Imagine Dragons Return With ‘Smoke + Mirrors’

Imagine Dragons

Chicago – Imagine Dragons are back with an explosive sophomore album, which was recorded at their self-built home studio, and inspired by the world music discovered in the band’s travels. The Las Vegas foursome – made up of vocalist and guitarist Dan Reynolds, bassist and keyboardist Ben McKee, guitarist Daniel Wayne Sermon, and drummer Daniel Platzman – found themselves topping charts worldwide with their debut album Night Visions (on KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records). The album went double platinum in the U.S., earning Imagine Dragons Billboard‘s “Breakthrough Band of 2013.” MTV followed suit, Best New Bands showcased the band as a featured artist, and the single “Radioactive” was declared “the biggest rock hit of the year” by Rolling Stone. They won numerous awards, including a Grammy. This all makes for quite a bit of pressure when it comes to album number two, but it seems the guys have some tricks up their sleeves because Imagine Dragons have managed to top themselves with Smoke + Mirrors.

Much of the album was written during the band’s rise to fame. Reynolds recently told Billboard that during the height of his success, he found himself feeling rather depressed and questioning his friendships. In Smoke + Mirrors, he puts all his insecurities, mistakes, and troubles out on the table with a mix of musical influences while remaining overall rooted in pop, but this time around the music is definitely much heavier in guitars, giving even more of a rock vibe. Reynolds also told Billboard that his love for his wife and daughter keep him grounded; that love also comes through on occasion in songs like “It Comes Back To You.”

The first single off the album, “I Bet My Life,” has been playing on radios across the world, full of the strong drumming Imagine Dragons have become known for, plus some sweet harmonizing. Back in December, in another Billboard interview, Reynolds said “I Bet My Life” stemmed from his up-and-down relationship with his family, but particularly his relationship with his conservative, Mormon parents, stating, “[M]y entire life I’ve been the black sheep in my family and been in and out of trouble.”

Opening track “Shots” expresses what so many feel at the start of something good, whether it be a budding relationship or new job: the fear that we will somehow mess it all up. Reynolds sings, “Oh I’m gonna mess this up / This is just my luck / Over and over again / I’m sorry for everything I’ve done.” With the synths in this track, it sounds similar to the indie-pop we’ve been hearing from bands like Walk The Moon. Ending track “The Fall” also echoes this but with more of an 80s feel.

In “Gold,” the band tackles the struggles of dealing with fame and success. Reynolds sings, “Who can you trust when everything you touch turns to gold?” The track begins with African inspired beats that mold into so much more with the help from some synths. The various forms of percussion keep “Gold” more inline with their debut album, but there are plenty of tracks that bring the band’s sound to a whole new level. For instance, “I’m So Sorry” begins with a rocking country feel, and as it progresses, it feels a bit bluesy. It slows down midway through, as Reynolds sings directly to the one he hurt. “Life isn’t always what you think it’d be / Turn your head for one second and the tables turn / Yeah, and I know, I know that I did you wrong / Will you trust me when I say I’ll make it up to you somehow.” It picks back up with Reynolds screaming “I’m so sorry,” and then out of nowhere a killer guitar riff comes in, suddenly turning the song metal. When it’s over, you’re left a little shocked. Did that just happen? It did. Let’s listen again!

Beware of the title track “Smoke And Mirrors.” It will probably get stuck in your head! Drums explode halfway through the song and the tempo picks up. Reynolds sings, “Is it just smoke and mirrors? I want to believe!” Is he referencing religion again? Or fame? Who knows. You will know you’ll want to sing along again and again.

Smoke + Mirrors may sound more rock, but it stays true to Night Visions in its creativity and multitude of inspirations. “Summer” hints at a calypso feel, while “Hopeless Opus” carries Asian flair and roots in EDM but never leaves behind rock with its guitars and anthem feel. There’s a strong Middle Eastern vibe in “Friction,” but at times it also seems to channel Michael Jackson circa HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. “Trouble” is folksy and upbeat, sounding akin to something that might be heard on a Mumford & Sons album. It’s also deep, filled with references to his younger years and his Mormon faith. Reynolds has gone on record with his struggles with his faith. Although he hasn’t left the religion, he’s questioned it, and this song delves into that and his search for meaning and himself.

Imagine Dragons album

“Dream” will probably have you hooked the minute the beautiful sounds of piano come through your speakers. It may also have you wondering, “Is this Imagine Dragons or Coldplay?” Then there’s “Polaroid,” one of my favorite tracks on the album. It’s quirky and fun with earnest lyrics: “Love is a Polaroid / Better in pictures / Never can fill the void.” It’s also the perfect song to clap along with at concerts. I envision packed stadiums filled with raised lighters in a brilliant salute while Imagine Dragons brings excited fans to tears with “Polaroid.” Love may never truly fill the void, but music usually does… and that’s the magic of Smoke + Mirrors.

Smoke + Mirrors is out this Tuesday, February 17, through KIDinaKORNER & Interscope Records. That same day, the band will also perform live on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Smoke + Mirrors is available on iTunes. An exclusive deluxe edition, featuring four extra tracks plus premier cover art, will be available in Target stores and online at TARGET.COM.

Imagine Dragons tour South America in April followed by a massive North American tour.
Sarah Hess

Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.


You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
Sarah Hess

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