Album Review: Mutt by Leon Thomas

From Electric Dusk’s confident strides to exploring Mutt’s nuanced emotions, Leon Thomas has kept his music drawn from personal experiences, including the symbolic dog adoption.

Courtesy of ENZMY Records/Motown Records.

Leon Thomas showcased his versatile talents beyond a gifted songwriter with his long-awaited debut, Electric Dusk, released in August 2023. This debut album laid the groundwork for his unique fusion of contemporary R&B with elements of soul, psychedelic rock, and hip-hop. Tracks like “Sneak” and “My Will,” featuring notable artists Ty Dolla $ign and Victoria Monét on the LP, highlighted his storytelling ability through music and hinted at his artistic potential. He takes up a notch in Mutt. In this work, he explores themes of identity and trust, using the metaphor of a mutt to reflect his blend of diverse experiences and perhaps a sense of not fully belonging to any single category. The title track and its remix featuring Freddie Gibbs examine these ideas over a soulful drop.

Another notable track from Mutt, “Far Fetched,” focuses on themes of extravagant love and unattainable dreams, followed by the interlude of “Sooner or Later.” In the opening verse, Thomas expresses a recurring pattern of giving and receiving without reciprocation or forgiveness from his partner. Collaborating with Ty Dolla $ign, they depict a relationship overshadowed by materialism, questioning whether true emotional fulfillment is achievable under such circumstances, but in reality, they’re toxic as hell (especially Leon, and I’m glad Twitter acknowledged this). With “Lucid Dreams,” Thomas and Masego communicate a palpable sense of longing and unresolved emotions, underlining the difficulty of moving forward by illustrating the lingering echoes of a past relationship.

These contradictions in intimacy continue on the piano-bouncy track “Yes It Is.” “When I’m talking to you, I don’t know what to say/But I can call up a stranger and talk my whole life away,” Thomas sings, revealing a tension between emotional vulnerability and superficial interactions. The second verse further explores this dynamic against transient escapades and youthful freedom: “Young wild and free, I can blame her/Young wild and pretty in Miami, I can tame her.” Underscored by its soulful delivery and melodic structure, “Vibes Don’t Lie” balances luxury and raw emotional intricacies, which leaves us pondering the collocation of visceral desires and tranquil contentment.

On Mutt, Leon Thomas doesn’t take risks like last year’s effort but co-opts for more soulful textures with hip-hop undertones. “I Do” exhibits a typography that compares unwavering commitment and divine intervention with vulnerability. He sings, “I gave you a thousand reasons to leave, but you’d always find one to stay,” speaking to love’s strength and persistence. The hip-hop heads will be pleased to hear Conductor Williams’ work produced with “Feelings On Silent.” At the same time, Wale never slouches on R&B tracks by rapping about integrity and self-worth (“Always keep it P but y’all don’t see the T, S, and the D), and the energy with the first two tracks of “How Fast” and “Safe Place.” Conversely, “Dance With Demons” reveals a textured portrayal that melds personal struggle with the mystical, highlighting Thomas as a storyteller, as shown in the epic “Answer Your Phone.”

By dueting with Baby Rose, “I Used To” follows the disillusionment and heartbreak that accompanies the end of a passionate relationship. Thomas opens with a vehement reflection on failed attempts and unfulfilled promises, immediately drawing the listener into a candid dialogue with the self. “You Tried/I tried, I tried/But trying never saved anyone,” he declares, highlighting the futility that often follows earnest efforts that fall short of success. Baby Rose steps in with her contradiction, displaying a transition from affection to resentment (“I used to really love you/But now it’s really fuck you), a theme infused with ambiguity and depth. With Mutt, Thomas maps out a tumultuous inner landscape, iterating the convolutedness of love, pain, regret, and the quest for self-preservation.

Great (★★★★☆)

Favorite Track(s): “Lucid Dreams,” “Answer Your Phone,” “I Used To”