Imagine Dragons’ album “Smoke + Mirrors” started off great, but by the end, most songs lacked originality.
The band gained exposure following the release of their debut album, “Night Visions,” and their first single, “It’s Time.”
In my opinion, their last album was better than “Smoke + Mirrors.”
Imagine Dragons is an American alternative rock band consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne “Wing” Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman.
Reynolds stated to music magazine Rolling Stone that in “Night Visions,” they embraced hip-hop influences and that their next record would be more rock.
While the essence of the music had a rock vibe, it had a pop vibe as well.
“I Bet My Life,” which was released as the album’s first single, topped the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs.
I really enjoy listening to this song because the rhythm is catchy and the lyrics tell a story, just like the video.
This song has not only made the top charts on iTunes, but it has been played on commercials and TV shows as well.
Another song I like from the album is “Friction,” because of its beat and originality.
The song “Smoke and Mirrors” has profound lyrics with a slow tempo, making the song more serious and calming. Some lyrics are, “All I believe, is it a dream / That comes crashing down on me?”
Songs like “Gold” and “Shots” are merely catchy beats with repetitive lyrics that convey a sense of selfishness.
“Shots” includes phrases such as, “I’m going to mess this up. Oh, this is just my luck.”
The first half of the album was more unique than the second half. Toward the end, most of the songs sounded the same.
“It Comes Back to You” and “Hopeless Opus” seemed too similar because of their shared rhythm and slow tempo.
“Dream” caught my attention because of the piano intro, the slow tempo, and the insightful lyrics.
Imagine Dragons tried a new style with “Smoke + Mirrors” that ended up having a few ups and downs.
3 / 5 stars
