REVIEWSThundercat, ‘The Golden Age of Apocalypse’

7

• SPIN Rating:7 of 10

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Release Date: August 30, 2011
Label: Brainfeeder

Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner's improbable ?journey from thrash ?bassist for Suicidal Tendencies to alt-soul sideman (Erykah Badu, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, J*DaVeY) continues with his solo debut, a valentine to '70s jazz fusion. George Duke's 1975 classic "For Love (I Come Your Friend)" serves as a recurring theme, with Bruner using a similarly light falsetto for "Walkin'," "Boat Cruise," and "Seasons." Save for a short, pessimistic detour on "Mystery Machine," not much here breaks the spell of impressive fretwork, warm arrangements, and New Age musing. Offering a vision more golden age than apocalypse, Thundercat's music sparkles, and the effect is both lovely ?and overwhelming.