Right off the bat, there are going to be folks that say Night Argent is a rip off of Imagine Dragons. You know what though? I understand the viewpoint. I disagree that they’re ripping anyone off, but I get it.
Also, I think Night Argent takes a sound that Imagine Dragons made mainstream and builds upon it. They make it better. Maybe it’s subjective (it is), but I just think the songwriting is better. The hooks are more massive. The songs are big yet earnest. Not a lot of layering.
I remember when I heard “Nothing More Beautiful” for the first time in early 2015. I had a feeling this band was going places and seeing them perform at SXSW confirmed my suspicions. In fact, given their early slot at the showcase I saw them perform, the impact was such that the crowd demanded an encore performance at the end of the day – late afternoon, same showcase.
Seeing them again this year in a dive bar on Sixth Street made me a bit indignant on their behalf since the puny system definitely could not handle what was happening on stage. I also missed the stage lights from the first year I saw them. When you hear these songs, you can understand why they demand a production. Not to say the band is high maintenance – I didn’t get that vibe from my brief interactions with them. The songs as standalone entities deserve a massive performance.
My favorite tracks from the EP are probably “Comet (Light It Up)” and “Widowmaker.” The former sounds like something I would have asked my parents to turn up loud while driving to the beach during one of my childhood spring break trips to the Palm Beach area of Florida. Anticipation filled and anthemic. “Widowmaker” brings me a similar feeling alongside a chorus thats begs for a feeling of camaraderie. And of course, “Nothing More Beautiful” is a huge and poignant at the same time.
If you’re looking for something with passion, groove, and accessibility, Night Argent is your band.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/209741765″/]
0 Comments