“Smoke + Mirrors”
Imagine Dragons
Interscope Records
4 paws
Imagine Dragons’ new album “Smoke + Mirrors” defies every label or even being classified under a single genre. Tracks bounce back and forth between indie- and rock-dominated sounds, blending in its signature futuristic beats, leaving listeners more reflective about hardships than its past hits do.
The band’s sophomore album explores its genre within each song but includes less pop than its first album “Night Visions.” The tracks on “Smoke + Mirrors” revolve around mature themes of struggles, failures and apologies, as their lyrics tell of giving up on a dream or feeling like life is a mess. Though the deeper, less optimistic message may not bring Imagine Dragons’ sophomore album the same radio airtime as its debut album, it makes the album more artistically enchanting.
Imagine Dragons’ unrivaled haunting tune, dramatic pauses and empowering choruses carry over to “Smoke + Mirrors,” but it lacks the up-beat message; gone are the days of the hit “On Top of the World.”
Opening with “Shots,” the album’s first single riddles sweet indie vibes with regretful lyrics about destroying everything the vocalist loves. The second single “Gold” begins instead with a strange slow symphony of whistles, clanking and blips of supposed shouts. “Gold” is memorable for its warning of distrust.
“Who can you trust/ When everything, everything, everything you touch turns to gold,” singer Dan Reynolds wails to the slow, rolling beat.
The confusing classification of “Smoke + Mirrors” is perhaps best exemplified by the title song “Smoke and Mirrors,” one of the most indescribable tracks of the album. It introduces a type of melancholic, effervescent music, beginning with a beautiful lament before suddenly bursting into a dramatic and raspy chorus. This somber song’s message of self-doubt is one of the most genuine in the album.
“All I believe/ Is it a dream/ That comes crashing down on me … Is it just smoke and mirrors?” Reynolds sings with a tune reminiscent of a wave with a gentle quiet followed by hard-hitting intensity.
While nothing can replace the band’s smash “Radioactive,” “I’m So Sorry” fills its role as the loud, passionate song with a heavy beat. When the raspy vocals come in, the lyrics’ punch has the conviction and swing of country music but in the style of rock. The intense beat is briefly swapped out for a soft piano melody and high-pitched vocals before returning suddenly to the striking chorus.
It isn’t until “I Bet My Life,” the flagship single of “Smoke + Mirrors,” that classic Imagine Dragons returns. It revitalizes the band’s indie storytelling and upbeat notes with a strong chorus – the best song of the album.
However, the album moves downhill from there as few, if any, potential hit songs follow. The last half of “Smoke + Mirrors” alternates between rhythmic indie songs with no real substance, like “Polaroid,” and alternative rock, like “Friction.” The latter oddly incorporates tribal and grinding vibes, while the former ineffectively compares love to a polaroid photograph. The indie songs of the album, including “Polaroid,” may be easy to sing along to with their singsong rhythms and background clapping, but they have ridiculously uncoordinated lyrics.
“I’m a first-class let down/ Imma shut up, sit down/ I am a head case/ I am the color of boom,” Reynolds chants to the meter, inventing random words to follow the rhythm.
While the album’s lyrics generally express human pain, “Dream” breaks away from the indie or rock rotation, truly capturing pleading, suffering through its smoky vocals – quite the antithesis of “On Top of the World.”
“And all these sorrows I have seen/ They lead me to believe/ That everything’s a mess/ But I wanna dream,” Reynolds cries in a last desperate attempt to remain hopeful in a chaotic world. While these earnest lyrics are stirring, they are not expected based on the previous album’s motivational songs like “It’s Time.”
While Imagine Dragons developed meaningful songs for this album, its cheery numbers add positive indie breaks to the journey, like “The Fall,” whose melody is strongly reminiscent of American Authors’ “Believer.”
Appreciation for “Smoke + Mirrors” grows with each listen. Its vague genre, mixing cool rock and indie music, creates a powerful combination of dark and light motifs. However, the album as a whole is unorganized, skipping between ideas and lacking the same authority as its first album.
Though there are a few standouts with contemplative themes of struggling to maintain hope, these tracks make for better soulful background music than hit after hit of self-empowering messages. The only overarching idea of Imagine Dragons’ “Smoke + Mirrors” is encapsulated by the apt title, as the band reflects on the suffering of mankind and blends genres in a hazy ambivalence.
– Lindsay Weinberg