This is the 4th full-length album from Los Angeles, California musician, singer/songwriter & producer Thundercat. Emerging in the 2000s as the bassist for Suicidal Tendencies, he would subsequently sign to Brainfeeder Records & make his full-length debut The Golden Age of Apocalypse nearly a week before I started high school. He would follow it up with the sophomore effort Apocalypsea couple summers later & his debut extended play The Beyond / Where the Giants Grow a month succeeding my graduation became popular due to the inclusion of his most lauded single “Them Changes”. It would eventually be included on his previous LP Drunk, which is his most cohesive musical statement & an essential within the Brainfeeder discography. 3 years later, he’s accepting that It Is What It Is.
The 5th & final single “Interstellar Love” co-produced by Flying Lotus after the “Lost in Space / Great Scott / 22-26” intro embraces a heavy nu jazz fusion sound with elements of psychedelic neo-soul singing about us decaying over time whereas “I Love Louis Cole” featuring the real Louis Cole himself finds the 2 describing their friendship. The 2nd single “Black Qualls” featuring Childish Gambino & Steve Arrington goes for a funky psychedelic soul vibe singing about the state of no longer living in fear leading into “Miguel’s Happy Dance” going synth-funk offering a tune to dance your pain away too.
After the “How Sway?” interlude, “Funny Thing” takes it back to the Drunk era conceptually describing himself at a part that’s on the verge of reaching it’s peak just before the funky “Overseas” reaches the halfway point singing about a chick who blows his mind. The 3rd single “Dragonball Durag” ranks amongst his greatest blending neo-soul, psychedelic soul, nu jazz, funk, alternative R&B & acid jazz looking to be accepted by a woman no matter what it takes while the lead single “King of the Hill” after the “How I Feel” interlude samples “Girl Dinner.” by THABANG! thanks to BADBADNOTGOOD wondering how different things would be if they focused on the more important things.
“Unrequited Love” details the actual experience of romance from what some would call “the one that got away” to different shades of what people would think love is while the 4th single “Fair Chance” lets Lil B & Ty$ handle the verses over a funky alternative R&B/psychedelic neo-soul instrumental Sounwave helped cooked up remembering the late Mac Miller. After the 51 second “Existential Dread” interlude, the title track written after learning of Mac’s passing spans the last 5 minutes saying goodbye to their late friend while “Bye for Now” featuring Michael McDonald technically ends with the pair singing about the struggles of moving on.
Mac Miller was a very close friend & collaborator of Thundercat’s, so it was a guarantee that It Is What It Is was going to be dedicated to his memory & I wouldn’t say it’s better than Drunkalthough it lands close to The Beyond / Where the Giants Grow amongst his top 3 projects. The production between him & Flying Lotus feels like a continuation of sorts to the neo-soul & psychedelic soul sounds that made Drunk additionally taking inspiration from jazz fusion, nu jazz, alternative R&B & synth-funk to lesser extents & he retains his signature sense of humor in the midst of grieving Mac’s death.
Score: 4/5
Legends Will Never Die 