By: Steven Mainzer/Bomb-ass MC
Mac Miller seems as if he has been reading a little bit of Robert Louis Stevenson, displaying similarities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde with all of his alter egos. Assuming responsibilities for the production as Larry Fisherman and disguising his voice as Mr.Thomas sounding like Alvin from the Chipmunks, Miller takes on multiple personalities with his latest mixtape Delusional Thomas. The ten song journey delves into beats similar to his previous project, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, but twists them with a sort of sadistic aura. The tape is odd and provoking, proving that Miller is still is a mindful MC with his lyrical proficiency but overall, the message is a bit disturbing.
Miller sounds like a young Marshall Mathers in the Slim Shady era on the track “Halo.” He makes the listener wonder if Mac is just trying to crack jokes or is expressing the problems his alter ego Thomas actually has with these twisted thoughts and experiences; “I got the clap from a woman in El Salvador, so I grabbed the house phone and strangled her without the extension cord, sorry I was bored, guess i’m quite sadistic, misfit dip****, he’s always pessimistic.” As the album progresses you start to get a little sick of the high pitched, seemingly disturbed Mr. Thomas, but on “Bill” a new voice is heard as Earl Sweatshirt attacks the track strong with his own blueness, “I’m just a little bit depressed, that’s why winter fit him best I guess I’m biased to the cold, mix the Ritalin and the Sess mix the highs and lows and I also like the checks.” Like Thomas, Earl searches to find ways to cope with his depressed thoughts.
At just about the point where I could take no more yelping from a Hello Kitty Doll that was probably running out of batteries, I was awoken by the hard hitting snare on “Dr.Thomas.” Larry Fisherman provides similar beats throughout the tape, but keeps a cohesive Halloween feel to the music. While the beats all string together, Thomas continues to express his dark thoughts – the only problem is that it is a bit of a battle to get through Miller’s helium filled rhymes and troubled thoughts, “My condition is critical, yeah I’m dying quickly, I’m calling out for help but everyone dying with me, I find it a pity how all of my crimes been petty, run into your house, turn your kids to confetti.” Mr. Thomas yields to show any sort of sane lyrics on the tape but creates a persona that listeners are wanting to learn more about.
The bright spot of the tape comes on the last track, “Grandpa Used to Carry a Flask,” when Miller’s actual voice is heard. Thomas leads Miller in with his dark questions about the meaning of life; “What’s the purpose of everything, who the f*** cares? We run scared because nothing is fair and we don’t become aware. Pretend it don’t exist, ignorance, the only bliss.” The curious Thomas gets answers from Mac with the hopeless response that possibly no one cares; “S*** it must have slipped my mind, why well, I haven’t seen a genuine smile in a while, guess everybody stuck in denial.”
Mac Miller has developed a solid idea of how to be truly different. It would have been nice to hear more of himself throughout the tape but Delusional Thomas shows an Odd Future-esque theme that demonstrates the influences from his new peers living in California. Miller is clearly evolving from the “frat rap” star he once was in Pittsburgh, and is pleading for listeners to want to hear the diversity in his music. If you can withstand the high pitched shriek from Miller, then the tape is definitely worth a listen – but it’s a task indeed. Delusional Thomas draws attention with its interesting thematic elements, cohesive beats, and complex lyrics. Although a bit repetitive, the tape intrigues the listener with the perspective of a quite creative character.
OVERALL: 
7/10
KEY TRACKS:
Bill
Dr.Thomas
Grandpa Used to Carry a Flask