Grammys 2026: Leon Thomas's 'MUTT' Turns Desire, Demons, and Devotion Into an R&B Dream: Album Review
- Abby Anderson
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Stand-out tracks: “HOW FAST" "ANSWER YOUR PHONE" "FAR FETCHED (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)"
Our favorites: “SAFE PLACE" "YES IT IS" "MUTT"
Release date: September 27, 2024
Label: EZMNY Records
For fans of: Kehlani, H.E.R,, SZA
Grammys Album of the Year prediction: Won't win, will win R&B Album
Leon Thomas has long proven himself as a master craftsman behind the curtain of modern R&B. His pen has shaped moments of intimacy and vulnerability across some of the genre’s most defining projects of the last decade — from the slow-burn longing of SZA’s “Snooze,” to the velvet confidence of Ariana Grande’s Positions, to the nocturnal confessions woven throughout Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. Yet on MUTT, Thomas steps fully into the light, revealing an artist whose voice, vision, and restraint feel just as intentional as the hits he’s helped create for others.
From the first revving instrumental of “HOW FAST,” MUTT announces itself as a high that refuses to come down. The album moves like late-night thoughts with nowhere to be — floating, unhurried, and intoxicatingly confident. Leon Thomas doesn’t rush these songs; he lets them linger, stretch, and breathe, as if daring the listener to stay suspended inside them just a little longer.
That intoxicating momentum cuts sharply through the album’s R&B foundation, laced with slick guitar tricks and horn runs that quietly elevate the glory of it all. In "SAFE PLACE", there’s a discreet flamboyance to the production — never loud, never overbearing — culminating in the biting final line, “you’re a dollar and a day late,” a subtle flex that lands with the intention and intensity that puts Thomas in a class of his own.
The spoken interlude introducing “DANCING WITH DEMONS” serves as a narrative device album lovers cherish. Riding the thrill of emotional risk, Thomas finds himself acknowledging that while the ascent feels euphoric, the fall is rarely as glamorous. A sobering moment tucked into an otherwise hazy dreamscape, it gives humanity to MUTT, reminding us that even the sweetest highs carry consequence.
“VIBES DON’T LIE” lives up to its name, effortlessly cool and assured, while “LUCID DREAMS (feat. Masego)” drifts into seduction so soft it almost dissolves on impact. Together, these songs feel like the comedown — the moment when fantasy and reality blur just enough to make both feel possible. Dreaminess doesn’t disappear here; it simply learns how to exist alongside truth.
That dream feels most tangible on “ANSWER YOUR PHONE,” where Thomas’s husky, stunning vocal range reaches its emotional peak. He sings with the desperation of someone who has lost love and knows exactly what it’s worth. The yearning in the vocal performance is matched by lush backing strings and keyboards, the very elements that make Thomas’s R&B so compelling. It’s rooted in tradition, but it experiments just enough to remain unpredictable.
And then, almost unexpectedly, it seems he gets that love back, and doesn’t take it lightly. “YES IT IS” glows with gratitude, shimmering with silver linings and quiet devotion. The song distills the feeling of reassurance into one simple, devastatingly tender exchange: “When I ask you, ‘Is it mine?’ / You say, ‘Yes, it is.’”
While Leon Thomas’s lyrical prowess has never been in question, “FAR FETCHED (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)” is where his instrumental instincts truly shine. The production carries a heart-wrenching glamour, exposing the performative nature of love, how desire can sometimes feel performative, beautiful and painful all at once. And the genius of MUTT’s title track lies in its radical simplicity; this is R&B gold stripped down to its emotional core - no distractions, no unnecessary flourishes. Much like the full project itself.
Ultimately, MUTT is understatedly sultry from start to finish, carving out a sonic world that feels intimate, grounded, and deeply intentional. Leon Thomas doesn’t chase trends or dramatics; instead, he builds an atmosphere that craves desire. It’s this restraint, these grounding sonic choices, that reveal his integrity as an artist, and solidify MUTT as an album meant not just to be heard, but to be felt.
GRAMMY FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Leon Thomas is the understated star of the nominees for Album of the Year. His freshness, talent, and commitment to creating true art makes him a name to pay attention to in this category for many years to come. MUTT lacks the cultural impact that gives some of it's fellow nominees an edge on taking the title of Album of the Year, but if Thomas without a doubt should be the one taking home the R&B Album award at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEON THOMAS:
