundercat, is either you flavor or not. Anybody that digs the futuristic pop/jazz/funk flavors of an album like Drunk or Thundercat’s maestro playing on albums by Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Justice and Tame Impala will no doubt continue to worship at the alter of Thundercat’s immense bass contributions and funky leanings. Once you lock in, you’re in.

Bruner has returned with his most care-free and groovy collab-filled album yet with Distracted. While his prolific bass playing is usually at the forefront, followed by Bruner’s lilting falsetto, Distracted is about the songs and the guests first and foremost. The name of the game is sexy R&B turns with groove-tastic funk tipping its hat to 70s soul courtesy of Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire, and even Sly Stone. Collabs include Tame Impala, the late Mac Miller, Lil Yachty, Flying Lotus, A$AP Rocky and even The Lemon Twigs. This is a record that has something for every flavor and mood.

To give example to how varied this record is, let’s start with “What Is Left To Say”, the soft rock schmoozer with the power pop brother duo The Lemon Twigs. Strings, vibes, sugar-sweet harmonies, and the overall vibe of early 70s pop song dominance. Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John, and The Raspberries rolled into one. That’s followed up with the robo-funk of “Anakin Learns His Fate” and the melancholy Christopher Cross-ish “Walking on the Moon” which features Beck on vocals and wonky electronic noise.

This record never gets boring over its 46-minute runtime. Not when you have the cosmic soul of “No More Lies(featuring Tame Impala)”, or the sly grooves of “She Knows Too Much” with the late, great Mac Miller rapping in his Angus Cloud swagger. A$AP Rocky’s turn in the woozy “Funny Friends” is a highlight.

Thundercat has finally made a near perfect record. His virtuosic playing supports the songwriting, not the other way around. Distracted is a solid jam start to finish.