Leon Thomas III, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, is R&B’s underdog. His lyricism invokes a feeling of fragility and vulnerability, somehow interpreting the human emotion into a precise string of words. For 11 years, he has dedicated his God-given talent to ghostwriting for artists such as Ariana Grande, Chris Brown, Drake, Ella Mai, Post Malone and SZA. However, Thomas is breaking out from behind-the-scenes with the release of his third album, Mutt.
With a 14-track playlist, Mutt is a blunt yet vulnerable explanation of the conditions of Thomas’s heart as he navigates love and its complexities. The expert blend of R&B melodies in harmony with his raw lyrics leave you gripping your own heart, as you if are experiencing the intense love, pain and confusion Thomas belts out along with him.
The album is ushered off with an eerie crescendo and sounds of an engine starting right before a rock-inspired guitar chord, mirroring the anticipation of what’s to come. Breaking the noises, Thomas gives himself credit amidst the whirlwind of change and fame in, “HOW FAST,” by saying, “Oh Lord, I’m a visionary / This shit gettin’ kinda scary.” However, the juxtaposition of his thoughts is interesting, as his career praise is immediately followed by criticisms of a differing area of life: his love life. He reflects, saying, “I fell in love with her and broke up with her at Booby Trap / My therapist told me my problem is I’m too detached / At least I got her a Uber back.” This back-and-forth struggle is a consistent theme displayed throughout the project.
The tunes on the setlist have a good flow to them, which easily transitions listeners into the next recount of emotions. The album is a symphony of R&B tones, with slight rock influences purposed with an ode to his parents, as Thomas is reminiscent of their involvement with the Black Rock Coalition, explained in his interview surrounding the release of the album on Billboard.
The ballad of the first half eases listeners into understanding what’s really going through his mind. “FEELINGS ON SILENT,” is an emotional tug-of-war between wanting to open up, yet being scared of the outcome. Wale accompanies Thomas in this expression, notably saying, “Always keep it P, but y’all don’t see the T, S and the D.”
“Always keep it P, but y’all don’t see the T, S and the D.”
Wale in “FEELINGS ON SILENT”
Thomas lines up a dynamic feature artist list, with Axlfolie, Baby Rose, Freddie Gibbs, Masego, Ty Dolla $ign, and Wales sharing their two cents.
“ANSWER YOUR PHONE,” a personal favorite, is seemingly Thomas’s breaking point. He understands the consequence of staying stagnant in his unwillingness to open up and results to pleading with his lover, saying, “I know I don’t deserve it / But please have some mercy / ‘Cause I just might die / If you don’t / Answer your phone.”
At this point, not only the album, but Thomas himself, takes a turn.
The second half of the album focuses on the reacquaintance of the pair. “SOONER OR LATER,” a minute and 49-second melody, puts listeners in a dream state, as Thomas very clearly is consumed with the overwhelming thoughts of finding a way back to each other.
Thomas finishes up the album, and seemingly his internal struggles, by deciding that he indeed wants his aforementioned lover. The ups and downs of love have been accompanied by real growth, proved by Thomas’s mentioning in, “I DO”: “Unlearning everything that I knew / Now, I know God took His time on you.” Thomas can’t help but revel in the newfound maturity of his love.
“Unlearning everything that I knew / Now, I know God took His time on you.”
Leon Thomas in “I DO”
Mutt by Leon Thomas III is an intense and real depiction of thought, leaving fans to grapple with the feeling of an emotional journey through self-discovery and identity through love.
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