Imagine Dragons is ready to ‘ƎVOLVE’ (review)
The Award winning band is at it again. Imagine Dragons is an alt-rock band that gained exposure in 2012. Five years later, they are back on the scene with new singles teasing their new album.
The songs, “Believer,” “Thunder,” and “Whatever It Takes” are the forefront of the album “Evolve.”
The band’s most attractive quality is their ability to make each song sound fresh and different than the last, that quality is not lost with these singles.
“Believer” came out right as 2017 began on Jan. 31st. It is considered the cover song of the new album. The strong opening and the strong percussion are the most admirable qualities. The song also has a powerful message about finding meaning in pain.
The main chorus talks about personifies pain and saying makes them into believers. The song has a catchy beat and is just one of those melodies that makes me close my eyes and slowly bang my head and let it take me in.
This is my favorite song of the three because of its meaningful lyrics and great sound that I have come to expect from this group.
Next came “Thunder” on Apr. 27th with its more upbeat and bouncy beat. “Thunder” has less of a deeper meaning but more of a catch to it and something that one would be caught humming absentmindedly after listening to it for the first time.
The song features an electronic repetitive voice which is a little new for the Dragons but I think it worked out well. They are trying to be a part of the current pop music trend and what is popular now, hence the bouncy beat. I liked the sound in this one as well.
However, this is my least favorite of the three because of the lack of deeper meaning and substance in the song which is something I always thought Imagine Dragons took pride in.
Most recently the song “Whatever It Takes” came out May 9th. This single is the most fast paced song of the bunch and I really appreciate the speed. It is keeping the theme of obstacles like the other songs.
By looking at the title it is apparent that the band is talking about determination and doing whatever is necessary to be successful. It has a pretty “Radioactive” feel (the song that won the band the most awards and their most popular).
With the beat dropping before each chorus and continuing it for the duration of said chorus, it is a reliable sound and feels nostalgic of their classic song so, overall, it was very good.
The music is a healthy mixture of new and old while throwing in their signature flair that the band is known for. A small thing that also impresses me are the visual covers of each single because all of them are dark and retro.
The repetitive nature of the songs stood out to me in a negative way. They find solace in perfecting the never changing chorus and having it all build up to a conclusion at the end. This seemingly smart strategy tends to get annoying the more you listen to the songs.
Overall, these songs are a very strong opener for “Evolve” which will be dropping Jun. 23rd and I am excited to see what else the Dragons want us to Imagine.
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Griffin O'Hagan is currently a senior at Carlisle High School and this is his first year on staff. He writes for the A&E section on the website but...
