In 2012, Imagine Dragons released Night Visions, which became one of Rock music's best selling records of all time and, oh, won a couple GRAMMYs. If it had not for one of my friends telling me to buy their song "It's Time" back in 2012, it could have very well been another year before I even knew who they were. Shortly after, I bought the album and I still enjoy it. How do you follow up to an album like that? For one thing, it won't be easy. Forget all that you knew from Night Visions. Smoke + Mirrors sounds nothing like it. The album is all over the place. It has elements of 80's pop ("Shots"), Rock ("Gold", "I'm So Sorry") and rap ("Friction"). It is extremely hard to give the album a strict genre. It could simply be Experimental Indie. The sophomore album from the Las Vegas quartet is sure to please any fan of the band.
The record starts out with "Shots." It sounds more like it would be from 1985 instead of 2015. It is one of the best songs on the album. In a recent interview with Billboard, singer Dan Reynolds stated that he is "depressed as hell." Most of the album sound like an apology to the friends and family he has lost in the 3 years ID has been a staple in music. "Gold" is the second track on the album and it is once again very different. The song seems to have been written about the depression Reynolds has gone through. He even attempts a scream, which is new for ID.
The title track, "Smoke and Mirrors," could very well be Reynolds speaking as Kurt Cobain, as they were both rock and both depressed at the top of their game. Sometimes life won't be completely clear. "I'm So Sorry" deals with critics coming at you for something they might not 100% agree with. That's how it is with music, there is always going to be that group that doesn't like a song or album.
The album's lead single, "I Bet My Life" is a stadium-ready pop anthem. It is an apology to the band's parents. Every parent of an aspiring musician (I have had first-hand experience myself) has tried to talk their children out of it. I bet all their parents don't wish that now."Polaroid" is one of the few love songs on the album. Assuming since Reynolds is married, it is for his wife. As stated in the song, love always looks better in pictures. I can relate to that as most people can.
If you listened to "Friction" without knowing who the artist is, at first, you would probably think it is the beginning of a rap song. The song is about working your way to the top of the charts, as they did with "Radioactive." Track 7 on the record is "It Comes Back To You." When you become famous, you are likely to lose a lot of friendships in the process. That's what the song is about. If it is a true friendship, they will come back to you and not just for your money.
"Dream" is simply about life. Sometimes life will seem like a dream and other times a nightmare. Other times it will seem like you are living other people's dreams. "Trouble" almost sounds like a prayer to God. He doesn't want trouble and feels like he needs some (who sounds like God) to save his life. In the song it says "Maybe You could save my life." That sure sounds like a cry to God.
I have always wondered why there are so many love songs about Summer but then they break up at the end of the season. It just doesn't make sense lol. The 10th song on the album "Summer" is no exception. Things change in the summer for some reason and we may not know. As mentioned before, the singer went through depression recently. That is what "Hopeless Opus" is about as if you can't tell from the title. The closing track, "The Fall" seems like another cry out to God to help him through depression. The song mentions praying and "You gave it all to me."
The album is all over the place. But that does not at all mean it isn't a good album. Its an excellent album to say the least. I have been waiting 3 years for this album and glad its finally out. If you didn't like their first album, this is a different sound, so I really suggest checking it out.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Purchase Links: iTunes, Amazon MP3
Top 3 Songs: "It Comes Back To You," "I'm So Sorry," "Friction"
For Fans Of: Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, Switchfoot
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