Imagine Dragons – Smoke and Mirrors

By Austen Tabor

It’s no surprise that Imagine Dragons has quite the reputation after their previous album Night Visions. With millions of sales worldwide as well as working with top video game developer Riot Games, we can see they have reached a massive following. For most, this is no surprise considering the uniqueness and refreshing songs they bring to the alternative rock genre; specifically with their electronic undertones. This isn’t the only thing that makes them unique however, as their main singer Dan Reynolds brings vocals that are very raw and powerful. This helps to take their music from very ordinary to unique and worth a listen to, because let’s be honest, the majority (not all) of what gets onto the radio these days is over commercialized. These guys could have made it to the top without any help, and this new album really proves  they deserve their spot on the top of the charts.

Smoke and Mirrors as a whole has a different feel to it than what we are used to from these guys. Don’t get me wrong it is still very much Imagine Dragons, but you can tell they have put a lot more of themselves into these songs. So here are a few of my favorite songs from the album!

“Shots”: This is definitely one of my favorites on the album as it is starts off the emotional tone that the album has. It’s about someone who continually messes up because of bad luck and is a rather destructive person in his relationships. From the electric rifts at the beginning of this song to the falsetto in the finish we see a lot insecurity and exposure that is rather touching. As sad as the lyrics are, it is surprising how “happy” this song actually sounds.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQrgto184Tk[/youtube]

“Gold”: I love the whistling at the beginning of this. Other than that, the song is relatively generic without anything special.

“Smoke and Mirrors”: Most title tracks on albums are hit or miss. Luckily this one was a hit with its smooth chorus and atmospheric drive. The lyrics can be summed up as a man believing that all he sees is an illusion/lie and he desires to know that what he wants can be obtainable. He has a tough tough time believing those dreams can be a reality, which is quite touching considering a lot of our generation can empathize. This ends with a powerful guitar solo which  really wraps this song’s mood up nicely.

“I’m So Sorry”: To start off, this song makes my ears hurt. I’m personally not a fan of the production with this one but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. The passionate vocals and inspiring lyrics to get fired up with life before the tables turn on you and life smacks you super hard in the face, really gets its point across. This song is meant to pump you up by rocking out hard and does a great job doing so.

“I Bet My Life”: Can someone please give a cookie to the strong female vocalist in the background of this song!? I absolutely love that! Okay, be professional. This song is great from the moment it starts in terms of pure catchiness. It really sounds folksy for them, and it is cool to see how they may be taking some inspiration from bands such as Mumford & Sons. This may be the most emotional song on the album as it draws us in to the life of Dan himself. He speaks about his relationship with his parents and how upon going in to the music industry put his parents through “hell.” He then realized how much they had affected his life and made him who he was, “I’ve told a million lies but now I tell a single truth/There’s you in everything I do.” Lastly he ends with an apology to them, “Please forgive me for all I’ve done.” This song is a celebration about the bond they all still have.

“Polaroid”: The first thing you will notice is the claps in the background, meaning this is a perfect peppy song to sing along to. That’s about the only reason I like it as the message of love being a Polaroid picture is very generic.

Okay, so I like a lot of songs on the album! If you get the chance I would definitely look into this one if you are not already of fan of these guys. You can tell they put a lot of their personal experiences into this album and that has made it all the worth the listen. With catchy riffs, raw vocals and some awesome electric undertones, these guys have really shown what it takes to make it.

Imagine Dragons: iTunes link

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