Despite what people may think, Leon Thomas was not destined for this.
Thomas’ burgeoning stardom started with a surprise. Even though he was raised by musical parents, Thomas stumbled into a role as a child actor on Broadway by accident: A family friend thought he looked a little like Young Simba, and suggested the 10-year-old try out for The Lion King.
After Broadway, he parlayed his early success into a recurring role as Andre Harris on Nickelodeon’s Victorious. He often remained in the shadow of his more famous co-stars, but there were some perks. Working closely with Ariana Grande on the show fueled his love for music and songwriting.
Following his early acting chances, Thomas stayed in the shadows. In recent years though, he’s produced tracks and contributed to hits for artists such as Grande, Drake, SZA, and Rick Ross.
As those songs gained popularity, so did Thomas, at least among producers and songwriters. Slowly building his credibility earned him the chance to release his first solo project, Mutt.
Gauging by online and critical reception, Mutt seems to be saving modern R&B from growing irrelevance. With Mutt, Thomas earned six Grammy nominations and widespread acclaim for his resonant lyrics and passionate sound.
Mutt’s image of an outcast and unwanted dog looms large. As Thomas grapples with love and loss, he reveals a series of complicated attempts to solve life’s problems.
Most of Mutt involves Thomas working through his relational issues. Whether he’s fresh off a breakup or looking for that next spark, Thomas’ relationships reveal his best and worst.
We’ll start with the best.
“How Fast” hints at how Thomas consults his therapist for advice. He sings, “My therapist told me I’ too detached.”
“Feelings on Silent” continues the theme of detachment as Thomas confronts negative opinions. He sings, “All these opinions either sweet or salty/So paying attention to everything gets costly.”
On “Far-Fetched,” Thomas realizes his commitments have consequences as he sings, “Cause once you belong to me, you belong to me for life.”
“I Do” shares that Thomas might have finally found his one true love. He sings, “Sometimes, it’s hard to believe/That God really sent you my way, yeah/And if the pastor ever ask, I do?/Oh, I, I do, I do, I do.”
Now onto the worst.
“How Fast” quickly asks the question: “How fast can I go ‘til it gets bad?” Thomas knows he’s on a downward spiral and he spares no explicit image to share how he’ll get there.
“Safe Place” quickly devolves into a long list of reasons Thomas should not be considered safe for any woman. He sings, “Drunk for a minute, you want some?… I see the glass half empty when it’s Henny.” There’s also a reference to self-harm and numerous sexual activities.
“Answer Your Phone” is a manipulative series of threats towards Thomas’ former love turned ex. He becomes consumed with getting her to “Tell me now, tell me now/What can I do to make it up to you.” The threats continue as his love is clearly unrequited and borderline obsessive.
On “Far-Fetched,” Thomas teams up with Ty Dolla $ign to describe their ideal treatment of lovers and romance. Their entire conception of both is consumed by sex, drugs, and money. They sing, “I flew you to Europe, we had rich sex/I put you in Hermes and the Balmain.”
“Yes It Is” reveals the shallow vanity of Thomas’ preferred partner. He describes her as someone who “All she do is work, f—, Uber Eats and get high.”
Squint really hard and “Vibes Don’t Lie” might come across like a half-hearted interpretation of some decent wisdom. Thomas sings, “vibes don’t lie like the mouth do.” Unfortunately, all Thomas refers to here is how his girl is so obsessed with wealth that the two of them can’t ever seem to focus on what matters to him: sex.
Title track “Mutt” features Thomas willing to do anything for a one-night stand. He shows his lack of judgment in singing, “I have smoked already, so pardon my bluntness … I’ll let my guard down for you.”
“Feelings on Silent” sees Thomas unsuccessfully try to block out what he perceives as negative noise. He quickly turns threatening as he sings, “S— ain’t what it used to be, but shh, it is what it’s gon be.”
“Dancing with Demons” casually mentions dealing with an eating disorder and failing to look for relief.
Nearly every song carries an explicit warning, with most songs featuring vulgar language such as f-words, s-words, “b—-,” “n—–,” and other sexualized, drug-infused, and profane imagery.
Thomas clearly has a feel for crafting passionate music. Strip away the lyrics, and an instrumental version of Mutt would still possess intense emotional moments and a sweeping sense of sound.
Unfortunately for the careful listener, Thomas’ lyrics mute any lasting connection to his music. Hints of self-reflection and admission of any lingering issues rarely break the surface of an album otherwise consumed with wayward desires.
Mutt’s purpose remains largely muddled. It seems Thomas simply wants to boast about how many people he’s slept with or recount his recent drug-laced nights out.
These superficial obsessions reflect humanity’s longing to fill a void. With Mutt, Thomas shows that he often allows these obsessions to dictate his life’s most consequential decisions.
Like so many artists before him, Thomas’s attempts to fill his void sadly begin and end with seeking fleeting pleasure. Attempts so desperate that they often show the bark is sometimes just as bad as the bite.
Jackson Greer is a High School English Teacher in the suburbs of Texas. He lives in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Clara. They love debating whether or not to get another cat and reading poetry together. Also, he is a former employee of Focus on the Family’s Parenting Department.
