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MUTT: honey's review

  • honey
  • Dec 12, 2024
  • 6 min read


 

Leon Thomas III, or 'Andre,' as the mainstream may refer to him, is moving past the 'Victorious' part of his legacy. Put some respect on his name. Thomas' music notably transcends and establishes him outside of his renowned acting career.


From Ariana Grande to Olivia Rodrigo, there are a few artists whose potential we've seen and had the opportunity to grow up with. These people have truly established themselves outside of their acting careers, no longer immediately known as that character from this show.

Leon Thomas at the Grammy Awards holding his first Grammy.
Leon Thomas at the Grammy Awards holding his first Grammy.

Leon Thomas is one of them. He is an actor, record producer and singer-songwriter, writing for many of the artists that we revere today, such as Giveon and SZA, along with creating his own incredible music.


As you become a regular reader of my blogs, you'll notice that I'll give a bit of background (I literally mean a bit, I'm not going into full detail, let's research mamas) to the things that I talk about. This is because I want you to be able to feel that you have learned more about a topic and, if it piques your interest, go down your own rabbit hole once I share my bit of knowledge with you all.


Thomas has been around all my life personally, providing the singing voice of Tyrone on one of my favorite childhood shows, "The Backyardigans." We saw more of him as Andre Harris on the Nickelodeon show "Victorious" and it was also a nice surprise seeing him as Eddie on "Insecure". Imagine me at my big age like "Hey... I know him!"


Although Thomas has written for many well-known artists, his own music career has always been ingrained into his future. In addition to his noteworthy debut album, Electric Dusk, he has released three mixtapes, which further strengthened him in the music scene. Thomas recently released his sophomore album, MUTT, which we will be discussing today!

MUTT Album Cover Art.
MUTT Album Cover Art.
Thomas describes this album better than I could put into words as he, "...continues to explore the complexities of love and ambition..." and is on a journey of "showcasing his ability to redefine and elevate the boundaries of modern artistry and musical expression."

Frequently, we hear people say things like, "music just ain't like it used to be," "we need modern day 90s R&B," and "we need more music that says something, something with soul and rhythm." Thomas proves to be an excellent representation of one of the missing pieces that people have been searching for in music with his innovative tracks and soul-clenching lyrics.


HOW FAST opens the album, immersing you in Leon Thomas' fast-paced lifestyle. The roar of a vehicle (I'm assuming a Lamborghini) starts up and we can hear the engine humming as the vehicle revs to reach higher speeds. This song takes you into the mind of Thomas, who appears to be at the beginning of his visionary peak and feeling utterly unstoppable as he navigates the the depths of fame.


Here, he truly takes the time to say fuck being humble and is in his y'all ain't got shit on me era, or that's how I heard it at least. The vehicles that we heard earlier are replaced by a crescendo of violins at the beginning and finish of the song, which truly showcases Thomas' musical background and influences.


DANCING WITH DEMONS, a favorite of mine off the album, starts with a sample from the Studio Ghibli film, Howl's Moving Castle. How does this man manage to make a beautiful song while sampling one of my favorite film studios?


"Then one day, his heart was stolen by a demon. He never returned to complete his apprenticeship, and from that day forward he has been using his magic for entirely selfish reasons. That boy is extremely dangerous, his powers

are far too great for someone without a heart."


The song's tone is established with this line and followed by a dreamy opening, complementing the theme of the song. The twinkling in the background is definitely an instrument unknown to me, but reminiscent of the night sky, allowing the demons that lurk to be seen. The harmony of Thomas' vocals and violins in the background heightens the song's ethereal quality.


The guitar in the background portrays the haze of the rock music that Thomas is influenced by, while his lyrics give way to the demons alluded to in the title. Knowing the backstory of Howl's Moving Castle and listening to this song makes me wonder how Thomas connects to it and the reasons behind his choice of that line and film. Like maybe Thomas is Sophie in this situation.


Sophie is surrounded by 'demons' (they're all just misunderstood) throughout the film. Calcifer, the fire demon, Howl, the wizard without a heart and the Witch of the Waste. Sophie, undoubtedly, warms to these demons, making a deal with Calcifer, falling in love with Howl and helping the Witch of the Waste even after she cursed her. These demons have become Sophie's friends, spending her time dancing with them.


This is a cool theory that I thought I'd share, but I feel like the more likely theory is Thomas relating more to Howl especially in the context of certain lyrics.


"You can't seem to save yourself, save yourself / Never learned to ask for help, ask for help / Nobody said how dark the light be"


Howl is always there to help others, welcoming several people into his castle and protecting them from the outside world. However, who protects Howl? Who supports him despite the fact that the more he uses magic, the more he dies? What stops him from this never-ending dance with demons and death? He cannot escape this inevitable hurdle that leads to his demise, and it is at this point that the same people he takes in support him in healing.


Leon Thomas' vulnerability is heightened in on ANSWER YOUR PHONE. As a former orchestra student [violin and cello girly], I was moved by the prominence of the string instruments on this track. His vulnerability is further heightened by the cymbals in the background, which contribute to the song's dramatic build up.


MUTT [album card] opens with an extremely soulful melody that combines elements of r&b, jazz and neo-soul. To me, MUTT is the ideal representation of the 90s r&b that everyone claims doesn't exist but is perpetually sought after in new music.


The drums fit perfectly with Thomas' lyrics. I can really envision Thomas singing this at a swanky jazz club with his band playing piano and drums in the back. [this is me shooting my shot for you to come to NOLA and do this and since I had the idea, I'm gonna need a free ticket.]


The pre-chorus allows the light piano keys to shine and remain apparent throughout the song, allowing Thomas' vulnerability to take place at the forefront. As apart of his style, Thomas' compositions rely strongly on string accompaniment, which sets the stage for a particularly vulnerable and expressive moment that makes the song even more effervescent.


I also have to give an honorary mention to the MUTT remix featuring Freddie Gibbs. I could not see a better feature on this song. I love it when an artist appears on a song and follows suit with what the original artist is saying, so thank you Freddie Gibbs, the verse was amazing.

Overall, I don't think this album has a consistent flow of telling us a play by play story. I mention this not because it's necessary or an issue, but because Leon Thomas expresses his feelings on each track and allows the instruments to evoke those emotions throughout the entire album. Even though it may appear inconsistent, there is still something there— it is Thomas' story which I truly enjoyed listening to.


I won't rate this album or any album that I do a review of. The reason is because this is someone's art, their life and to reduce it to a number that is based on my personal opinion does not fully represent the effort that they put into making this come to life nor does it reflect my genuine appreciation and value for their work as it is.


It diminishes their artistic integrity when someone invests their time and energy in something extremely personal to them only for me to come and criticize it, especially when I'm not an actual music critic. I don't even be knowing some of the instruments in the background and you want me to rate the music? Girl, goodbye. I'm a music enthusiast and I study music, not as a critic but rather to appreciate it, learn more about it, and share it with the people around me.

 

Here are some cool sources that helped me when writing this piece. Check them out if you want to learn more about Leon Thomas:



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you're the real mvp.

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