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Thundercat - I hear he is the Future of Bass


xilddx
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agreed, I think loads of other players did this 30 years ago, and better too. I wanted to like it too, but it's really uninspiring. Surely the point of a bass 'solo' album is to push boundaries of tone or technique (amongst other things), not just please yourself. I think listening to this whole album would have the same effect as watching him masturbate in public - it would just make you feel uneasy and a bit sick, it would also make you wonder why he's doing it in public. :)

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It just sounds like some very naff Return To Forever offcuts. The tripe they jam out but would never dream of putting near their albums. Too many hoary old key sounds, and a sort of naff faux-retro vibe. His tone is awful too. No, I don't really think much of this at all, and as a big RTF and fusion fan it pains me to say that. I would love for fusion to be re-invigorated and for some great players to really get active and refresh that genre. Sadly, I think it's cheesy rubbish like this that has done the genre in, because it was essentially watered down rubbish like this that spoiled things the first time around.

Some of it also has a bit of a Level 42 flavour, as if Mike Lindup said one day at an early 80's soundcheck "hey guys, lets play some tuneless rubbish. Mark, you can do what you want but make sure you keep it meandering and aimless. If by chance an original sounding lick pops into your head, store it but don't play it here".

What a load of dross.

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[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1323878537' post='1468146']
It just sounds like some very naff Return To Forever offcuts. The tripe they jam out but would never dream of putting near their albums. Too many hoary old key sounds, and a sort of naff faux-retro vibe. His tone is awful too. No, I don't really think much of this at all, and as a big RTF and fusion fan it pains me to say that. I would love for fusion to be re-invigorated and for some great players to really get active and refresh that genre. Sadly, I think it's cheesy rubbish like this that has done the genre in, because it was essentially watered down rubbish like this that spoiled things the first time around.

Some of it also has a bit of a Level 42 flavour, as if Mike Lindup said one day at an early 80's soundcheck "hey guys, lets play some tuneless rubbish. Mark, you can do what you want but make sure you keep it meandering and aimless. If by chance an original sounding lick pops into your head, store it but don't play it here".

What a load of dross.
[/quote]

Good points well made :) - and a very fair assessment - maybe it's my poor taste that make me like bits of it or rather I'm not really comparing it to the likes of RTF - I think he's coming from a different angle altogether - what some of you might not know is that he played with Erykah Badu for years and still plays with Suicidal Tendencies - I'm not making excuses for some of the music I just dig some of it because it's different - if you want some banging jazz rock/fusion there's plenty of it around that's really good right now - Ranjit Borat's Sonic Boom - Human Element - Jeff King's Catalyst - Rudresh Mahanthappa's Samdhi - anyway just my teppence worth - I've made my point I'll leave now

M

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[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I'll give this guy and his publicists and management team 10 out of 10 for a good marketing campaign. I'd like to know how they swung it on so many levels. Was it a slow news day in bassland? [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]Unfortunately you've got to back it up or the hype becomes the stick that everyone uses to hit you. [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]As seems to be happening here! [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color]
[font=Arial][size=2] [/size][/font]

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1323879312' post='1468163']


[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]Unfortunately you've got to back it up or the hype becomes the stick that everyone uses to hit you. [/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]As seems to be happening here! [/font][/color][/size]

[/quote]


Such is life....

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:) I could not put this better myself

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1323878537' post='1468146']
It just sounds like some very naff Return To Forever offcuts. The tripe they jam out but would never dream of putting near their albums. Too many hoary old key sounds, and a sort of naff faux-retro vibe. His tone is awful too. No, I don't really think much of this at all, and as a big RTF and fusion fan it pains me to say that. I would love for fusion to be re-invigorated and for some great players to really get active and refresh that genre. Sadly, I think it's cheesy rubbish like this that has done the genre in, because it was essentially watered down rubbish like this that spoiled things the first time around.

Some of it also has a bit of a Level 42 flavour, as if Mike Lindup said one day at an early 80's soundcheck "hey guys, lets play some tuneless rubbish. Mark, you can do what you want but make sure you keep it meandering and aimless. If by chance an original sounding lick pops into your head, store it but don't play it here".

What a load of dross.
[/quote]
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I've been loving the album since it came out. Journalistic hyberbole aside it has some wondrous moments (the cover of George Dukes 'For Love I Come), great genuinely inspired melody and awesome playing. A lot of the bass sounds are very processed (its FlyLo) and not immediately apparent. It references the past but there is real forward thinking in the production and playing. Still, hes no Mike Rutherford eh...

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Anyone who suggests this is the 'future of bass' knows nothing about its past. Highly derivative, imo. Certainly no melodic, harmonic or rhythmic innovation. Just some home studio production and some mediocre songwriting. Not bad, just not worth spending much time with.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just checking Thundercat's CD out. Sounds quite interesting to my ears. There are some video clips knocking about of him playing an MTD 6 string bass, he is indeed very talented. Whether he is the future of bass I am not so sure. He does however come from a family of monster musicians, his brother being Ronald Bruner Jr, one of the hottest new young jazz/fusion drummers to emerge in recent years. Ronald also has a somewhat unconventional playing style...maybe it just runs in the family. :)

Edited by M-N-Y
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[quote name='M-N-Y' timestamp='1325269299' post='1481612']
Just checking Thundercat's CD out. Sounds quite interesting to my ears. There are some video clips knocking about of him playing an MTD 6 string bass, he is indeed very talented. Whether he is the future of bass I am not so sure. He does however come from a family of monster musicians, his brother being Ronald Bruner Jr, one of the hottest new young jazz/fusion drummers to emerge in recent years. Ronald also has a somewhat unconventional playing style...maybe it just runs in the family. :)
[/quote]

Ronald is pretty fabulous

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S41IlaZZMv0

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Thanks for posting Silddx,great stuff. I love the band, the tune and the drumming. The drum sound is just my bag as well. I think Ronald may well be destined for greatness. I don't suppose you know who the other musicians are? I would like to delve into this a bit further.

Cheers,

Mark.

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Think I might be a bit mad but this Cd is amazing. It does take some listening to,but i think that might be the point. I am listening through headphones and I think this helps the music have a little more impact. It does have hints of Herbie Hancock and 70's funk mixed with stuff which sounds like it's been produced on another planet.
Overall summary, I like it very much. :D I'll get my coat then.....

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