It’s lovely to hear music from people that love music. It’s also rare. Sometimes I hear a song — often over a public speaker or through a car radio — that just sounds like it wasn’t made with love. No passion for the medium, no respect for the craft, no adoration for the songs that clearly inspired them to make music. And it’s painful.
Thundercat has never let me feel that pain in his music. His funky bassist abilities create an air of levity, excitement and childlike whimsy that could lift any song from the pits of apathy. Other artists have definitely taken notice, and whether he’s underscoring the opening minutes of Kendrick Lamar’s magnum opus or breathing solemn energy into Mac Miller’s posthumous releases, Thundercat has proven that a little extra passion goes a long way.
On Distracted, that passion is delivered with incredible clarity, shining through the album’s solemn contemplation and dreamy grooves. His reverence for the art form rides alongside his craftsmanship which reflects Thundercat’s distinct personality: He’s a total music nerd. He had the privilege of growing up with so many inspiring contemporary bodies of work while also having the drive to refine his own craft. And it’s that nerdy ambition that provides the backdrop for Distracted; his love letter to funk, soul and warbly bass guitar.
Nearly everyone that joins Thundercat on this album immediately feeds off of his jubilant energy. Tame Impala brings levity and his touch of subtle psychedelia to “No More Lies,” and Lil Yachty sounds more confident and relaxed than ever on “I Did This To Myself.” Neither is an entirely intuitive companion to Thundercat, but by the end of the song, you’re left wanting an entire extended play of tracks between them.
A more obvious pairing emerges on “She Knows Too Much,” with a bouncy Mac Miller feature that further continues the flawless streak of posthumous recordings that his estate has curated. The track could not be more Stevie Wonder in its arrangement, and it perfectly showcases Thundercat’s tasteful odes to the past while keeping his sound fresh and forward-thinking. After all, Stevie Wonder never got to drop 16 bars on any of his tracks.
Though this parade of energetic features is certainly exciting, it’s not the only shade of Thundercat that Distracted has to offer. Much of its latter half is dedicated to contemplative, romantic numbers with breezy instrumentals and smooth harmonies. This more mellow presentation feels just as engaging as the fast-paced first leg, with Thundercat’s goofy falsetto making his lovesick reflection all the more sincere. Not only that, but some of his lyricism genuinely gives the listener pause. The album’s absolute gem comes from “What Is Left To Say,” with The Lemon Twigs where he writes, “Feelings are / Like children in the car / You can’t put them in the trunk, but let them drive and you won’t go / far.”
Thundercat’s unwavering nerdiness shines through in much of his songwriting on this second act, as he’s able to bring all sorts of colorful metaphors and turns of phrase in order to make his point. “Anakin Learns His Fate” is a metaphor for accepting his role as the bad guy in a fraught relationship, making several references to the Star Wars character’s journey to evil. In a similar vein, he litters “Walking On The Moon” with several references to sci-fi characters and stories, singing, “My Barbarella, you’re my Uhura / my starship trooper.”
But it’s not just the lyrics that get their time to shine when Thundercat slows things down a touch. He also gets to experiment with some of his most downright gorgeous instrumentals to date. “ThunderWave” with WILLOW creates an atmosphere that feels like walking through a misty expanse in slow-motion— each step submerging you further. “A.D.D. Through The Roof” has an incredibly jazzy electric piano solo near the end that breathes much-needed life into a somewhat lazy batch of tracks near the end.
Still, these mellow moments offer some hilarious surprises. On “Great Americans,” a track seemingly about a confusing, emotionally distant relationship, Thundercat starts meowing at the listener, spiraling into a pit of madness as he begins talking to his cats. That would be the weirdest moment on the album were it not for the closing track, in which he contemplates selling pictures of his feet on OnlyFans.
Idiosyncratic thoughts and musical flourishes add an extra level of authenticity to his music, and they keep it from feeling derivative. The vibes of the album, even in its brightest corners, has a slight sense of existentialism and self-awareness that gives it a very modern coat of paint. Even though Thundercat has always leaned into a very nostalgic, funky sound, he never backs down from his 21st century existence.
Thankfully, on the other side of that greatly modern presentation, there comes a sincere celebration of everything that came before. At a bare minimum, Thundercat songs come from someone who is truly, fully in love with the music that fills their creator’s headspace. As such, even the slowest numbers on Distracted will be sure to fill the cup of anyone who wants to listen.
Daily Arts Writer Nathaniel Evans can be reached at natevan@umich.edu.
