Imagine Dragons Underwhelms Me. Again.

Imagine Dragons

In preparing to review the second album by Las Vegas (and largely Mormon) band, Imagine Dragons, entitled "Smoke + Mirrors", I went back to my initial review for their first album, "Night Visions".  I was amazed.  I could, if I wanted, literally copy and paste my review for that album for this particular one.  Many of my observations for both are identical.

For instance, I still think that singer Dan Reynolds' voice sounds uncannily like Jay Aston from '80s glam band, Gene Loves Jezebel.  In fact, much of their music takes a page from the '80s.  Also, I can still see similarities to The Killers, Coldplay, Vertical Horizon, and Neon Trees.

But mostly, like the last album, this new one does not really grab me.  I even wrote back in 2012, "All in all a decent album.  But I will not be holding my breath for their sophomore effort."  So what was I thinking?  Why was I really looking forward to this record?  I suppose due to the hype.

It's not that it's a bad album.  It's not.  They are good musicians, decent songwriters.  They have fantastic pop hooks.  Their songs span a variety of genres.  They are everything that people who like mainstream pop would hope for.  And perhaps that's the problem.  They are shiny and with a slick packaging.  The name of the album, "Smoke + Mirrors" is an apt name for the band.  Everything is there, except substance.  Everything seems designed for commercial success, which they have.  Many of these songs have topped charts and played often on the radio.  Even my teen kids like Imagine Dragons.

But it just doesn't speak to me or move me.  Maybe I'm just getting old.

The album starts out with "Shots", which isn't bad - a finger-tapping pop piece with a vocal hook for the chorus.  "Gold" is moody and seething with a very nice sample of Native Americans singing in the background.  It really makes the song work.  The title track, "Smoke and Mirrors", has a very nice vocal progression.  "I'm So Sorry" plays with blues and hard rock.  "I Bet My Life", the main single from the album, with its soaring millennial whoop chorus, is pretty recognizable.  "Polaroid" is one of the better songs on here, stripped down to a bare minimum, allowing the percussion and the vocals to carry the song.  If the whole album was like "Friction", I would feel better about the album.  It starts with a Middle Eastern rhythm and moves into nu-metal territory.  The only other song that stands out to me is "The Fall" with its multiple song changes,  The rest of the collection is fairly underwhelming.

And I feel bad.  Because I really wanted this record to be good, instead of just "okay".  But I will say unequivocally - there will be no purchase of a third album... Maybe.